Watch: The Pennine Way

A hikers ascending Great Shunner Fell | John Millen

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Watch: The Pennine Way

Discover England's first National Trail, The Pennine Way, which takes you through the glorious English countryside and a small section of Scotland.

The Pennine Way officially opened on the 24th, April 1965, and is one of the United Kingdom's most famous walks. The Pennine Way stretches 431 km (268 miles) and takes you through a variety of different terrain, which includes rocky rugged mountains, lush green fields, narrow valleys, small friendly villages, along Hadrian's Wall and across the Scottish border. Highlights of the trail are walking past England's highest waterfall, highest pub and highest market town.

Discover more about the Pennine Way by watching this short video. The video takes you along the trail showing you the incredible scenery you will see along the way, the cosy pubs you will get to stop at and the tasty local food and beer you will get to try.

About The Pennine Way

The Pennine Way starts in Edale in the Peak District and Ends in Kirk Yetholm in Scotland. The walk is considered to be one of the most challenging but rewarding walks in the United Kingdom.

Much of the walk is within the realms of 3 National Parks: Derbyshire, Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland. When it is not in these areas it is often darting across other very scenic areas, including the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

There are some subtly beautiful attractions along the way, including the Derbyshire grit stone edges, the limestone scenery at Malham, the high Yorkshire peaks Pen-y-ghent, Cam High Fell, Great Shunner Fell then, highest of all, Cross Fell. There are many lesser hills that undulate until you pass over the Cheviot hills into Scotland.

Walking on the cheviot near Scotland | <i>John Millen</i>

Other major attractions include the various waterfalls you will come across on the River Tees (and elsewhere), walking along the Roman Wall and visiting some special towns and villages such as Edale, Hebden Bridge, Malham, Thwaite, Keld, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Bellingham.

There are a lot of farms, gates and stiles too, not to mention Roman forts dotted about. The walk is also home to the UK's highest pub, the Tan Hill Inn. The best time to explore The Pennine Way is between May to September as the warmer summer months make the walking conditions easier and more enjoyable yet still challenging.

A sign of the times | <i>John Millen</i>

How to Explore The Pennine Way

UTracks offers 3 different self-guided walking holidays to explore The Pennine Way, ranging from 11 to 20 days. All three trips are graded challenging so you should be a confident walker.

The Pennine Way - 20 days

This is the longest trip we offer and you will get to discover the whole of The Pennine Way. This trip is ideal for confident walkers who enjoy a challenging yet rewarding walk. Stay at a range of different cosy and comfortable hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs along the way. With daily breakfast included, you will be fuelled up and ready to go every morning and ready to relax once you get to the next accommodation for the night, sometimes staying in remote locations.

A happy couple following the Pennine Way trail in Derbyshire. | <i>Andrew Pickett</i>

The Pennine Way Northern Section - 11 days

This 11-day trip lets you explore the Northern Section of The Pennine Way, starting in Middleton-In-Teeside and ending in Kirk Yetholm. It's ideal for travellers who don't have enough time to complete the whole walk but still want to see some of the best highlights including the highest point of the Pennine Way, Hadrian's Wall, Cheviot Hill and across the border into Scotland.

The Pennine Way Southern Section - 11 days

This 11-day trip lets you discover the Southern Section of The Pennine Way. Starting in Edale and ending in Middleton-In-Teeside. Again, it's ideal for travellers who don't have enough time to complete the whole walk or who have completed the northern section. The southern section takes you through Wensleydale, perhaps the most iconic part of the Yorkshire Dales, with its cheese factory, market and pubs. You will also get to have a pint at the UK's highest pub, the Tan Hill Inn.