43-659: The North Sea Trail is a transnational long-distance hiking trail along the coast of the North Sea . The route passes through seven countries and 26 partner areas. The aim of the project is to promote sustainable tourism and to keep alive the common cultural heritage of the North Sea countries. The trail has a theoretical total length of about 4,900 kilometres (3,000 mi), but so far only about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 mi) have been developed. The EU-funded North Sea Trail project involves Sweden, Norway, Scotland, England,
86-748: A North Sea Trail Association so that the Trail can be supported in the long term. The UK's representative on the Association is Aberdeen. There is also a North Sea Cycle Route integrated with the North Sea Trail. Long-distance trail A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath , track, way, greenway ) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking , backpacking , cycling , horse riding or cross-country skiing . They exist on all continents except Antarctica. Many trails are marked on maps. Typically,
129-590: A completed developed route. In Germany, the path is largely unknown and not signposted. On some short sections, the North Sea Trail is identical to the European long-distance path E9 . On some sections, the North Sea Trail is identical to the better known North Sea Cycle Route . The seven countries are: The project was originally part funded by the European Union through its Interreg IIIB North Sea Programme. The project partners have decided to establish
172-919: A large number of trekkers ( backpackers ). Typical trekking regions in Nepal are Annapurna , Dolpo , Langtang , Manaslu , Kangchenjunga and Mount Everest . In India, the Kashmir Valley is home to several trekking routes that traverse western sections of the Himalayas. Vishansar Lake , Gangabal Lake and Tarsar Lakes are accessible only through different trekking routes. Other popular trekking routes in India include Chandra Taal , Dzongri, Goechala, Gomukh , Hemkund , Kafni Glacier , Kailash - Manasarovar , Kedarnath , Kedartal , Milam Glacier , Nanda Devi Sanctuary , Pindari Glacier , Richenpong , Roopkund , Sar Pass , Satopanth Tal , Saurkundi Pass and
215-509: A long-distance route will be at least 50 km (30 mi) long, but many run for several hundred miles, or longer. Many routes are waymarked and may cross public or private land and/or follow existing rights of way . Generally, the surface is not specially prepared, and the ground can be rough and uneven in areas, except in places such as converted rail tracks or popular walking routes where stone-pitching and slabs have been laid to prevent erosion. In some places, official trails will have
258-875: A network of officially sanctioned footpaths in the United Kingdom which are well maintained and well waymarked across England and Wales. Examples are the Pennine Way and the South West Coast Path . The equivalent routes in Scotland are styled as Scotland's Great Trails ; they include the West Highland Way and the Speyside Way . The success of the Welsh government's 870-mile Wales Coast Path prompted an ongoing project of create
301-668: A safe and easy hike in any season, as well as raising awareness of the importance of protecting natural spaces and adopting sustainable behaviors. Long Distance Nature Trails in Japan : In Brazil, long-distance trails are regulated by two Federal Government decrees, and implemented and managed by government agencies in partnership with many NGOs, such as the Brazilian Trails Network Association ( Associação Rede Brasileira de Trilhas in Portuguese) and
344-631: A section of coast erodes, the path will move back accordingly. Natural England's Coastal Access Scheme was approved by the Secretary of State on 9 July 2013 under section 298(2) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, and presented to Parliament pursuant to section 298(6) of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. The first instance of this new law was implemented on a stretch of the English coast at Weymouth Bay on 29 June 2012. In December 2014
387-599: A series of connected pre-existing rights of way, roads and open country with some informal links between them. There is also a coast-to-coast mountain-bike route in northern England that has the same trailheads as the walkers' path. GR 10 is a French GR footpath that runs the length of the Pyrenees Mountains , roughly paralleling the French–Spanish border on the French side. It runs west to east, from Hendaye on
430-601: A similar route for England. When completed, the King Charles III England Coast Path will be around 2,700 miles long. There are many other recognised, sometimes waymarked, long-distance footpaths in the UK which do not have National Trail status. The Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) has the most comprehensive online database of long-distance paths in the UK, and members are able to download GPX files of routes. The association also maintains
473-565: Is Point Reyes , on the northern California coast at the Pacific Ocean. The Iditarod Trail connects the coastal cities of Seward and Nome, Alaska : a distance of around 1,600 kilometres (990 mi). The European long-distance paths (E-paths) traverse Europe, passing through many different countries. Among the longest are European walking route E8 and the Iron Curtain Trail (also known as EuroVelo 13). The latter
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#1732787656772516-595: Is a partially complete long-distance cycling route which will run along the entire length of the former Iron Curtain . During the period of the Cold War (c. 1947–1991), the Iron Curtain delineated the border between the Communist East and the capitalist West. Some of the longest walking routes worldwide: Long-distance mountain trails are of two broad kinds: linear trails and loop trails. In Europe
559-543: Is applicable to other rail trails that exist throughout the world: Following the route of the railways, they cut through hills, under roads, over embankments and across gullies and creeks. Apart from being great places to walk, cycle or horse ride, rail trails are linear conservation corridors protecting native plants and animals. They often link remnant vegetation in farming areas and contain valuable flora and fauna habitat. Wineries and other attractions are near many trails as well as B&B's and other great places to stay. In
602-455: Is generally deemed to be owned by The Crown , although there are some exceptions. In England ownership of land extends only to the high water mark , and The Crown is deemed to own what lies below it. Progress slowed due to COVID-19 and a European court judgement in April 2018 regarding environmentally protected sites. Natural England now hopes to have all stretches approved and work underway by
645-710: Is the longest Coastal Path in the world, with it being even longer if including the Wales Coast Path . Following the establishment of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1952, Welsh naturalist and author Ronald Lockley surveyed a route around the coast. This was constructed and then opened in 1970, as the Pembrokeshire Coast Path . Lockley's report for the Countryside Commission in 1953
688-455: Is the longest marked multi-use trail in the world, stretching 5,330 kilometres (3,310 mi) from Cooktown, Queensland , through New South Wales to Healesville, Victoria . This non-motorised trail runs the length of the rugged Great Dividing Range through national parks and private property and alongside wilderness areas . One of the objectives was to develop a trail that linked up the brumby tracks, mustering and stock routes along
731-723: The Bay of Biscay to Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea . The American Discovery Trail is a hiking and biking trail that crosses the continental United States from east to west, across the mid-tier of the United States 10,900 kilometres (6,800 mi). Horses can also be ridden on most of this trail. The eastern terminus is the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the western terminus
774-952: The Brittany Coast Path in France, the California Coastal Trail in the US, the South West Coast Path in England, the East Coast Trail in Canada, and the Otter Trail in South Africa. The King Charles III England Coast Path , in development by Natural England , will be around 4,350 kilometres (2,700 mi) long. It is expected to open by the end of 2024 as the longest coastal walking route in
817-762: The EuroVelo routes. Some trails follow the towpaths of canal systems. A good example is the 845-kilometre (525 mi) New York State Canal System in New York . There also numerous routes that can be followed in Europe, which may be suitable for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and canoeists. Many long-distance trails have sections suitable for equestrians, and a few are suitable for horse riding throughout their length, or have been developed primarily for horse riding. The Bicentennial National Trail (BNT) in Australia
860-620: The Pennine Bridleway , 192 km (119 miles), The Ridgeway , 139 km (86 miles), and the South Downs Way , 160 km (99 miles). Rail trails (or rail paths) are shared-use paths that make use of abandoned railway corridors. There are also rails with trails in the US that follow working rail tracks. Most rail trails have a gravel or dirt surface and can be used for walking, cycling, and often horse riding as well. The following description comes from Australia , but
903-635: The Valley of Flowers . The Great Himalaya Trail is proposed to follow the Greater Himalaya Range from Namche Barwa in Tibet to Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, forming the world's highest mountain trail. A long-distance trail network in the southern Andes, the 3,000-kilometre (1,900 mi) Greater Patagonian Trail , was first described in 2014. It currently connects Santiago de Chile with
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#1732787656772946-667: The Via Alpina consists of five connected hiking trails across the alpine regions of Slovenia , Austria , Germany , Liechtenstein , Switzerland , Italy , France and Monaco . It is 5,000 km (3,100 miles) long, with 342 day stages. Circular routes include the Tour du Mont Blanc , which passes through the Alps of France, Switzerland, and Italy. In the Balkans region, the Peaks of
989-707: The Atlantic Forest Trail Institute. The aim is to create a national system of trails that are pleasant to hike, but that also generate employment and income and function as conservation tools by linking protected areas with natural corridors. There are more than 120 trails in different stages of implementation in 25 of the 27 Brazilian states , connecting all Brazilian biomes. As of January 2022, Brazil has more than 5,500 km of managed trails and another 20,500 km planned. Long-distance trails in Brazil: These follow coastlines; examples are
1032-747: The Balkans Trail and High Scardus Trail connect Albania , Kosovo and Montenegro or North Macedonia respectively through a network of combined almost 700 kilometres (430 mi). In the United States, notable linear trails include the Appalachian Trail , 3,500 kilometres (2,200 mi), the Pacific Crest Trail , 4,300 kilometres (2,700 mi) and the Continental Divide Trail , 5,000 kilometres (3,100 mi). The first long-distance hiking trail in
1075-740: The Great Dividing Range, thus allowing one legally to ride the routes of stockmen and drovers who once traveled these areas with pack horses . The Bicentennial National Trail is suitable for self-reliant horse riders, fit walkers and mountain bike riders. In the United Kingdom, the British Horse Society is developing a network of horse trails known as the National Bridleroute Network . A number of long-distance multi-use trails have been created in England, including three National Trails :
1118-722: The King Charles III England Coast Path. Signage along the whole route now falls to a uniform design. These paths are: The Coastal path has four trailheads. At Berwick, the England Coast Path connects to the Berwickshire Coastal Path . There are plans to create a Scottish Coastal Way , which would likely link at Berwick. At Gretna, the path may connect to the Scottish Coastal Way , if it is built. Here,
1161-659: The LDWA National Trails Register, with different levels of membership for people who have completed five, 10, 15 or all 19 of the National Trails and Great Trails. An annual report is published in April in the association's magazine, Strider. The Kerry Way , in south-west Ireland, is the longest of the Irish waymarked trails and circumnavigates the highest mountain range in Ireland. Along with
1204-695: The Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany. The trail starts in the north of Great Britain in Scotland and stretches along the entire east coast. The trail continues along the Dutch and German coasts to Denmark. Denmark is rounded out and the path on the west coast of Sweden continued from Kattegat to the Skagerrak . The trail then stretches along the Norwegian coast. Only the Netherlands and Denmark offer
1247-805: The Southern Patagonian Icefield and explores the remote areas of the Patagonian Andes in the border region between Chile and Argentina. The entire network currently incorporates more than 16,000-kilometre (9,900 mi) of routes and provides many packrafting options. These routes have been constructed mainly for bicycle touring . Some are restricted to use by only non-motorized bikes while others are multi-use recreational (i.e. hiking, horseback riding, jogging, rollerblading or walking). Some long-distance cycling routes are hundreds of miles long, such as Australia's mainly off-road Munda Biddi Trail , or even thousands of miles, such as
1290-515: The UK Government, encouraged by the success of the Wales Coast Path , announced that more than £5 million of additional funding was being committed over the following five years, to complete the Path by 2020, a decade earlier than would have otherwise been possible. In the UK, public access to the foreshore below the line marking high tide has existed for a long time. The intertidal zone
1333-720: The US was begun in 1910 and named The Long Trail . Notable circular trails include the Tahoe Rim Trail and the Wonderland Trail (which encircles Mount Rainier ). The Australian Alps Walking Track traverses the alpine areas of Victoria , New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory . It is 655 km (407 miles) long, starting at Walhalla, Victoria , and running through to Tharwa, Australian Capital Territory near Canberra . The Himalayan routes are famous for attracting
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1376-542: The US, the 43-kilometre (27 mi) Cheshire Rail Trail , in New Hampshire , can be used by hikers, horseback riders, snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, cyclists, or even dog-sledders. In Canada , following the abandonment of the Prince Edward Island Railway in 1989, the government of Prince Edward Island purchased the right-of-way to the entire railway system. The Confederation Trail
1419-544: The adjoining Dingle Way it is noted for its scenic views of the Atlantic , loughs and mountains. Long-distance trails in Hong Kong : Japan has a network of ten long-distance trails called Long Distance Nature Trails. Their creation is the result of a Ministry of Environment initiative to highlight the specific environmental, cultural or historic landscapes through which the trails pass. They also aim to allow hikers
1462-413: The coastline of England. When complete, it will be 2,674 miles (4,303 km) long. Various parts of the English Coast already had coastal paths, most notably that of the South West Coast Path . However, with the passing of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 , section 298 instructed Natural England to create a holistic Coastal Path. The first section, along Weymouth Bay , opened in 2012. The path
1505-426: The end of 2024. In May 2023, to mark the coronation of King Charles III , the Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey announced that the England Coast Path would be renamed the King Charles III England Coast Path. New branding was introduced to reflect the colours of the English flag , with signage being gradually introduced across new stretches of the path. Existing coastal trails in England will be incorporated into
1548-505: The establishment of both the England Coast Path and, usually, the right of access over the associated 'coastal margin'. This includes – where appropriate – any land, other than the trail itself, which forms part of the coastal margin and which has public rights of access along the way. This is known as 'spreading room'. However, this does not include any right to enter private houses and gardens or Ministry of Defence land. The new right of Coastal Access also includes 'roll back', namely that if
1591-423: The general public the conditional right to walk in certain areas of the English and Welsh countryside, including coastal land. Developed land, gardens and certain other areas are specifically excluded from the right of access. Agricultural land is accessible if it falls within one of the categories described in the Act. People exercising the right of access have certain duties to respect other people's rights to manage
1634-415: The land, and to protect nature. The new rights were introduced region by region through England with completion in 2005. In 2004, the Ramblers started their campaign, advocating for a Coastal Pathway. The King Charles III England Coast Path has been possible because of the introduction of a UK law, the Right of Coastal Access under Part 9 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 . The Act provides for
1677-406: The path can also connect to Hadrian's Wall Path , allowing for users to connect back to the England Coast Path, at Newcastle upon Tyne , just south of Berwick. At Queensferry, the England Coastal path connects to the Wales Coastal Path . Likewise, at Aust, the Wales Coast Path can be accessed by crossing the Severn Bridge . The England/Wales border can be followed from both trailheads, by using
1720-608: The surface specially prepared to make the going easier. Historically, and still nowadays in countries where most people move on foot or with pack animals, long-distance trails linked far away towns and regions. Such paths followed "logical" routes, that can be approximated to least-cost paths . GR footpaths are long-distance footpaths in Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal (the Alta Via (Italian), Grande Randonnée (French), Grote Routepaden or Lange-afstand-wandelpaden (Dutch), Grande Rota (Portuguese) or Gran Recorrido (Spanish)). National Trails are
1763-422: The world and Britain's longest National Trail . These may be cross-country paths, or may follow roads or other ways, and often intersect with many other trails. Examples are Wainwright's Coast-to-Coast path in northern England, and the GR 10 in France . The English Coast to Coast route, despite being amongst the best-known long-distance walking routes in England, is not an official National Trail , but simply
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1806-416: Was developed as a tip-to-tip walking and cycling gravel rail trail which doubles as a monitored and groomed snowmobile trail during the winter months, operated by the PEI Snowmobile Association. King Charles III England Coast Path The King Charles III England Coast Path ( KCIIIECP ), originally and still commonly known as the England Coast Path , is a long-distance National Trail that will follow
1849-423: Was welcomed and broadly adopted. Some sections of the walk were existing rights of way, but the majority were in private hands, necessitating negotiation. Most landowners were in favour, and many benefitted from the erection of new fencing. In 2000, the Government legislated to introduce a limited "right to roam". The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW) was gradually implemented from 2000 onwards to give
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