{"id":1075,"date":"2021-06-14T09:40:46","date_gmt":"2021-06-14T09:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/?p=1075"},"modified":"2021-06-15T09:40:59","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T09:40:59","slug":"10-of-the-best-lesser-known-walking-trails-in-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/10-of-the-best-lesser-known-walking-trails-in-the-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the best lesser-known walking trails in the UK"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Scenic, but seldom crowded, these long-distance paths have been hewn by the feet of rustlers and rebels, saints and kings<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Greenwich Meridian Trail, East Sussex to east Yorkshire<\/h3>\n

Start<\/strong> Peacehaven
\nFinish<\/strong> Sand le Mere
\n273<\/strong> miles, 25-30 days<\/p>\n

The Greenwich Meridian Trail isn\u2019t just a walk, it\u2019s a hemisphere-straddling adventure. It follows the course of zero-degrees longitude from the Meridian Monument in Peacehaven, East Sussex, to Sand le Mere in East Yorkshire (where a meridian marker was placed in 1999 but, such is the rampant rate of coastal erosion, fell down in 2003). While dedicated to the historic navigational line, the trail wiggles to take in the most attractive countryside, slicing through the South Downs, North Downs, Greenwich, Epping Forest, the Lea Valley, rural Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, the Fens, the Lincolnshire Wolds and the Humber estuary.\u201cIt takes people away from the usual honeypots,\u201d say the trail team at the Ramblers, \u201cand encourages them to feel a connection between places.\u201d Along the way are an eclectic selection of meridian markers \u2013 locate them via thegreenwichmeridian.org.<\/p>\n

Guidebooks<\/strong> \u00a0The walk is divided into four parts, each covered by a separate guide containing maps, directions and advice on transport and accommodation. Available from greenwichmeridiantrail.co.uk, which also posts regular updates on route changes<\/p>\n

St Cuthbert\u2019s Way, Scottish Borders to Northumberland<\/h3>\n
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Start<\/strong> Melrose
\nFinish<\/strong> Lindisfarne
\n62<\/strong> miles, 5 days<\/p>\n

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St Cuthbert\u2019s Way is, according to Scottish outdoor writer Ronald Turnbull, seriously underrated: \u201cIt\u2019s one of the best in the UK at this length and difficulty. Its gentle combination of moorland, woodland and riverside is just right, all below the 400m contour. A couple of ruined abbeys and a castle add to the mix, with a barefoot crossing of the tidal mudflats to Holy Island[Lindisfarne] the splendid bonus at the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trail runs from the Scottish Borders town of Melrose, where St Cuthbert entered monastic life in AD650, to Lindisfarne, his resting place. Along the way lie Eildon Hill and the River Tweed (both beloved of Sir Walter Scott), the town of Kirk Yetholm (endpoint of the Pennine Way, if you fancy peeling off), the wild Cheviots and St Cuthbert\u2019s Cave, where, it\u2019s said, the saint\u2019s body was hidden in AD875 during Viking attacks.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> Visit stcuthbertsway.info. Research tide times at holyislandcrossingtimes.northumberland.gov.uk
\nbefore walking across to Lindisfarne
\nTours<\/strong> Shepherd\u2019s Walks Holidays offers guided trips from \u00a3965 and self-guided from \u00a3689pp<\/p>\n

Battlefields and Borderlands Way, Leicestershire and Warwickshire<\/h3>\n

Start\/Finish<\/strong> Witherley, Leicestershire
\n42 <\/strong>miles, 3-4 days<\/p>\n

First port of call for any wannabe long-distance walker should be the Long Distance Walkers Association, which maintains a database of over 1,600 trails. Launched in 2020, the Battlefields and Borderlands Way is one of the newest additions to this treasure trove. It\u2019s a circular route around the Leicestershire-Warwickshire border \u2013 once the frontier between Anglo-Saxon Mercia and the Viking Danelaw. Using footpaths and back roads, it visits some feisty areas, including the rediscovered location of Bosworth battlefield, the most likely spot of Boudicca\u2019s final fight against the Romans, two English civil war sites and a cold war nuclear bunker.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favourite sections are the walks from Sutton Cheney to Stoke Golding,\u201d says Eddie Smallwood, one of the route\u2019s co-founders. \u201cNot only is the walk through lovely countryside, it takes in several different eras and remarkable people and events.\u201d<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> The Battlefields & Borderlands Way is split into nine short sections; public transport is limited
\nMaps<\/strong> ldwa.org.uk
\nGuidebook<\/strong> Available from battlefieldsandbor.wixsite.com\/home<\/p>\n

Cumbria Way, Lake District<\/h3>\n

Start<\/strong> Ulverston
\nFinish<\/strong> Carlisle
\n70<\/strong> miles, 5 days<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Cumbria Way should be a lot better known,\u201d reckons Paddy Dillon, author of 90-plus dozens of walking guides. \u201cIt offers a relatively easy introduction to the Lake District, giving fine views of the fells without the effort of grappling with them.\u201d Indeed, the Cumbria Way takes a lowish-level route across the national park, with only a few significant climbs, providing a gentler introduction for Lakes newbies.<\/p>\n

From Ulverston the route winds alongside Coniston Water into Great Langdale, zigzags up a pass into Langstrath and Borrowdale, follows the wooded western shore of Derwentwater to Keswick, runs between Skiddaw and Blencathra to reach Caldbeck \u2013 either via Dash Falls or over High Pike (the route\u2019s only Wainwright fell) \u2013 and traces the Caldew valley to Carlisle.<\/p>\n

Those who have limited time are recommended to pick the central chunk, from Langdale to Caldbeck \u2013 classic Lakeland.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> Visit walklakes.co.uk to download notes and GPX files, and search for accommodation
\nTours<\/strong> Macs Adventure\u2019s seven-night Cumbria Way trip from \u00a3660pp<\/p>\n

Cateran Trail, central Scotland<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Start\/Finish <\/strong>Blairgowrie, near Perth
\n64<\/strong> miles, 5 days<\/p>\n

This history-infused loop through the Perthshire glens follows in the footsteps of the caterans, cattle rustlers who raided these valleys from the middle ages to the 17th century. The circular trail is split into five sections, each doable in a day, with a mix of low- and high-level walking.<\/p>\n

Red deer, red squirrels, golden eagles, iron age settlements and ancient hut circles can be spotted. Those short on time should opt for the 20-mile mini-circuit from Kirkmichael: this follows the moorland trail and hill pass from Enochdhu to Spittal of Glenshee via the Upper Lunch Hut (where Queen Victoria rested in 1865); it returns to Kirkmichael via Glen Isla and the 18th-century Dalnaglar Castle.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> With no official start point, it can begin at Blairgowrie, 45 minutes by bus from Perth; other options are Kirkmichael, Spittal of Glenshee, Kirkton of Glenisla and Alyth
\nMaps\/guides<\/strong> pkct.org\/cateran-trail<\/p>\n

Saint Patrick\u2019s Way, Northern Ireland<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Start<\/strong> Armagh
\nFinish<\/strong> Downpatrick
\n82<\/strong> miles, 6-10 days<\/p>\n

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It was after walking Spain\u2019s Camino de Santiago that Irishman Alan Graham decided Saint Patrick should be honoured with his own such pilgrimage trail \u2013 the obvious route being from Armagh, where the saint founded his first stone church in AD445, to his final resting place in Downpatrick. Luckily for walkers, some of Northern Ireland\u2019s finest scenery lies in between, including the Newry Canal, Carlingford Lough, the Mourne Mountains and County Down coast.<\/p>\n

Opened in 2015, the Way has its own Pilgrim Passport system: collect stamps at 10 points of interest en route to earn a completion certificate. The route is broken down into seven accessible stages; the final 10-mile section, along the coast where Patrick first brought his boat ashore, is rich in Christian heritage.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> walkni.com. Pilgrim Passports are available from local tourist information centres
\nTours<\/strong> The Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick runs guided full- and half-day walks along the trail, and offers completion certificates<\/p>\n

Glyndwr\u2019s Way, Mid-Wales<\/h3>\n

Start<\/strong> Knighton
\nFinish<\/strong> Welshpool
\n135<\/strong> miles, 9-10 days<\/p>\n

Though one of the UK\u2019s 16 official National Trails, Glyndwr\u2019s Way manages to fly beneath the radar \u2013 perhaps because, unlike the others, it follows no particular ridge or coast. Instead, it performs a sideways V, designed to link places with connections to Owain Glyndwr (the last Welsh Prince of Wales), and showcase the best of this quiet patch of Powys, taking in forests, views north to Snowdonia and the shores of Lake Vyrnwy. Even better, it has the quality waymarking of a National Trail but few other hikers.<\/p>\n

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Those with only a weekend free could try the 27-mile section between Llanidloes and Machynlleth (where Glyndwr set up his parliament in 1404); there\u2019s public transport at both ends. Those with unlimited time could walk Glyndwr\u2019s Way to Welshpool then follow Offa\u2019s Dyke Path National Trail\u00a0south back to Knighton, completing a 165-mile loop.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> nationaltrail.co.uk
\nGuidebook<\/strong> Cicerone publishes a Glyndwr\u2019s Way guide
\nTours<\/strong> Several walking companies offer self-guided holidays. Celtic Trails\u2019 10-night trip costs from \u00a3915pp<\/p>\n

Dartmoor Way, south Devon<\/h3>\n

Start\/Finish <\/strong>Ivybridge
\n108<\/strong> miles, 10 days<\/p>\n

Southern England\u2019s wildest tract of land can be tricksy for walking \u2013 few waymarked trails dare streak across the high moor itself. So the Ramblers\u00a0and the Dartmoor national park authority have developed the Dartmoor Way, a circumnavigation of the moor\u2019s softer fringes, using footpaths, bridleways, byways and drovers\u2019 roads.<\/p>\n

The trail was meant to launch properly in 2020; this was postponed, but the route is ready to go. There are 10 stages, which start\/finish in towns and villages. These include Ivybridge (which has a train station), Moretonhampstead (\u201cgateway to the High Moor\u201d), lively Chagford, Lydford (home to a gorge and castle) and the market town of Tavistock. An additional High Moor Link (23 miles) cuts across Dartmoor, from Tavistock to Buckfast, making it possible to break the Way into two shorter circuits.<\/p>\n

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Further information<\/strong> dartmoorway.co.uk. A Dartmoor Way cycle path also circles the park
\nTours<\/strong> Encounter Walking Holidays offers various walks on the Dartmoor Way, with added tor-bagging detours, from \u00a385pp a day<\/p>\n

Wherryman\u2019s Way, Norfolk<\/h3>\n

Start<\/strong> Norwich
\nFinish<\/strong> Great Yarmouth
\n37<\/strong> miles, 2-3 days<\/p>\n

Just as classic gaff-rigged sailing wherries once tacked along the waterways of Norfolk, so too does this jinking trail, which follows the banks of the River Yare. Perfect for the hill-averse, this is an easy-to-follow walk through the Broads, Britain\u2019s largest protected wetland \u2013 expect bird-flocked marshland, waving reedbeds, tiny villages and big skies.<\/p>\n

There are numerous public transport links en route, not least the chain-pulled Reedham Ferry \u2013 the only crossing of the Yare between Norwich and Great Yarmouth \u2013 and Berney Arms, one of the country\u2019s most remote and least-used railway stations. A good short option (5\u00bd miles) is to take the train from Great Yarmouth to Berney Arms and walk back, via Berney Arms Windmill, RSPB Berney Marshes and the edge of Breydon Water.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> A map of the trail, and list of short walks, can be downloaded at norfolk.gov.uk
\nGuidebook<\/strong> A Wherryman\u2019s Way guide by Joe Jackson was published independently in April<\/p>\n

Landsker Borderlands Trail, south-west Wales<\/h2>\n

Start\/Finish <\/strong>Canaston Bridge
\n60<\/strong> miles, 4-6 days<\/p>\n

Named after an old Norse word meaning \u201cfrontier\u201d, the Landsker Line is a conceptual language border between the predominantly Welsh-speaking Carmarthenshire and English-speaking Pembrokeshire, dating back almost 1,000 years.<\/p>\n

Another underused gem recommended by the LDWA, the Landsker Borderlands Trail flirts with the ancient boundary, leading hikers into south Wales\u2019s undiscovered interior. That means days of rural walking via Daugleddau estuary, Carew Castle, the remains of Whitland Abbey, handsome churches (such as at Llampeter Velfrey), ruined Llawhaden Castle(a short detour), plenty of peaceful woodland and views of the Preseli Hills. Pubs and shops are scarce \u2013 part of the offbeat appeal \u2013 so come prepared.<\/p>\n

Further information<\/strong> mudandroutes.com. Waymarking can be patchy \u2013 map-reading skills required. Canaston Bridge is accessible by bus, Whitland by train
\nMaps<\/strong> Ordnance Survey OL35, OL36, 177 and 185, shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
\nTours<\/strong> Walk a Long Way provides luggage transfer services<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source:https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/travel\/2021\/jun\/13\/10-best-lesser-known-walking-trails-in-uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scenic, but seldom crowded, these long-distance paths have been hewn by the feet of rustlers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1076,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Walk-3.jpg?fit=2040%2C1224&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1075"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1075"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1075\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disabledfamilybreaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}