Gracious gardens, stately mansions, dramatic cliffs and a coastal town immortalized by Jane Austen in Persuasion it's all very recent history in Dorset. Dinosaurs roamed its coastline where unique rock formations span 180 million years of the earth's history. The Wayfarers literally walk through time, accompanied by a scientist who explains the mysteries behind the fossils found along the shoreline. One relic of the Jurassic period is the jaws of an Ichthyosaur, a giant marine reptile that predates the dinosaurs. Wayfarers are welcome in country villages and 16th-century mansions and in the extraordinary gardens that flourish in Dorset's countryside. We take Afternoon Tea at Ryall Farm, the original home of The Wayfarers, where Michael West and Christopher Hague first envisioned this unique way of walking 24 years ago.

Cornwall is blessed with a temperate climate that compliments its magnificent landscape. Pathways lead past sandy coves and cobbled shores, and across unforgettably high, Atlantic-facing bluffs that deliver dramatic views.

"Last night I dreamed I went to Manderly again." Those haunting lines of Daphne du Maurier evoke the Cornish coast with its timeless fishing villages, secluded coves, crashing waves and mansions overlooking the sea. Yet despite the moody scenes from Rebecca and tales of stormy seas and rapacious pirates in Frenchman's Creek, Cornwall is one of England's sunniest spots, with a temperate climate where subtropical gardens bloom and farmlands and meadows overlook the cliffs and coastline. The best of coast and country combine here. Trails wind atop soaring bluffs. On one side of the coastal path is a flowering meadow on the other, a magnificent sea view. Films capture these stunning vistas in scenes from the Ladies in Lavender, Excalibur and "Poldark."

The ancient harbor of Dartmouth launched a thousand ships. Crusaders, Sir Francis Drake, naval vessels and today, luxury yachts, all set out from this picturesque port. We head inland through the dramatic open spaces of Dartmoor and Exmoor where windswept moors, rushing rivers, stunning seascapes and thick forests surround thatched villages and working farms. Norman and Saxon kings hunted here on feudal lands first mentioned in the Doomsday Book, a famous tax survey launched in 1086 by William the Conqueror. Before that, Bronze Age chieftains held sway and we visit their burial grounds. The Virgin Queen still rules in the timbered Elizabethan towns and 14th and 15th-century castles and churches survive. Local legends inspired many writers, including Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles and RD Blackmore's Lorna Doone.

On a sunny day, the towns and villages of the Cotswolds cast a light so golden, a magical city seems to rise in the midst of this quintessentially English landscape. Walls and buildings made of Cotswold limestone glow in myriad shades of gold and honey brown. This beautiful stone is seen in the homes of prosperous wool merchants and the medieval Norman churches they endowed and in earlier, Saxon architecture. Two of England's historic towns anchor the Cotswolds and our walk concludes in Oxford, for 800 years the home of the fabled university.

From the Irish Sea to the North Sea's craggy shore, the Coast to Coast Walk spans 85 miles of hills and dales, lakes and moorlands. Invigorating and inspiring, this legendary journey leads through the tranquil Lake District to the villages and dales of Yorkshire, to a walk on the wilder side the haunting moors immortalized in Wuthering Heights. Here Wordsworth wrote, James Herriot tended creatures great and small and the spires of a 13th century monastery rise over the moors. At 12-15 miles a day, this is one of The Wayfarers more demanding walks, showcasing England's infinite variety, rich history and spectacular beauty. The van is always available for those who want to take a break or explore other aspects of this breathtaking countryside.

"Land of The Shining River", "Land of My Heart Forever", "Scotland the Brave". The Scots' pride in their land's spectacular beauty, Celtic traditions and historic battles are everywhere evident in our walk through this stunning countryside. The capital city of Edinburgh provides a panorama of its history from medieval lanes and Georgian mansions to its vibrant contemporary arts scene. On the Highland trails, walkers encounter a pristine landscape of magnificent lakes, heathered moors, mountains and woods and fields rich with flowers, birds and wildlife. Here Scottish heroes rose Braveheart, Rob Roy and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Ancient Druids built mysterious stone circles, and contentious clans waited behind medieval castle walls before donning their tartans and doing battle. Remote islands beckon with lush scenery and picture-perfect ports.

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and smal...the splendor of the Yorkshire Dales and the wild and human life that inhabit them are superbly chronicled in print and celluloid by country vet James Herriot. Little has changed since Herriot penned his stories. The stunning landscape of heather-covered hills and tranquil dales, cozy villages, ruined abbeys and the beauty of the birds and beasts of this serene land, are timeless. This year, the ancient city of York is on our itinerary. Romans, Danes, Vikings and conquering Normans left their mark here and York's walls have surrounded this riverside city since the 13th century. The faithful have prayed in its magnificent cathedral, York Minster, for nearly a thousand years.

"The hospitality of an Irishman... springs like all his qualities& directly from the heart." So said Daniel O'Connell, whose beautiful estate is part of the walk over the mystical Ring of Kerry. Ireland's past is present in Iron Age forts, Celtic churches and the mysteriously carved Ogham Stone. The Irish celebrate this land of emerald hills, woodlands, lakes and sea with annual walking festivals. When not blazing these stunning trails, visitors can fish, ride, sail and surf. Revel in Irish music, be it a rousing rebel song or a lyrical harp. Irish spirit and spirits prevail in convivial pubs and countryside where you hear the lilt of Irish laughter and the old Gaelic language Caed Mille Failte A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!

Picture a series of almost unimaginably green wolds (rolling meadows) topped by the occasional stone escarpment.The Cotswold Way, often described as a model long-distance footpath for its array of natural and cultural attractions is a great first walk for those new to walking holidays.