Pennine Way

OVERVIEW

The Pennine Way is probably England's greatest walking trail - but it is also a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde trail.

In one moment, the trail will be showing off a side of England that is beyond all your expectations, whilst in the very next moment it might be taking you through a bog, or trying to break you on the next hill.

It is a fairly uncompromising trail, that offers up one of England's greatest walking challenges - but whilst the trail doesn't seem to like you, and certainty doesn't seem to respect you, it does treat you to some wonderful sights along the way.

It was the first National Trail created in Britain, and is a fairly long and challenging trail, that runs up from the middle of England to the border with Scotland.

Along the way the trail takes in many of the best areas of walking in Britain - and generally seeks out the best (and hilliest) route through the countryside along the way.

Notable highlights come at Hadrian's Wall, High Force waterfall, Kinder Scout (and Jacob's Ladder), Malham Cove and Pen-y-Ghent.

And even though the trail is undoubtedly tough - you will inevitably want to come back and explore the areas around the trail as well - as there is still so much to explore, beyond the main route of the trail.

PRACTICALITIES

Whilst the Pennine Way often takes a fairly remote course, it is possible to break it up into sections - and there are a number of rail and bus links that can be used along the way.

At the southern end Edale has a train station - and then there are trains at Marsden, Littleborough, Hebden Bridge, Gargrave, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Haltwhistle and Bardon Mill (some of which are slightly - but not excessively - off route).

Other areas along the trail have buses - for instance I used buses to get to Bowes, Middleton, Bellingham and Byrness - but accommodation can be more complex.

Here the fairly low number of walkers along the trail presents a different challenge to walks such as the Coast to Coast - and it won't be fully booked accommodation that presents the main challenge - but a shortage of accommodation in the preferred places.

This means that a walk must adapt to the accommodation available - although if you are camping the options are far more numerous.

When planning the challenging nature of the terrain should be taken into account - as this can slow down a walk, and it also means that distances need to be realistic.

On my part, I opted not to do the trail in one go - and opted to do this trail via shorter sections (at most two days) - and this ensured better weather, and allowed me to push the distances between stops.

Doing the walk in one is a great achievement - but will inevitably mean some level of discomfort along the way - although some consider this to be part of the process.

But personally, I think the only way to do it is the way that suits how you want to do it - and for me this has mean prioritising this trail during the best periods of weather - and trying to get through it with as much joy as possible. After all, it is a wonderful route.

USEFUL LINKS

Guidebook : Pennine Way : National Trail Guide

LDWA Page : Pennine Way National Trail - LDWA Long Distance Paths
National Trail Website : Pennine Way - National Trails

STAGES

Edale to Marsden (★★★★★) 

From Edale the Pennine Way heads up Jacob's Ladder and then up onto Kinder Scout plateau - with quite a punchy start to this National Trail. From here the path heads through a boulder field to Kinder Downfall, where it turns to follow the opposing ridge.

From here the path drops down, and then cuts across to Snake Pass, and then on through a boggy section of the path at Bleaklow. From here it follows a stream, which heads down Torside Clough - whilst the Pennine Way heads along the top of Clough Edge, before dropping down to Torside Reservoir.

The reservoir is crossed at the dam, and once on the far side there is a new ridge to clear - and the top of this ridge is reached at Laddow Rocks - before having a boggy walk across a very empty area of land to Black Hill. From here the path cuts up to Wassenden Head Reservoir and on to Wassenden Reservoir.

Including the walk to Marsden at the end this section totaled 26.6 miles (24.2 miles on the Pennine Way) with over four thousand feet of ascent.

Marsden to Hebden Bridge (★★★★☆)

From Wassenden Reservoir the path drops steeply down and back up before heading over to Swellands and Black Moss Reservoirs - and on to cross the A62 - where the path passes over the top of Standedge canal and rail tunnels.

From here the walk goes across Castleshaw and Moss Moors with views out towards the towns to the west - before the path has to cross over the M62. After this the path winds round to The White Horse and here a run of reservoirs is reached that last for a number of miles.

Once these are cleared the path cuts up past Stoodley Pike Monument, and then drops down to the Rochdale Canal at Charlestown. Here I opted to follow the Rochdale Canal to Hebden Bridge.

This section totaled 20.9 miles (17.0 miles on the Pennine Way) with an excess of two thousand feet of ascent.

Hebden Bridge to Gargrave (★★★★★) 

I used the Rochdale Canal to get from Hebden Bridge to the Pennine Way (a flat mile and a half walk). From here the trail heads up onto the ridge above Hebden Bridge and onto Heptonstall Moor. 

From here a very quiet and isolated section begins, heading over the moor to Gorple Lower Reservoir - and then across to Walshaw Dean Reservoirs - before climbing up to Within Heights, where people become visible again.

From here the path cuts down to Ponden Reservoir, and then takes on a second quiet and isolated section crossing Oakworth Moor and Ickornshaw Moor to the village of Cowling. From here the path continues to Lothersdale, and then across Elslack Moor (more visited than the other moors) to Thornton-in-Craven.

The path then heads north to meet up with the Liverpool & Leeds Canal, before leaving that behind to head across the fields to Gargrave.

This section totaled 28.3 miles (26.6 miles on the trail) and over four and a half thousand feet of ascent (both on and off the trail). This section can easily be split into two to make it shorter.

Gargrave to Horton-in-Ribblesdale (★★★★★) 

From Gargrave, the route heads north along a road, before turning off to head across the fields to meet up with the River Aire. This river is then followed, passing the villages of Airton and Hanlith on the way to Malham.

From Malham the path heads up a road, and then turns off to head to Malham Cove, where a series of steps takes you up onto the limestone pavement above. From here the path heads up Ing Scar and past Comb Hill Crag to Malham Tarn.

Having gone round Malham Tarn, the path then starts to climb up and over Fountains Fell, before dropping down to the road on the far side. This is then followed for a bit, before cutting up to Pen-y-Ghent - and then the route heads down and into Horton-in-Ribblesdale via Horton Scar.

This section totals 21.3 miles and just under three and a half thousand feet of ascent. You can split this section into two at Malham.

Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hawes (★★★★☆)

I walked this section in reverse, but from Horton-in-Ribblesdale the route slowly climbs up onto a slightly higher ridge, before cutting over to follow an old Roman Road that used to run to Bainbridge.

Our route turns off this old road just before Dodd Fell, and here we follow the western edge of a ridge below Dodd Fell, with great views out across the valley below. This section lasts for about three hours and is the highlight of the stages, before the path eventually drops down into Hawes.

This section totaled 13.7 miles of walking (13.4 miles on the Pennine Way), with one and a half thousand feet of ascent (ascent should be similar in both directions for this section).

Hawes to Bowes (★★★★★) 

I walked this section in reverse, but from Hawes the route takes on a big climb over the top of Great Shunner Fell (third highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales), then drops down on an equally long descent into Twaite. From here you climb back up onto the next ridge, and run along the top of Swaledale - with views out over the River Swale below.

The path then curves round the top of this ridge, and runs through the edge of Keld (I stopped for fresh drink here), then climbs up the ridge on the far side of the River Swale and heads along the top of West Stones Dale to the Tan Hill Inn. From here you next take on a very boggy section of path, heading across Sleightholme Moor, and then cutting up into the village of Bowes.

This section totaled 24.8 miles (24.5 miles on the Pennine Way), with over three thousand feet of ascent (ascent should be similar in both directions for this section).

Bowes to Middleton-in-Teesdale (★★★★★) 

From Bowes you head past the former Bowes Academy (inspiration for Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickelby and up past the former site of RAF Bowes Moor. From here you head across Deep Dale, and past Goldsborough, before dropping down to Blackton Reservoir. 

This is followed on the far side, before you cut up over the next ridge to reach Grassholme Reservoir. From here the next ridge is climbed, and the path skirts just shy of the top of this ridge, before dropping down into Middleton-in-Teesdale on the far side.

This section totaled 11.8 miles (11.5 miles on the Pennine Way), with around one and a half thousand feet of ascent.

Middleton-in-Teesdale to Dufton (★★★★★) 

From Middleton-in-Teesdale this section head along the River Tees and then passes by waterfalls at Low Force and High Force in quick succession. From here the path bends round Cronkley Fell, generally following the path of the river. 

After passing Langdon Beck, the path heads past Cronkley Scar and Falcon Clints, before reaching a cascade at Cauldron Snout. From here the River Tees is left behind and the path generally follows Maize Beck, before reaching High Cup Gill, a massive U-shaped valley. The path follows the western edge of this valley, before dropping down into Dufton.

This section totaled 23.7 miles between Middleton and the train station at Appleby (just beyond Dufton), with 19.8 miles of that being on the Pennine Way. The ascent was in excess of two thousand feet.

Dufton to Alston

Planned to walk in 2026...

Alston to Haltwhistle

Planned to walk in 2026...

Haltwhistle to Hotbank Crags (★★★★★) 

This walk first heads south from Haltwhistle, and follows the River Tyne Trail to Featherstone. From here it cuts across the fields to join the Pennine Way near Kallah.

From here the walking is on the Pennine Way itself, and heads up across very quiet, and very marshy moorland crossing Hartleyburn Common and Blenkinsopp Common. After crossing the A69, the path then joins up with the Hadrian's Wall Path and heads past Thirwall Castle and up onto the ridge at Greenhead.

From here it heads on past Walltown to Aesica Fort at Great Chesters and then on up Cawfield Crag to the high point of the Hadrian's Wall Path at Winshields Crag. From here the path heads down, before climbing up to Peel Crag and Highshield Crag, where the path heads above Crag Lough, before heading up Hotbank Crags, where the Pennine Way continues to the north (just before Housteads Fort). Here I cut down across the fields to Bardon Mill.

This stage included 20.2 miles of walking (although only 13.0 miles on the Pennine Way itself), with just under three thousand feet of ascent (a bit over two thousand on the Pennine Way).

Hotbank Crags to Bellingham (★★★☆☆)

I walked this section in reverse (finishing at Bardon Mill), but from Hotbank Crags the path drops down off the wall and over a series of ridges to pass by Greenlee Lough, and on then on into Wark Forest (which forms part of the larger Kielder Forest complex). 

This next section of walk is boggy, and the views will depend on the state of the forest (cut or uncut), but after passing in and out of the forest the walk heads over farmland, and over two Burns, before meeting up with the North Tyne River at Bellingham.

This stage is wet and boggy underfoot. Walked as I did it, it was 16.0 miles and two thousand feet of ascent, but only 12.6 miles were on the Pennine Way itself. You can also access the southern end of this section via bus at Housesteads - the northern end has buses and accommodation. Walked north to south is interesting from the perspective of walking towards Hadrian's Wall. I used a bus from Hexham to reach Bellingham, and finished up at Bardon Mill train station.

Bellingham to Byrness (★★★★☆)

Again I walked this section in reverse, and it was a better section than I had expected it to be. From Bellingham you head out initially along roads and a farm drive, before heading out across the fields, through a boggy stretch of country, and then round the base of Abbey Rigg.

From here the path heads on towards Whitley Pike, diverting off the route displayed on the map, before crossing a road and then passing just below the peak of Padon Hill. From here you head down and then back up a wet section of path to Brownrigg Head - before cutting across and into Redesdale Forest.

Once in the forest the route continues along dry forest tracks - and with it being an undulating section of forest, with the Cheviot Hills behind, this is an enjoyable stretch that finishes in Byrness.

This section totaled 14.7 miles, with around one and a half thousand feet of ascent. I used a bus at each end (from Haymarket in Newcastle to Byrness at one end, and then from Bellingham to Hexham at the other).

Byrness to Kirk Yetholm

Planned to walk in 2026...