Full List of Walks

The following list sets out the complete set of walks included on this site. These have generally been ordered geographically - with coastal walks listed first, then national trails, then minor trails, then further afield walks and finally any other walks that have been included. If a trail has been started, missing sections are shown in grey. Some of these walks are easy, others are hard, but even the harder walks could be broken into more than one walk. 

A lot of these trails join up with each other. So for instance, you could walk Ulverston to Carlisle on the Cumbrian Way, then to Newcastle via Haltwhistle and Hexham on Hadrian's Wall - and then either up to Berwick-Upon-Tweed along the coast or down to Hartlepool heading the other way. I try to add connecting walks at the beginning or end of each writeup so that it is easy to explore further from a known spot.

I have added a brief description of each of the trails where they are listed below, to give a feel for what to see along the way, and to offer any key recommendations.

King Charles III Coast Path Sections (clockwise) :

Tweed to Tees (Northumberland Coast) : (★★★★☆) (Northumberland)

This is an easy to walk stretch of coast, that can be fairly remote in sections, but offers a flatter and sandier coastline - with long stretches of beach walking. Passes through Bamburgh and past Lindisfarne. The sections through the North East of England are also worth checking out before you dismiss them, as they are prettier than you would expect - although the cut in I did to Newcastle was less exciting and should be skipped by using the Shields Ferry (instead of walking them as I did). The highlights along the way include the seaside towns/villages of Alnmouth, Amble, Craster, Seaham and Seahouses.

Tees to Humber (Yorkshire Coast) : (★★★★★) (North Yorkshire Moors)
This section includes a lot more dramatic coastline walking - with a combination of fishing ports nestled beneath cliffs and larger coastal resorts in the form of Whitby and Scarborough. Bempton features numerous bird colonies and is a site where you can spot puffins - while dolphins can often be spotted all the way along the coast (and up into Northumberland). The particular highlight of this section is the walk from Ravenscar to Robin Hood's Bay (included in the Whitby to Scarborough walk). There is overlap with the Cleveland Way which runs from Saltburn to Filey. 

Humber to Wash (Lincolnshire) 

Wash to Thames (East Anglia) 

Thames to Shoreham (South East)
  • Woolwich to Gravesend (no plans to walk)
  • Gravesend to Rochester (no plans to walk)
  • Rochester to Sittingbourne (no plans to walk)
  • Sittingbourne to Whitstable (no plans to walk)
  • Whitstable to Margate (planned in the future)
  • Margate to Deal (planned in the future)
  • Deal to Dover (planned in the future)
  • Dover to Folkstone (★★★★☆)
  • Folkestone to Rye (no plans to walk)
  • Rye to Hastings (no plans to walk)
  • Hastings to Eastbourne (planned in the future)
  • Eastbourne to Brighton (planned in the future)
  • Brighton to Shoreham (planned in the future)
This section of coast run from the estuary of the River Thames round past Whitstable and Margate to the White Cliffs at Dover. From here it heads past historic sites such as Hastings to the seaside towns of Easbourne, Brighton and Shoreham. 

Shoreham to Southampton (South Coast) 

Southampton to Penzance (South West Channel Coast) 

Penzance to Bristol Chanel (South West Atlantic Coast) 

Bristol Chanel to Livepool (Wales) 

Liverpool to Gretna (North West) 

National Trails :

Cleveland Way (anti-clockwise) : (★★★★★) (North Yorkshire Moors)

This is a varied trail that if combined with the Tabular Hills Way (yet to be added on here) runs in a complete loop. This includes fantastic views from the hills out to the surrounding areas - both at Sutton Bank and for much of the trip round - plus grouse moorland. This moorland is at its best in August when in flower. The coastal section is a dramatic coastline, with dolphins, fishing villages and the larger coastal resorts of Whitby and Scarborough. It is worth continuing on from Filey down to Bempton to see the puffins if visiting at the right time of year (you can take the train from Filey). A very varied but often overlooked trail that isn't quite as brutal as some of the other trails.

Coast to Coast (planned in the future) (Lake District / Yorkshire Dales / North Yorkshire Moors)

Cotswold Way (planned in the future) (Cotswolds)

Glyndwr's Way (no plans to walk) (Wales)

Hadrian's Wall Path (west to east) : (★★★★★ - overlooking the lesser Newcastle stretch) (Northumberland)
This is a superb history filled walk, walking along the furthest extent of the Roman Empire. In general the walk is fabulous (particularly in the middle), but it does have a less enjoyable section that runs through Newcastle (Heddon-on-the-Wall marks the end of the good bit, but you could just as easily end the walk here and catch the train home from Wylam). It is generally best walked west-to-east as that keeps the wind behind. This can mean a slightly disappointing end at Wallsend, but what I would recommend is to go west-to-east and then continue on to North Shields (or take the metro) - from here you can take the ferry across to South Shields. At South Shields you will find the more substantial Arbeia Roman Fort (free to visit), which includes a reconstructed West Gate. This formed part of the defenses for Hadrian's Wall and feels a more fitting end to the walk. The trail itself is fairly short, but doesn't track through the towns so can be an awkward one to plan unless you fancy camping, but glamping pods have been popping up along the route in recent years.

North Downs Way (west to east) : (★★★★☆) (Surrey Hills / Kent Downs)
The North Downs Way is a very charming trail to walk along that blends older England with a certain amount of modernity (in the form of towns, motorways and railways). Since it passes through built up areas it is a very easy trail to plan, but the route manages to retain a countryside feel throughout the length of the trail (even as it runs parallel to motorways). It is one of my favorite trails and has highlights at St Martha's, Box Hill, Colley Hill, Ceasars Camp, Wye Downs - and with the section from Detling to Lenham. 

Offa's Dyke (north to south) : (★★★★☆) (England-Wales Border)

  • Prestatyn to Ruthin (planned in the future)
  • Ruthin to Llangollen (planned in the future)
  • Llangollen to Chirk (planned in the future)
  • Chirk to Trefonen (planned in the future)
  • Trefonen to Welshpool (planned in the future)
  • Welshpool to Knighton (planned in the future)
  • Knighton to Hay-on-Wye (walked without write-up) (★★★☆☆)
  • Hay-on-Wye to Pandy (walked without write-up) (★★★★★)
  • Pandy to Monmouth (starting at Abergavenny) (★★★★☆)
  • Monmouth to Chepstow (skipped last mile) (★★★☆☆)
A walk that follows the path of Offa's Dyke - generally along the England-Wales border. The trail has a lot of hills to overcome, but lovely views out across the countryside if the weather allows (sometimes you just get great views of clouds). As it is along the edge of Wales there are plenty of castles along the way. Organizing the trip can be hard as bits are remote, but if you extend a bit to meet up with more convenient spots such as Abergavenny you can make it easier to do in sections.

Peddars Way (no plans to walk) (East Anglia)

Pennine Bridleway (planned in the future) (Pennines / Yorkshire Dales)

Pennine Way (south to north) : (★★★★★) (/Northumberland / Peak District / Pennines / Yorkshire Dales)
  • Edale to Marsden (planned in the future)
  • Marsden to Hebden Bridge (planned in the future)
  • Hebden Bridge to Gargrave (★★★★★)
  • Gargrave to Horton-in-Ribblesdale (★★★★★)
  • Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hawes (planned in the future)
  • Hawes to Bowes (planned in the future)
  • Bowes to Middleton-in-Teesdale (planned in the future)
  • Middleton-in-Teesdale to Appleby-in-Westmoorland (planned in the future)
  • Appleby-in-Westmoorland to Alson (planned in the future)
  • Alson to Haltwhistle (planned in the future)
  • Haltwhistle to Bardon Mill (★★★★★)
  • Bardon Mill to Bellingham (planned in the future)
  • Bellingham to Byrness (planned in the future)
  • Byrness to Kirk Yetholm (planned in the future)
A rough and ragged trail that never gives away any opportunity to take you over another hill. This is one of the tougher trails to walk, but has a number of entry and exit points via the train network that allow it to be broken up into sections. Doing it all in one go is a challenge, but can be done slowly. Doing it in sections is fairly straight-forward to plan, but there can be long stretches between somewhere to stay. Kirk Yetholm is a slightly awkward start/end point, but does connect up with other walking trails. Edale at the other end is a million times easier to access.

Ridgeway (planned in the future) (North Wessex Downs)

South Downs Way (planned in the future) (South Downs)

Thames Path (east to west) : (★★★★☆)
Passing through the capital of London, the Thames is a major river and has many sites of interest along the way. The centre of London is full of historic sites on or near the river like Greenwich Park, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, St Paul's and Westminster - and down the Thames there remain sites of interest such as Windsor Castle and the historic town of Oxford. The full extent of the trail to its source gets harder to walk as there are fewer towns, but it remains a possible walk all the way from source to sea. Walking beyond the Thames Barrier heading east is possible as the Thames Path joins up with the King Charles III Coast Path, but perhaps not the greatest walk. Given it is just a riverside trail the walk is remarkably good.

Yorkshire Wolds Way (south to north) : (★★★★☆) (Yorkshire Wolds)
  • Hessle to South Cave (planned in the future)
  • South Cave to Pocklington (planned in the future)
  • Pocklington to Malton (planned in the future)
  • Malton to Filey (★★★★☆)
The Yorkshire Wolds Way is hard to get on and off, but offers chalk wolds and some great country to walk through. I still have to do some planning to fully work out how to do the other half of the walk, but you can use Malton as an entry and exit point. I did Malton to Filey in one go, which is quite a long walk, but you can split it half way.

Other Named Trails :

Cumbria Way (south to north) : (★★★★★) (Lake District)

  • Ulverston to Coniston (planned in the future)
  • Coniston to Skelworth Bridge (planned in the future)
  • Skelworth Bridge to Keswick (planned in the future)
  • Keswick to Carlisle (in reverse) (★★★★★)
A generally more gentle route through the Lake District. The section out of Carlisle is a very charming walk that is very worthwhile even though it lies well beyond the edge of the Lake District. The contrast along the trail is amazing - with peaceful rivers up near Carlisle, huge hills to overcome heading between Carlisle and Keswick and a really tranquil section along the edge of Derwent Water south of Keswick. Doing the southern part I plan to stop off at Windermere on my way through and I think this is the perfect walk through the Lake District.

Dales High Way (east to west) (★★★★★) (Yorkshire Dales)
  • Saltaire to Skipton (planned in the future)
  • Skipton to Settle (★★★★★)
  • Settle to Ribblehead (planned in the future)
  • Ribblehead to Appleby-in-Westmorland (planned in the future)
The Dales High Way is a high level route that takes on quite a lot of hills across it's full span - and the route generally follows the path of the railway, as it heads out along the Settle-Carlisle railway. Since it follows the railway it is easy to do in sections and passes over a lot of the more dramatic hills of the Yorkshire Dales. Highlights along the way are the Ribblehead Viaduct, Malham Cove and Gordale Scar.

Dales Way : (east to west) (★★★★★) (Yorkshire Dales)
This walk is similar to the Cumbrian Way in that it takes a gentle route, often along the side of rivers. Heading across the Yorkshire Dales from Ilkley (via Ribblehead), and then across into the Lake District to Bowness-on-Windemere. I extended this walk to continue along the far side of Windermere and it connects two of the nicest national parks in England.

Derwent Valley Heritage Trail (north to south) : (★★★★☆) (edge of Peak District)

This is a more minor trail that has some less exciting sections - but the real highlight is the section from Cromford Mill along the Cromford Canal - which I hugely enjoyed. The Cromford Canal is a great site to see historical sites from the Industrial Revolution and to the very north of the trail, the area around Ladybower Reservoir is also fabulous. I started the walk in Edale which meant heading over Win Hill to Ladybower Reservoir and this did make the walk more exciting. As you head south the quality of this route does fall off a bit, however - particularly as you close in on Derby. I don't plan to finish the trail.

Esk Valley Walk (west to east) (★★★★☆) (North Yorkshire Moors)
A pretty trail that largely follows the same path as the Esk Valley Railway, making this an incredibly accessible trail with numerous entry and exit points along the way. Includes both rugged walking along the Moors at the eastern end of the trail, along with a finish at the seaside town of Whitby at the western end. It offers a good starting point for exploring the North Yorkshire Moors, with numerous additional walks to be found heading off this trail. In combination with the Cleveland Way you get a very good feel for the North Yorkshire Moors.

Liverpool & Leeds Canal (west to east) : (★★★★☆) (edge of Yorkshire Dales / Pennines)

  • Liverpool to Aintree (planned in the future)
  • Aintree to Appley Bridge (planned in the future)
  • Appley Bridge to Chorley (planned in the future)
  • Chorley to Blackburn (planned in the future)
  • Blackburn to Burnley (planned in the future)
  • Burnley to Gargrave (planned in the future)
  • Gargrave to Keighley (★★★★☆)
  • Keighley to Leeds (★★★★☆)
This is a pretty canal that meanders through the Pennines and passes through some pretty towns along the way - with particular highlights at Skipton and Saltaire. A very easy walk as it is flat along the canal - and navigation is straight-forward, as you just keep along the towpath. Still have much to do, but full marks for it so far, and the quality of the towpath makes for very easy walking.

Weardale Way (east to west) : (★★★☆☆)
  • Sunderland to Durham (★★★☆☆)
  • Durham to Bishop Auckland (★★★☆☆)
  • Bishop Auckland to Stanhope (planned in the future)
  • Stanhope to St John's Chapel (planned in the future)
  • St John's Chapel to Source (planned in the future)
This walk takes in the cathedral city of Durham and has a few interesting sights along the way, but probably isn't a walk worth going too far out of your way to explore. I have done some further walking further up on the Weardale Way nearer the source, but the paths do have a habit of disappearing at times, and are not that well maintained in places.

International Adventures :

I mostly walk in Britain, but sometimes I get very brave and venture further afield. Some of the more interesting things I have done that involve at least some walking are listed above (with much shorter walks up in the Alps than along the river walks).

Other Walks :

Lake District : 
The Coast-to-Coast and Cumbria Way both pass through the Lake District, but the Lake District has an endless supply of walking trails. The more interesting walks I have done will be included above, which currently only includes a walk along the slightly boggy, but pretty, old High Street route

North Yorkshire Moors :
The North Yorkshire Moors are covered by the Cleveland Way and Yorkshire Coast sections, but these additional walks make use of the old railways to travel through the moors. The North Yorkshire Moors are generally smaller hills (but still with lovely views and a rich variety of countryside).

Pennines : 

The Pennines span other National Parks, but this section is a catch all for all the sections that include the Pennine ranges but are outside of National Parks. The Pennine Way (obviously) passes along the Pennines, and the Liverpool-Leeds Canal also passes through.

Yorkshire Dales :
The Yorkshire Dales are very similar to the North Yorkshire Moors, but have higher peaks and feature dramatic limestone cliffs. The Dales Way, Dales High Way and Pennine Way pass through the Yorkshire Dales.

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