Roof of England Walk

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New multi-day walking route launches in the North Pennines National Landscape

This week marks the launch of the 301km (188-mile) Roof of England Walk – a new multi-day walking trail that explores the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark.

The Roof of England Walk is a journey around the North Pennines, with its name reflecting its lofty location in the uplands of Northern England. By following this route, people will feel that they are literally on the Roof of England, walking some of the country’s highest footpaths and enjoying views of open moorlands, big skies, and enticing horizons. 

It is a challenging walk crossing a wide variety of terrain, from high moorland paths to peaceful riverside trails. The route makes its way through County Durham, Cumbria and Northumberland, the three counties of the North Pennines National Landscape, as well as a section in the Yorkshire Dales National Park to enable a visit to Nine Standards Rigg. 

Among the highlights of the route are the spectacular waterfalls of Teesdale in County Durham: Low Force, High Force and Cauldron Snout. In Northumberland walkers will experience the dramatic river gorge at Allen Banks, pass the lead mining site at Dukesfield Arches and discover the history of Blanchland Abbey. The Cumbrian sections take in the jaw-dropping High Cup Nick and High Cup Gill and reach the highest point of the North Pennines at Cross Fell. 

The Roof of England Walk offers varied opportunities to experience the landscape and engage with nature at any time of year. It takes walkers alongside rare and important habitats such as blanket bog, species-rich hay meadows, ancient woodland and upland rivers and streams. The area is a haven for bird and wildlife watchers year-round, with a highlight being the great numbers of wading bird species on the high moors in spring and summer. 

Walkers can tackle the entire 14-day route in one continuous journey or complete it in four short breaks of three to four days each. The individual legs of the long-distance trail also make great one-day or part-day linear walks. 

The route is described from Appleby-in-Westmorland, but as it is circular, walkers can choose one of many convenient starting points, including Haltwhistle, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Wolsingham, Stanhope, Alston, Allendale and Kirkby Stephen. It is accessible by public transport: by train at Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, and Haltwhistle, and by local bus services.

Discover more about the Roof of England walk here at their website. The website provides detailed route information for each leg, advice on planning your trip, and information on what you can see along the route. 

Funding in 2024-25 from Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme enabled the National Landscape team to develop the route, including waymarking sections and creating promotional assets.