Pennine Journey

Pennine Journey is a fabulous circular trail that takes in the Yorkshire Dales, the Pennines and Hadrian’s Wall. Most of the walk is in national parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

In September 1938 Alfred Wainwright, renowned fellwalker and guidebook author, set out on a circular walk from Settle in Yorkshire with the intention of walking to Hadrian’s Wall and back. This he did, walking north along the eastern side of the Pennine Hills and returning to Settle along the western flanks. Wainwright’s route and account of his trip wasn’t published until 1986, and in 1998 members of The Wainwright Society created the modern Pennine Journey, using rights of way to stay as close as possible to his original route.

Though less well known than Wainwright’s famous Coast to Coast route, the 247 mile trail that has been created is every bit as stunning and diverse. Taking in the Yorkshire Dales and much of the northern Pennines, the walk traverses some of the most beautiful parts of Yorkshire, Northumberland, County Durham and Cumbria, touching on all the major rivers in the region on its way.

On this walk, hikers will experience the very best of northern English scenery, from lush valleys dotted with hill farming communities, to wild moors and rugged limestone landscapes. Along the way there will be ancient castles, pretty villages, great pubs and the most scenic and interesting stretch of Hadrian’s Wall. A truly memorable trip awaits.