I'm very envious - I walked the Pennine Way with a friend some years ago and thought that, setting off in the middle of summer, we shouldn't have any trouble with the weather. However, in the event, that year had the second-wettest July of the 20th Century and we were rained upon every single day.

I believe there are some great sights along the course of the PW, but for me this is largely hearsay...

Hi Neil, If you like solitude give the Southern Upland Way a try. Some days you leave your B & B in the morning and see nobody until you arrive at the next B & B in the evening. Additionally it goes through some superb open hill country which everyone else bypasses on their way to bag Munros. Be prepared for some long days as limited accommodation in places although if you don't mind basic accommodation there are around 6 bothies on or near the route.

Well Neil when I did it it was WET! WET! WET! Flooded in fact and didn't see any surrounding Cheviots, only 50 yards or so from where I was walking. Kirk Yetholme had been cut off the day before I arrived, and i had to climb a nearby hill to locate where the road that led there, came out of the flooded valley. A great walk though. Tip: If you dont like company, DO NOT even think about doing the Coast to Coast, but Offas Dyke may be an option.

Hello all, I've just discovered this website having bought the UK Trailwalkers Handbook. I thought I'd tell you about my Pennine Way walk earlier this year.
Are you ready for this? IT WAS DRY!!! That's right, in 17 days I had 3 days of light on and off rain, barely warranted a waterproof. It was fantastic, Kinder, Bleaklow and Blackhill were all dry spongey peat, great walking as I bounced along. Not once in the whole 2 and a half weeks did I need gaiters, or any of the few damp patches get higher than the top of my foot. The only reason my feet got wet was because of sweating brought on by the really hot weather.
I've found that the weather is usually great at the end of May and the beginning of June. I usually walk a long distance path then. I've only done 4 (PW, WHW, Cateran and St. Cuthberts), but all done at this time and all dry. Maybe that's something to bear in mind when planning a walk.
Also, as the Pennine Way seems to have fallen from fashion, the solitude was amazing. I really only met lots of people crossing the C2C at Keld and along Hadrians wall. As I'm quite anti-social this was great, usually I use an i-pod in town to keep to myself, but not in the country as I like to listen.

Highlights:
Steak and ale pie in the pub at Dufton
Black Sheep cask conditioned bitter
High Force
Cauldron Snout
High Cup
The Cheviot
Malham

Lows:
Bellingham, the land that time forgot. If you finish your day with a well earned pint, plan to arrive after 1800. The pubs don't open until then, and the food in them is average at the very best.

For all of you planning to do PW, good luck, it's a truly awesome walk. Hopefully you'll be as lucky as me with the weather and conditions.
Good walking eveyone.