The public footpath network of the UKdeserves World Heritage status; it is a nation-al treasure, arguably our most priceless recre-ational resource, with nothing else like it any-where in the world. That it exists at all isthanks to our forefathers, from the children of

the mist who roamed in search of food to the hardy pack-horsemen and drovers who pressed trails across the coun-tryside, leaving them for posterity, wraith-like tracesembedded in the land. But their discovery by recreationalman had to await the 19th century, when working people,desperate to escape the arduous and polluted urbanscene, formed botanical societies and embryonic walkingclubs to walk on the moors of northern Britain.

Today, ever-increasing numbers of people are seekingways to appreciate our landscape legacy, recognising thebenefits to health, body, mind and spiritual well-beingthat leisure walking brings. We have an amazing heritageof inspirational landscapes in the UK, fashioned bynature and tinkered with by man, and all of them lacedwith ancient trails, long and short, many imbued with theechoes of times past and of famous people from pilgrimsto poets, freebooters to musicians, outlaws and royalty.There is no better aid to health and happiness than walk-

ing for pleasure, fitness and fun. Fundamentally, it is acost-free pursuit, although a modicum of expenditure ondecent boots will go a long way, and it is eco-friendly, espe-cially if you walk, as many do, directly from your home.

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But, for others, the call of somethingmore than an hour or a day brings them insearch of greater challenges, such as the 700-plus estab-lished trails, and 200 lesser routes that offer the walker alifetime of experiences, sights,sounds and sensations. Some 15 ofthese routes have been designatedas National Trails, the first of whichwas the Pennine Way. Yet these aloneoffer over 3,100 miles of walking opportunity.Throw in the rest, and the distances involvedbecome staggering.These are some of the UK’s most popu-

lar routes:

pennine way For many walkers, the Pennine Way remains the best ofthe major trails, rising to greater heights and traversingfar more remote country than any other. Inspiration oframblers’ champion Tom Stevenson in 1935, whoimagined “a faint line on the Ordnance Maps which thefeet of grateful pilgrims would, with the passingyears, engrave on the face of the land”, the route

opened in 1965. It provides a chal-lenging trek from the bleakpeatlands of the Dark Peak in

Derbyshire, northwards to tusslewith industrial Lancashire (now muchbrighter and greener than it was) and

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Walkthis way

Whether you walk for pleasure or to keep fit, Britain’s countrysideoffers a wealth of opportunities for getting out and ramblingthrough glorious scenery. Seasoned walker and guidebook authorTerry Marsh hits the trails to uncover their delights

� Hikers on a hillsideoverlooking Ullswater

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on into the delectable Yorkshire Dales before pressingon to the highest of the Pennines, a stretch of Hadrian’sWall, and into the peaty uplands of Northumberland andthe Cheviot Hills.Tens of thousands now set themselves the challenge

of this pioneering route, but it is worth bearing in mindthat, admittedly in the days of less sophisticated equip-ment, many of those who started failed to complete eventhe first day. Get beyond this, and it’s plain sailing....well,sort of.

coast to coast walk Credit for the original idea for a northern cross-Englandroute, starting at St Bees on the Cumbrian coast andfinishing at Robin Hood’s Bay looking out into theNorth Sea, must go to the late, legendary hill walkerand guidebook author, Alfred Wainwright, who firstdescribed it in 1973. Since then the original line has changed little, but has

been improved on here and there, and today offers achallenging but do-able enterprise that for popularityrivals all the other trails. Wainwright never intended thisto be a definitive route across England, but simply one ofmany possibilities, an outline to be modified by whimand weather.Usually undertaken from west to east, the walk deals

first with the Lake District, visiting in the process areasthat are often away from the tourist honeypots, but noless pleasurable. Beyond the Lakes, you enter a relaxing

interlude of limestone landscapes and prehistory beforerising from the market town of Kirkby Stephen to crossinto the Yorkshire Dales and Swaledale. The Vale ofMowbray is an agreeable break from rugged landscapes,as you tease a way through farmlands before heading forthe Cleveland Hills and a mighty romp down to thecoast.

west highland way The West Highland Way is an outstanding trek from theoutskirts of Glasgow to the shadow of Ben Nevis at FortWilliam, and every step of the way is sheer delight.Within minutes of the start, the leafy confines ofMugdock Country Park shepherd you northwards even-tually to cross the Highland Boundary Fault and into theLomond Basin, where the eponymous loch proves to bea charming companion. North of Loch Lomond, GlenFalloch provides a taste of Old Caledon, a once tree-filled ruggedness through which the trail threads apleasing line bound for Crianlarich.Here, the route changes direction, entering Strath

Fillan, and onwards to the scene at Dalrigh of one ofRobert the Bruce's skirmishes. North of Tyndrum, theA82 is a delight to drive, but parallel its course on theopposite side of Auch Glen, and you gain an intimacywith Scotland at its best – high, wide and handsome. Ahead lies Rannoch Moor, a vast spread of lakes,

bogs and open moors, where getting lost is not a wiseoption. Thankfully, old military roads take the West

national trailsThe National Trails network covers 15 trailsfor walking, cycling and horse riding in Englandand Wales. There are another four in Scotlandwhich are known as long-distance routes. All have been created by linking existing localfootpaths, bridleways and minor roads. Eachtrail in England and Wales has a National TrailOfficer looking after its management andmaintenance.The Pennine Way was the first National Trailand opened in 1965. The PembrokeshireCoast Path and South West Coast Path arealso part of the National Trail network. Theseare the other National Trails:� Cleveland Way (from Helmsley to FileyBrigg, Yorkshire; 109 miles; allow ninedays)

� Cotswold Way (from Bath Abbey toChipping Campden, Gloucestershire;102 miles; seven days)

� Glyndwr’s Way (from Knighton toWelshpool, Mid Wales; 135 miles;nine days)

� Hadrian’s Wall (from Wallsend in Tyne andWear to Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria;84 miles; seven days)

� North Downs Way (from Farnham inSurrey to Dover; 153 miles; 14 days)

� Offa’s Dyke Path (from Sedbury Cliff, nearChepstow, Gloucestershire, to Prestatynin North Wales; 177 miles; 12 days)

� Peddars Way/North Norfolk Coast Path(from Thetford to Cromer, Norfolk; 93miles; eight days)

� Pennine Bridleway (from Derbyshire tothe Yorkshire Dales; opening in stages –130 miles currently open, will eventuallycover 347 miles; open sections walkablefrom 3.5 hours to five days)

� The Ridgeway (from Overton Hill,Wiltshire, to Ivinghoe Beacon, near Tring,

Hertfordshire; 87 miles; six days, but idealfor day trips)

� South Downs Way (from Winchester toEastbourne; 100 miles; eight days)

� Thames Path (from the source of theThames, near Kemble in the Cotswolds tothe Thames Barrier in Woolwich;184 miles; 14 days)

� Yorkshire Wolds Way (from Hessle, nearHull, to Filey Brigg, near Scarborough;79 miles; five days)

For more information on all the NationalTrail walks, visit www.nationaltrail.co.uk.

� The Pennine Way

� Walking the West Highland Way

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Highland Way onwards into Glen Coe, skirting the BlackMount before tackling the Devil's Staircase toKinlochleven. If that isn’t enough, the magic of LairigMhor, an unseen valley unknown to most, is a spellbind-ing stretch for Wayfarers leading to a long, final descentto Glen Nevis.

pembrokeshire coast path The journey from Poppit Sands near Cardigan toAmroth Castle is generally low in elevation, but it ishugely convoluted, with numerous headlands and covesto tax weary legs. Those who covet coastal settings willfind this affair with south-west Wales a most enjoyableencounter, taking in the delights of Cemaes Head, DinasIsland, Strumble Head, St David’s Head, Marloes Sandsand the cliff coast to Stackpole Head.Although confined to a relatively small area, an

unravelled Pembrokeshire Coast Path will exceed inlength both Offa’s Dyke, which runs the full length ofWales, and the English Coast to Coast Walk; a quart intoa pint pot is very much the case here.Exposure to the sea and the prevailing wind can bring

days of battling the elements, with heavy seas crashinginto the headlands and cliffs. But the calm of a fine daywill expose a kaleidoscope of colours, of golden

beaches, tidal creeks and cliff-girt promontories whereseabirds nest in profusion. A dearth of towns andvillages imbue the route with a keen sense of remote-ness, and a need for self-sufficiency that is of paramountimportance.One of the first endeavours of the Pembrokeshire

Coast National Park Authority was to consider the feasi-bility of a long-distance coastal path; it was opened byWelsh broadcaster Wynford Vaughan Thomas in 1980.

south west coast path By far the longest of Britain’s national trails, the SouthWest Coast Path owes its origins to smuggling, or, atleast, to the network of coastguard paths that evolved tocombat it. Only the seriously fit and energetic shouldcontemplate the complete walk; lesser mortals, likethe author, will chip away at the route in sections,and in so doing enjoy all the better the sophisti-cated and extravagant delights of coastal Devonand Cornwall. In fact, the route is ideal for a piecemeal

approach; there is no pleasure other than achieve-ment in consecutive days of poor weather whenyour appreciation of the landscapes could have beenso much enhanced by a warm and sunny day.

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useful guidebooksgeneral overview guidesThe UK Trailwalkers Handbook by PaulLawrence, Les Maple and John Sparshatt(Cicerone Press, 2009: ISBN 978 1 85284579 7)The National Trails by Paddy Dillon (CiceronePress, 2009: ISBN 978 1 85284 504 9)

trail guidesThe Pennine Way by Paddy Dillon (CiceronePress, 2010: ISBN 978 1 85284 575 9)Coast to Coast Walk by Terry Marsh (CiceronePress, 2010: ISBN 978 1 85284 505 6)The West Highland Way by Terry Marsh

(Cicerone Press, 2010: ISBN 978 1 85284 369 4)The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path by Dennis andJan Kelsall (Cicerone Press, 2008: ISBN 978 185284 378 6)The South West Coast Path by Paddy Dillon(Cicerone Press, 2010: ISBN 978 1 85284379 3)

other helpful guidesMap Reading Skills by Terry Marsh (CrimsonPublishing, 2008: ISBN 978 0 71174 978 8)GPS for Walkers by Clive Thomas (CrimsonPublishing, 2006: ISBN 978 0 71174 445 5)Map and Compass: The Art of Navigation byPete Hawkins (Cicerone Press, 2010: ISBN978 0 71174 445 5)

South West England: Coastal Walks by SueViccars (Crimson Publishing, 2011: ISBN 9781 85458 638 4)Three Peaks, Ten Tors by Ronald Turnbull(Cicerone Press, 2010: ISBN 978 1 85284501 8)

background readingShanks’s Pony: A Study of Walking by MorrisMarples (London: J M Dent, 1959)A Claim on the Countryside: A History of theBritish Outdoor Movement by Harvey Taylor(Keele University Press, 1997: ISBN 1-85331-166-9)A Right to Roam by Marion Shoard (OxfordUniversity Press, 1999: ISBN 0 19 288016 0)

“For manywalkers, thePennine Wayremains thebest of themajor trails”

� Marloes on thePembrokeshire

Coast Path

� South WestCoast Path

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This is a walk of massive variety, embracing cliffpaths and easy jaunts along seaside promenades. Butwhat remains essential is to allow time to chill out andexplore the towns and homogeneous hamlets huddled inhollows that are a hallmark of the route. Herein lies the heritage of a Celtic nation, and a land-

scape that is achingly beautiful. No other stretch ofBritish coastline quite compares with that of Devon andCornwall for unadulterated scenic splendour, interest,history and heritage.

other trailsAround the UK, there are hundreds of trails of varyinglength, some better known than others. The Dales Way(78 miles), which runs from the Yorkshire town ofIlkley via delectable Wharfedale and Dentdale throughlimestone country to the shores of Windermere in theLake District, is a perfect route on which to hone yourmulti-day walking skills, never being far from outsidehelp in the event of an emergency. The Tamar Valley Discovery Trail (30 miles), follows

the river Tamar through Bere Ferrers, Bere Alston,Gunnislake and Milton Abbot in Devon, and whilemanageable by strong walkers in one day, is best spreadover two or three. The trail links with the West DevonWay and the Two Castles Trail to give a circuit of 90miles, known as the West Devon Triangle. The TwoCastles Trail itself runs for 24 miles along river valleys,ridge roads, open downland and woodland away fromthe northern edges of Dartmoor, while the Smugglers’Way is a 37-mile route across Cornwall’s Bodmin Moor,visiting Jamaica Inn – the haunted coaching inn immor-talised in Daphne du Maurier’s eponymous novel – thenon to Dobwalls and Sowden’s Bridge.

something for everyoneThe many walking trails of the UK are not all exclu-sively the preserve of the grim-faced, do-or-die brigadeof walkers; most are available to any reasonably fitperson, who takes regular exercise. And if walking over several days is not for you, then

there are many guidebooks detailing shorter walks, up tonine or 10 miles, that can be undertaken with compara-tive ease, and without the preparation and equipmentneeded for multi-day trails.Travel by car or rail, and the landscapes flash by.

Walk that landscape and you enjoy a connection with it,

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WIN a copy of The National TrailsWe have 5 copies of The NationalTrails, written by Paddy Dillon andpublished by Cicerone, to give away.The only guide covering all UK 19national trails, it costs £17.95. Goto www.tlm-magazine.co.ukand click on Competitions. Termsand conditions apply. Closing dateAugust 8, 2011.

Award-winning guidebookwriter and photographerTerry Marsh has beenwalking since he was verylittle. But he didn’t turn hislegs to recreational walkinguntil the 1960s, when hetackled Ben Nevis. He nowhas nearly 100 guidebooksunder his belt, with morein the pipeline. www.terrymarsh.com

walking britain facts

whether it is the joy of seeing a new-born lamb, a fieldbright with wild flowers, or hedgerows loud with bird-song. Walk, and you make contact with nature in the raw.It’s all out there, just waiting for your feet.

when to goThe best time of year to tackle long-distance trails is spring and autumn,notably May-June and September-October; this is especially important ifwalking in Scotland, where insects, like midges and clegs (horseflies), canbe an irritating problem. During the popular months of July and August,getting accommodation can be a trial, too. If time is not an issue, then itis worth beginning your walk out of sync with other walkers, such as bystarting mid-week, when accommodation is morelikely to be available.

where to stayAccommodation is given on trail-specificwebsites, although the Sherpa VanAccommodation Service(www.sherpavan.com) providesaccommodation information for 16 trails, aswell as providing a baggage carrying service forseveral trails mentioned in this feature.

route information� Pennine Way (270 miles: allow two and a half to three weeks): thePennine Way website (www.nationaltrail.co.uk/pennineway) alsoprovides details of accommodation.

� Coast to Coast Walk (178 miles: minimum 12 days): there is nospecific website for the C2C, although Sherpa Van provides this, atwww.coast2coast.co.uk.

� West Highland Way (95 miles: allow seven-plus days): www.west-highland-way.co.uk. The website gives information onaccommodation packages. A pack-carrying service (very popular) isprovided by Travel-lite (www.travel-lite-uk.com).

� Pembrokeshire Coast Path (186 miles: allow two weeks): informationabout walking the trail is available at http://nt.pcnpa.org.uk.

� South West Coast Path (630 miles: allow between four and sevenweeks to complete): the official website for the South West CoastPath (www.southwestcoastpath.com) provides extensiveinformation about accommodation and services, as well as GPSwaypoint downloads to help you on your way.

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