National Trails

[Buce]

 

I'm thinking of doing one this summer.

 

Has anyone on here hiked any of them?

 

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/the-trails

[Costock_Fox]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

I'm thinking of doing one this summer.

 

Has anyone on here hiked any of them?

 

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/the-trails

Done them all on the same day mate, easy.

 

Just looked at the Hadrians Wall one as I am back up that way in May, 84 miles? Would take bloody ages.

[Buce]

16 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

 

 

Just looked at the Hadrians Wall one as I am back up that way in May, 84 miles? Would take bloody ages.

 

I seem to recall @DANGEROUS TIGER saying he'd walked HW for charity, a while back.

 

I've narrowed it down (I think) to the South Downs Way or the Ridgeway, both around the 100 miles mark which is comfortably doable in a week.

[Costock_Fox]

All joking aside it would be great to do, nice to set yourself challenges, I can imagine HW walk would have some great scenery as well.

[Buce]

29 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

All joking aside it would be great to do, nice to set yourself challenges, I can imagine HW walk would have some great scenery as well.

 

Yeah, there's nothing like sleeping under the stars and waking to a beautiful vista.

 

I used to do a lot of long-distance hiking before I met the missus, but somehow I never got around to seeing my own country.

 

 

[Large Frank]

I've done quite a few of them. If you've not done one before, the Cotswold Way is quite a good one as it dips in and out of quite a few towns and villages giving you plenty of options for accommodation and refreshment. A very pretty walk which is well signposted and relatively easy walking. I'd suggest you start with those in the  less than 100 miles range which should enable you to do it in less than a week. Whichever you choose, plan it well, have good equipment (particularly maps and know how to read them!) and ensure that you have really good boots. Good luck.

[Buce]

43 minutes ago, Large Frank said:

I've done quite a few of them. If you've not done one before, the Cotswold Way is quite a good one as it dips in and out of quite a few towns and villages giving you plenty of options for accommodation and refreshment. A very pretty walk which is well signposted and relatively easy walking. I'd suggest you start with those in the  less than 100 miles range which should enable you to do it in less than a week. Whichever you choose, plan it well, have good equipment (particularly maps and know how to read them!) and ensure that you have really good boots. Good luck.

 

Accommodation and food are not an issue, Frank. I'll be rough camping, and packing light so carrying food for a week shouldn't prove too difficult. I have a great deal of experience hiking long-distance trails (albeit not much in the last twenty years or so, but I'm still in ok shape and am comfortable navigating by map and compass). I haven't hiked any of our National Trails, though - all my hiking has been abroad (unless you count the West Highland Way). The Cotswold Way  was on my original shortlist but I think I'm going for the Ridgeway, partly because I want to see Avebury Circle at sunrise, and partly because if I make good time (I'd be hoping for circa 20 miles a day) it gives me the option of hiking all the way home to Oadby via the canal system.

 

Have you hiked the Ridgeway?

[Large Frank]

I did the Ridgeway 30 years ago, and it's probably one of my least favourite. It is what it says, a walk along a Ridge, which became a little tedious at times.

[Buce]

10 minutes ago, Large Frank said:

I did the Ridgeway 30 years ago, and it's probably one of my least favourite. It is what it says, a walk along a Ridge, which became a little tedious at times.

 

Oh.

 

Which was your favourite?

[filthyfox]

5 hours ago, Buce said:

 

I seem to recall @DANGEROUS TIGER saying he'd walked HW for charity, a while back.

 

I've narrowed it down (I think) to the South Downs Way or the Ridgeway, both around the 100 miles mark which is comfortably doable in a week.

 

5 hours ago, Buce said:

 

I seem to recall @DANGEROUS TIGER saying he'd walked HW for charity, a while back.

 

I've narrowed it down (I think) to the South Downs Way or the Ridgeway, both around the 100 miles mark which is comfortably doable in a week.

Can't think of any reason why anyone would want to do the ridgeway.... It completely bypasses Weybiza! It is beautiful countryside though. And full of history. Maiden Castle at Dorchester is well worth a detour if not on the route.

[Large Frank]

I suppose of those that I've done I would most like to go back and do Offa's Dyke, partly because I ran out of time and didn't finish the northern section, but enjoyed what I did. Enjoyed South Downs and Dales Way too. Walked a lot of the Pennine Way, Cleveland Way and Coast to Coast but never in their entirety in one go, so although great walking can't really comment on them as trails.

[filthyfox]

Then again, My second favourite place is the South Downs- probably very hilly though.

[Buce]

12 minutes ago, Large Frank said:

I suppose of those that I've done I would most like to go back and do Offa's Dyke, partly because I ran out of time and didn't finish the northern section, but enjoyed what I did. Enjoyed South Downs and Dales Way too. Walked a lot of the Pennine Way, Cleveland Way and Coast to Coast but never in their entirety in one go, so although great walking can't really comment on them as trails.

 

Thanks for that, Frank. 

 

You've given me food for thought re. the Ridgeway - perhaps I'll reconsider hiking the South Downs instead. Which way did you do it - to or from Eastbourne?

 

[Buce]

17 hours ago, filthyfox said:

Then again, My second favourite place is the South Downs- probably very hilly though.

 

Sorry, I missed this. 

 

Have you hiked the SDW?

[filthyfox]

No, but I know the lay of the land around Worthing/Eastbourne. Family live in Seaford, and I used to live in Crawley. Lovely views, especially around the Eastbourne end.

 

A mate of mine has done some of it and said it's a good walk.

[filthyfox]

Just had a look at the map.... I want to do it. Passes through a lot of my favourute places; Arundel, Amberley, Lewes lovely places to visit.

[Buce]

3 minutes ago, filthyfox said:

Just had a look at the map.... I want to do it. Passes through a lot of my favourute places; Arundel, Amberley, Lewes lovely places to visit.

 

You need to sort your bollox out first.

[filthyfox]

Just now, Buce said:

 

You need to sort your bollox out first.

Do you know how frustrating it is living right on the South West Coast path (or 400 meters away from it) and not even being able to walk to the local café at Sandsfoot Castle? Well, I can, but it hurts!.

[Large Frank]

The South Downs way is very hilly, particularly over the Seven Sisters at the Eastbourne end. I remember starting the walk from Eastbourne but making the big mistake of having a few pints beforehand on a hot day. Never again. Really nice walk though and fits well into a week.

[Buce]

1 hour ago, Large Frank said:

The South Downs way is very hilly, particularly over the Seven Sisters at the Eastbourne end. I remember starting the walk from Eastbourne but making the big mistake of having a few pints beforehand on a hot day. Never again. Really nice walk though and fits well into a week.

 

I camped at the campsite in Seven Sisters Nature Park about fifteen years ago and walked the footpath over the cliffs to Eastbourne.

 

I didn't realise it was part of the SDW until I looked at the map yesterday.

[SpacedX]

Great thread. 

 

The Hadrian's Wall Path, sections of the Pennine Way and the South West Coast Path, The South Downs Way and the Ridgeway.

 

The one that I repeatedly return to though is the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Beautiful. 

[Buce]

 

What's your take on the Ridgeway and the SDW, @Line-X?

[thursday_next]

 

17 hours ago, filthyfox said:

Do you know how frustrating it is living right on the South West Coast path.

 

I also live near the English Coast Path at Folkestone. If you go down to the beach then it has a sign pointing in both directions to make sure you're on the England Coast Path, and you don't fall into the sea, or be about to strike inland towards Ashford or Canterbury having completely lost your sense of direction. This, I would imagine, is a boon for unwary walkers, and not at all ridiculously pointless. 

[SpacedX]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

What's your take on the Ridgeway and the SDW, @Line-X

I think that The South Downs are gorgeous and the walk is quite leisurely and undemanding in comparison to some of the other National Trails, although It culminates in the Three Sisters before the descent into Eastbourne. Some of the scenery is delightful and on a clear day you can see across the Solent to the IOW.

 

I did the Ridgeway because it's supposedly one of the most oldest tracks in Britain. You can imagine what it was like before the ancient woodland was felled. Again it's not particularly taxing. The Chilterns are charming but I think that the UK has more dramatic scenery on offer.

 

I am fortunate enough to have hiked sections of the John Muir Trail and the entire Routeburn Track, a natural wonder which is hard to surpass imo. But then it's all relative. The scale and grandeur of both of those may be impressive but it is all relative - I have yet to visit the Andes or hiked in the Himalayas. The UK has a unique and quintessential beauty and heritage of its own.

 

[Buce]

16 minutes ago, Line-X said:

I think that The South Downs are gorgeous and the walk is quite leisurely and undemanding in comparison to some of the other National Trails, although It culminates in the Three Sisters before the descent into Eastbourne. Some of the scenery is delightful and on a clear day you can see across the Solent to the IOW.

 

I did the Ridgeway because it's supposedly one of the most oldest tracks in Britain. You can imagine what it was like before the ancient woodland was felled. Again it's not particularly taxing. The Chilterns are charming but I think that the UK has more dramatic scenery on offer.

 

I am fortunate enough to have hiked sections of the John Muir Trail and the entire Routeburn Track, a natural wonder which is hard to surpass imo. But then it's all relative. The scale and grandeur of both of those may be impressive but it is all relative - I have yet to visit the Andes or hiked in the Himalayas. The UK has a unique and quintessential beauty and heritage of its own.

 

 

That's interesting.

 

I'd intended to walk the John Muir Trail as part of the Pacific Crest Trail but couldn't get a permit, so I ended up doing the Appalachian Trail instead.