The Pennine Way is a
National Trail
National Trails are long distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales. They are administered by Natural England, a statutory agency of the UK government, and Natural Resources Wales (successor body to the Countryside Council for Wa ...
in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for
from
Edale
Edale is a village and civil parish in the Peak District, Derbyshire, England, whose population was 353 at the 2011 Census. Edale, with an
area of ,
is in the Borough of High Peak.
Edale is best known to walkers as the start, or southern end, ...
, in the northern
Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in England at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southe ...
, north through the
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is an upland area of the Pennines in the Historic counties of England, historic county of Yorkshire, England, most of it in the Yorkshire Dales National Park created in 1954.
The Dales comprise river valleys and the hills ri ...
and
Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than between the Scottish border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall, and it is one of least visited of the National Parks. The park ...
and ends at
Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm ('kirk yet-ham') is a village in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, southeast of Kelso and less than west of the border. The first mention is of its church in the 13th century. Its sister town is Town Yetholm which lies ...
, just inside the
Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border () is a border separating Scotland and England which runs for between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. The surrounding area is sometimes referred to as "the Borderlands".
The ...
. The path runs along the
Pennine hills, sometimes described as the "backbone of England". Although not the United Kingdom's longest National Trail (this distinction belongs to the
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is England's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Because it rises a ...
), it is according to
The Ramblers
The Ramblers is the trading name of the Ramblers Association, Great Britain's leading walking charity. The Ramblers is also a membership organisation with around 100,000 members and a network of volunteers who maintain and protect the path ...
"one of Britain's best known and toughest".
History
![Old Nags Head](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Old_Nags_Head.jpg)
The path was the idea of the journalist and rambler
Tom Stephenson, inspired by similar trails in the United States of America, particularly the
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...
. Stephenson proposed the concept in an article for the ''
Daily Herald
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Journalism
* Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks
* ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times''
* ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
'' in 1935, and lobbied Parliament for the creation of an official trail. The walk was planned to end at
Wooler
Wooler ( ) is a small town in Northumberland, England. It lies on the edge of the Northumberland National Park, near the Cheviot Hills. It is a popular base for walkers and is referred to as the "Gateway to the Cheviots". As well as many shops ...
but it was decided that Kirk Yetholm would be the finishing point. The final section was declared open in a ceremony held on
Malham
Malham is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Before 20th century boundary changes, the village was part of the Settle Rural District, in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. In the ''Domesday Book' ...
Moor on 24 April 1965. Before the official opening of the Pennine Way the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
was invited to test the route, a task that was accomplished in one day. Junior soldiers from the Junior Tradesman's Regiment of the Army Catering Corps, based in
Aldershot
Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...
, were split into patrols of four or five and each was allocated an approximately section of the walk. A report was then provided on the signage and route feasibility.
The Pennine Way celebrated its 50th anniversary in April 2015. A special four-part
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
series ''The Pennine Way'' was broadcast throughout April.
Usage
![Black Hill (Peak District)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Black_Hill_%28Peak_District%29.jpg)
The Pennine Way is popular with walkers, and in 1990 the
Countryside Commission
The Countryside Commission (formally the Countryside Commission for England and Wales, then the Countryside Commission for England) was a statutory body in England and Wales, and later in England only. Its forerunner, the National Parks Commissio ...
reported that 12,000 long-distance walkers and 250,000 day-walkers were using all or part of the trail annually and that walkers contributed £2 million (1990) to the local economy along the route, directly maintaining 156 jobs. The popularity of the walk has resulted in substantial erosion to the terrain in places,
and steps have been taken to recover its condition, including diverting sections of the path onto firmer ground, and laying
flagstone
Flagstone (flag) is a generic flat stone, sometimes cut in regular rectangular or square shape and usually used for paving slabs or walkways, patios, flooring, fences and roofing. It may be used for memorials, headstones, facades and other con ...
s or
duckboard
A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...
s in softer areas. The actions have been effective in reducing the extent of broken ground,
though the intrusion into the natural landscape has at times been controversial.
Accommodation is available at
Youth Hostels
A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed (furniture), bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory, with shared use of a lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Room, Rooms can be mixed or single-sex and ha ...
, camp sites, B&Bs and pubs, but is limited on upland stretches, so when planning the walk one must sometimes choose between a long day (between two places offering on-route accommodation) or two shorter days involving an evening descent off-route (to a nearby village or farm) with a morning re-ascent.
There are 535 access points where the Pennine Way intersects with other
public rights of way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
. The route is crossed by many roads and passes through many villages and towns with good public transport. This makes it easy to sample a short section of the trail, or to split the Pennine Way across several
holidays
A holiday is a day set aside by Norm (social), custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate ...
or long weekends.
Most of the Pennine Way is on public footpaths, rather than bridleways, and not accessible to travellers on horseback or bicycle, but a roughly parallel
Pennine Bridleway
The Pennine Bridleway is a National Trail in Northern England.
It runs roughly parallel with the Pennine Way but provides access for horse riders and cyclists as well as walkers. The trail is around long, extending from Derbyshire to Cumbria. ...
is open from Derbyshire to Cumbria. This route, open to anyone not using motorised vehicles, starts slightly farther south than the Pennine Way.
Route
A survey by the
National Trails
National Trails are long distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales. They are administered by Natural England, a statutory agency of the UK government, and Natural Resources Wales (successor body to the Countryside Council for Wa ...
agency reported that a walker covering the entire length of the trail is obliged to navigate 287
gate
A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word derived from old Norse "gat" meaning road or path; But other terms include ''yett and port''. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall ...
s, 249 timber
stile
A stile is a structure or opening that provides people passage over or through a boundary via steps, ladders, or narrow gaps. Stiles are often built in rural areas along footpaths, fences, walls, or hedges that enclose animals, allowing people ...
s, 183 stone stiles and 204 bridges. of the route is on public
footpath
A footpath (also pedestrian way, walking trail, nature trail) is a type of thoroughfare that is intended for use only by pedestrians and not other forms of traffic such as motorized vehicles, bicycles and horses. They can be found in a wide ...
s, on public
bridleway
A bridle path, also bridleway, equestrian trail, horse riding path, ride, bridle road, or horse trail, is a trail or a thoroughfare that is used by people riding horses, riding on horses. Trails originally created for use by horses often now s ...
s and on other
public highway
A highway is any public or private road or other public way on land. It is used for major roads, but also includes other public roads and public tracks. In some areas of the United States, it is used as an equivalent term to controlled-access ...
s. The walker is aided by the provision of 458 waymarks.
Peak District National Park
![Pule Hill](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Pule_Hill.jpeg)
The Pennine Way originally climbed north from
Edale
Edale is a village and civil parish in the Peak District, Derbyshire, England, whose population was 353 at the 2011 Census. Edale, with an
area of ,
is in the Borough of High Peak.
Edale is best known to walkers as the start, or southern end, ...
across the middle of the
Kinder Scout
Kinder Scout is a moorland plateau and national nature reserve in the Dark Peak of the Derbyshire Peak District in England. Part of the moor, at above sea level, is the highest point in the Peak District, in Derbyshire and the East Midlands; t ...
plateau. It was rerouted to reduce erosion, and now heads west to climb onto the plateau by steps known as
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob's Ladder ( he, סֻלָּם יַעֲקֹב ) is a ladder leading to heaven that was featured in a dream the biblical Patriarch Jacob had during his flight from his brother Esau in the Book of Genesis (chapter 28).
The significance of th ...
. It then turns north to follow the western edge of the plateau past
Kinder Downfall, crosses the
Snake Pass
Snake Pass is a hill pass in the Derbyshire section of the Peak District, crossing the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower Reservoir at Ashopton. The road was engineered by Thomas Telford and opened in 1821. The pass carries the A57 roa ...
road (
A57) and climbs
Bleaklow
Bleaklow is a high, largely peat-covered, gritstone moorland in the Derbyshire High Peak near the town of Glossop. It is north of Kinder Scout, across the Snake Pass ( A57), and south of the A628 Woodhead Pass. Much of it is nearly 2,000 ...
. From the summit the trail descends to
Longdendale
Longdendale is a valley in the Peak District of England, north of Glossop and southwest of Holmfirth. The name means "long wooded valley" and the valley is mostly in the counties of Derbyshire and Greater Manchester.
Geography
The eastern part ...
. In the dale it crosses the dam of
Torside Reservoir
Torside Reservoir is the largest man-made lake in Longdendale in north Derbyshire. It was constructed by John Frederick Bateman between April 1849 and July 1864 as part of the Longdendale chain to supply water from the River Etherow to the urban ...
to
Crowden, the first village since the start of the trail away.
From Crowden the Pennine Way climbs a side valley past Laddow Rocks to the summit of
Black Hill on the border of
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
. It descends across Wessenden Head Moor (the eastern part of
Saddleworth Moor
Saddleworth Moor is a moorland in North West England. Reaching more than above sea level, it is in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. It is crossed by the A635 road and the Pennine Way passes to its eastern side.
Geography ...
) and the
A635 road
The A635 is a main road that runs between Manchester and Doncaster running east–west through Stalybridge, Saddleworth Moor, Holmfirth, Barnsley and the Dearne Valley.
The section forming the eastern part of the Mancunian Way is a motorway and ...
to the
Wessenden Valley
The Wessenden Valley is a moorland valley in the Dark Peak, immediately south of Marsden in West Yorkshire, England. The name Wessenden derives from Old English and means the 'valley with rock suitable for whetstones'. The valley was formed by ...
. It climbs out of the valley to leave the National Park at
Standedge
Standedge () is a moorland escarpment in the Pennine Hills of northern England between Marsden, West Yorkshire and Diggle, Greater Manchester. Standedge has been a major moorland crossing point since Roman times and possibly earlier.
From east ...
on the
A62 road A6, A 6 or A-6 can refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*A6, a mutated flu virus in the short story "Night Surf" by Stephen King
*A-6, a renamed version of the US Security Group in the 1997 comic book movie ''Spawn''
Electronics and software
* A6 rec ...
.
South Pennines
![Hebden Bridge Rooftops](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Hebden_Bridge_Rooftops.jpg)
From Standedge the Pennine Way follows the Yorkshire–Greater Manchester border north along a series of
gritstone
Gritstone or grit is a hard, coarse-grained, siliceous sandstone. This term is especially applied to such sandstones that are quarried for building material. British gritstone was used for millstones to mill flour, to grind wood into pulp for pa ...
edges. It crosses the
A640 road A64 or A-64 may refer to:
Roads:
* A64 road (England), a road connecting Leeds and Scarborough
* A64 motorway (France), a road connecting Toulouse and Bayonne
* A64 motorway (Germany), a road connecting the city of Luxembourg and Trier
* A64 hig ...
, then the
A672, before crossing the
M62 motorway
The M62 is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting Liverpool and Hull via Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield; of the route is shared with the M60 orbital motorway around Manchester. The road is part of ...
by a long footbridge near
Windy Hill. Past the motorway the trail follows
Blackstone Edge
Blackstone Edge ( ) is a gritstone escarpment at 472 m (1,549 feet) above sea level in the Pennine hills surrounded by moorland on the boundary between Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire in England.
History
Crossing the escarpment is Bl ...
to the
A58 road
A58 or A-58 may refer to :
* A58 road, a road connecting Prescot and Wetherby in England
* Autostrada A58, a bypass of Milano, Italy
* A58 motorway (Netherlands), a road connecting Eindhoven and Breda
* A-58 highway (Spain), a proposed road to ...
, then passes a series of reservoirs. It crosses the
Calderdale Way
The Calderdale Way is a long-distance footpath in West Yorkshire, England.
It was devised in the 1970s to draw attention to attractions in the Calderdale district which was being established at that time.
The route is circular and walks can be ...
high above the village of
Mankinholes
Mankinholes is a hamlet in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the Pennines and the nearest town is Todmorden. The hamlet is part of Calder Ward in Calderdale Parish Council. It has a YHA hoste ...
, then climbs to the prominent monument on
Stoodley Pike
Stoodley Pike is a hill in the south Pennines in West Yorkshire in northern England. It is noted for the Stoodley Pike Monument at its summit, which dominates the moors of the upper Calder Valley and the market town of Todmorden. The monumen ...
. From the monument it descends steeply to the valley of the
River Calder, which it crosses about west of the town of
Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge is a market town in the Upper Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, England. It is west of Halifax and 14 miles (21 km) north-east of Rochdale, at the confluence of the River Calder and the Hebden Water. The town is the largest ...
, the largest settlement near the route.
The trail climbs out of the Calder valley through the scattered hamlet of
Colden, crossing Colden Water by an ancient
clapper bridge
A clapper bridge is an ancient form of bridge found on the moors of the English West Country (Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor) and in other upland areas of the United Kingdom including Snowdonia and Anglesey, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, La ...
. It then passes the
Walshaw Dean Reservoirs and climbs to the ruins of
Top Withens
Top Withens () (also known as Top Withins) is a ruined farmhouse near Haworth, West Yorkshire, England, which is said to have been the inspiration for the location of the Earnshaw family house Wuthering Heights in the 1847 novel of the same nam ...
, said to have been the inspiration for ''
Wuthering Heights
''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...
''. The trail then descends to
Ponden Hall
Ponden Hall is a farmhouse near Stanbury in West Yorkshire, England. It is famous for reputedly being the inspiration for Thrushcross Grange, the home of the Linton family, Edgar, Isabella, and Cathy, in Emily Brontë's novel ''Wuthering Heights ...
, and crosses more moorland to the villages of
Cowling
A cowling is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors. On airplanes, cowlings are used to reduce drag and to cool the engine. On boats, cowlings are a cove ...
and
Lothersdale
Lothersdale is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, near Skipton and within the triangle formed by Skipton, Cross Hills and Colne. It is a small community of about 200 houses but local amenities i ...
.
From Lothersdale the trail crosses Pinhaw Beacon to
Thornton-in-Craven
Thornton-in-Craven is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is approx from the border with Lancashire and north of Earby. Barnoldswick is nearby. The Pennine Way passes through the village, as doe ...
. There then follows gentler country, including a short section of the towpath of the
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool.
Over a distance of , crossing the Pennines, and including 91 locks on the main line. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal has several small branc ...
at
East Marton
East Marton is a village in the Craven District of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately west of the market town of Skipton and is on the A59 road. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the village on the descent from F ...
, to reach the village of
Gargrave
Gargrave is a large village and civil parish in the Craven district located along the A65, north-west of Skipton in North Yorkshire, England.
It is situated on the very edge of the Yorkshire Dales. The River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool ...
in
Airedale
Airedale is a geographic area in Yorkshire, England, corresponding to the river valley or dale of the River Aire.
The valley stretches from the river's origin in Aire Head Springs, Malham which is in the Yorkshire Dales, down past Skipton on ...
, on the busy
A65.
Yorkshire Dales National Park
![Highland Cattle and Ing Scar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Highland_Cattle_and_Ing_Scar.jpg)
North of Gargrave the Pennine Way ascends Airedale and enters the
Yorkshire Dales National Park
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a national park in England covering most of the Yorkshire Dales. Most of the park is in North Yorkshire, with a sizeable area in Westmorland (Cumbria) and a small part in Lancashire. The park was designat ...
. It follows field paths, through the small villages of
Airton
Airton (also known as Airton-in-Craven) is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, situated north-west of Skipton. The village had a population of 175 according to the 2001 Census, increasing to 2 ...
and
Hanlith
Hanlith is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated near Kirkby Malham and the tourist attraction of Malham Cove. It is about north west of Skipton, and consists of only 13 houses. It ...
to the larger village of
Malham
Malham is a village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Before 20th century boundary changes, the village was part of the Settle Rural District, in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. In the ''Domesday Book' ...
. It then climbs steps on the west side of
Malham Cove
Malham Cove is a large curved limestone formation north of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a w ...
, traverses the
limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK and Ireland, where many of these landforms have developed dist ...
at the top of the cove, and continues north to
Malham Tarn
Malham Tarn is a glacial lake near the village of Malham in the Yorkshire Dales, England. The lake is one of only eight upland alkaline lakes in Europe. At an altitude of above sea level it is the highest marl lake in the United Kingdom. Its ...
. The trail then crosses a shoulder of
Fountains Fell
A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or Spring (hydrology), spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. ...
, crosses the head of
Silverdale and ascends the nose of
Pen-y-Ghent
Pen-y-ghent or Penyghent is a fell in the Yorkshire Dales, England. It is the lowest of Yorkshire's Three Peaks at ; the other two being Ingleborough and Whernside. It lies east of Horton in Ribblesdale. It has a number of interesting geologic ...
in a very steep section. From the summit of Pen-y-Ghent the Pennine Way descends to the village of
Horton in Ribblesdale
Horton in Ribblesdale is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated in Ribblesdale on the Settle–Carlisle Railway to the west of Pen-y-ghent.
Its population in the 2001 census ...
(on the
Settle–Carlisle Railway).
The Pennine Way then heads up
Ribblesdale
Ribblesdale is one of the Yorkshire Dales in England. It is the dale or upper valley of the River Ribble in North Yorkshire. Towns and villages in Ribblesdale (downstream, from north to south) include Selside, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Stainfo ...
along the old
Settle
Settle or SETTLE may refer to:
Places
* Settle, Kentucky, United States
* Settle, North Yorkshire, a town in England
** Settle Rural District, a historical administrative district
Music
* Settle (band), an indie rock band from Pennsylvania
* ''S ...
–
Langstrothdale
Langstrothdale is a scenic valley in the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. The uppermost course of the River Wharfe runs through it, but Wharfedale does not begin until the Wharfe meets Cray Gill, downstream of Hubberholme. The name ...
packhorse road. It passes the eastern end of
Ling Gill and climbs Cam Fell, where it follows the line of a
Roman road
Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...
, shared with the
Dales Way
The Dales Way is an long-distance footpath in Northern England, from (south-east to north-west) Ilkley, West Yorkshire, to Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria. This walk was initially devised by the West Riding Ramblers' Association with the 'leadi ...
. The trail then passes
Dodd Fell Hill and follows a ridge between
Widdale
Widdale is a small side dale on the south side of Wensleydale in North Yorkshire, England.
The dale lies to the east of Great Knoutberry Hill (also known as Widdale Fell) and is bounded on the west by Dentdale, south by Sleddale and north by M ...
and Sleddale, before descending into
Wensleydale
Wensleydale is the dale or upper valley of the River Ure on the east side of the Pennines, one of the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England.
It is one of only a few Yorkshire Dales not currently named after its principal river, but th ...
at
Gayle
Gayle or Gayl may refer to:
People
* Gayle (given name), people with the given name
* Gayle (surname), people with the surname
* Gayle (singer) (born 2004), American singer-songwriter
Places
* Gayle, North Yorkshire, England
* Gayle, Jamaica, a ...
and the adjoining town of
Hawes
Hawes is a market town and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England, at the head of Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales, and historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The River Ure north of the town is a touri ...
.
The path crosses the dale to
Hardraw
Hardraw is a hamlet near Hawes within the Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire, England. It takes its name from the nearby Hardraw Force waterfall.
The old school house, built in 1875, can be seen in the centre of the photograph of the village, ...
, then begins the ascent of
Great Shunner Fell
Great Shunner Fell is the third highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England, and the highest point in Wensleydale; at 716 metres above sea level. In clear weather the summit affords views of Wensleydale to the south, R ...
. From the summit of the fell the trail descends to upper
Swaledale
Swaledale is one of the northernmost dales (valleys) in Yorkshire Dales National Park, located in northern England. It is the dale of the River Swale on the east side of the Pennines in North Yorkshire.
Geographical overview
Swaledale runs ...
and the village of
Thwaite
Thwaite may refer to:
Placenames
*Thwaite (placename element)
* Thwaite, North Norfolk, England
*Thwaite St Mary, South Norfolk, England
*Thwaite, North Yorkshire, England
*Thwaite, Suffolk, England
Buildings
*Thwaite Hall, University of Hull ...
. It then crosses the side of
Kisdon
Kisdon, also called Kisdon Hill, is a fell situated in upper Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park in North Yorkshire, England.
Geography and history
Kisdon was named by early Norse settlers and it has Kisdon Farm on the southern slop ...
, with good views down Swaledale, passes
Kisdon Force
Kisdon Force is a series of waterfalls on the River Swale in Swaledale, England. The falls are situated within the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the county of North Yorkshire, 500 metres downstream from the small hamlet of Keld at grid refe ...
, a waterfall on the
River Swale
The River Swale in Yorkshire, England, is a major tributary of the River Ure, which becomes the River Ouse, that empties into the North Sea via the Humber Estuary. The river gives its name to Swaledale, the valley through which it flows.
Th ...
, and reaches the village of
Keld.
From Keld the path crosses the route of the
Coast to Coast Walk
The Coast to Coast Walk is a long-distance footpath between the west and east coasts of Northern England, nominally long. Devised by Alfred Wainwright, it passes through three contrasting national parks: the Lake District National Park, th ...
, then ascends a side valley known as Stones Dale to reach
Tan Hill and its isolated inn at the northern boundary of the National Park.
North Pennines
![High Cup Nick - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/High_Cup_Nick_-_geograph.org.uk_-_29526.jpg)
At Tan Hill the Pennine Way enters the
North Pennines AONB
The North Pennines is the northernmost section of the Pennine range of hills which runs north–south through northern England. It lies between Carlisle to the west and Darlington to the east. It is bounded to the north by the Tyne Valley and ...
and follows moorland tracks to the isolated settlement of
Sleightholme, where the route divides. The main route heads directly north across the moors, crossing
God's Bridge and passing beneath the
A66 road
The A66 is a major road in Northern England, which in part follows the course of the Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith. It runs from east of Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire to Workington in Cumbria.
Route
From its eastern termi ...
in a tunnel. The alternative route enters the town of
Bowes
Bowes is a village in County Durham, England. Located in the Pennine hills, it is situated close to Barnard Castle. It is built around the medieval Bowes Castle.
Geography and administration Civic history
Bowes lies within the historic count ...
and rejoins the main route at
Baldersdale
Baldersdale is a dale, or valley, on the east side of the Pennines in England, northwest of Barnard Castle. Its principal settlements are Hury and Briscoe. Baldersdale lies within the traditional boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire. Und ...
. From Baldersdale the trail crosses
Lunedale
Lunedale is the dale, or valley, of the River Lune, on the east side of the Pennines in England, west of Middleton-in-Teesdale. Its principal settlements are Grassholme, Thringarth and Bowbank.
Lunedale is also the name of a civil parish whic ...
and descends to the small town of
Middleton-in-Teesdale
Middleton-in-Teesdale is a market town in County Durham (district), County Durham, in England. It is situated on the north side of Teesdale between Eggleston and Newbiggin, Teesdale, Newbiggin, a few miles to the north-west of Barnard Castle. The ...
.
From Middleton the path ascends
Teesdale
Teesdale is a dale, or valley, in Northern England. The dale is in the River Tees’s drainage basin, most water flows stem from or converge into said river, including the Skerne and Leven.
Upper Teesdale, more commonly just Teesdale, falls ...
on the right bank of the
River Tees
The River Tees (), in Northern England, rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines and flows eastwards for to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar near Middlesbrough. The modern day history of the river has be ...
, below the village of
Holwick
Holwick is a small village in Teesdale, north-east England. Located in the Pennine hills, it consists of a few houses spread along a road in the pattern of a linear settlement. As the population taken at the 2011 Census was less than 100, details ...
. It passes the waterfalls of
Low Force
Low Force is an 18-foot (5.5m) high set of falls on the River Tees, England, UK. Further upstream is the High Force waterfall. Low Force is also the site of the Wynch Bridge, completed in 1830. It is suggested that only one person at a time shou ...
and
High Force
High Force is a waterfall on the River Tees, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, Teesdale, England. The waterfall is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the European Geopark. The waterfall is part of the historic coun ...
, and reaches the scattered settlement of
Forest-in-Teesdale
Forest-in-Teesdale is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated in upper Teesdale, on the north side of the Tees between Newbiggin and Langdon Beck
Langdon Beck is a village in County Durham, England. It is situated in upper Teesda ...
. Further up the Tees, the path climbs beside the waterfall of
Cauldron Snout
Cauldron Snout is a waterfall, cascade on the upper reaches of the River Tees in Northern England, immediately below the dam of the Cow Green Reservoir. It is well upstream of the High Force waterfall, and is on the boundary between County Durham ...
below the dam of
Cow Green Reservoir
Cow Green Reservoir is a long water reservoir forming part of the border between the historic counties of Westmorland and County Durham in northern England, built between 1967 and 1971 to supply the industries of Teesside.
The reservoir acts ...
. The trail then ascends the gently rising side valley of Maize Beck to reach
High Cup Gill
High Cup Gill (or High Cup Nick or just High Cup), almost a geometrically perfect U-shaped chasm, is a valley deeply incised into the Pennines, Pennine scarp to the northeast of Appleby-in-Westmorland in Cumbria and within the North Pennines AONB ...
, one of the most photographed areas on the Pennine Way. From High Cup the trail descends to the village of
Dufton
Dufton is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England. Historically part of Westmorland, it lies in the Eden Valley and below Great Dun Fell. It is mostly around 180m above sea level. At the 2001 census the parish had a population of 169, ...
.
From Dufton the Pennine Way climbs back up the fells, passing in turn the summits of Knock Fell,
Great Dun Fell
At a height of , Great Dun Fell is the second-highest mountain in England's Pennines, lying south along the watershed from Cross Fell, its higher neighbour. Together with its smaller twin, Little Dun Fell, which reaches , it forms a steppin ...
, Little Dun Fell and finally
Cross Fell
Cross Fell is the highest mountain in the Pennines of Northern England and the highest point in England outside the Lake District. It is located in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It lies within the county of Cumbria and ...
, at the highest point on the entire path. Here, walkers can face tricky conditions in bad weather as a result of the
Helm Wind
The Helm Wind is a named wind in Cumbria, England, a strong north-easterly wind which blows down the south-west slope of the Cross Fell escarpment. It is the only named wind in the British Isles, although many other mountain regions in Britain ex ...
which sweeps down the south-west slope of the escarpment. A long descent follows to the valley of the
South Tyne
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
at
Garrigill
Garrigill, Cumbria is a small village in the North Pennine region of the UK, situated on the banks and close to the source of the River South Tyne. Historically part of Cumberland, today it is within the Garrigill ward of the civil parish of Al ...
. The trail then keeps close to the river to enter the town of
Alston.
The trail continues down the valley of the South Tyne, past the Roman fort of
Whitley Castle
Whitley Castle (''Epiacum'') is a large, unusually shaped Roman fort ( la, castra) north-west of the town of Alston, Cumbria, England. The castrum, which was first built by the Roman Army early in the 2nd century AD, was partly demolished and r ...
, to
Slaggyford
Slaggyford is a village in Northumberland, England about north of Alston, Cumbria.
It is set in South Tyne valley (often called the Tyne Gap). Hadrian's Wall lies to the north of the Tyne Gap. The South Tyne Valley falls within the North Pennin ...
and
Knarsdale
Knarsdale, historically Knaresdale, is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh, in Northumberland, England about north of Alston. The village takes its name from the Knarr Burn: Knarr means 'rugg ...
. Above the village of
Lambley the trail leaves the valley to cross more moorland to the
A69 near the village of
Greenhead.
Northumberland National Park and the Scottish border
![Hadrian's wall at Greenhead Lough](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Hadrian%27s_wall_at_Greenhead_Lough.jpg)
Outside Greenhead the Pennine Way passes
Thirlwall Castle
Thirlwall Castle is a 12th-century castle in Northumberland, England, on the bank of the River Tipalt close to the village of Greenhead and approximately west of Hexham. It was built in the 12th century, and later strengthened using stones f ...
on
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall ( la, Vallum Aelium), also known as the Roman Wall, Picts' Wall, or ''Vallum Hadriani'' in Latin, is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. R ...
. For the next the route coincides with the
Hadrian's Wall Path
Hadrian's Wall Path is a long-distance footpath in the north of England, which became the 15th National Trail in 2003. It runs for , from Wallsend on the east coast of England to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast. For most of its length it ...
, following the wall closely past
Once Brewed
Once Brewed (also known as Twice Brewed or Once Brewed/Twice Brewed) is a village in Northumberland, England. It lies on the Military Road (Northumberland) B6318. A motorist arriving over the B6138 from the east will see the place name shield "O ...
to Rapishaw Gap, west of the
Housesteads Roman Fort
Housesteads Roman Fort is the remains of an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall, at Housesteads, Northumberland, England, south of Broomlee Lough. The fort was built in stone around AD 124, soon after the construction of the wall began in AD 1 ...
.
From the wall the trail heads north through
Wark Forest. Past the forest it follows field paths to
Shitlington Crags and descends to the large village of
Bellingham. More remote country follows, across Padon Hill and the edge of Redesdale Forest. The trail eventually reaches
Redesdale
Redesdale is a valley in western Northumberland, England. It is formed by the River Rede, which rises in the Cheviots and flows down to join the North Tyne at Redesmouth. Redesdale is traversed by the A68 trunk road, which enters Scotland vi ...
at Blakehopeburnhaugh and
Cottonshopeburnfoot
Cottonshopeburnfoot is a hamlet in Redesdale in Northumberland, England. It lies on the A68 road, 2 miles south east of the village of Byrness. The hamlet takes its name from Cottonshope Burn, which flows into the River Rede here.
The Pennin ...
, two neighbouring hamlets which compete for the longest name in England. The route then follows the
River Rede
The Rede is a river in Northumberland, England. The river rises on Carter Fell on the Anglo-Scottish border feeding Catcleugh Reservoir and joins the River North Tyne below the village of Redesmouth. The Rede is one of only two rivers in the N ...
upstream to the village of
Byrness
Byrness is a village within Rochester, Northumberland, Rochester civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is approximately north-west of Newcastle upon Tyne on the A68 road, A68, and is the last village in England before the A68 climbs the C ...
.
The last stage of the Pennine Way, across the
Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills (), or sometimes The Cheviots, are a range of uplands straddling the Anglo-Scottish border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. The English section is within the Northumberland National Park. The range includes T ...
from Byrness to
Kirk Yetholm
Kirk Yetholm ('kirk yet-ham') is a village in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, southeast of Kelso and less than west of the border. The first mention is of its church in the 13th century. Its sister town is Town Yetholm which lies ...
, is long, with no habitation en route. It is usually tackled in one long day, although there are two refuge huts (or
bothies). The trail climbs steeply from the village, then heads north to cross the
Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border () is a border separating Scotland and England which runs for between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. The surrounding area is sometimes referred to as "the Borderlands".
The ...
near Ogre Hill. For the rest of the stage the path switches between England and Scotland, along a fence which marks the border itself. Back in England the trail passes the Roman fort at
Chew Green
Chew Green is the site of the ancient Roman encampment, commonly but erroneously called Ad Fines (Latin: The Limits) on the 1885-1900 edition of the Ordnance Survey map, in Northumberland, England, north of Rochester and west of Alwinton. The ...
, and briefly follows the Roman road of
Dere Street
Dere Street or Deere Street is a modern designation of a Roman road which ran north from Eboracum (York), crossing the Stanegate at Corbridge (Hadrian's Wall was crossed at the Portgate, just to the north) and continuing beyond into what is n ...
. The path then follows the border ridge, passing the high point of
Windy Gyle
Windy Gyle is a mountain in the Cheviot Hills range, on Anglo-Scottish border, the border between England and Scotland. Like the other hills in the area, it is rounded and grass-covered. It is the highest summit on the border, although not the hi ...
. At the west top of Cairn Hill (), from where the path leads to the summit of
The Cheviot
The Cheviot () is an extinct volcano and the highest summit in the Cheviot Hills and in the county of Northumberland. Located in the extreme north of England, it is a walk from the Scottish border and, with a height of above sea-level, is lo ...
and back down, the path turns sharply northwest with the border fence, descending to a refuge hut before climbing
The Schil at , above the
College Valley
The College Valley is one of five cuttings into the Cheviot Hills. The valley is owned by College Valley Estates which in turn is funded by a trust created by Sir James Knott MP.
The valley is spectacularly beautiful and affords a serene ...
. The path then descends into Scotland and enters the village of Kirk Yetholm. The path ends at the Border Hotel.
Records
The record time for completion of the Pennine Way is 2 days, 10 hours, 4 minutes and 53 seconds, set by
John Kelly John or Jack Kelly may refer to:
People Academics and scientists
* John Kelly (engineer), Irish professor, former Registrar of University College Dublin
*John Kelly (scholar) (1750–1809), at Douglas, Isle of Man
*John Forrest Kelly (1859–1922) ...
on 15–17 May 2021. Kelly had previously held the record for just one week in July 2020 with a time of 2 days, 16 hours and 46 minutes, before this was broken by Damian Hall with a time of 2 days, 13 hours and 35 minutes.
Before this, the record had been held for 31 years by
Mike Hartley
Michael Edward Hartley (born August 31, 1961) is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1989 to 1995.
Signed as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1981, Hart ...
(time of 2 days, 17 hours and 20 minutes).
The fastest women's time is 3 days and 46 minutes, set by
Anna Troup
Anna Troup (born 1970) is a British ultramarathon runner who, in 2021, achieved the fastest known time for a female completion of the Pennine Way. She is a qualified lawyer and works in financial management.
Early life, education, and rowing
Trou ...
on 14–17 August 2021. The previous record of 3 days, 2 hours and 28 minutes was set by
Sabrina Verjee
Sabrina Verjee (born ) is a British long-distance fell-runner who held the overall record for the 325 mile circuit of the Wainwrights from June 2021 to May 2022 and the female record for the Pennine Way from September 2020 to August 2021.
Earl ...
on 12–15 September 2020.
The route of the Pennine Way is the basis of the
Spine Race
The Spine Race is a winter ultramarathon held over a distance of around from Edale, England, to Kirk Yetholm, Scotland, along the Pennine Way. Participants are allowed seven days to complete the course. The race has been held annually since 2012 ...
, which was inaugurated in 2012.
Further reading
![Kirk Yetholm from the Mindrum Road](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Kirk_Yetholm_from_the_Mindrum_Road.jpg)
The Pennine Way has attracted a number of writers over the years, including
Tom Stephenson, who wrote the first official guidebook. A popular guide was written and illustrated by the writer
Alfred Wainwright
Alfred Wainwright MBE (17 January 1907 – 20 January 1991), who preferred to be known as A. Wainwright or A.W., was a British fellwalker, guidebook author and illustrator. His seven-volume ''Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'', published ...
, whose offer to buy a half-pint of beer for anyone who finished the Pennine Way is estimated to have cost him up to £15,000 by his death in 1991. The National Trail Guide contains a description of the route, GPS waypoints and 1:25000 maps of the entire walk.
Barry Pilton
Barry Pilton (born 1946 in Croydon, Surrey) is a travel writer, radio and television comedy scriptwriter and novelist. He was educated in Dulwich College and King's College London. In 1967-8 he taught English in Paris and from 1969 worked as a jo ...
's book ''
One Man and His Bog'' gives a more lighthearted and personal account of completing the Pennine Way, with a foreword by
Mike Harding
Mike Harding (born 23 October 1944) is an English singer, songwriter, comedian, author, poet, broadcaster and multi-instrumentalist. Harding has also been a photographer, traveller, filmmaker and playwright.
Early life and education
Harding's ...
.
Mark Wallington's book ''Pennine Walkies'' (in which the author is accompanied by his dog) is another humorous personal story of the walk, as is ''Walking Home'' by Yorkshire poet
Simon Armitage
Simon Robert Armitage (born 26 May 1963) is an English poet, playwright, musician and novelist. He was appointed Poet Laureate on 10 May 2019. He is professor of poetry at the University of Leeds.
He has published over 20 collections of poetr ...
, who walked north-to-south along the Pennine Way without money, relying on his 'earnings' from nightly poetry readings along the way.
Movement artists Tamara Ashley and
Simone Kenyon performed the entire length of the trail in August 2006;
their book documents the performance and invites readers to create their own interpretations of the landscapes along the way.
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Image gallery
File:Pennine Way Sign Andh.jpg, alt=Pennine Way Signpost, A waymark
Trail blazing or way marking is the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain, though not necessarily exactly defined, distances and mark the direction of the trail.
A blaz ...
at Airton
Airton (also known as Airton-in-Craven) is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, situated north-west of Skipton. The village had a population of 175 according to the 2001 Census, increasing to 2 ...
File:Malham Cove.jpg, alt=The limestone cliff at Malham Cove
Malham Cove is a large curved limestone formation north of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a w ...
, The limestone cliff at Malham Cove
Malham Cove is a large curved limestone formation north of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a w ...
File:Pen-y-ghent 2.jpg, alt=Pen-y-ghent, Pen-y-ghent
Pen-y-ghent or Penyghent is a fell in the Yorkshire Dales, England. It is the lowest of Yorkshire's Three Peaks at ; the other two being Ingleborough and Whernside. It lies east of Horton in Ribblesdale. It has a number of interesting geologic ...
File:TanHillInn.jpg, alt=Tan Hill Inn, Tan Hill Inn
File:High force.jpg, alt=High Force, High Force
High Force is a waterfall on the River Tees, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, Teesdale, England. The waterfall is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the European Geopark. The waterfall is part of the historic coun ...
File:Cross Fell summit.jpg, alt=The Summit of Cross Fell
Cross Fell is the highest mountain in the Pennines of Northern England and the highest point in England outside the Lake District. It is located in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It lies within the county of Cumbria and ...
, The Summit of Cross Fell
Cross Fell is the highest mountain in the Pennines of Northern England and the highest point in England outside the Lake District. It is located in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It lies within the county of Cumbria and ...
, the highest point of the Pennines
File:Kielder Forest and Reservoir.JPG, alt=Kielder Forest, The Pennine Way passes through parts of the Kielder Forest
Kielder Forest is a large forestry plantation in Northumberland, England, surrounding Kielder village and the Kielder Water reservoir. It is the largest man-made woodland in England with three-quarters of its covered by forest. The majority ...
File:ByrnessChurch.JPG, alt=Byrness Church, The Church at Byrness
Byrness is a village within Rochester, Northumberland, Rochester civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is approximately north-west of Newcastle upon Tyne on the A68 road, A68, and is the last village in England before the A68 climbs the C ...
See also
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Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
There are hundreds of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom designated in publications from public authorities, guidebooks and OS maps. They are mainly used for hiking and walking, but some may also be used, in whole or in part, for moun ...
References
Bibliography
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External links
Pennine Way Official SitePennine Way AssociationPractical information for the walkPennine Way CompanionRelated article published on Alfred Wainwright Books & Memorabilia
The Pennine Way PintRelated article published on Alfred Wainwright Books & Memorabilia
{{Authority control
Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
Footpaths in Northumberland
Footpaths in the Scottish Borders
Footpaths in West Yorkshire
Footpaths in North Yorkshire
Footpaths in Cumbria
Tourist attractions in County Durham
Pennines
Footpaths in Derbyshire
Footpaths in Yorkshire