North West: Cape Wrath, Sutherland
GRID REF:  NC259747
Mighty storms lash Cape Wrath, the UK’s most north-westerly point, though the name – while appropriate – actually comes from ‘hvarf’, the Old Norse for ‘turning point’. It refers to its historical role as a landmark for Viking oarsmen. The isolation and scenery are staggering, not least at adjacent Clo Mor cliffs: at 281m/921ft, the highest sea cliffs in the UK.
EXTREME EXCURSION: Cape Wrath is not easily reached on foot. The 20km/12-mile hike from Blairmore is hard going through peat moorland, with no path beyond beautiful Sandwood Bay. The bay, though, is arguably the most breathtaking in Britain. It’s never overpopulated with visitors and is framed by the sandstone seastack of Am Buachaille. Dolphins, common seals, the rare corncrake (a land-based relative of the moorhen) and moody great skuas are among the wildlife attractions en route. Look out for a species even rarer than the corncrake, though: back in 1900, a shepherd claimed to make the last recorded sighting of a yellow-skinned, green-eyed, strawberry-blonde mermaid on the rocks at Sandwood Bay. Don’t linger too long: the connection back to civilisation with the minibus from Durness is tight.
FURTHER INFO: www.capewrath.org.uk

Click here to see more images of Cape Wrath from walk’s Winter 2011 cover shoot!

East: Lowestoft Ness, Suffolk
GRID REF:  TM556937
Lowestoft Ness is where the North Sea bumps into the UK. Ignore the nearby fish factory and instead look out for gannets and skuas. It’s an exposed, breezy place; a sense reinforced by the groynes that fortify the Ness against pounding grey waters.

North: Dunnet Head, Sutherland 
GRID REF:  ND201766
Reaching Dunnet Head enables you to scoff at those who’ve headed erroneously for John o’ Groats. From the latter, Dunnet Head is palpably further north and makes for a glorious walk by sea cliffs and coastal grassland, home to puffins and kittiwakes.

West: Land’s End, Cornwall
GRID REF:  SW341254
Technically it’s called Dr Syntax’s Head. But whatever you call it, Land’s End really is as far west as you can go in the UK without getting your feet wet. Going all that way for the tourist tat-fest? Thought not, so head for the sensational islets of castellated granite to the south.

South: Lizard Point
GRID REF:  SW699111
The rugged coves and sea mists that characterise The Lizard are the kind of scenery where you might expect to meet a just-landed pirate. Everywhere is north from here, including delightful Kynance Cove, and the walking is gorgeous if often strenuous.

Centre: Whitendale Hanging Stones, Lancashire
GRID REF:  SD641565
According to OS, these bog-marooned and isolated stones in the Forest of Bowland mark the epicentre of the UK, including its 401 associated islands. (Pedants note: this excludes overseas territories such as Bermuda.)

For details and a map of a walk to the Hanging Stones, check out walk’s Routemaster for this walk.

Low: Holme Fen National Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire
GRID REF: TL192877
Sea level is around eye height at Holme Fen, Britain’s lowest point, where even the trainline towers two metres above your head. This graceful nature reserve, at the western end of the East Anglian fens, is home to bats and dragonflies, along with around 500 species of mushroom.
EXTREME EXCURSION: Grid-like footpaths criss-cross the reserve. Make your way around for a couple of miles before heading for the hide at Burnham’s Mere, in the north-west of the fen. From there, you can spot the attractive goldeneye duck chugging back and forward, along with cormorants, Daubenton’s bats at dusk and up to 18 species of dragonfly. In the skies above are red kites and buzzards.
FURTHER INFO: tinyurl.com/3u5t53s

High: Flash, Staffordshire
GRID REF: SK024671
High drama back in 2007, when the OS was called on to settle the rival claims of Scotland’s Wanlockhead as Britain’s highest inhabited place, and found the Peak District community of Flash was 102ft higher at 475m/1,558ft. Wanlockhead disputes this, but Flash – with its impressive, surrounding gritstone outcrops – isn’t budging.

We’ll be adding more extremes to this article over the winter months, or for the full photo-rich article pick up the Winter 2011 issue of walk, available online at Cotswold Outdoor.

Behind the scenes…

Ever wondered what it takes to get the perfect shot in an extreme environment? Click on the images below to see what it was like on the photoshoot at Cape Wrath for walk‘s Winter 2011 cover shoot!

“There’s always a sighting of the monster at the start of the tourism season,” admits a tourism official in Loch Ness, who’d best remain nameless. Nessie’s latest appearance was, fortuitously, in May. In the visitor information office in Fort Augustus there’s a blurry photograph and an account by a Mr William Jobes, who describes a “large, hump-like shape travelling towards the middle of the loch”.

The monster myth dates back to the sixth century and is still very much alive. One man, Steve Feltham, has lived in a camper van on the loch shores for 20 years, doing ‘independent monster research’ and selling knick-knacks to the tourists. Business must be good. When I visited in September, I found his neighbour feeding the cat. Feltham had flown to Cyprus for the winter.

Nessie has brought international fame to this 244m/800ft-deep loch. According to the same tourism official, a 1992 article in the South China Post that listed ‘Ten facts about Britain’ stated as number three: ‘In the north of the country is a lake with a monster.’ (Fact number one was: ‘Britain is ruled by Queen Margaret Thatcher.’)

No wonder, then, that the 37km/ 23-mile-long loch attracts hundreds-of-thousands of visitors each year. Most stay on the north shores, having hurtled along the busy A82. The majority of walkers also head north, following the route of the 117km/73-mile-long Great Glen Way that joins the Atlantic to the North Sea.

Along the south coast of the choppy waters, meanwhile, there are only small roads – often single-track. “The south is still relatively wild and unexplored,” says Graeme Ambrose of Destination Loch Ness. “Hardly anyone goes there, compared to the north, and there’s a real feeling of emptiness.” But now, thanks to an initiative by Graeme’s employers, the south is preparing for more visitors – of the rambling variety.

Boost for less-visited south

A new hiking path, the 45km/28-mile-long South Loch Ness Trail, opened in August after two years of negotiations, fundraising and manual labour. “Much of it connects lengths of existing paths, bridleways and small roads,” says Graeme, who hopes that the £200,000 trail will boost the economy of this lesser-visited area and encourage visitors to stay longer.

“Ultimately, the aim is for the trail to link up with the Great Glen Way to create a footpath all around Loch Ness.” For the moment, though, the blue posts with a squirrel that waymark the trail run between Loch Tarff, four miles north of Fort Augustus, and Torbreck, three miles south of Inverness.

Although walkers can roam almost anywhere in Scotland, landowners may not want to actively encourage hikers across their land with a designated footpath. This means that, as well as stopping short of the towns, there are stretches of the route that follow the ‘main’ B road (though a quick look at an OS map shows more pleasant alternatives on minor tracks). This is a sensitive issue and one that Graeme is reluctant to discuss, fearing that encouraging walkers to go off-trail may jeopardise development of the route.

“We see what we’ve done so far as Phase One,” he says. “Most landowners – the biggest one being the Forestry Commission – have been very cooperative, but we’re still negotiating with some.”

Despite the tarmac stretches, local hikers are happy that the region – known as Stratherrick – is opening up. “It’s a wonderful walk, varying between upland fields, rough pasture and small hills,” says Harry Lakeland of Inverness Ramblers. “There are terrific views, but only one or two steep gradients.” After a comfortable night’s sleep in Fort Augustus, I can’t wait to start.

Hide-and-seek with Ness

I leave my luggage with a local baggage- transfer service and set off in a taxi to the trailhead at Loch Tarff. The wind ripples this small loch, and the sky is grey as I hike up through heather along the newly gravelled path. Other walkers, descending, warn: “The wind will blow your head off at the top!” Before long, I’ve made the easy ascent to the trail’s highest point, at 393m/1,289ft. Clouds scud past a rainbow-arched landscape of hills, forestry plantations, a handful of houses and the small B862 meandering off into the distance. There are lochs in all directions but, surprisingly, none are Loch Ness.

Despite its name, the South Loch Ness Trail is not a water-side route and for much of the time the mile-wide loch is not visible, hidden behind hills or forests. But when you do get to see Ness, it’s truly spectacular. The wonderfully named Fair Haired Lad’s Pass (333m/1,093ft) reveals the vast expanse of water between swathed curtains of purple heather, as you look across to Urquhart Castle and up to Inverness and beyond. It’s not always so dramatic. For much of the trail, the beauty   is in the detail: bearded lichens on trees; a garden of mosses on an old stone wall; autumnal grasses waving in the wind. Deer are common, as are red squirrels, apparently (alas, I didn’t see any). There are old stone bridges, built by 18th-century General Wade, and small, isolated crofts.

All these notes build towards various crescendos, of which the Falls of Foyers – a small detour from the trail – is one. The main waterfall gushes with force through a narrow opening to cascade 50m/165ft. As early as the late 19th century, hydro power was being harnessed for aluminium manufacturing here. Foyers was such an important producer that the factory was bombed in World War Two. Although the damage was soon repaired, the industry didn’t last much longer.

Turbine trouble

The next day, Harry joined me with fellow Rambler Ed Simpson. On our hike up and out of Foyers, we talked of controversial plans for windfarms in the hills around Loch Ness. More than 200 turbines are proposed on four sites: 130 on moorland at Balmacaan, on the west side of the loch, with turbines 135m/443ft high; 23 units at a new farm on nearby Druim Ba; and an expansion of an existing farm in Glenmoriston. The third site is in the Monadhliath Mountains, to the south-east, whose rugged, wild flanks we viewed from rocks among heather and birch. The 31 turbines would be 125m/410ft high and fall just outside the boundary of the Cairngorms National Park.

It’s an ongoing threat to the country’s wild land, which Ramblers Scotland is keen to protect from further encroachment. “We need Scottish MPs to persuade the coalition government to modify the financial incentives around windfarms so the massive developments go off-shore, where there is less impact,” says Dave Morris, the charity’s director. “On land the focus should be on community, farm and croft developments with turbines of under 50 metres. If you carry on putting these huge turbines up around Loch Ness, there will come a point when tourists stop coming.”

It was a full day’s hike to the village of Dores, with only a small section among conifers above Inverfarigaig where more waymarkers would have been helpful. The panorama from Fair Haired Lad’s Pass is the high point, literally, and a perfect picnic spot. Such heavenly scenery contrasted with Harry’s tales of Aleister Crowley, the infamous “practitioner of the dark arts”, who early last century lived in a big house on the lochside below and relished upsetting the God-fearing population with his ‘occultist’ ways. Some locals are still ‘Sabbatarians’, as Harry calls them, and object to people hiking on the Sabbath. Thankfully, none seem to live on the route of the trail.

By the evening I was ready for my feast of haggis, tatties and neeps in the lochside Dores Inn, and a peaceful night’s sleep undisturbed by either evil or monsters. The next day I completed my walk, along quiet roads and pine-fresh forestry tracks with fine loch views. I didn’t spot Nessie. But they do say that you never see the monster on your first visit. I’ll be coming back…

Images and video by Steve Morgan.

TIME/DISTANCE: The 45km/28-mile South Loch Ness Trail takes around two-and-a-half days to complete at an easy pace, with some 400m/1,312ft of ascent.

MAPS: OS Explorer 416; Landranger 34.

TRAVEL TO: The nearest trains stop at Fort William and Inverness. A Citylink bus connects Fort William with Fort Augustus (& 0871 266 3333, www.citylink.co.uk), but you’ll need to take taxis to/from the trailheads. Loch Ness Travel provides a baggage-transfer service, as well as taxis (✆ 07711 429 616, www.lochnesstravel.com).

GUIDEBOOK: South Loch Ness by the South Loch Ness Heritage Group (£3, plus £1.16 p&p. ✆ 01456 486691 to order). A Country Called Stratherrick by Alan B Lawson (£9.99, South Loch Ness Heritage Group, ISBN 978 0955318801).

FURTHER INFO: www.visitlochness.com/south-loch-ness-trail.

Although Ayrshire has a great deal of excellent walking, a long-distance coastal path may not be on many ramblers’ radar. But look closer and you’ll find nearly 160 miles of stunning coastline to walk and enjoy. The Ayrshire Coastal Path strikes its course for 150km/94 miles between Glenapp and Skelmorlie, while the Arran Coastal Way circumnavigates that magical island for 96km/60 miles. Although both paths are separate entities, a superb ferry link from Ardrossan to Arran means it makes perfect sense to combine the two paths into one spectacular route.

The Ayrshire Coastal Path began life as an idea by Ayr Rotary Club to celebrate their centenary in 2005. Under the auspices of local Rotary member and historian Dr Jimmy Begg, and thanks to the help of many volunteers, local councils, landowners and farmers, the route was officially opened in 2007. The Arran Coastal Way was launched four years earlier, set up by many of the island’s residents. Both routes shared the same fundamental aim, though: to attract more visitors to enjoy this fantastic slice of Scotland’s wild and windswept west coast. Variety is possibly the routes’ greatest selling point, combining sublime beaches, secluded coves, wild moorland and breathtaking scenery. Arran, in particular, offers some remote walking with several miles covered over rough terrain. While on the mainland, the cliffs from Glenapp to Ballantrae and The Knock – an Iron Age fort above Largs – provide stunning views of Ireland, Kintyre, Arran and the Southern Highlands.

The entire route has a wealth of wonderful architecture: from the instantly recognisable Culzean and Brodick Castles to smaller, hidden gems such as Kennedy Mausoleum or St John’s Tower in Ayr, where the first Scottish Parliament sat in 1315. Add to the mix fantastic wildlife (golden plover, guillemots and otters), attractive towns and villages, an historical legacy of huge importance and the birthplace of Robert Burns, Scotland’s literary giant, and you have an enormously rewarding long-distance walk.

Barefoot on the beach
One section that encompasses much of what the path has to offer is the 27km/17 miles from Troon to Ardrossan. This section is predominantly flat with no real navigational issues, meaning walkers can relax and enjoy a sumptuous day of varied landscape and historic towns. Probably best known for its Open Championship Golf Course, Troon makes for a charming start to my walk on a glorious summer morning. The warm sea breeze brushing my face and the knowledge of a wonderful day’s walking ahead puts a spring in my step as I pass the town’s conspicuous church spire along bustling streets. Reaching a grass embankment, I make my way down to the North Sands beside the attractive villas at Barassie. Here, with gorgeous soft sand under my feet and the familiar scent of sea air opening up the memory bank of carefree childhood holidays, my walk proper begins.

Within a few minutes I feel the urge to remove my shoes and continue barefoot towards Irvine, relishing the cool waters of the sea lapping over my feet. All the while, I enjoy a breathtaking view of Arran’s serrated contours: the early-morning sun picking out the saw-toothed ridges and the great corries of the islands’ mountains. Two horses and their riders speed past me, throwing up surf and savouring the freedom that only a beach can bring. I’m in no mood to rush, so spend a good couple of hours engrossed in the variety of shells and stones along the tideline, and admiring the likes of common terns, oystercatchers and razorbills feeding along the shore. As the day begins to heat up, I decide to don my shoes and climb the steep sand dunes that overlook the beach on to a narrow path, where a cool breeze is most welcome. I run my fingers through the dune grass and a wonderful smell of coconut emanates from thick gorse, where linnets and stonechats flit from branch to branch. Beach eventually gives way to the historic cobbled streets of Irvine’s old town, where I savour my well-earned sandwich at the 18th-century Ship Inn while watching fishing trawlers entering and leaving the harbour. The crews’ weather-beaten faces tell of an incredibly hard existence out on the North Atlantic’s rough waters. Having become accustomed to the pungent smell of freshly caught mackerel, I follow it to its source along the harbourside, continuing past houses and streets full of character and the Scottish Maritime Museum, which celebrates a time when Irvine was one of Scotland’s most important trading ports.

Wild riverbank encounters
With the mouth of the River Garnock blocking the route from continuing along the coast, I head inland towards Kilwinning, following a quiet path beside the River Irvine, where heronsand moorhens are my only companions. The thickening tree cover provides welcome shade from the strong afternoon sun, whose broken light dances on the river’s tranquil surface. The air is filled with the sweet, subtle scent of red campion and wood anemones, which adds to this most pleasant stretch of the walk. I take out my camera and focus on trying to capture the wonderful scene for posterity – so much so I don’t hear someone approaching until he announces: “Are you looking for the kingfisher? ” Once I’ve landed back in my skin, I talk to the local man – who walks this river every day – about the wildlife he’s spotted. Roe deer, barn owls, mallard, otters and the kingfisher that eludes me today are all regular sights, he tells me.

Impressed, I bid him farewell and continue on my way to Kilwinning Abbey to enjoy two bars of guilt-free chocolate beneath the ruined abbey’s impressive arches. Then it’s back along the riverbank and a meandering return to the coast at Stevenston via some quiet roads and open countryside. I deliberately time my journey to reach this point in the early evening. And the resulting low sun doesn’t disappoint, casting long shadows, which pick out this magnificent slice of coastline in stunning clarity. At journey’s end in Ardrossan, I sit on a bench on the harbour to rest my sore legs. Gazing out towards Arran, my mind is filled with happy memories of family holidays past. Here I would sit eating bacon rolls, while my parents and I waited to board the iconic red-funnelled ferry that would transport us across the Firth of Clyde and into another world. But my adult return to that world would have to wait, as my train back to Troon is already booked. There is still time, though, to sit with the warm evening sun on my face and watch kittiwakes and oystercatchers explore, from the air, the glorious rocky shoreline I’ve just enjoyed on foot.

Photography: Steve Morgan

TIME/DISTANCE: Allow seven hours to complete the 27km/17 miles from Troon to Ardrossan. The 248km/154-mile Ayrshire & Arran coastal paths can be comfortably walked in their entirety in 11 days – seven on the mainland, four on Arran. Much of the route follows waymarked paths, country roads and beach, although there are some wonderfully wild sections that may require navigational skills.

MAPS: OS Explorer 309, 317, 326, 333, 341 and 361; Landranger 63,69, 70,76.

TRAVEL TO: Public transport (buses, trains and ferries) along both coastal paths is superb, with links to all the towns and villages en route (✆ 0871 200 22 33,
www.travelinescotland.com).

GUIDEBOOK: Ayrshire and Arran Coastal Paths by Keith Fergus (£12.95, Cicerone, ISBN 9781852846329).

FURTHER INFO: www.ayrshirecoastalpath.org; www.coastalway.co.uk.

Click here to see walk‘s Routemaster guide

Pen y Fan (886m/2,907ft)
GRID REF: SO011215
SPECIAL SUMMIT: The magnificent twin-summit fin of Pen y Fan (above) is one of Wales’s most popular peaks. Being higher – and tougher – than anything else to Britain’s south, the views it offers are incredible. On a good day you can expect to see the Bristol Channel, the bays of Cardigan, Carmarthen and Swansea, the Black Mountains and even Exmoor.
TOP APPROACH: From Cwm Gwdi car park, south-west of Brecon, the Cefn Cwm Llwch ridge hauls you directly on to Pen y Fan. Descending via Bryn Teg, from subsidiary summit Cribyn, turns the walk into an airy 12km/7½-mile horseshoe. Allow 4 hours.
FURTHER INFO: www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Twyn y Gaer (367m/1,204ft)
GRID REF: SN989280
SPECIAL SUMMIT: This Iron Age hillfort rises above the Afon Wysg (River Usk), offering commanding views north across the valley to Pen y Fan, the Brecon Beacons to the south and east, and the Black Mountains to the west. Earthworks on its southern slopes, known as pillow mounds, probably date from the 18th century and were used for large-scale rabbit rearing.
TOP APPROACH: A bridleway, running north-west along a gentle ridge from the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre near Libanus, will take you to Twyn y Gaer in under 3km/2 miles. Allow one hour.
FURTHER INFO: www.breconbeacons.org

Ben Lomond (974m/3,196ft)
GRID REF: NN366028
SPECIAL SUMMIT: Stirlingshire’s highest point is also the most southerly and easily reached of the Munros. From the summit, Loch Lomond and its beautiful islands are arrayed at your feet, while the jagged peaks of the west feel close enough to reach out and touch.
TOP APPROACH: A good path leads through the Rowardennan woodlands, up the bare shoulder of Sron Aonaich and onward to the summit. The aesthete’s descent, via the Ptarmigan ridge, adds little distance to the 12km/7½ miles there and back but extends the time. Allow six hours.
FURTHER INFO: www.lochlomond-trossachs.org

Conic Hill (361m/1,184ft)
GRID REF: NS432923
SPECIAL SUMMIT: It’s a shame that the West Highland Way sweeps right by the summit of this mini Ben Lomond (pictured above), as the views it offers across the loch and islands are just as spectacular as those from its loftier neighbour. The hill stands right on the Highland Fault: to the north, everything is mountainous!
TOP APPROACH: The West Highland Way climbs from loch-side hamlet Balmaha for the simplest 5km/3-mile return trip up Conic Hill; a short detour from the trail’s highest point will bring you to the summit. Allow two hours.
FURTHER INFO: www.west-highland-way.co.uk

Royal Hill (412m/1,352ft)
GRID REF: SX607733
SPECIAL SUMMIT: Moorland hikes demand the same skills and equipment as hill-walking and can be equally challenging, especially in bad weather, when good navigation becomes critical. Royal Hill is wide and exposed, with excellent views across Dartmoor’s southern and northern moors, and characteristic tor outcrops. Prehistoric features include the Crock of Gold, a Bronze Age cist within a stone circle.
TOP APPROACH: The Dartmoor Way, a 138km/86-mile walkers’ and cyclists’ route, approaches Royal Hill along a bridleway from Hexworthy, 6km/4 miles east of the summit. You can combine this with routes across neighbouring hills and moors for a fine, exposed day’s exploration. Allow three
hours or more.
FURTHER INFO: www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk

Bellever Tor (443m/1,421ft)
GRID REF: SX644764
SPECIAL SUMMIT: Dartmoor ponies help the Forestry Commission to look after the woodland surrounding dramatic Bellever Tor, improving wildlife habitat by grazing. The commission has provided several waymarked routes past ancient chambered tombs, burial mounds and stone rows en route to the tor and its extensive views across Dartmoor’s uplands.
TOP APPROACH: The waymarked Postbridge Trail leads south from the commission’s visitor centre car park, reaching the tor in just over a mile or so. Allow an hour.
FURTHER INFO: www.forestry.gov.uk

Smearsett Scar (363m/1,191ft)
GRID REF: SD802678
SPECIAL SUMMIT: Rarely visited, and inconveniently split between two Ordnance Survey maps, buttressed Smearsett Scar is a magnificent mountain in miniature. Its limestone pavement ridgeback is studded with eye-catching plants, such as wild pansies and yellow rock rose. Views extend across Ribblesdale and Three Peaks country.
TOP APPROACH: Where the track beyond isolated Feizor crests a brow, bear right across access land to Smearsett’s summit trig point. Pot Scar offers a precarious but breathtaking option. Allow two hours, returning the same way.
FURTHER INFO: www.yorkshiredales.org.uk

Ingleborough (724m/2,375ft)
GRID REF: SD741745
SPECIAL SUMMIT: Though not Yorkshire’s highest peak, Ingleborough (above) is the most mountainous; its profile the most iconic. The gritstone plateau cap rests on cave-pocked, layered limestone flanks that hide uncommon plants – such as bird’s eye primrose – and ancient features, including prehistoric burial mounds and medieval homesteads.
TOP APPROACH: Tackle the hill from the north-east, via subsidiary Park Fell’s ridge-edge path, to fully appreciate Ingleborough’s profile. Descend Little Ingleborough past Gaping Gill, and return via
Sulber Gate and Selside for a six-hour round trip
of some 23km/14 miles.
FURTHER INFO: www.yorkshiredales.org.uk

For three more fantastic twin peaks to conquer – plus a handy guide to the UK’s top ranges – pick up the Autumn 2011 issue of walk, available here or free if you join the Ramblers.

Images: Conic Hill by Ad Meskens; Bellever Tor by Derek Harper via geograph.org.uk; Ingleborough sunset by Papa November.

Skomer
HABITAT: A jewel set in a silver sea (at least on sunny days), the tiny, enchanting island of Skomer is just a 20-minute boat ride off  the Pembrokeshire coast.
ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS: Coming face to face with a puffin is an unforgettable experience. Guillemots and razorbills fill the air, too. In May and June, red campions flourish, reviving memories of a lost forest. All year round, common and grey seals haul themselves out on low rocks (Garland Stone is a good spot to watch them), and in August the cows feed their pups on shore.
WILDEST WALK: The wardens are happy to show you different routes but, in a square mile, it’s hard to get lost. Despite its size, Skomer is a walk like few others. It’s a good idea to wear a hat to ward off dive-bombing birds, especially the red-beaked choughs, which breed here. And look out for great black-backed gulls swooping down on rabbits around Pigstone Bay, and stunning them with a swift thwack against a rock.
WARDEN’S TIP: “Stay overnight so you can watch the sun setting from the Garland Stone, with the tidal race boiling below and 10,000 shearwaters rafting out in the bay.”
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01656 724100, www.welshwildlife.org

Lizard
HABITAT: The flat-topped heath of Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula is Britain’s southernmost point and – as its madly coloured beach pebbles attest – it’s a geological hotchpotch.
ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS: Look out for ravens and peregrines. And between Kynance Cove and Lizard Point, listen for the high-pitched ‘chi-ow’ of the Cornish chough – they returned here in 2001. Each spring, the coastal grassland is rich in plants uniquely adapted to the Lizard’s mild climate, geology and salty air, such as green-winged orchid (pictured), wild chives and fringed rupturewort. Squill, vetches, trefoils, thrift and oxeye daisies abound.
WILDEST WALK: With some ups and downs, the 13km/8-mile romp along the South West Coast Path from Mullion Cove to Lizard Point is an unbeatable slice of the precious Lizard landscape, passing through the lovely Kynance Cove.
WARDEN’S TIP: “You’ll hear the choughs before you see them. Look out for their tumbling, acrobatic flight and a flash of red beak.”
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01326 240808, www.naturalengland.org.uk

Loch Leven
HABITAT: A vast freshwater loch in Perth and Kinross in the Central Lowlands.
ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS: Loch Leven is one of the most important stops on the planet for migrating birds. Pink-footed geese come from Iceland to winter here before heading south, and tufted ducks and gadwells breed in spring. From late March to August is the best time to see the spectacular plunge of an osprey in pursuit of fish. The 8-foot wingspan of our greatest bird of prey, a white-tailed sea eagle (pictured), has also been seen here this year.
WILDEST WALK: The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 opened up the reserve to public access and a trail runs round two-thirds of the loch, from Kinross to RSPB Vane Farm – 13.5km/8.5 miles one way.
WARDEN’S TIP: “Summer is a great time for duck broods. But there’s nothing to compare with an autumn dawn, when 20,000 geese fly as one to feed on nearby fields.”
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01577 864439, www.nnr-scotland.org.uk

Moor House
HABITAT: Wild, open moorland, weird rock, juniper woods and awesome waterfalls – a mighty Pennine landscape with a complex ecology in the Upper Teesdale.
ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS: Spring brings lapwing, curlew and oystercatchers nesting in the high pastures. Get up early to see the rare black grouse dancing. Traditional farming makes colourful hay meadows of globeflower, orchids and yellow rattle and, in August, the heather blooms and golden plovers make their strange, sad cries. In winter, only the Swaledale sheep stir.
WILDEST WALK: One of the best walks starts and ends at Bowlees and follows the Pennine Way for 12½km/5½ miles along the river, through an ancient juniper wood to High Force and Cauldron Snout waterfalls.
WARDEN’S TIP: “Come in spring, when the birds display, and walk to Green Trod for the best view.”
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 0300 060 6000, www.naturalengland.org.uk

Cwm Idwal
HABITAT: A huge rock amphitheatre carved by glacial ice with a lake at its feet in the Glyderau mountain range of northern Snowdonia. A spectacular, echoing and truly montane environment.
ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS: There are peregrines, ravens and rare twites, and goosesanders on the lake. In spring and summer, arctic and alpine plants bloom; tough survivors such as saxifrages and moss campions. On the vertical wall of the cwm, out of reach of goats and man, is the rare and delicate Snowdon lily – a remnant of a post-glacial world.
WILDEST WALK: The classic 4km/2½-mile circular walk, which gives a true taste of the mountains, begins at Ogwen Cottage and goes around the lake and past the moraine field (said to be the graves of English soldiers), with a choice of high- and low-level returns.
WARDEN’S TIP: “Visit early in the morning to have the cwm to yourself and look for the amazing v-shaped cleft of the Devil’s Kitchen.”
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01766 770274, www.ccw.gov.uk

Text: Skomer by Chris Taylor; Lizard Peninsula by Duncan Lyne; Loch Leven by Craig Nisbit; Moor House by Heather McCarty; Cwm Idwal by Dewi Davies.

Images: Skomer by Skrrp; Lizard Peninsula by Guest9999; Loch Leven by Norrie Adamson from geograph.org.uk; Moor House by Andrew Smith from geograph.org.uk; Cwm Idwal by Richard Outram.

Stretching from The Wash to the shores of Dorset, the Ridgeway traces the outline of history itself. A massive band of chalk forming the backbone of England’s oldest road network, this geologically defined artery has provided a favourable route for travellers through the ages – from Neolithic stonecutters and Iron Age chieftains to Roman legions and Saxon hordes. Coursing through nearly a dozen counties, it bisects the south-eastern part of the British mainland, offering sturdy, free-draining terrain. Often elevated, and affording views of the surrounding landscape, it was also a safe passage in more dangerous times – giving warning of bandits and approaching armies.

Today, the only opposition you’re likely to encounter is the many walkers, trekkers, cyclists, horse riders and other users who flock to the various trails along the Ridgeway. The myriad tracks that formed the Greater Ridgeway have coalesced into four main trails. In the north, the Peddars Way National Trail follows a Roman road from Hunstanton to Knettishall, and will this summer celebrate its 25th anniversary. In central England, the Icknield Way (recently expanded, thanks to the efforts of Suffolk Ramblers) joins up with the 139km/87-mile Ridgeway National Trail. And from the south coast, the Wessex Ridgeway winds north from Lyme Regis. But something is missing – and its location makes its absence even more of a mystery.

A missing link
If you look at a map of the Ridgeway National Trail, you’ll see that it ends abruptly as it passes Avebury, pointing directly south towards Stonehenge. As Friends of the Ridgeway chairman Ian Ritchie points out, it’s baffling that these two national monuments aren’t linked via a clear trail – especially as it’s likely that they once were.

“The Ridgeway National Trail we’re associated with is a fairly arbitrary bit in the middle,” he admits. “Our ultimate aim is to have the whole of the Ridgeway opened as a superb 360-mile walking route across the entire country, from the south coast to East Anglia. When you look at it, the bit that’s missing – quite incredibly – is the section from Avebury to Old Sarum, via Stonehenge. There’s this classic area between the two great stone circles that isn’t really a defined walking route at the moment.”

And so he hopes the creation of the 61km/38-mile Great Stones Way, using existing footpaths and rights of way, will finally plug this most scenic of gaps. The exact route is still to be decided, but the Ridgeway has always been a braided collection of tracks and trails that changed with the seasons, so it’s less a case of finding the definitive route than picking out the one that works best. Modern travellers reaching the end of the current Ridgeway National Trail at Overton need only cross the A4 to continue along the chalk escarpment. But our exploration of the proposed route of the Great Stones Way begins a mile and a half to the northwest, at one of the sites that gives the trail its name.

The stone circle at – and indeed around – Avebury is the largest in the world, stretching out from the present-day high street in a great ring around the eastern edge of the village. Setting off from the centre, I head south to retrace the footsteps of the ancients up the West Kennet Avenue (above), believed to have been one of two ceremonial entrances to the site. Avebury’s stones may be smaller and more spaced out than their more famous relatives to the south, but it’s a unique feeling to walk alone among them. Indeed, the 17th century re-discoverer of the site, John Aubrey, wrote that Avebury “does as much exceed in greatness the so renowned Stonehenge, as a cathedral doeth a parish Church”.

Passing the even more ancient Sanctuary stone circles, which date from 3,000BC, I rejoin the modern world at East Kennet and pick up the route that will lead south from the Ridgeway. As the trail rises on to a chalky uphill section and the surrounding landscape falls away, it’s easy to see why these ancient byways might have appealed to travellers of old. In the distance, Avebury’s abrupt stones suddenly leap out of the landscape, while to their southwest the ancient mound known as Silbury Hill rises like a beacon. It makes navigation easy, but before long it’s time to bid these prehistoric markers farewell and head south. A beautiful section of wooded road at the top of the hill feels like a division between two worlds, and when the view opens up again I find myself looking over the Vale of Pewsey.

Detours and diversions
Descending into the sunshine and then ascending to skirt the Neolithic long barrow known as Adam’s Grave, my path affords stunning views to the south. A proposed circular route would branch out from this fascinating section, taking in the Wansdyke and one of the eight white chalk horses that dot the hills and give the White Horse Trail its name. Picking up part of this 145km/90-mile circular trail, I carry on south before meeting the Kennet & Avon Canal at Honeystreet. Though it’s been highly recommended, The Barge Inn here is currently closed, undergoing final preparations for the summer, so I head off along the towpath, making do with a granola bar instead. From the canal, the proposed route winds through farmland, villages and endless bridleways overflowing with spring blossom, before climbing up to the edge of Salisbury Plain. It’s here that matters get complicated for the Great Stones Way’s planners, as negotiations continue with the MoD to decide the best way to skirt the military ranges.

As Ian Ritchie explains, “We all have to accept that in times gone by the Great Ridgeway would have gone straight across the centre of Salisbury Plain. But we’re never going to get a 365-day-a- year trail across the centre of the plain because the Ministry of Defence runs exercises there – and fires some rather dramatic ordnance across the route. So we’re talking to them about a permissive path around the eastern edge.”

For now, I leave the eerie silence of the empty downs and make my way down into the Avon Valley. As dusk falls, a solitary hawk seems to beckon me down from the sun-orange hills on to an overgrown bridleway that leads towards civilisation. After the strange emptiness of the hills, the cosy thatched cottages, pubs and inns along the river offer a welcome break – it’s this area that could form an alternative route on the eventual Great Stones Way. The next morning dawns clear and bright and, as I set off, the sun dances on the River Avon, illuminating gurgling waterfalls and spiders’ webs in the dewy grass. It seems a shame to leave the riverside and join a tank track to head back towards the military range, but
duty calls. An Apache attack helicopter roars overhead as if to encourage (or perhaps discourage?) me and I’ve soon completed the dull but traffic-free approach to Woodhenge. Though less well known than its stony cousin, this low-key monument and the mysterious Durrington Walls to its north make a fitting warm-up for the main event.

Silence and stones
Having – like far too many of us – only glimpsed it from a passing car on the A303, I’m genuinely excited to at last be nearing Stonehenge. As with much of the walk so far, I find myself completely alone in the landscape as the path traces its way past little tracts of woodland. At the edge of one such pocket an unassuming sign tells me I’m standing at the edge of the Cursus, a vast manmade causeway stretching a full three miles to the west. Looking across to the gap in the distant trees that marks its far edge feels like gazing back across the millennia, and I wonder what sort of scene would have greeted a traveller arriving here 3,000 years earlier.

Now well and truly transported into the past, I round the last few bends and, suddenly, there it is. Though small and distant, Stonehenge still has the power to stop me in my tracks. It looks like a tiny, postcard-perfect model set on the landscape, and from a distance the tourists and tour buses are too small to detract from the first impression. As I open the final gate and start down the ancient avenue that leads to the henge – and the route that was most likely used to transport the stones – I can’t help but think that walking this final stretch should be a mandatory part of the experience. As it is, the spell is broken by a fence that surrounds the site, barring my path for the first time on my walk. If English Heritage’s plans to close the A344 and reconnect the circle with an ancient processional avenue come to fruition, future visitors will be able to enjoy a more authentic experience of Stonehenge. Combined with the Great Stones Way – which Ian Ritchie hopes will launch later this year – it should make a breathtaking finale to an unforgettable walk, experiencing an epic landscape the way our ancient ancestors once did.

Photography: Steve Morgan

TIME/DISTANCE: Allow at least two days to walk the entire 61km/38-mile route from Avebury to Old Sarum. Apart from a few muddy bridleways, the walking is generally very easy, with no steep ascents or scrambles.

MAPS: OS Explorer 130 and 157; Landranger 173 and 184.

TRAVEL TO: Nearest mainline train station is Swindon (✆ 0845 748 4950, www.nationalrail.co.uk). Bus number 49 runs from Swindon bus station to Avebury hourly Monday to Saturday and every two hours on Sundays and Bank Holidays (✆ 0871 200 2233, www.traveline.info). Salisbury train station is just south of Old Sarum.

GUIDEBOOK: The Friends of the Ridgeway are currently working on a dedicated guidebook for the Great Stones Way. For onward walks either side, read The Greater Ridgeway by Ray Quinlan (£12.95, Cicerone, ISBN 9781852843465).

FURTHER INFO: www.ridgewayfriends.org.uk/greatstonesway.html.

It’s a big year for Britain’s longest ancient monument. Offa’s Dyke, the earthwork bank that stretches for about 129km/80 miles along the English-Welsh border, is bidding to join the likes of the Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Furthermore, the accompanying long-distance path celebrates its 40th anniversary as one of Britain’s 15 National Trails this summer. Dignitaries will gather at the Offa’s Dyke Centre in Knighton on 11 July for an event to mirror the route’s original opening ceremony, and this year’s Hay Festival will host an anniversary walk through the Black Mountains to mark the occasion. This inclusion amid the literary and cultural heavyweights at the annual ‘Woodstock of the Mind’ reflects both the historical importance of the monument and the resurging popularity of the trail.

Snaking and contrasting
“The dyke is a stunning part of the natural landscape,” says Rob Dingle, national trail officer for Offa’s Dyke Path. “It offers so many contrasting sections, from rural Monmouthshire to the uplands of the Brecon Beacons. I love the constant surprises you find along the trail.” The earliest reference to themonument is attributed to Asser, King Alfred’s biographer, who wrote: “A certain vigorous king called Offa… had a great dyke built between Wales and Mercia.” Offa, the 8th-century King of Mercia (the modern-day Midlands), ordered its construction to mark a de-facto border with the rebellious Welsh tribes to the west. Unlike Hadrian’s Wall in northern Britain, which was used to collect taxes at milecastles manned by Roman centurions, the dyke had a more symbolic role as a Saxon statement of intent. Nevertheless, its high earth bank and adjoining ditch ran with blood for over three centuries of border skirmishes.

The National Trail still clings to the original dyke – badger-burrowed and frost-eroded in many sections – and sometimes even tramples directly upon it. It forays over the border between England and Wales some 27 times along its length. I’m exploring one of these deviations – a section that heads north from Oswestry, Shropshire (England) to Llangollen (Wales), where the dyke is well preserved and the walk builds towards a dramatic crescendo that’s already received the UNESCO stamp of approval. “North of Oswestry, the trail is well maintained and well marked, with wonderful local wildlife and views,” says Peter Carr, chairman of the Oswestry Ramblers Group. “You’ll see buzzards, red kite and black grouse if you’re lucky, while the panoramas from the escarpment across the North Shropshire Plain are magnificent.”

Farmland and tangled forests
I begin this promising-sounding section at Oswestry’s 18th-century racecourse, where the ruined grandstand makes for an exposed, wind-chilled trailhead. On a clear day I’d be spoiled with blue-sky vistas west to Cader Idris and south to the Pontesbury Hills. But this morning, as I start out, the snow is popcorn crisp and the low-slung winter sun more blinding than red-carpet flashbulbs. I push on, following the path through lowland farm pasture, with little acorn symbols to usher me forwards to the best-preserved section of the dyke. For the stretch heading north from Selattyn Hill to Bronygarth, I’m surfing the very crest of the dyke, glimpses of winter sunshine dappling the leaves all the way to Chirk. As I descend through farmland towards the hamlet of Castle Mill, I follow the soft-imprint tracks of local rabbits and pheasants. Crossing the B4500, it’s time to pause and pay my respects by the Oak at the Gate of the Dead, a gnarled and ancient tree that marks one of the bloodiest battles along the dyke. It looks particularly striking in late winter – as if I’ve ventured through the wardrobe to the very lair of the White Witch. In 1165, King Henry II led an army of 30,000 soldiers against the Welsh Princes, themselves led by Owain Gwynedd, to the Battle of Crogen.

The Welsh were fighting to preserve their country from English rule, and the dark, tangled forests of the Ceiriog Valley provided a fitting killing ground. Both armies sustained heavy losses, yet the Welsh prevailed and independence would subsequently survive for nearly 120 years. In spring, you can take a diversion from the trail for a quick yomp across the field and a welcome cuppa at Chirk Castle’s frou-frou teashop. But – armed with flask and sandwiches today – I head on, picking up the trail through Gwyningar Wood. The path opens up into farmland, skirting the castle on its westerly flank, before joining the Llangollen Canal towpath for the walk’s dramatic denouement and Wales’ most recent contribution to UNESCO’s elite fraternity.

Stream in the sky
The 18km/11-mile World Heritage Site runs from Chirk to the Horseshoe Falls at Llangollen, via the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The latter, completed in 1805, is one of the most spectacular engineering feats on the British canal system and, at 39m/128ft above the River Dee, it’s the highest navigable aqueduct ever built. For me, civil engineer Thomas Telford’s masterpiece gives the end of the trail a truly theatrical flourish. I stride across the high-wire path as the strengthening wind blows spectral ripples through the late-afternoon gloom. I’d stop and marvel longer at the sheer scale of the aqueduct, but by now I can almost taste the first life-affirming gulp of warm beer in a local hostelry. Once across the aqueduct, the Trevor Basin greets me with a flotilla of pastel-hued canal barges, each one seemingly named after a local beauty – even if, today, the raspberry-toned Emmas and Lincoln-green Patricias shiver in the ice-frozen waters. Nearby are sculptures and interpretation boards explaining how Telford’s legacy leaves walkers feeling as if we are floating on air. As one of the panels sums up sagely, it’s like ‘a stream in the sky’.

In June 2012, the 1,360km/850-mile Wales Coast Path will have its official inauguration and Offa’s Dyke Path will link up with the coastal path at Prestatyn to form a complete loop around the whole of Wales – the first continuous round-country footpath in the world. But for now I’m happy to saunter on along the canal towpath to the picture-postcard town of Llangollen, a popular place for walkers tackling the whole trail to take a rest day. It’s time for a well-earned pint and a chance to reflect on a walk that, while not particularly physically demanding, is rich in cultural heritage. As Ian Bapty, secretary of the Offa’s Dyke Association, explained: “The dyke combines a benign, pastoral landscape with a very sharp sense of history. It’s the one place in Europe where you can stand on a physical monument – it gives you a real sense of our British cultural identity.” Reason enough, surely, to award Offa’s Dyke UNESCO World Heritage status? It would be the perfect birthday present for its fabulous National Trail.

Photography: Steve Morgan

Newcastle/Gateshead

KNOWN FOR: Brown Ale, maniacal football fans, and hardy lasses short-skirted in all weathers.
HIDDEN CHARMS: Newcastle is a vibrant city, whose central Grainger Town area is lined with impressive, handsome buildings. And then, of course, there’s the iconic
Tyne Bridge. In complete contrast, just a short Metro journey from the centre is Jesmond. This leafy suburb is home to many peaceful attractions, including the Mansion House, the old cemetery and Jesmond Dene – a landscaped haven of exotic trees and shrubs.
BEST TRAFFIC-FREE SAUNTER: You have to dart across the odd road before you get to nose around the quayside that has been central to Newcastle’s modern-day regeneration. Head for Trinity House and Broad Chare to reach the river and cross the Gateshead Millennium Bridge (above) – the world’s first tilting bridge. The design incorporates two steel arches that resemble a winking eye when the bridge is tilted. Call in at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art (with great views along the Tyne) and then make for The Sage Gateshead international music venue and cross the Swing Bridge back to the centre. [5km/3 miles]
URBAN ATTRACTION: The 12th-century Castle Keep (www.castlekeep-newcastle.org.uk), on Castle Garth, stands on the site of the Norman ‘new’ castle that gave the
city its name.
FURTHER INFO: www.newcastlegateshead.com

City of London

KNOWN FOR: Old boys’ networks, a palpable air of wealth and superiority, and the odd May Day riot.
HIDDEN CHARMS: The Inns of Court, with their courtyards, churches and fountains, seem frozen at some point between the 12th and 17th centuries. On a working day, barristers bustle across the cobbles, but at the weekend the place is so quiet you can almost hear the ghosts of the medieval Knights Templar clanking around.
BEST TRAFFIC-FREE SAUNTER: From Temple station, make for Temple Lane and the small wooden opening. Explore Temple Church,
then nose around the Inner Temple and Middle Temple Hall (above), in Fountain Court, one of the finest examples of an Elizabethan hall in England. [3km/2 miles]
URBAN ATTRACTION: Fans of The Da Vinci Code will get twitchy at the prospect of Temple Church (www.templechurch.com), featured in both the book and film. Look for the gripping Purbeck marble tombs of the Knights Templar, the crusading monks who built the church.
FURTHER INFO: The Inns are private land – visitors are welcome but are requested to be respectful. Middle Temple Hall (www.middletemplehall.org.uk) is open 10am-11.30am and 3pm-4pm Monday to Friday but closed at weekends, in August and on Bank Holidays.

Edinburgh

KNOWN FOR: Its dramatic castle, sardine-packed summer arts festivals, and sneering opinion of Glasgow.
HIDDEN CHARMS: Edinburgh’s bustling streets are packed with impressive medieval and Georgian architecture, yet sunk below the city’s main street are the peaceful Princes Street Gardens. Once a foul-smelling, effluent-laden loch, today it makes for a serene place to dawdle that is strangely overlooked by many visitors.
BEST TRAFFIC-FREE SAUNTER: Arthur’s Seat (pictured in the background) is the destination, and boasts arguably the finest city vista in the UK. Ascend steeply from the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Holyrood Park, to follow a path directly below Salisbury Crags. Then climb to the ruins of St Anthony’s Chapel and upwards again to Arthur’s Seat (251m/402ft). The superb panoramic view stretches north to the Firth of Forth, south to the Pentland Hills, and east to the Isle of May and North Berwick Law. Return via Dunsapie Loch. [61⁄2km/4 miles] URBAN ATTRACTION: Gladstone’s Land (www.nts.org.uk/Property/25), on Lawnmarket – an arcaded six-storey, 17th-century townhouse, thoughtfully maintained with period furnishings.
FURTHER INFO: http://walking.visitscotland.com/perfect-walks

Bristol
KNOWN FOR: Strong cider, an even stronger West Country accent, and that glorious bridge.
HIDDEN CHARMS: Bristol actually has more listed Georgian buildings than Bath, its well-to-do neighbour down the M4, and frequently wins awards as one of Britain’s greenest cities. Cycling and walking are determinedly promoted, and several hills – such as Brandon Hill – bring lofty green spaces right into the heart of the city.
BEST TRAFFIC-FREE SAUNTER: From the top of Blackboy Hill, on Whiteladies Road (A4018), you can explore the Downs – a huge area of open parkland that sits above a limestone ridge. Follow the park’s circular road to the sheer limestone cliffs of Sea Walls, or strike out across the delightful tree-lined Beech Avenue. In spring, you’ll see peregrine falcons darting across the Avon Gorge. Finish along the shaded promenade to the Clifton Suspension Bridge (above). [6½km/4 miles]
URBAN ATTRACTION: The Georgian House (www.bristol.gov.uk, under ‘museums and galleries’), on Great George Street off Brandon Hill, is the former home of John Pinney, who earned his fortune from Caribbean sugar plantations on Nevis. A fascinating and honest insight into Bristol’s shameful role in the slave trade.
FURTHER INFO: www.visitbristol.co.uk

Cardiff
KNOWN FOR: The Millennium Stadium, rugby fans who constantly hark back to the grand old days of the Seventies, and the rebooted Doctor Who.
HIDDEN CHARMS: There’s a tangible historical character and flavour to Cardiff, which claims to have a greater area of parkland per head of population than any other in Britain, and a substantial clutch of fine Edwardian, neo-classical civic buildings. Bute Park is a green sanctuary – if busy by day – flanked by Cardiff Castle (pictured) and the River Taff. Cardiff Bay, with its iconic modern structures, stands witness to a latter-day regenerative shot in the arm.
BEST TRAFFIC-FREE SAUNTER: From the Cardiff Bay waterfront and the Techniquest science centre, make for Hamadryad Park, passing the mouth of the River Taff, and onwards to graceful Sophia Gardens. A little further on, before returning to the centre, follow the River Taff and drink in the avenues of lime and horse chestnut trees of Pontcanna Fields and Llandaff Fields beyond a sweep in the river. [6½km/4 miles]
URBAN ATTRACTION: Cardiff Castle (www.cardiffcastle.com) is a classic must-do tourist attraction, oozing history from every crevice, be it Roman, Norman, or some jarring Victorian embellishments.
FURTHER INFO: www.visitcardiff.com; www.tafftrail.org.uk

For more fantastic urban walks, pick up the Spring 2011 edition of walk.

Newcastle photo: The Gateshead Millennium bridge photographed by Adrian Myers. London Inns of Court photo: Marc Baronnet. Arthur’s Seat photo: Globaltraveller. Bristol photo: Philip Halling via geograph.org.uk. Cardiff Castle image by Million Moments.

Solid signs of autumn were all around as I struck out north from the village of Westgate. Weardale doesn’t have the mammoth flanks of dales further south along the Pennines, but its gently reclining slopes seemed to push the darkening clouds up and over the horizon, occasionally allowing the fells to drink in the low, late autumnal sun, turning the moorland heather russet. Around the edges of the fields, generally good for nothing but grazing sheep and cattle, withered berries clung to lonely rowans – historically popular trees in these parts for their supposed power to keep witches at bay.

Westgate is roughly a quarter of the way along the Weardale Way, which runs from just beyond the watershed of the River Wear in the North Pennines onwards to Durham and Sunderland. The stretch I had chosen deviates away from the river, following a loop up the fells to the isolated village of Rookhope before dropping down to Eastgate, a distance of 12km/7 miles. After a steep hike up the lane from Westgate, I eventually passed lonely Chester House. I pressed on, following the waymarked Weardale Way along the grassy banks of an old mineral train line. This once transported lead and limestone down to the valley floor; today it’s a delightful, restored branch train line that nudges visitors along the Wear valley. The views started to open up quickly: south across to Teesdale, punctuated by dramatic passes slicing between the fells; north towards the moorlands of Linztgarth and Redburn Commons and west towards the valley head, where Weardale finally yields ground to the Cumbrian mountains.

Enthralling countryside
Others may argue that neighbouring Teesdale, threaded at intervals by the Pennine Way, has more grandeur. But Weardale is more ephemeral and fractured, and walking the Weardale Way is at times like a combined outdoor geology and geography lesson. The North Pennines are rooted in ancient slates and volcanic rocks and underlain by Weardale granite. Over time, this granite has pushed the exposed landscape upwards, giving rise to eroded and distinctive terraced hillsides of limestone and sandstone.

It’s a landscape that enthralled WH Auden, who declared during World War II that his patriotic allegiance was to the North Pennine Moors rather than to England. In New Year Letter, composed in 1940, he wrote: “Always my boy of wish returns/to those peat-stained deserted burns/that feed the Wear and Tyne and Tees… the derelict lead-smelting mill/flued to its chimney up the hill/ that smokes no answer any more.”

Despite Auden’s eulogy, the Weardale Way is not always lovable. There are too many stiles, plenty in need of repair, and hard-to-open farm gates. Some walkers may also feel discouraged by the prolonged stretches of barbed wire and fencing that separate you from disused quarries. But for me, such impediments weren’t a problem: they seemed in keeping with a gritty, rugged walk through lumpy and wild countryside. This is a land where drystone walls don’t form neat and tidy frames for chocolate box covers; rather, they simply peter out, as if the men who built them were exhausted by their labours. The peaty folds also yield other enigmas: an 18th-century coffin containing a body and a bullet has been exhumed, as have the 4,000-year-old horns of aurochs, which sound like a race of aliens but are in fact an extinct species of wild cattle. The many indentations on the fells include round cairns, built to cover burials dating to 1500BC and earlier.

Even the animals have attitude: ewes and rams refused to make way for us, and I was bitten by a horse in search of more than just sugar lumps. And then there are the truly wild creatures, who must be hardy to survive these upland moorlands. As part of the North Pennines AONB, Weardale is home to merlin, black grouse, golden plover, curlew and ring ouzel. The latter looks a bit like a cross between a blackbird and a starling, with a ring of white feathers that resemble a vicar’s collar, and a male of the species hopped and scuttled ahead of me as I passed the limestone works at Heights Quarry. Far below, the Wear and its tributaries, winding through small villages, hamlets and farm clusters, remain internationally important for salmon and the native white-clawed crayfish. Along their banks you have a good chance of spotting kingfishers and dippers.

Rich geology and history
This region also has a place in the heart of access campaigners. More than 66,000 hectares of local land was opened up under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW), more than in any other protected landscape. Large swathes of the North Pennines were designated as access land, including areas to the north of the River Wear, such as Stanhope Common; to the west, around Burnhope reservoir; and to the south, on Bollihope Common and Hamsterley Common. The walk between Westgate and Eastgate pushes up against such land, in the shape of Northgate Fell, where the trail sweeps superbly around and over Crow’s Cleugh – a wild boulder-strewn burn.

“CRoW proved pretty uncontroversial here,” says Shane Harris, of the North Pennines AONB. “There was a concern that a dramatic increase in use by people unfamiliar with remote moorland could have a detrimental effect, but by and large that hasn’t come to pass. The kind of walker who wants to walk these untracked moors is self-selecting.” This view was confirmed by Justin Cooke, the Ramblers’ senior campaigns officer, who says he is largely unconcerned by DEFRA’s decision – for budget reasons – to defer the mapping review of CRoW, which was due to start this year. “The decision to announce a delay of two years makes sense. It at least gives farmers, walkers and everyone else certainty that the maps will stay the same for that length of time,” he says. When the review does take place in the North Pennines, little is likely to change. As Justin points out: “the area is predominantly mountain and moorland, and they tend not to move much.”

From Rookhope, the Weardale Way swings south, following the lane downhill for a mile or so before skipping over a stile and crossing Rookhope Burn by a slippery footbridge. Like the wizened trees that overhang it, the bridge was mantled with lichens. A dipper flitted beneath the wooden slats and buzzards glided effortlessly above, biding their time as they surveyed the abundant rabbits that scattered in front of us.

Walking down the burn, it was clear how the Ice Age had scoured and smoothed the dales, leaving behind boulders and other debris. Further east, in the graveyard of St Thomas’s church at Stanhope, you’ll find a fossilised cast of a large tree trunk that died millions of years ago. More recently, the valley was also the medieval forest hunting ground of the all-powerful Prince Bishops of Durham, and, again, this legacy is evident in the exposed hill flanks and valleys, that are occasionally coloured green by small woodlands.

UK’s first Geopark
All these riches led to the North Pennines being designated as the UK’s first Geopark in 2003, a designation overseen by UNESCO, the cultural arm of the United Nations. This status reflects the global importance of the area’s geological heritage and provides not only funds but also an obligation to encourage conservation, interpretation trails and nature tourism. To learn more about the geology and the history of Weardale, I visited Killhope lead mine (pronounced ‘Killop’), the western starting point of the Weardale Way. A guided tour around the site takes you underground, wading through running water and bending double under dripping ceilings. The engineering feats are remarkable: a giant open-air 10m/34ft water wheel groans mournfully, while deep in the underground labyrinth we came across another, smaller water wheel that had been carried in, part by part, and then reassembled. I began to get a real sense of the toil and gritty lives of workers and their families during the late 19th-century mining heyday. A living wage could not be secured from either mining or farming, meaning most men did both. And lead-mining communities were usually Methodists, so you’ll see plenty of Wesleyan chapels throughout the valley.

The Weardale Way is something of an everyman’s walk. Here, in the upper parts of the dale, I found the fell walking as glorious as anything in the length and breadth of the Pennines. But keep going east and you’ll pass dizzying viaducts, Auckland Castle, one of England’s finest Saxon churches at Escomb, the graceful bends of the Wear around Durham, St Peter’s Church (home to the Venerable Bede) and finally Bede’s cross, looking out over the North Sea at Sunderland.

At the end of our walk at Eastgate, in the shadow of a humdrum bus shelter, I found a third-century altar (it’s a replica: the valuable original is on display at the Great North Museum in Newcastle) dedicated to Silvanus, god of the woods and wild places. The Romans may not have been too picky about access land – they had a habit of simply grabbing whatever they wanted – but they certainly took time to appreciate the grandeur of this outpost of their empire.

Photography: Steve Morgan

Pack Horse Inn
WHERE: Widdop, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire (SE952316)
PUB TRIVIA: Fascinating plans and photos of the local reservoirs and railways being built line the walls in this low-slung, centuries-old, stone-built former drovers’ pub way up on the moors between Hebden Bridge and Colne. Open fires dent the winter chill and huge meals sate the appetite sharpened by walking the nearby Pennine Way or the wooded chasm of Hebden Dale. A cobbled beer garden overlooks the reedy moors.
BEST ROUND: Head off along the rim of Graining Water’s sheer-cut clough before entering the NT estate at stunning Black Dean, walking the gorge and wooded trails up to Hardcastle Crags. Cutting back to remote Walshaw hamlet, a shooters’ track traverses Wadsworth Moor to the lonely reservoirs in Walshaw Dean and a two-mile stroll back to the Pack Horse. [c.11km/7 miles]
TOP TIPPLE: Well over 100 Scottish and Irish malt whiskies are on offer, or sink an ever-reliable Copper Dragon Best Bitter.
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01422 842803, www.thepackhorse.org

The Torridon Inn

WHERE: Torridon, Wester Ross (NG889542)
PUB TRIVIA: A spectacular sea loch forces a way into the heart of Scotland’s most striking mountains: shapely Torridonian sandstone edifices formed over the past half a billion years. Luxuriating in its site at the head of Upper Loch Torridon is The Torridon Inn, created from the stables of a spectacular Highland mansion – a noble setting for superb locally sourced fodder, great beers and estate whisky.
BEST ROUND: Short, easy walks visit tranquil bays on the loch’s southern shore – look out for otters. But the real challenge is inland from the north shore along Glen Torridon, climbing past foaming falls into the inspirational wilderness of Ichnadamph Forest to visit the spectacular corries below Beinn Eighe and Liathach – surely some of the remotest walking in Britain. Coire Mhic na Fhearchair, tucked beneath Sàil Mhòr, is an awesome natural amphitheatre. [c.5-16km/3-10 miles]
TOP TIPPLE: Lots of good locally microbrewed beers, including Torridon Ale from Isle of Skye Brewing Company.
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01445 791242 www.thetorridon.com

The Shore House Inn

LOCATION: Lochgoilhead, Argyll (NN198013)
PUB TRIVIA: In an awesome setting at the heart of the Argyll Forest Park, with winter sunsets to die for that illuminate Loch Goil. Uninterrupted views of countless peaks demand that you locate yourself on the terrace, drinking in the extraordinary vista along these secluded peninsulas in the Cairngorms National Park.
BEST ROUND: Challenging terrain and thin paths make a walk to the summits of Beinn Tharsuinn and Beinn Lochain a demanding day out. Above the forestry plantation to the west of the loch’s head, the undulating way morphs into steep walking to gain the craggy ridge, with a breathtaking view of the Cowal Peninsula and the Arrochar Alps. Watch for red deer, black grouse or evena golden eagle. The Curra Lochain and waterfalls on Lettermay Burn accompany the homeward leg. [c.11km/7 miles]
TOP TIPPLE: The local Fyne Ales microbrewery makes an excellent drop – try an Avalanche.
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01301 703340 www.theshorehouse.net

George III Hotel

WHERE: Penmaenpool, Gwynedd (SH694185)
PUB TRIVIA: Magnificently situated beside the old toll bridge across the Mawddach, the inn incorporates the former station on the old line to Ruabon – now converted into a trail for ramblers and riders. Sit out, sup and gaze across to the Rhinogs.
BEST ROUND: A steep path rises through woods behind the inn before joining a narrow access road, climbing gently to a long-hanging valley strung along the foot of Cader Idris. The volcanic wall of Tyrau Mawr towers over stone circles and standing stones. Passing the Cregennan Lakes, a switchback lane drops to Arthog, from where the Mawddach Trail skims the estuary back to the inn. [c.18km/11 miles]
TOP TIPPLE: Glaslyn Ale from the Purple Moose brewery in Porthmadog.
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01341 422525, www.georgethethird.co.uk

Hiker’s Bar, The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel

WHERE: Langdale Valley, Ambleside, Cumbria (NY286061)
PUB TRIVIA: Decades of dedicated service to generations of grateful ramblers sets this Lakeland watering hole apart. Inside is a warming cast-iron range, settles, simple plank and bench seats and converted milking stalls; outside is stapled to the precipitous cliffs of the jackdaw-haunted Langdale Pikes. What a view from the terrace! Great food and fabulous beers are the icing on the cake.
BEST ROUND: Lanes and paths creep up to Blea Tarn, between Pike o’ Blisco and shapely Lingmoor, before falling into Little Langdale Valley and its web of miners’ tracks. Crossing the Slater Bridge, tracks undulate back into Great Langdale before the Cumbria Way escorts you through the jaws of Langdale to awesome views of the Pikes, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags. [c.14km/8½ miles]
TOP TIPPLE: Yates Bitter, created by alchemy from Lakeland water.
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 015394 37272 www.odg.co.uk

Square & Compass

WHERE: Worth Matravers, Purbeck, Dorset (SY975775)
PUB TRIVIA: As old as the hills, some say – and parts of the hills are inside this timeless little pub. Locally collected
fossils are strewn in the museum room; one of a clutch of flag-floored, lived-in, pocket-sized snugs fanning from the corridor servery. Gravity beers straight from the barrel are best sampled at one of the outdoor tables, gathering the stupendous views to the English Channel while you chomp on a home-made pasty or pie.
BEST ROUND: Paths meander from the village down pretty Winspit Bottom to gain the west-bound coastal footpath to lofty St Alban’s (or Aldhelm’s) Head and its fascinating, tiny Norman chapel. This fabulous Jurassic Coast World Heritage landscape detains you until a path cuts inland well before you reach the commanding Swyre Head, drifting along the ridge above secluded Encombe to Kingston, then looping back to Worth Matravers via more dry-valley bottoms and combes. [c.13km/8 miles]
TOP TIPPLE: Landlord Charlie Newman’s memorable cider, made on the premises.
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01929 439229 www.squareandcompasspub.co.uk

The Red Lion

WHERE: Litton, Tideswell, Derbyshire (SK165752)
PUB TRIVIA: This pub, with hobbit-sized rooms and Gandalf-sized meals, slumbers in a terrace of cottages beside a village green complete with stocks, at the heart of the White Peak. Tracks and lanes radiate to precipitous limestone dales, threading through a quilted landscape of stone-walled pastures.
BEST ROUND: A lane strings eastwards from the green to a stile, giving access to the NNR of Cressbrook Dale. Paths slink down into this phenomenal dry valley in the plateau, with countless wildflowers, moss-thatched walls and memorable ash woods. At Cressbrook you meet the River Wye, alongside which the path creeps up Water-cum-Jolly Dale to Litton Mill in Miller’s Dale – before climbing onto the plateau for an easy stroll back to the watering hole. [c.10km/6 miles]
TOP TIPPLE: Bakewell-brewed Thornbridge beers are wonderful – Jaipur has quite a kick!
FURTHER INFO: ✆ 01298 871458 www.theredlionlitton.co.uk

For more great pub walks, pick up the Winter issue of walk or check out suggestions from fellow Ramblers and other experts on the walk Facebook group.