Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths present glorious entry to the outside whereas showcasing the best surroundings our isles have to supply
If you consider the most effective long-distance climbing trails from all over the world, little previous Britain in all probability wouldn’t prime of your listing. Hikers will extra doubtless be drawn to the Triple Crown of the Appalachian, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest trails within the US, New Zealand’s Nice Walks or the well-known Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp treks in Nepal.
Nevertheless, the UK does have an intensive community of long-distance footpaths. Managed by the Nationwide Trails in England and Wales and Scotland’s Nice Trails north of the border, the UK has 1000’s of miles of tramping to be found – and the community continues to develop.
Through the years, I’ve accomplished a number of of the UK’s long-distance footpaths. Most just lately, I hiked the Two Moors Manner throughout Dartmoor and Exmoor which instantly grew to become a agency favorite. As such, we’ve up to date our listing of Britain’s long-distance footpaths. Learn on to see what they’ve to supply.
Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths
There isn’t a formal definition of a long-distance footpath. Sometimes, all over the world, it will likely be not less than 50km (30mi) lengthy. Nevertheless, the British Lengthy Distance Walkers Affiliation defines long-distance footpaths as “20 miles [32km] or extra in size and primarily off-road.”
Our number of Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths vastly exceeds these definitions.
1. Pennine Manner
Location: England
Distance: 431km (268mi)
Length: 20-25 days
Begin: Edale, Derbyshire
End: Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders
Britain’s oldest path (opened in 1965) traverses a few of the most interesting upland landscapes in England. It’s by far essentially the most well-known and one of the fashionable of Britain’s footpaths.
Beginning within the comparatively average hills of the Peak District, the path runs northwards by means of the Yorkshire Dales, throughout the North Pennines and over Hadrian’s Wall and the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland Nationwide Park.
The route varies from marching alongside clearly outlined paved surfaces to crossing obscure and persistently moist peat bogs. Moist socks apart, the route showcases the wildest, prettiest and most distant inland surroundings in England.
Extra information: nationaltrail.co.uk
2. West Highland Manner
Location: Scotland
Distance: 154km (96mi)
Length: 5-8 days
Begin: Milngavie (Glasgow)
End: Fort William
The Scots name their long-distance footpaths ‘Nice Trails’ – a worthy identify for Britain’s wildest mountain surroundings. Scotland’s first long-distance footpath opened in 1980 and takes in a few of the nation’s most well-known terrain together with Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Nationwide Park, Glen Coe and Rannoch Moor.
It’s potential to include climbs of Ben Lomond and/or Ben Nevis (the UK’s highest mountain) on the path. Hikers may even name off at a distillery en route – and why not, you’ll have earned it.
Scotland’s oldest long-distance footpath can also be its busiest. It’s used extensively by guests throughout the extra fashionable months between April and September so don’t anticipate to have the path to your self.
Extra information: scotlandsgreattrails.com
3. Wales Coast Path
Location: Wales
Distance: 1,400km (870mi)
Length: 60-80 days
Begin: Chepstow, Monmouthshire
End: Queensferry, Flintshire
Not an official Nationwide Path, however deserving of a spot amongst Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths, the Wales Coast Path incorporates the 299km (186mi) Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
The trail runs by means of two nationwide parks (Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire Coast), three areas of excellent nationwide magnificence and thru or close to dozens of nature reserves, historic websites and heritage coasts.
Over time, the Wales Coast Path hyperlinks up with Offa’s Dyke Path which loosely follows the Wales-England border primarily making a steady footpath virtually encompassing the entire of Wales.
Extra information: walescoastpath.gov.uk
4. Hadrian’s Wall Path
Location: England
Distance: 135km (84mi)
Length: 6-8 days
Begin: Wallsend
End: Bowness-on-Solway
I’ve accomplished a number of sections of this superb coast-to-coast footpath that traces the ultimate ‘frontier of the Roman Empire’ and the UNESCO-listed Hadrian’s Wall. With a excessive level of solely 345m (1,130ft), the surroundings is probably not as mountainous as some others on this listing, however it’s no much less spectacular.
There’s historical past to be discovered alongside each step of the footpath. The defensive fortification within the Roman province of Britannia signified the northern restrict of the Roman Empire. Development started in 122 AD underneath the reign of the emperor Hadrian to maintain out the ‘Barbarians’ from the north.
The trail follows Roman settlements and forts throughout England by means of the least populated elements of England and Wales, repeatedly dipping into historic market cities and sleepy villages.
Extra information: nationaltrail.co.uk
5. Southern Upland Manner
Location: Scotland
Distance: 338km (210mi)
Length: 15-20 days
Begin: Portpatrick
End: Cockburnspath
Opened in 1984, the Southern Upland Manner was Britain’s first formally recognised coast-to-coast long-distance footpath.
The Southern Upland Manner is a difficult, uncompromising and distant footpath that cuts throughout a variety of terrain. It was designed that manner. The footpath curves over the hills, reasonably than following the road of least resistance alongside valley flooring.
As such, the sheer vary of surroundings on supply is astounding. Mountains, forests and lengthy stretches of desolate moorland have to be negotiated, in addition to a substantial amount of hill climbing and, initially and end, some rugged coastal strolling, making this one in all Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths.
Extra information: scotlandsgreattrails.com
6. Cotswold Manner
Location: England
Distance: 164km (102mi)
Length: 7-9 days
Begin: Tub
End: Chipping Campden
A quintessential English expertise, the Cotswold Manner can be a gents’s long-distance footpath, providing an undemanding stroll by means of the countryside versus a footslog up a boggy path to a windswept summit.
The route hugs the western border of the Cotswolds Nationwide Panorama alongside what is named the Cotswold Escarpment. En route, idyllic viewpoints, wildflower meadows, picturesque villages and a big variety of historic websites break the path.
Essentially the most demanding sections contain negotiating a fiddly lock on a gate, deciding which tearoom to attempt to whether or not to unfold jam or cream onto your scone first.
Extra information: nationaltrail.co.uk
7. Coast to Coast Stroll
Location: England
Distance: 309km (192mi)
Length: 13-16 days
Begin: St Bees, Cumbria
End: Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire
I’ve accomplished the Coast to Coast Stroll twice – as soon as in every route. Neither a nationwide path nor a singular footpath, the unofficial however largely signposted Coast to Coast Stroll passes by means of three of England’s most interesting nationwide parks: Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
Devised and popularised by Alfred Wainwright who recommends walkers dip their booted ft within the Irish Sea at St Bees and on the finish of the stroll within the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay.
Regardless of its unofficial standing, the Coast to Coast Stroll is among the hottest of Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths. In 2004, it was named the second-best stroll on this planet behind solely the Milford Monitor in New Zealand.
Extra information: Go to Cumbria / The Wainwright Society
8. The Nice Glen Manner
Location: Scotland
Distance: 125km (78mi)
Length: 5-7 days
Begin: Fort William
End: Inverness
This pleasant Scottish highlands stroll working largely alongside lochs and the Caledonian Canal provides sensational views over Loch Ness and the Nice Glen. The Nice Glen Manner runs the whole size of Scotland’s longest glen, largely following the Caledonian Canal.
The path is alongside sturdy, well-defined footpaths and tracks with not a single stile to barter. It’s potential to hike the footpath and not using a map or guidebook, relying solely on the path’s excellent waymarking as a substitute.
One of the spectacular sights en route is the wonderful feat of engineering that’s Neptune’s Staircase. Right here, the canal rises by 19m (62ft) in a collection of steps unfold over 55m (180ft) of steady masonry, all ignored by the magnificent Ben Nevis. It’s a great place for lunch or to pause and watch a ship journey up or down the loch (when you’ve got round 90 minutes to spare that’s).
Extra information: highland.gov.uk
9. Two Moors Manner
Location: England
Distance: 188km (117mi)
Length: 8-10 days
Begin: Wembury
End: Lynmouth
The Two Moors Manner is an unofficial path that crosses the excellent moorlands of Dartmoor and Exmoor. It’s a unique tackle the coast-to-coast expertise with the path crossing from the North Devon to the South Devon coast.
The unique path went from Ivybridge on the southern boundary of Dartmoor Nationwide Park to Lynmouth. Nevertheless, it was just lately prolonged, linking to trails working from Wembury on the South Devon coast.
I’ve all the time loved climbing in Dartmoor Nationwide Park because it’s the one space in England, Wales and Northern Eire the place wild tenting is – for now – formally authorized. Nearly half of the park is moorland and with its considerably barren panorama, it’s straightforward to see why it was the setting for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s basic crime novel The Hound of the Baskervilles that includes detective Sherlock Holmes.
Exmoor Nationwide Park feels rather less wild. It has comparable terrain to Dartmoor, however the place Dartmoor is solely inland, Exmoor enjoys the excessive cliffs and rugged shoreline of the Bristol Channel.
Extra information: twomoorsway.org
10. John Muir Manner
Location: Scotland
Distance: 215km (134mi)
Length: 10-14 days
Begin: Helensburgh
End: Dunbar
Named in honour of the Scottish-born conservationist, John Muir, who was born in Dunbar in 1838 and went on to grow to be a founding father of the US Nationwide Park Service, the John Muir Manner crosses the heartland of Scotland.
The route, solely accomplished in 2014, takes in most of the Central Belt of Scotland’s most well-known sights together with Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Nationwide Park, the Roman Antonine Wall, the three Forth bridges and the capital metropolis of Edinburgh.
The path options a variety of terrain and surroundings, from highland tracks within the west, by means of rolling pastures, canal towpaths, nation parks and copse, to rugged cliffs and seashores on the jap coast.
Extra information: johnmuirway.org
11. South West Coast Path
Location: England
Distance: 1,014km (630mi)
Length: 40-60 days
Begin: Minehead
End: Poole Harbour
The South West Coast Path is at present England’s longest climbing path. The whole peak climbed all through the hike has been calculated as 35,031m (114,931ft), nearly 4 occasions the peak of Mount Everest.
In 2016, I hiked the 135km (84mi) part between Newquay and Penzance and may attest to the difficult and unrelenting elevation modifications alongside cliffs that constantly rise and fall for river mouths and inlets.
The path runs from Minehead in Somerset alongside the coasts of Devon and Cornwall to Poole Harbour in Dorset, which means there are many alternatives to pause for a bag of fish and chips or a dip at a few of the greatest seashores in England.
Extra information: southwestcoastpath.org.uk
12. King Charles III England Coast Path
Location: England
Distance: 4,345km (2,700mi)
Length: 8-12 months
Begin: Berwick-upon-Tweed
End: Gretna Inexperienced
The King Charles III England Coast Path continues to be a work in progress however will ultimately comply with the whole shoreline of England, making it the longest waymarked coastal route on this planet.
Starting in Berwick-upon-Tweed, the northernmost city in England, the footpath is cut up into 5 sections: North East, East, South East, South West and North West.
The primary three sections can be utterly steady, stretching across the English shoreline to the Welsh border. Right here, walkers can be part of the Wales Coast Path or organize transport to the ultimate North West part. This part can be indifferent from the remainder of the footpath and run from the Welsh border to the Scottish Border close to Gretna Inexperienced.
The England Coast Path will incorporate most of the current coastal footpaths in England together with a lot of the South West Coast Path, certainly making it one in all Britain’s greatest long-distance footpaths.
Extra information: nationaltrail.co.uk
Extra UK long-distance footpaths
- Cleveland Manner, 175 km (109mi), England
- The Ridgeway, 139km (87mi), England
- North Downs Manner, 246km (153mi), England
- South Downs Manner, 160km (100mi), England
- Thames Path, 294km (184mi), England
- Offa’s Dyke Path, 285km (177mi), England-Wales
- Glyndŵr’s Manner, 217km (135mi), Wales
- Cape Wrath Path, 370km (230mi), Scotland
- The Skye Path, 128km (80mi), Scotland
- Hebridean Manner, 251km (156mi) Scotland
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