The National Trails

Britain's National Trails in England and Wales and Scotland's Great Trails together cover well over 3100 miles (5000km) of the finest long-distance walking in Britain, from the South West Coast Path and Hadrian's Wall Path to the West Highland Way and the Pennine Way. This larger-format inspirational guidebook by expert author Paddy Dillon is the ideal starting point for anyone planning their first National Trail or working their way through them all.

Presenting stage-by-stage overviews, outline schedules, maps, and profiles for all 19 routes in a single volume, this inspirational guidebook lets you compare trails, assess their length and difficulty, and decide which one to tackle next. It is perfect for planning your next long-distance walk or simply dreaming about Britain's greatest trails.

19 National Trails are covered in stage-by-stage overviews, from the relatively short and straightforward Cotswold Way and South Downs Way to the longer and more demanding Pennine Way, South West Coast Path, and Southern Upland Way
Schedules are outlined for each trail, allowing you to compare routes side by side, assess daily distances, and plan your time, making this the ideal companion for anyone walking Britain's long-distance paths systematically
Basic day-by-day route descriptions are illustrated with maps and profiles for every trail, helping you build a clear picture of each route before committing to a dedicated guidebook or setting out on the trail
A comprehensive introduction covers general fitness, packing, planning, daily routine, and making time, making this as useful for first-time long-distance walkers as it is for experienced trail enthusiasts
Practical information covers access to and from each trail, maps, public transport, accommodation, tourist information centres, and recommended guidebooks, giving you everything you need to move from inspiration to preparation


Nineteen trails, over 3100 miles, and a single volume to help you plan, compare, and choose. The National Trails is the essential planning companion for Britain's greatest long-distance walks.

Seasons

All trails can be walked throughout the year, though winter conditions can be challenging. Hadrian's Wall Path is best avoided in winter, as the underlying archaeology is easily damaged when the ground is soft.

Centres

Covers all 19 of the UK's official National Trails, including Hadrian's Wall, the Pennine Way and the West Highland Way.

Difficulty

The routes vary in both length and technical difficulty, the longest being the South West Coast Path and the most difficult possibly the Pennine Way.

Must See

These are Britain's best walking trails and each offers something different - from the Cotswold Way to Hadrian's Wall, they all have must-see moments.

Foreword
Route Summary Table

Introduction

Wanted: A Long Green Trail
Making Trails
Trail Theme
Waymarking
Path Associations
Maps
Guidebooks
Long-distance Laughs
Websites
Accommodation
Food and Drink
Tourist Information Centres
Preparing for a Long Walk
General Fitness
Packing
Best Time of Year
Making Time
Who's Going?
Planning
Public Transport
Daily Routine
Emergencies

England

1 South West Coast Path
2 South Downs Way
3 North Downs Way
4 The Ridgeway
5 Thames Path
6 Cotswold Way
7 Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path
8 Yorkshire Wolds Way
9 Cleveland Way
10 Pennine Bridleway
11 Pennine Way
12 Hadrian's Wall Path

Wales

13 Pembrokeshire Coast Path
14 Offa's Dyke Path
15 Glyndwr's Way

Scotland

16 Southern Upland Way
17 Speyside Way
18 West Highland Way
19 Great Glen Way

APPENDIX 1 Useful Contacts
APPENDIX 2 England Coast Path