60-695: The Royal Military Canal Path is a long-distance path in England, mainly following the Royal Military Canal . Its end points are Seabrook , Kent ( 51°04′19″N 1°07′20″E / 51.0720°N 1.1221°E / 51.0720; 1.1221 ( Royal Military Canal Path, Seabrook terminus ) ), and Pett Level , East Sussex ( 50°53′19″N 0°41′02″E / 50.8887°N 0.6840°E / 50.8887; 0.6840 ( Royal Military Canal Path, Pett Level terminus ) ), and it runs for 27 miles (43 km). It
120-919: 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
180-509: 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
240-875: 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
300-668: 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
360-599: 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
420-681: A short section of the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at East Marton , to reach the village of Gargrave in Airedale , on the busy A65 . North of Gargrave the Pennine Way ascends Airedale and enters the Yorkshire Dales National Park . It follows field paths, through the small villages of Airton and Hanlith to the larger village of Malham . It then climbs steps on the west side of Malham Cove , traverses
480-404: A short section of the trail, or to split the Pennine Way across several holidays or long weekends. Most of the Pennine Way is on public footpaths, rather than bridleways, and not accessible to travellers on horseback or bicycle, but a roughly parallel Pennine Bridleway is open from Derbyshire to Cumbria. This route, open to anyone not using motorised vehicles, starts slightly farther south than
540-601: 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
600-565: 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
660-612: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This East Sussex location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This British trail or long-distance path-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Long-distance path 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,
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#1732793746120720-517: Is a canal-side path and fringes the northern edge of Romney Marsh . The canal is an early-19th-century defence against a possible invasion by Napoleon, and it is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a SSSI . Links are made with the Saxon Shore Way at Appledore and West Hythe . Download coordinates as: 51°02′51″N 0°49′15″E / 51.0475°N 0.8207°E / 51.0475; 0.8207 This Kent location article
780-595: 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
840-543: 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
900-503: Is limited on upland stretches, so when planning the walk one must sometimes choose between a long day (between two places offering on-route accommodation) or two shorter days involving an evening descent off-route (to a nearby village or farm) with a morning re-ascent. There are 535 access points where the Pennine Way intersects with other public rights of way . The route is crossed by many roads and passes through many villages and towns with good public transport. This makes it easy to sample
960-455: 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
1020-575: The A58 road , then passes a series of reservoirs. It crosses the Calderdale Way high above the village of Mankinholes , then climbs to the prominent monument on Stoodley Pike . From the monument it descends steeply to the valley of the River Calder , which it crosses about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the town of Hebden Bridge , the largest settlement near the route. The trail climbs out of
1080-879: The A635 road to the Wessenden Valley . It climbs out of the valley to leave the National Park at Standedge on the A62 road . From Standedge the Pennine Way follows the Yorkshire–Greater Manchester border north along a series of gritstone edges. It crosses the A640 road , then the A672 , before crossing the M62 motorway by a long footbridge near Windy Hill . Past the motorway the trail follows Blackstone Edge to
1140-723: 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
1200-897: 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
1260-762: 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
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#17327937461201320-620: 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
1380-587: The River Rede upstream to the village of Byrness . The last stage of the Pennine Way, across the Cheviot Hills from Byrness to Kirk Yetholm , is 27 miles (43 km) long, with no habitation en route. It is usually tackled in one long day, although there are two refuge huts (or bothies ). The trail climbs steeply from the village, then heads north to cross the Scottish border near Ogre Hill. For
1440-635: 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
1500-667: 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
1560-571: The Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kirk Yetholm , just inside the Scottish border . The path runs along the Pennine hills, sometimes described as the "backbone of England". Although not the United Kingdom's longest National Trail, it is, according to The Ramblers , "one of Britain's best known and toughest". The path was the idea of the journalist and rambler Tom Stephenson , inspired by similar trails in
1620-549: The limestone pavement at the top of the cove, and continues north to Malham Tarn . The trail then crosses a shoulder of Fountains Fell , crosses the head of Silverdale and ascends the nose of Pen-y-Ghent in a very steep section. From the summit of Pen-y-Ghent the Pennine Way descends to the village of Horton in Ribblesdale (on the Settle–Carlisle Railway ). The Pennine Way then heads up Ribblesdale along
1680-585: The 5-mile (8 km) ascent of Great Shunner Fell . From the summit of the fell the trail descends to upper Swaledale and the village of Thwaite . It then crosses the side of Kisdon , with good views down Swaledale, passes Kisdon Force , a waterfall on the River Swale , and reaches the village of Keld . From Keld the path crosses the route of the Coast to Coast Walk , then ascends a side valley known as Stones Dale to reach Tan Hill and its isolated inn at
1740-707: 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
1800-747: 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
1860-629: The Calder valley through the scattered hamlet of Colden , crossing Colden Water by an ancient clapper bridge . It then passes the Walshaw Dean Reservoirs and climbs to the ruins of Top Withens , said to have been the inspiration for Wuthering Heights . The trail then descends to Ponden Hall , and crosses more moorland to the villages of Cowling and Lothersdale . From Lothersdale the trail crosses Pinhaw Beacon to Thornton-in-Craven . There then follows gentler country, including
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1920-740: 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 :
1980-711: 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
2040-407: The Pennine Way is estimated to have cost him up to £15,000 by his death in 1991. The National Trail Guide contains a description of the route, GPS waypoints and 1:25000 maps of the entire walk. Barry Pilton 's book One Man and His Bog gives a more lighthearted and personal account of completing the Pennine Way, with a foreword by Mike Harding . Mark Wallington 's book Pennine Walkies (in which
2100-463: The Pennine Way. A survey by the National Trails agency reported that a walker covering the entire length of the trail is obliged to navigate 287 gates , 249 timber stiles , 183 stone stiles and 204 bridges. 198 miles (319 km) of the route is on public footpaths , 70 miles (112 km) on public bridleways and 20 miles (32 km) on other public highways . The walker is aided by
2160-805: 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
2220-720: 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
2280-398: 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
2340-404: The United States, particularly the Appalachian Trail . Stephenson proposed the concept in an article for the Daily Herald in 1935, and lobbied Parliament for the creation of an official trail. The walk was planned to end at Wooler but it was decided that Kirk Yetholm would be the finishing point. The final section was declared open in a ceremony held on Malham Moor on 24 April 1965. Before
2400-432: 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
2460-406: The author is accompanied by his dog) is another humorous personal story of the walk, as is Walking Home by Yorkshire poet Simon Armitage , who walked north-to-south along the Pennine Way without money, relying on his 'earnings' from nightly poetry readings along the way. Movement artists Tamara Ashley and Simone Kenyon performed the entire length of the trail in August 2006; their book documents
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2520-432: The dam of Cow Green Reservoir . The trail then ascends the gently rising side valley of Maize Beck to reach High Cup Gill , one of the most photographed areas on the Pennine Way. From High Cup the trail descends to the village of Dufton . From Dufton the Pennine Way climbs back up the fells, passing in turn the summits of Knock Fell, Great Dun Fell , Little Dun Fell and finally Cross Fell , at 893 metres (2,930 ft)
2580-464: The highest point on the entire path. Here, walkers can face tricky conditions in bad weather as a result of the Helm Wind which sweeps down the south-west slope of the escarpment. A long descent follows to the valley of the South Tyne at Garrigill . The trail then keeps close to the river to enter the town of Alston . The trail continues down the valley of the South Tyne, past the Roman fort of Whitley Castle , to Slaggyford and Knarsdale . Above
2640-443: The northern boundary of the National Park. At Tan Hill the Pennine Way enters the North Pennines AONB and follows moorland tracks to the isolated settlement of Sleightholme , where the route divides. The main route heads directly north across the moors, crossing God's Bridge and passing beneath the A66 road in a tunnel. The alternative route enters the town of Bowes and rejoins the main route at Baldersdale . From Baldersdale
2700-539: The official opening of the Pennine Way the British Army was invited to test the route, a task that was accomplished in one day. Junior soldiers from the Junior Tradesman's Regiment of the Army Catering Corps, based in Aldershot , were split into patrols of four or five and each was allocated an approximately 15-mile (25 km) section of the walk. A report was then provided on the signage and route feasibility. The Pennine Way celebrated its 50th anniversary in April 2015. A special four-part BBC One series The Pennine Way
2760-416: The old Settle – Langstrothdale packhorse road. It passes the eastern end of Ling Gill and climbs Cam Fell, where it follows the line of a Roman road , shared with the Dales Way . The trail then passes Dodd Fell Hill and follows a ridge between Widdale and Sleddale , before descending into Wensleydale at Gayle and the adjoining town of Hawes . The path crosses the dale to Hardraw , then begins
2820-404: The provision of 458 waymarks. The Pennine Way originally climbed north from Edale across the middle of the Kinder Scout plateau. It was rerouted to reduce erosion, and now heads west to climb onto the plateau by steps known as Jacob's Ladder . It then turns north to follow the western edge of the plateau past Kinder Downfall , crosses the Snake Pass road ( A57 ) and climbs Bleaklow . From
2880-441: The record for just one week in July 2020 with a time of 2 days, 16 hours and 46 minutes, before this was broken by Damian Hall with a time of 2 days, 13 hours and 35 minutes. Before this, the record had been held for 31 years by Mike Hartley (time of 2 days, 17 hours and 20 minutes). The fastest women's time is 3 days and 46 minutes, set by Anna Troup on 14–17 August 2021. The previous record of 3 days, 2 hours and 28 minutes
2940-401: The rest of the stage the path switches between England and Scotland, along a fence which marks the border itself. Back in England the trail passes the Roman fort at Chew Green , and briefly follows the Roman road of Dere Street . The path then follows the border ridge, passing the high point of Windy Gyle . At the west top of Cairn Hill (743 metres (2,438 ft)), from where the path leads to
3000-490: The summit of The Cheviot and back down, the path turns sharply northwest with the border fence, descending to a refuge hut before climbing The Schil at 601 metres (1,972 ft), above the College Valley . The path then descends into Scotland and enters the village of Kirk Yetholm. The path ends at the Border Hotel. The record time for completion of the Pennine Way is 2 days, 10 hours, 4 minutes and 53 seconds, set by John Kelly on 15–17 May 2021. Kelly had previously held
3060-405: The summit the trail descends to Longdendale . In the dale it crosses the dam of Torside Reservoir to Crowden , the first village since the start of the trail 16 miles (26 km) away. From Crowden the Pennine Way climbs a side valley past Laddow Rocks to the summit of Black Hill on the border of Yorkshire . It descends across Wessenden Head Moor (the eastern part of Saddleworth Moor ) and
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#17327937461203120-608: 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
3180-445: The terrain in places, and steps have been taken to recover its condition, including diverting sections of the path onto firmer ground, and laying flagstones or duckboards in softer areas. The actions have been effective in reducing the extent of broken ground, though the intrusion into the natural landscape has at times been controversial. Accommodation is available at youth hostels , camp sites, bed-and-breakfasts and pubs, but
3240-408: The trail crosses Lunedale and descends to the small town of Middleton-in-Teesdale . From Middleton the path ascends Teesdale on the right bank of the River Tees , below the village of Holwick . It passes the waterfalls of Low Force and High Force , and reaches the scattered settlement of Forest-in-Teesdale . Further up the Tees, the path climbs beside the waterfall of Cauldron Snout below
3300-421: The village of Lambley the trail leaves the valley to cross more moorland to the A69 near the village of Greenhead . Outside Greenhead the Pennine Way passes Thirlwall Castle on Hadrian's Wall . For the next 11 miles (18 km) the route coincides with the Hadrian's Wall Path , following the wall closely past Once Brewed to Rapishaw Gap, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Housesteads Roman Fort . From
3360-432: The wall the trail heads north through Wark Forest . Past the forest it follows field paths to Shitlington Crags and descends to the large village of Bellingham . More remote country follows, across Padon Hill and the edge of Redesdale Forest. The trail eventually reaches Redesdale at Blakehopeburnhaugh and Cottonshopeburnfoot , two neighbouring hamlets which compete for the longest name in England. The route then follows
3420-422: 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
3480-416: Was broadcast throughout April. The Pennine Way is popular with walkers, and in 1990 the Countryside Commission reported that 12,000 long-distance walkers and 250,000 day-walkers were using all or part of the trail annually and that walkers contributed £2 million (1990) to the local economy along the route, directly maintaining 156 jobs. The popularity of the walk has resulted in substantial erosion to
3540-427: 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. Pennine Way The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for 268 miles (431 km) from Edale , in the northern Derbyshire Peak District , north through
3600-428: Was set by Sabrina Verjee on 12–15 September 2020. The route of the Pennine Way is the basis of the Spine Race , which was inaugurated in 2012. The Pennine Way has attracted a number of writers over the years, including Tom Stephenson , who wrote the first official guidebook. A popular guide was written and illustrated by the writer Alfred Wainwright , whose offer to buy a half-pint of beer for anyone who finished
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