BACKPACK A LONG -DISTANCE TRAIL
With so many miles of countryside and footpaths to enjoy in Britain, why limit yourself to a couple of nights on the trail?
For a fairly small collection of islands, we’re surprisingly spoilt for choice in the British Isles in terms of long-distance footpaths. Whether you want to tough it out over 200 miles of Scottish mountains and wilderness on the Cape Wrath Trail, or opt for something more low-level like the 100-mile South Downs Way, there’s a multi-day challenge out there for walkers of all ages and abilities. If you’re tempted to give it a try but don’t know where to start, check out the National Trails website (nationaltrail. co.uk). This is the home of the 16 official National Trails, including hillwalking classics like the Pennine Way and Hadrian’s Wall, but also some excellent options further south including the Thames Path, and the monstrous South West Coast Path which traverses the weather-beaten cliffs and beaches of Devon and Cornwall. Here you’ll find full guides to each of the trails, plus information about accommodation and the latest government guidelines on exploring green spaces. The purest way to do a long-distance trail is with a tent on your back and all your supplies in your rucksack, but that’s certainly not a style for the faint-hearted or inexperienced! With everything going on at the moment accommodation options and pubs could be closed or running a reduced service, so make sure you check before you go.
WHERE TO DO IT There are almost too many great options to choose from, but some of our favourites include the Cumbria Way (73 miles), Wainwright’s Coast to Coast (182 miles) the Beacons Way (99 miles), the Snowdonia Slate Trail (83 miles), the West Highland Way (96 miles) and the South West Coast Path (an absurd 630 miles). T