Pennine Way National Trail

Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, Gtr Manchester, N Yorkshire, Northumberland, Borders, W Yorkshire

This first National Trail was formally opened in 1965 after a 30-year campaign led by Tom Stephenson of the Ramblers, and celebrated its 50th birthday in 2015 (24 April). It follows the central upland spine of England from Derbyshire to the Scottish Borders, crossing a wide variety of terrain.

The Way crosses the expanse of the gritstone moorlands of the Kinder Plateau, the Bronte country and the predominantly limestone areas of the Yorkshire Dales National Park which is traversed via Malham, Pen-y-ghent, Great Shunner Fell and Keld. The Way descends from the high fells to reach the River Tees which is followed past High Force and Cauldron Snout waterfalls then crossing the fells to High Cup, Great Dunfell and Cross Fell then descending to Alston to reach the Northumberland National Park and Hadrian's Wall. The Wall is followed to Housesteads Fort before turning north across the Kielder Forest to Redesdale and the uplands of the Cheviot Hills. Here the English-Scottish border fence is then followed before gradually descending to Kirk Yetholm, where it links with the St Cuthbert's Way.

At Alston the Way links with the South Tyne Trail (10 miles), providing a low level alternative up the valley towards Hadrian's Wall.

UPDATE ON PENNINE WAY CLOSURES, June 2022:
On June 13th 2022 nationaltrail.co.uk reported that following last year's storm damage, the Pennine Way remains closed between Brown Rigg (NY 781 719) and Ladyhill (NY 802 752) in the Wark Forest area north of Hadrian's Wall. A new (not intended to be permanent, say nationaltrail.co.uk) diversion is in place, making use of forest roads. This replaces the previous diversion which avoided the forest and involved an additional stretch along the Wall. The new diversion (which adds an additional 2 and 1/4 miles to the original route) is reported to be clearly marked along its length, with maps displayed at both ends. See
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/pennine-way/news/
and
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/short-routes/wark-forest-diversion-june-2022/

UPDATE ON PENNINE WAY DIVERSION, July/August 2022:
Reports regarding missing or ambiguous signage on the original route north of Hadrian's Wall regarding the new diversion (though there are notices elsewhere, and the diversion itself is waymarked once upon it). nationaltrail.co.uk have been informed.

UPDATE March 17th 2023: PENNINE WAY RE-OPENED
nationaltrail.co.uk have reported that the diversion that has been in place since June 2022 through the Wark Forest area in Northumberland has now been removed, and that the original route of the National Trail north of Hadrian's Wall has been re-opened. Note that further repair and clearance work will still be necessary in order to bring the condition of the trail up to standard.
See https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/pennine-way/news/

The LDWA National Trails Register offers certificates for completers of several British National Trails.

See also E-Routes (E2).

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Details:

Path Type:	National Trails (England & Wales)
Waymark:	National Trail Acorn
Attributes:	National Trail (England and Wales) Challenging Moorland
Start:	SK123860 - Edale, Derbyshire
Finish:	NT828282 - Kirk Yetholm, Borders
Open Date:	1965
Web Sites:	National Trails - Pennine Way Independent Hostels UK - Pennine Way Accommodation Welcome to Yorkshire - National Trails Yorkshire Dales National Park - Pennine Way Pennine Way ibook Moorland Challenge - Pennine Way Peak District Information - Pennine Way Visit Cumbria - Pennine Way Wild Walking UK - Pennine Way [blog] British Walks - Pennine Way [blog] Annierak - Pennine Way National Trail [blog] Rambling Man - Planning your Pennine Way Walk Pennine Way [YouTube video] Brian's Walks - Pennine Way [blog] Halfway Hike - Pennine Way [blog] 50 things you (probably) didn't know about the Pennine Way The Pennine Way : finding Jerusalem among England's dark, satanic mills BBC news : Celebrating 50 years of the Pennine Way Trailplanner - Pennine Way [blog] Backpack Artist - Pennine Way [blog] Camino Adventures - Ultimate Guide to the Pennine Way [blog] A walker's journal - The Pennine Way [blog] Chris Stuart's Walks - Pennine Way [blog] An Oldie Outdoors - Pennine Way [blog]

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Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook	Pennine Way: Edale to Kirk Yetholm  (Trailblazer  - 2023 )
Guidebook	Walking the Pennine Way National Trail : from Edale to Kirk Yetholm  (Cicerone Press  - 2017 )
General Interest Book	The Pennine Way : the path, the people, the journey  (Cicerone Press  - 2016 )
Guidebook	Pennine Way: A Walker's Guide  (Chris Sainty  - 2014 )
Guidebook	Heart of the Pennine Way  (Skyware  - 2015 )
General Interest Book	Where shall we walk today? : walking the Pennine Way  (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform  - 2014 )
Guidebook	Circular walks along the Pennine Way  (Frances Lincoln (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2006 )
General Interest Book	The Pennine Way  (Frances Lincoln (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2011 )
Guidebook	Guide to the Pennine Way  (Constable and Robinson (an imprint of Little, Brown)  - 1991 )
Leaflet	Pennine Way: Accommodation & Service  (Pennine Way Project Officer )
General Interest Book	Cape to Cape : a 1,250-mile backpacking walk from Cornwall to Cape Wrath in Scotland  (Vertebrate Publishing  - 2018 )
General Interest Book	National Trails : 19 long-distance routes through England, Scotland and Wales  (Cicerone Press  - 2015 )
General Interest Book	Walking home : travels with a troubadour on the Pennine Way  (Faber & Faber  - 2013 )
General Interest Book	Big walks of Great Britain  (Summersdale Publishers  - 2007 )
Guidebook	Pennine Way companion  (Frances Lincoln (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2004 )
Guidebook	Pennine Way  (Dalesman  - 1997 )
Guidebook	Wainwright on the Pennine Way  (Frances Lincoln (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2014 )
Guidebook	The alternative Pennine Way  (Cicerone Press  - 1992 )
General Interest Book	Big walks of the north  (Summersdale Publishers  - 2010 )
Badge	Badge for National Trails  (Trails Shop )
Certificate	Certificate for National Trails  (Long Distance Walkers Association )
Certificate	Certificate for National Trails  (Trails Shop )
Guidebook	Pennine Way : National Trail Guide  (Aurum Press (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2016 )
Other	Features of the Pennine Way  (Field Studies Council  - 2006 )
Other	National Trail mug  (Trails Shop )
General Interest Book	Walks of a Lifetime : extraordinary hikes from around the world  (Falcon Guides (an imprint of Globe Pequot)  - 2017 )
General Interest Book	Tales from the Big Trails  (Vertebrate Publishing  - 2021 )

Click to showhide 23 more Publications, Badges and Certificates

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