Start With How the Path Will Be Used

Before you fall for a photograph of weathered sandstone or a neat run of clay pavers, think about what the path actually has to do. A route from the back door to the shed is a very different prospect from the main walk from the driveway to the front door, which must take deliveries, wheelie bins, buggies and the occasional grandchild on a scooter.

How many people will use it, and how often? Does it need to be wheelbarrow-friendly, or wide enough for two to pass? Is it shaded for most of the day, where algae will gather? Will it be slippery when wet — on a slope, near a pond, or on the north side of the house? Answer those honestly and your shortlist narrows quickly.

Natural Stone: Built to Age Gracefully

Sandstone, limestone, granite and slate are the traditional choices, and for good reason. A well-laid stone path can last decades, weathering into something more characterful rather than shabbier. Sandstone remains the workhorse of British gardens, while granite and Yorkstone cost more but shrug off frost and footfall with barely a mark.

• Durability: excellent. Frost-resistant varieties handle our winters well when laid on a proper base.
• Drainage: good, provided the path falls slightly away from the house and joints are pointed with a permeable mortar or left open with fine grit.
• Upkeep: low. Sweeping, an occasional scrub for algae in shaded spots, and re-pointing every decade or so.

Watch the finish. Riven stone looks lovely but holds water in its crevices, while sawn or honed surfaces are easier to walk on and to clean. Avoid highly polished stone outdoors — it turns into a skating rink in the wet.

Brick and Clay Pavers: Warmth With a Little More Upkeep

Clay pavers bring a soft, cottagey warmth that suits period homes and small courtyards. They are tough, but the joints are the weak point. Sand-jointed pavers shift and need topping up; mortar pointing is more robust but can crack if the base moves. In a damp, shaded corner, bricks harbour moss and algae more readily than smooth stone, and they are fiddlier to lay in tight curves, though herringbone copes with gentle bends well.

Best for front paths, cottage gardens and anywhere you want colour and a human scale. Budget for re-sanding every few years and keep a bag of kiln-dried sand in the shed.

Gravel and Loose Aggregates: Good Drainage, Honest Effort

Gravel is the cheapest way to cover a long route, and it drains beautifully — a sensible choice for a boggy corner or a run of twenty metres where you don't want to spend a fortune. It muffles footsteps and feels relaxed.

The trade-off is maintenance. Loose gravel migrates into borders, gets kicked onto lawns and needs raking back. It is also awkward for anyone using a wheelchair or a walking frame, and a nuisance with dogs. If you go this route, choose rounded 10–20mm pea gravel or a self-binding aggregate, lay it at least 50mm deep over a weed-suppressing membrane, and edge it with timber, steel or setts.

• Durability: good, but it thins over time and wants topping up annually.
• Drainage: excellent — the best of any option here.
• Upkeep: regular raking, topping up and keeping it out of the borders.

Porcelain and Outdoor Tiles: Clean Lines, Very Little Fuss

Outdoor porcelain has become the go-to for anyone wanting a crisp, modern finish. It is dense, frost-proof and will not fade, and because the colour runs right through the tile, a chip is far less obvious than on glazed ceramic. Textured and matt finishes give a reassuring grip underfoot, and the slim 20mm thickness keeps the finished level pleasingly flat.

The catch is the base. Porcelain does not flex, so it needs a genuinely solid, well-compacted sub-base and a proper adhesive or mortar bed. Laid badly, tiles rock, and a rocking tile will crack. Expect to pay more for materials and for the skill to fit them, but very little thereafter — a mop and warm soapy water is about the extent of it.

Check the slip rating before you buy. For a UK garden, look for R11 or higher, or a barefoot-friendly textured surface, especially if the path is shaded or gets frost.

Drainage, Edging and the Base Beneath

Whatever you choose, the material is only half the story. A path that puddles has been built wrong, not chosen wrong.

• Sub-base: 100mm of compacted MOT Type 1 is the usual starting point for a pedestrian path. Weak bases cause dips, rocking slabs and cracked joints.
• Fall: roughly 1:60 — about 17mm per metre — sheds water without feeling like a hill.
• Edging: essential for gravel, and helpful for everything else. Good edging holds the surface in place and keeps the line crisp.
• Permeability: in a small garden where the path runs close to the house, permeable joints, gravel or resin-bound surfaces reduce the risk of water pooling at the wall.

Finally, match the material to the house rather than to a trend. A path you can walk comfortably in slippers, and that still looks right after ten wet winters, is worth far more than the one that looked best in the brochure.