England has added a new bucket list-worthy trek to its offer. The Roof of England spans 301 kilometres of walking trail, taking adventurous hikers on a discovery tour of a lesser-known part of the country.
Leading through the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark, the Roof of England was developed by the North Pennines National Landscape team as a way of making the public more acquainted with a lesser-known part of England, sprawling with natural wonder. Along the way, walkers will come across multiple highlights of the North Pennines, including High Force, Low Force, Cross Fell, High Cup Nick, the Nine Standards, Upper Teesdale, Upper Weardale, Hexhamshire, Blanchland, and the Upper Derwent Valley.
“It’s a blank on the map for a lot of people, a huge area between Hadrian’s Wall and the Yorkshire Dales that they don’t really know. The North Pennines is a historic, vibrant landscape and a UNESCO Global Geopark. This walk is about introducing more people to it,” Shane Harris, the project’s lead, told The Guardian.
14-day hike through England
The 301-kilometre-long trail should take experienced hikers some 14 days to complete, starting from and arriving at Appleby-in-Westmorland. However, according to the team behind the walking trail, it is also possible to walk one-day or part-day linear walks, as well as to complete the trail in four multiple-day legs – Middleton-in-Teesdale to Appleby-in-Westmorland, Appleby to Haltwhistle, Haltwhistle to Wolsingham, and Wolsingham to Middleton-in-Teesdale – all of which are accessible by public transport.
While beautiful, the route is not necessarily accessible to all. Globally speaking, the hike in is described as challenging, crossing a range of terrain including moorland paths, riverside trails, and some of England’s highest footpaths. Wildlife lovers and nature enthusiasts will be able to marvel at all the blanket bog, hay meadows, woodland, and rivers have to offer.
“We have worked with our partners in the visitor economy and access teams in our Local Authorities to develop the Roof of England Walk. We are very pleased to have reached the milestone of making this route available and to be able to share a new way to explore the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark. Since the very first Roof of England walking festivals in the 1990s, we have encouraged walkers to explore the high uplands of the North Pennines. The name captures the sense of elevation and space offered by a walk through this very special landscape,” said Chris Woodley-Stewart, director of the North Pennines National Landscape.
While more detailed information about the accommodation options en route is yet to come, enthusiastic walkers can already consult a list of possibilities through the Roof of England’s website.
