Explore with Amie

I have so much content to share and not enough time to write it! So, in the meantime, I wanted to share with you some of my top long-distance walks in the UK that are on my bucket list. This was a very easy list to put together as I am desperate to get out on some longer hikes. Previously, any multi-day hikes I have done have been 3 or so days, including from Glenfinnan to Inverie and Windermere to Glenridding. Any more than that will be a challenge but, one that I am very excited to take on. Here are the top 5 long-distance routes in the UK on my bucket list and the all important stats to go with them:

The Cumbria Way

• Where? Ulverston to Carlisle
• How far? 188km

The Cumbria Way has to be at the top of the list as this is a trail that is right on the doorstep here in the Lake District. It is a walk across the length of the Lake District from Ulverston, in the South and up to Carlisle in the North. It passes through some iconic spots like Coniston, the Langdales, and on to Keswick. Natually, because it is in the Lakes, there is some elevation involved but, for the most part this is a relatively low level route. Optional mountain alternatives are available for those who want the added bonus of Wainwright bagging. This is a challenge which I will be taking on this year (fingers crossed!) so look forward to some content on that in the coming months.

Coast to Coast

• Where? St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay
• How far? 302km

After completing the Cumbria Way, I think it would be great fun to graduate onto an even longer trek which passes through three of the UK’s national parks: the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. I have visited all three on various occasions, but it would be great to tackle this fortnight-long national trail. The route was originally created by Arthur Wainwright as well as his classic pictoral guides to the Lake District that have paved the way for Wainwright bagging for decades. Again, as this passes through both the Lakes and the Dales, the elevation charts are a little all over the place, especially when climbing out from Patterdale to Shap so, it would be a good one to tackle after I’ve got a few long distance routes under my belt.

Hadrian’s Wall Path

• Where? Bowness-on-Solway to Wallsend
• How far? 135km

Keeping with the theme of national trails in the North of England is Hadrian’s Wall Path. This is a great choice for those who are interested in history as the wall is a World Heritage Site that was built by the Romans. It was built to guard the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire and today is a national trail so you could walk the whole wall. There are other roman artefacts along the route too. I have heard that the route gets a little less exciting towards the end but, it is suitable for beginners and doesn’t have quite the same elevation (never reaching over 400m) as the other routes mentioned so far.

South West Coast Path

• Where? Devon and Cornwall coast – from Minehead to South Haven Point
• How far? 1,015km

Will I ever be able to complete the South West Coast Path in one go? No. For starters, annual leave doesn’t allow the 4-5 weeks it would take to walk the entire thing. However, I would love to complete the whole thing, even if it just in sections. I’ve already walked some bits around Exeter and I walked from Penzance to Land’s End on a camping trip a few years ago so, I can tell you that you can’t get a more stunning coastline in the UK than this one. When the weather is playing ball, you have some of the bluest water I’ve ever seen in the UK. In fact, I prefer the South West Coast Path to the short coastal walk in Australia from Coogee Beach to Bondi! This one will be more of an ongoing challenge but, I’m already excited for my next trip down there and it hasn’t even been discussed yet alone booked!

West Highland Way

• Where? Milngavie to Fort William
• How far? 156km

Finally, we have one of Scotland’s Great Trails. Passing from Milngavie, just outside of Glasgow to Fort William, the West Highland Way takes around a week to complete and takes in some iconic spots including Loch Lomond and Glen Coe. Finishing the route at Fort William also means you could extend the trip by climbing the heights of Ben Nevis. I certainly wouldn’t be doing that with my pack on. I opted for the West Highland Way over other Scottish routes as the Great Glen Way is simpler and doesn’t appeal quite as much whilst the Cape Wrath Trail is considered to be the hardest. We walked part of the Cape Wrath Trail when we walked from Glenfinnan to Inverie and a lot of walk was not on designated paths and involved lots of self-navigation etc. Whilst for three days, that was manageable, I don’t think I’m quite ready for a weeklong+ traverse of that landscape. It’s definitely on the cards one day!

That brings me to the end of my top long-distance walk in the UK bucket list. This was a different kind of post but I hope you still found it interesting! I’ll be back with a usual route description next week.

Amie x