Long Distance Walks

September 2019.
Surprise, surprise - we were planning to complete the Icknield Way this year, but finding suitable accommodation proved impossible.
Having enjoyed our previous foray into the Peak District, we returned to walk the little-known, but fantastic White Peak Way.
95 miles in seven days meant we could take our time and enjoy the amazing variety of landscapes throughout this circular route.
In the running for our best long distance walk yet !!

September 2018.
A long time in the waiting, we had planned to walk the Icknield Way back in 2011, but had to cancel at short notice. Due to time constraints we were limited to six days only, so we will need to come back next year to complete this one - probably in tandem with the Peddars Way ... Some lovely mixed walking, often with open views in very pleasant countryside, but combined with a very ubanised day 2. That said, we stayed in some nice B&Bs and had some really fantastic food along the way.

May 2017.
Completing the Viking Way - this time starting at the Humber Bridge and walking down through the Lincolnshire Wolds to finish in Lincoln.
In stark contrast to last year we were 'blessed' with sweltering heat for the whole 6 days. The heat, combined with a significant proportion of road walking meant sore feet for several days. Also, the terrain was not as varied as last year - good walking, but a bit monotonous at times.
We were joined on the first day by my brother Marc and his wife Nic - a pleasant change for us to have company.

June 2016.
This year we decided to look closer to home for our long distance walk and finally settled on The Viking Way.
We did not have sufficient free time to walk the whole 147 miles from the Humber Bridge, but decided that approximately half-distance from Lincoln to Oakham was about right. Very pleaseant walking - generally along clear and well-marked paths, lanes and quiet country roads - and some lovely little villages along the route. Unfortunately we chose a very wet week, but some great B&Bs and evening meals meant our spirits were never dampened.

September 2015.
Feeling in need of a bit of a break, we headed off to Norfolk (yet again) and the Nar Valley Way.
Just two days walking, covering 40 miles or so in total.
The first day starting in King's Lynn and following the River Nar to Castle Acre. The second day more varied, following the valley through farmland and pleasant wooded lanes to the official end point at Gressenhall Farm and Worhouse Museum. After a cuppa and slice of cake at the Museum, a quick couple of miles into Dereham to catch the bus back to Peterborough.

June 2015.
Having enjoyed the Inn Way to the Peak District so much last time out, we thought we would try another of Mark Reid's walks.
Officially 94 miles long, we started, and ended, this circuit at Alnmouth on the main east coat line - very handy for us.
The walking was varied, some days more than others, but many of the paths were indistinct - mostly due to lack of use, but occasionally due to less-than-considerate farming techniques ! Weather was fair-to-middling for most of the walk - always windy (sometimes VERY windy !) and usually dull and overcast - but we only had light rain on one day.

June 2013.
A magnificent circuit through the Peak District.
The 'official' path is 84 miles long and is split into six stages. As usual we used the train from Peterborough, so we started at New Mills thus adding an additional 6 miles and an extra day.

June 2010.
93 miles of stunning Yorkshire Dales scenery in 7 days.
Starting in Saltaire and ending in Appleby. Varied walking each day combined with some excellent B&Bs made this our favourite long distance walk to date - despite the less-than-favourable weather.
Highly recommended.

June 2009.
We included the link route from Leeds before completing the official Dales Way walk from Ilkley to Bowness in the Lake District - a total length of just over one hundred miles covered in seven days.
For the most part fairly easy walking along river valleys but blisteringly hot for the first four days, then gradually cooling down for the ascent to cross the Pennine Way. Rain on the final leg didn't detract from a lovely walk.

Easter 2009.
A 34 mile, 2 day walk through Cheshire, starting at Frodsham and ending in Whitchurch.
The whole trail was completedl in glorious sunshine, and we were joined by sister-in-law Julie for part of the first day.

May 2008.
187 miles of sublime walking in two weeks.
Starting in St Bees on the Cumbrian coast, crossing the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Pennines and North Yorkshire Moors to end at Robin Hood's Bay on the Yorkshire coast.
Joined again by Harry and Teresa, we took fifteen days (including a rest day in Richmond), and ended the trip with a special treat - a couple of days of pampered luxury in Whitby.

2008 and 2009
110 miles from Oakham in Rutland to Harling Road Station in Norfolk.
We used this path as training for the Coast to Coast walk in 2008 and for the Dales Way in 2009, completing it as several isolated stages rather than walking the whole thing in one go. Each stage was between 15 and 20 miles long and started and ended at a railway station on the main East-West line making the logistics a piece of cake.

May 2007.
The Ridgeway National Trail is 85 miles long, starting at Overton Hill near Avebury and ending at Ivinghoe Beacon. However, we started from Pewsey,the closest railway station, added extra miles in order to reach B&B accommodation each night, and ended up walking almost 110 miles in total.
This walk was an introduction to long-distance walks for Harry and Teresa who we met in Peru on the Huayhuash trip last year.
We spead the walk over seven days - mainly because of problems in finding vacant B&B accommodation along the way.

June 2005.
The Angles Way is 78 miles long, starting at Great Yarmouth and ending at Knettishall Heath Country Park.
As there are no local transport links from Knettishall Heath, we continued along the Iceni Way/Icknield Way to finish in Thetford - adding an extra 16 miles.
For the most part, the Angles Way follows the valley of the River Waveney.
It took us five days to complete.

June 2004.
The Iceni Way Path is 83 miles long, starting at Knettishall Heath Country Park near Thetford and ending at Hunstanton on the North Norfolk Coast.
As there are no local transport links from Knettishall Heath, we got a taxi to the start from Thetford.
For the most part, the Angles Way path is along river banks - west along the River Little Ouse, then north along the Great Ouse, then heads inland to the Sandringham Estate before emerging at the coast.
It took us six days to complete.

July 2003.
The Weavers Way Path is 57 mile long, starting in Cromer and ending in Great Yarmouth
We were originally intending to walk The Dales Way this year, but couldn't book acommodation along the whole route. As in the previous year, Norfolk came to our rescue ...

June 2001
Hunstanton to Cromer - 54 miles.
We had almost given up hope of doing a long distance path this year. Initially we had hoped to do the Dales Way but, as we started making plans, those particular parts of Yorkshire and Cumbria seemed to be rapidly turning into the epicentre of the continuing Foot & Mouth outbreak.
We decided that the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path was a good bet, as there had been no new outbreaks in this part of the country.
Unfortunately parts of Thetford Forest remained closed, so the Peddars Way was out of the question. Thus we had to settle for the coastal section only - the Norfolk Coast Path
The walk was 54 miles long, mainly along flood defence banks, and took us five days to complete.

September 2000
A nine-day hike around the boundary of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, starting in Helmsley and ending in Filey.
109 miles, National Trail.