Picnic walks

Picture it. A lazy, hazy, sun-kissed ramble. With family, partner, a posse of pals. Appetites fired, you smooth down the blanket and tuck into a sumptuous feast. The relaxed banter is accompanied by the low mooing of distant cows, the sigh of the waves breaking softly on the shore. Or, perhaps, the gentle trickle of a nearby stream, promising to lull you into a post-lunch snooze while the kids cool off in the crystal water. It’s a scene replayed the country over at a series of unforgettable secluded picnic spots. From sun-dappled glades to manicured lawns presided over by stately piles, we share our top picnic picks.