People often associate the UK only with London, football or gardens, but there are other things that are deeply British. Brits love the great outdoors, and the English countryside is a verdant treasure trove of variety and well-kept footpaths.

Whether you live in the UK or are planning a trip, here are seven great ways to discover the UK:

1. If you have a week to spare, cycle from one end of the UK to the other, and that means an 870-mile (1,407-kilometre) journey from the northern tip of Scotland to the southwestern tip of Cornwall. This route from John O’Groats to Land’s End is known as the JOGLE among cycling enthusiasts. Do this as part of a charity challenge and as well as raising money for a good cause, you’ll gain invaluable networking and fundraising skills.
2. If 800 miles is too long, you can opt for an organized bike day trip like Bike Fest to cycle to Stonehenge in the height of summer. The starting points are all over the country. If your family doesn’t like cycling, ask them to encourage you along the route or when you get close to Stonehenge.
3. Come on, we have a long walk. Get a local OS Explorer map in your area and you’ll no doubt be amazed at how many trails and bridle paths there are. Chances are good that you can get to them without a car at your doorstep. OS maps come in different scales, the Explorer series at 1:25000 is the best for hiking. Ordance Survey (OS) has a helpful page to explain the different types of maps.
4. Are you feeling adventurous? Climb a mountain in four regions called four peaks: Ben Nevis in Scotland, Helvellyn in the Lake District in England, Snowdonia in Wales and, to add a bit of international travel to the mix, Carantouhill in the Republic of Ireland.
5. On weekends, visit the old trading towns, stay at an old inn (some of them are in 400-year-old buildings), and get a local OS Explorer map to your destination. Remember to order your map a week or two before your trip.
6. If you live in the south, walk the South Downs Way from Winchester to Brighton. This route takes more than a day, but you can set a route for yourself and walk part of the way every weekend. There are plenty of affordable accommodation and pubs along the way.
7. For stunningly beautiful coastline, head to the South Devon coast, where a national footpath follows the coastline. On a sunny day it looks like the Amalfi Coast in Italy, but with cleaner air. It is impressive and sometimes it seems that the locals try to keep it a secret.