South Downs Way
The cliffs at Seven Sisters are one of England's most iconic natural sights / Image: 123rf
Distance: 100 miles
Difficulty: ***
What: A trail that connects the historic hub of Winchester in Hampshire to the coastal town of Eastbourne in East Sussex, this is one of the most beautiful long-distance trails in the south of England. Following ancient roads across the chalky ridges and grassy escarpment, it’s fairly easy going. The whole thing is doable in a week or so, but some of the most resplendent stretches can be hacked out in a day: for the spectacular Seaford to Eastbourne segment, take a breathless stroll along the undulating clifftop ridges of Seven Sisters before crashing at Eastbourne’s highly chic, provenance-minded restaurant and boutique hotel the Port.
Don’t miss: The trail’s quiet country pubs are the other big draw: lunch (or stay) at the 16th-century Ram Inn at Firle for the full, away-from-it-all Sussex country experience.
nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/south-downs-way
Offa’s Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path viewed from the summit of Moel Famau in the Clwydian Mountain / Image: Alamy
Distance: 177 miles
Difficulty: ****
What: A spectacular but challenging trail that follows its namesake dyke, a still-just-about-visible trench (or ‘earthwork’) dug in the 8th century to separate what is now England and Wales. It takes a couple of weeks to complete but for wild, untrammelled beauty, it’s pretty hard to beat: crossing national lines 20 times, it passes through the Wye Valley, the Brecon Beacons and the Shropshire Hills before ending up at the seaside town of Prestatyn.
Don’t miss: Gorgeous glamping opportunities abound. Check out Cynefin Retreats at Hay-on-Wye or Barnutopia at Llansilin to get forty winks in beatific style.
nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/offas-dyke-path
West Highland Way
Peaty water flows through Bridge of Orchy / Image: 123rf
Distance: 96 miles
Difficulty: ****
What: Don’t be fooled by the relatively short distance – Scotland’s best-known hike is pretty tough going. It sets off in Glasgow, coursing up to Fort William in the Highlands through some seriously beautiful – though at times unforgiving – mountain terrain. Still, if you’re up to it, the dazzling views and week-long urban disconnect are well worth the hard yards.
Don’t miss: Munros don’t come more imposing than the Buchaille, a great rocky pyramid that towers above Glen Etive. Also, make sure to stop in for a night at the tiny, 19th-century Inveroran Hotel at Bridge of Orchy, Argyll. Wild camping on its grounds is also available.
westhighlandway.org
The Cumbria Way
Derwent Water, with snow covered Lonscale Fell in the distance / Image: 123rf
Distance: 70 miles
Rating: ****
What: A blissful, if at times testing, trail across England’s absurdly telegenic Lake District, which connects the Cumbrian towns of Ulverston and Carlisle. It’s usually divided up into five sections, with each part walkable in a day; the mid-sections between Langdale and Keswick, over steep Stake Pass, offer the most dramatic scenery, particularly in autumn/winter, when mountains like Bowfell and Skiddaw are often capped in snow.
Don’t miss: The soaring, life-affirming views of Scotland from High Pike, the trail’s highest peak. YHA Borrowdale near Keswick, the route’s mid-point, is a fun spot to stop over for budget ramblers.
ldwa.org.uk/ldp
Cateran Trail
The shining levels of Loch Shandra / Image: Alamy
Distance: 63 miles
Difficulty: ***
What: The shortest rural trail on the list is a circular route bang in the middle of Scotland, noted for stunning scenery and quaint rural villages. Unofficially, it begins and ends in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, north of Edinburgh, and can be completed in five days (though a slightly abridged circuit is usually done over a long weekend).
Don’t miss: The full trail boasts a pub every 12 miles or so – probably don’t stop at all of them, though. But do consider a dram at the Kirkmichael Hotel, set on the River Ardle and known for its extensive whisky selection.
pkct.org/cateran-trail
The Ulster Way
A beguiling sunset at the Giant's Causeway / Image: 123rf
Distance: 625 miles
Difficulty: *****
What: A complete loop of Northern Ireland divided into several so-called ‘Quality Sections’ (joined together via less spectacular ‘Link Sections’). The most popular stretch is probably in the north: the fairly flat, low-lying Causeway Coast Path comprises 33 miles that start in Portstewart and follow a remote, rugged coastline to Ballycastle. Though Gortin to Moneyneany, through the dramatic Sperrin Mountains and Glenelly Valley, ranks a close second.
Don’t miss: Sunset at Giant’s Causeway on the Causeway Coast Way, known for its basalt columns, is truly spectacular.
walkni.com/ulsterway
The Pennine Way
The sweeping valley of High Cup Nick / Image: 123rf
Distance: 268 miles
Difficulty: *****
What: The oldest – and probably best-known – National Trail in the UK begins in Edale in Derbyshire’s Peak District and traces north to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland. It’s also the toughest: you’ll need some serious hiking savvy if you’re doing the whole trail (as well as almost three weeks of annual leave). But heck, is it worth it; the remote, unspoiled beauty of England’s uplands does not disappoint.
Don’t miss: There are four ‘bothies’ along the route (small, unattended, cottage-like lodgings that are free to use for a single night). Greg’s Hut, on Cross Fell, Cumbria, might be the most secluded. Find the others at mountainbothies.org.uk. Sleep aside, the fellside chasm of High Cup Nick might just be the most awe-inspiring valley in the north of England.
nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/pennine-way
Green Chain Walk
Art deco wonderment inside Eltham Palace / Image: Alamy
Distance: 50 miles
Difficult: **
What: Unknown even to most Londoners, this largely under-the-radar waymarked walking route is made up of 11 mini-trails that connect Thamesmead to Nunhead Cemetery in the capital and takes in everything from castles to meadows to unsung design treasures. Sure, do it all in one go – though no one really does – or just pick a section like, say, Oxleas Wood to Mottingham via the eccentric-chic Eltham Palace, with its wackadoodle art deco interiors and moody medieval bridge.
Don’t miss Another fine architectural oddity is the gothic 18th-century folly of Severndroog Castle, on the Thames Barrier to Oxleas Meadows section.
tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking/green-chain-walk
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