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.

The National Trails – Quick Facts

Coverage: 19 long-distance routes across England, Scotland, and Wales 
Total distance: Well over 3100 miles (5000km) combined 
Format: Larger format planning and inspiration guidebook 
England National Trails (12): South West Coast Path, South Downs Way, North Downs Way, The Ridgeway, Thames Path, Cotswold Way, Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path, Yorkshire Wolds Way, Cleveland Way, Pennine Bridleway, Pennine Way, Hadrian's Wall Path 
Wales National Trails (3): Pembrokeshire Coast Path, Offa's Dyke Path, Glyndwr's Way 
Scotland's Great Trails (4): Southern Upland Way, Speyside Way, West Highland Way, Great Glen Way 
Content per trail: Stage-by-stage overview, outline schedule, maps, profiles, access information, public transport, accommodation, and recommended guidebooks 
Longest trail: South West Coast Path 
Most challenging trail: Pennine Way 
Best season: All trails are walkable year-round; winter conditions can be challenging; Hadrian's Wall Path is best avoided in winter to protect the underlying archaeology

Author Highlight

“There is a sense of change as you pass through the landscape, but there is also the opportunity to stop and appreciate anything along the way simply for its own merit. On the world stage, Britain is a tiny country, but those who explore it on foot, day after day, discover a land so vast in its variety that in my opinion it can put whole continents in the shade.”

- Paddy Dillon, author of The National Trails

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

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.

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