The South Downs Way
In a nutshell: Well defined route, with spectacular views of the sea and the Weald
Length: 99 miles
Start: Winchester, Hampshire
Finish: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Rating: Moderate
Average time of completion: 7-9 days
Highlights: The Seven Sisters hills; Beachy Head; the 226ft Long Man of Wilmington
When the first settlers arrived on the Downs some 6,000 years ago, they and their descendants preferred the drier, safer hills to the swampy Weald below. Thus originated the long, unerring tracks over the South Downs, which were to be used by generations of settlers, including Bronze Age traders and Romans.
Now, with the flat lands of the Weald somewhat more hospitable than they were, the South Downs Way is the ideal walk for those with little or no experience of long-distance walking. There is good access to all parts of the route by road and public transport, accommodation is plentiful throughout and although there are some strenuous climbs, it is reasonably easy to accomplish, with well signposted and well defined paths and tracks.
On days of clear visibility the march across the chalk downlands of Hampshire and Sussex brings massive rewards - you can gaze across the English Channel towards France, across the endless patchwork of fields, forests and villages of the Weald, or down to the great valleys of the South Downs. Detours are also recommended as there is much to see off route, including a wealth of fine churches and other historic buildings.
Most of the guidebooks describe the route from east to west. My opinion is that the walk works far better in reverse. The prevailing wind will be at your back and there is something rather special about ending at the seaside, in delightful and hospitable Eastbourne.
The Ridgeway Path
In a nutshell: Follow in the footsteps of our Bronze Age ancestors through Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and the Chiltern Hills
Length: 85.5 miles
Start: Overton Hill, Wiltshire
Finish: Ivinghoe Beacon, Buckinghamshire
Rating: Easy
Average time of completion: 5-7 days
Highlights: Wayland's Smithy, a chambered Neolithic tomb, built around 2,800BC; the White Horse at Uffington; the Red Lion at Wendover, where Oliver Cromwell stayed in 1642. The walk also crosses the driveway to Chequers
The Path formed part of an old road with Bronze Age origins known as the Great Ridgeway, which linked Lyme Regis in Dorset with Hunstanton in Norfolk, serving as a trading route. The western half passes along broad tracks through open rolling countryside with few houses close at hand. The eastern half, passing through the Chiltern Hills, has stretches of a similar nature, but these are punctuated by areas of woodland and housing. The Chilterns offer some extremely pleasant scenery and a rich variety of trees and plants. The area is noted for its wealth of orchids and rare gentians. Climbs and descents are always fairly gentle and the most gruelling ascent is within 100 yards of the finish. However, the exposed sections of the first half of the walk could render the ill-equipped walker quite vulnerable in wet weather, and heavy rain may also turn many sections into mudbaths.
The Thames Path
In a nutshell: A walk beside the Thames, from source to estuary
Length: 183.5 miles via the right bank route; 185.5 miles via the left bank route.
Start: Source of the Thames, near Kemble, Gloucestershire
Finish: The Thames Flood Barrier, Charlton, London
Rating: Easy
Average time of completion: 12-14 days
Highlights: The manor house at Kelmscott, where William Morris lived, now a museum; Sutton Courtenay, where George Orwell is buried; Henley-on-Thames; Hampton Court Palace
The Thames Path is a charming walk through some of England's loveliest and gentlest countryside, which then proceeds through the fascinating heart of its capital. The waters are cleaner than they have been for at least a century and provide a home to many species of bird and fish, including salmon. Your watering hole may one day consist of a tranquil rural hotel and on another could be a Docklands pub such as the Prospect of Whitby at Wapping. The continual switching from one bank to the other so as to adhere to the towpath where possible, adds to the variety and helps to provide fresh perspectives of riverside scenes. The path is well signposted and route finding is never a problem. Planning to walk the path is easy: public transport links are so good that the walk can be tackled in day trips.
The Cotswold Way
In a nutshell: Rolling Cotswold journey with fantastic views, pretty villages of honey-coloured stone and sites of historic interest
Length: 102 miles
Start: Bath
Finish: Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire
Rating: Moderate, strenuous in places
Average time of completion: 7-8 days
Highlights: Bath; Painswick; Cleeve Common (a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, with a variety of butterflies and orchids); Sudeley Castle; the lovely town of Chipping Campden
A gentle stroll across countryside that is often stunningly attractive and largely undemanding, beginning in one of the most beautiful cities in England and ending in a town for which the expression 'chocolate box' might have been invented and where the biggest dilemma for the walker at the journey's end is the choice of tea room. The route follows the range of limestone hills known as the Cotswolds, running from Bath to Chipping Campden, averaging 600ft in height and peaking at Cleeve Cloud, which stands 1,086ft above sea level.
On its way the path seeks out some of the area's loveliest viewpoints and settlements, although some walkers may be disappointed that the route never seems to enter into the heart of the region, shunning such Cotswold gems as Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold, Northleach, the Slaughters, Bourton-on-the-Water or Cirencester. The walking can also be fiddly, with few sections where the walker can really get into his/her stride and enjoy the lengths of uninterrupted ridge-top marching which characterise long stretches of the Ridgeway Path or the South Downs Way.
Hadrian's Wall Path
In a nutshell: A demanding but rewarding coast-to-coast walk beside one of the most ancient and enduring man-made features in Britain
Length: 84 miles
Start: Wallsend, Tyne and Wear
Finish: Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria
Rating: Moderate, strenuous in places
Average time of completion: 6-7 days
Highlights: Museum at Segedunum, the most easterly of the 12 forts built along the Wall; fort at Chesters; Thirlwall Castle
Admittedly, its start point at Wallsend is a few miles from the place at which the Tyne reaches the North Sea, and its finish point at Bowness-on-Solway nestles some distance from the meeting of the Solway Firth with the Irish Sea, but this is still, effectively, a walk across England. It traces the defensive wall begun by the Roman Emperor Hadrian constructed to stop tribes such as the Picts and Scots mounting raids on northern England.
Large sections of the wall, combined with quite spectacular scenery, can be enjoyed in the middle of the journey. Contrasts between raw rural beauty and urban clutter are starker on this path than on any other national trail, with correspondingly contrasting demands upon the mental and physical resources of the walker. While some sections require proper walking equipment and map-reading skills, others need only the fitness levels of a Sunday afternoon stroller. Moreover, it may only be the anticipation of grand sweeping views from the noble stone remains around Housesteads and Windshields Crags that will keep you going through the suburbs of Newcastle.
The Pennine Way
In a nutshell: A walk up the Pennine and Cheviot ranges through some of the remotest upland terrain in the country
Length: 255 miles (direct route), 258 using the Bowes Loop
Start: Edale, Derbyshire
Finish: Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders
Rating: Severe
Average time of completion: 18-21 days
Highlights: Hadrian's Wall; Gordale Scar; Haworth, where the Brontes grew up; the remote scenery of Withins Height, which is reputed to have inspired Emily Bronte to write Wuthering Heights
The oldest trail in the British Isles - the most technically demanding and the most satisfying to achieve. It is the variety of landscapes that make the route so interesting and rewarding, ranging from the peaty moorland of the Peak District and the Cheviots to the dramatic limestone outcrops of Malham; from the noble splendour of Hadrian's Wall to the pastoral charm of Wensleydale; and from the formidable heights of Great Dun Fell and Cross Fell to the awesome falls of Hardraw and High Force.
The Pennine Way is a considerable undertaking, requiring a great deal of planning and preparation, and experience of hill walking and navigation. Most walkers will need three weeks to complete it, and that in itself calls for a high level of fitness. If you possess neither camping equipment nor navigational skills, you should think very seriously about attempting the route. There are many sections where the path is non-existent. In bad weather, you can lose all sense of direction. There is no shortage of accommodation along the way, but there are long stretches with none at all, including the first 16 and last 29 miles. If you are adequately prepared, you will enjoy a unique walking experience to be treasured forever.
The Great Glen Way
In a nutshell: A superbly waymarked Scottish highlands walk mostly alongside lochs and the Caledonian Canal
Length: 73 miles
Start: Fort William
Finish: Inverness
Rating: Easy
Average time of completion: 5-6 days
Highlights: Fort William; Inverness; Urquhart Castle; Neptune's Staircase; views of Loch Ness.
The Great Glen Way is one of the newer of Britain's big walks, opened in April 2002, and for much of its length it follows the Great Glen, a valley that forms a diagonal line between Fort William on the west coast and Inverness on the east. Along the glen lie three lochs, and between them is the Caledonian Canal.
The route is along firm, well defined paths, lanes and tracks with not a single stile throughout. It would be possible to walk it without the need for a guidebook, relying on the superb waymarking from start to finish. The gradients, although occasionally sharp, are generally not excessively lengthy; the journey itself is short, with even slow walkers requiring no more than five or six days to complete it, and the whole is a most satisfying experience, providing a coast-to-coast walk across Scotland.
There are great views to Ben Nevis and neighbouring mountains; numerous forest walks with opportunities to view osprey, buzzard or red squirrel, lovely waterside walks where you may glimpse heron, cormorant, kestrel or guillemot, remote moorland scenery populated by grouse and mountain hare, a couple of ruined castles, some spectacular waterfalls, the ever-fascinating paraphernalia of the Caledonian Canal and, if you are feeling very fit, the possibility of detours to climb one of the nearby mountains and get grandstand views of the whole of the Great Glen.
Glyndwr's Way
In a nutshell: Often rugged tramp through the heart of the remote mid-Wales countryside
Length: 134 miles
Start: Knighton, Powys
Finish: Welshpool, Powys
Rating: Strenuous
Average time of completion: 8-9 days
Highlights: The Market Hall, in Llanidloes, is the only remaining half-timbered market hall in Wales; Beacon Hill; Machynlleth; Lake Vyrnwy
One of just two national trails that run exclusively through Wales. Unlike many other national trails, it does not follow a particular geographical or historical feature. It gets its name from the uncompromising and heroic Welsh warrior Owain Glyndwr, who mounted a fierce but ultimately unsuccessful revolt against the English. Glyndwr was crowned king of a free Wales in 1404 in Machynlleth, where he established his capital. This is the halfway and indeed pivotal point of the route. It is believed by some that he died at Darowen, a short way south. Today, despite his defeat, Glyndwr remains an icon of Welsh independence
A pleasant and at times challenging journey through some very fine country, using paths which, with only a few exceptions, are well defined and well waymarked. That said, there is a good deal of fiddly walking, where navigation could pose problems, especially in bad weather, and there is a huge amount of up-and-down work, with some exceedingly steep climbs in places.
The area covered is remote, and there are some lengthy stretches with no amenities to speak of. Posing a particular logistical challenge is the 28-mile walk from Llanidloes to Machynlleth, which does not pass through a single settlement of any description, the only chance of refreshment being at a moorland pub some way off the route.
It may come as a surprise or even a disappointment to the walker, having completed the 134 miles from Knighton to Welshpool, to find they are a short road journey away from where they started.
The South West Coast Path
In a nutshell: A walk around the coastlines of Devon and Cornwall, and sections of the Somerset and Dorset coastlines
Length: 628.5 miles
Start: Minehead, Somerset
Finish: South Haven Point, near Poole, Dorset
Rating: Strenuous, severe in places
Average time of completion: 6-7 weeks
Highlights: Valley of Rocks; Hartland Point; Lyme Regis; Tintagel Castle, where legend has it King Arthur was born
This enormous coastal trek is a truly awesome logistical challenge for any walker. Unless you are incredibly fit and in the fortunate position of having sufficient time and resources available, it is unlikely that you will contemplate trying to complete the South West Coast Path in one go. However, it is very easy to break it down into sections.
Your walk needs to be planned with care, especially if you wish to walk the Lulworth-Kimmeridge coastal section and use the seasonal ferries. Most of the larger villages and towns on the route are well served by public transport, thus allowing considerable flexibility in planning your itinerary. Amenities are extremely plentiful, even out of season, although it is wise to enquire about accommodation in advance during the winter months. You will have little difficulty with route-finding. The simple advice, if you are walking from Minehead, is to keep the sea on your right! The hardest aspect will be the amount of up-and-down work. There are numerous breaks in the cliffs, with coves, valleys, harbours and inlets necessitating drops and climbs.
The first part of the path traverses the fringes of Exmoor, famous for its ponies and red deer, which can often be seen in winter. The coastal heath round North Hill attracts stonechats and Dartford warblers, while further on you may see peregrines, ravens, shelducks, herons, egrets, redshanks and golden plovers.
The Braunton Burrows in Devon host rare plants such as sand toadflax and water germander, while the sea around Lundy Island, clearly visible from the north Devon coast, has been designated a marine nature reserve.
Look out for puffin, guillemots and razorbills on some of the small offshore islands. Off the Land's End Peninsula you may see grey seals and possibly orcas and dolphins, while on the Lizard Peninsula there is a remarkable variety of plant species rarely found elsewhere, including long-headed clover, pigmy rush and hairy greenweed.
The Southern Upland Way
In a nutshell: Southern Scotland, coast-to-coast across high level and often remote terrain
Length: 212 miles
Start: Portpatrick, Dumfries and Galloway
Finish: Cockburnspath, Scottish Borders
Rating: Strenuous, severe in places
Average time of completion: 12-14 days
Highlights: Melrose Abbey; Loch Trool; Sanquhar Castle; Wanlockhead; the gardens of Castle Kennedy
At 212 miles it may not be the longest of the paths in this book, but it is one of the toughest walks, through the uncompromising and often exceedingly remote terrain of southern Scotland. There are mountains, huge forests and long stretches of desolate moorland to negotiate, as well as a great deal of hill-climbing and, at the start and finish, some rugged coastal walking. The satisfaction lies in marching from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, through some of the most unspoilt scenery in Britain.
It calls for careful planning. Even if you decide to camp you need to ensure you have sufficient supplies to carry you through the long amenity-free stretches, and if you are relying on a 'proper' bed for the night you must be prepared for some very long days indeed. The journey to Portpatrick, where the walk starts, is not straightforward; I used the overnight London-to-Stranraer coach and found myself decanted from the vehicle at 4.15am.
But it is a lovely place to begin the walk. It is now a peaceful holiday centre, with attractive stone houses and cottages. In the heart of the village are the preserved ruins of a 17th-century parish church in which runaway marriages - often between couples eloping from Ireland - were performed for a fee of £10 for the officiating minister, before the ceremonies were stopped by the Church in 1826.
