The Pennine Way

Often described as the ‘backbone of England’, the Pennine Hills stretch from the Peak District right up to the Scottish border. If you’d like to take on a challenge and hike through some of the most breathtaking scenery our country has to offer, you can follow the Pennines from start to finish on the Pennine Way. The walk is 268 miles long and takes around 16-19 days to complete, but is broken into smaller sections that can be walked individually if you’re pushed for time. The route’s ‘official’ start is the car park at the Old Nag’s Head, a pub in the village of Edale, which sits in the Peak District’s Hope Valley – an area known for its Blue John caverns and the otherworldly landscape found atop Kinder Scout. The walk then travels north up the country, through the Yorkshire Dales and Swaledale Valley, passing over Hadrian’s Wall and into the Cheviots before ending in the idyllic Scottish village of Kirk Yetholm.

Brontë Waterfalls Circular

A must for serious Brontë fans, this six mile circular walk takes you through the picturesque countryside that surrounds Haworth, the West Yorkshire village where the famous sisters grew up. The route starts on Cemetery Road, where you’ll find free parking. It then follows a well-marked path which skirts along the hilltops, passing over heathered moorland before reaching the Brontë Bridge and Waterfall – a peaceful beauty spot and a great place to enjoy a picnic. Much of the landscape encountered on this walk is thought to have inspired the Brontës’ novels, like Top Withens. Now in ruins, this deserted farmhouse may have provided the setting for Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and is particularly atmospheric when caught at sunrise.

The Wainstones Walk

One of the North York Moors’ most magnificent natural landmarks, the Wainstones are a series of sandstone crags that jut out from the hillside of Cringle Moor on the northwestern edge of the Cleveland Hills. If you’d like to make a day of your visit to the Wainstones, you can follow the Wainstones Walk – a circular trail that is eight miles long and takes around five and a half hours to complete. This scenic walk starts at the village hall in Chop Gate and travels north over Cold Moor and up Hasty Bank, which offers a stunning view over the surrounding hills and moorland.

Leeds Country Way

The Leeds Country Way draws a ring around Leeds, taking walkers through the villages, suburbs and green spaces that surround the city. This 62 mile footpath begins and ends in Golden Acre Park, which has an arboretum and a wildflower meadow to explore. The path then passes the Adel Dam Nature Reserve before meandering through the parks and farmland of the Harewood estate and following the now disused Garforth-Kippax railway line by the River Aire. The route offers hikers a chance to learn more about Leeds’ history and discover some of its more verdant outskirts, such as Birkby Brow Wood or the Horsforth Hall Park. The walk is split into four major stages spanning 15 miles each. These can then be broken down further into five mile stretches that are easy to complete in one morning or afternoon.

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

One of the Yorkshire Dales’ most dramatic natural sights, Thornton Force can be found just outside the village of Ingleton, where the River Twiss drops 46ft over a limestone cliff into the rocky pool below. In order to reach this majestic waterfall, you can follow the Ingleton Waterfalls trail, which takes less than four hours to complete. This 4.3 mile route is short yet strenuous with lots of steps to climb along the way. The walk starts at the ticket office in the Broadwood car park and travels along the river, following it through Swilla Glen – a rocky gorge, shaded by trees, that leads up to Pecca Falls, Hollybush spout and Thornton Force itself. The latter part of the walk tracks the banks of the River Doe, revealing even more of the area’s spectacular landscape in the form of Snow Falls and the Baxenghyll Gorge.

Holme Valley Circular

If you’d like to head to the heights to capture a bird’s eye view of the world below, Holme Valley is one location you should visit. This expansive valley is home to a 24 mile walking route that takes you over the hills and moorland, passing the villages of Honley, Hepworth, Netherthong, Thurstonland and Farnley Tyas. The route is quite challenging, with some steep ascents, but it can be broken down into 13 shorter stages and you’ll be rewarded with plenty of impressive scenery to enjoy along the way. The walk starts and finishes at Berry Brow and travels through woodland and past reservoirs, offering views over the edge of the Peak District.

Ogden Water

Situated just outside of Halifax, Ogden Water offers unbeatable natural scenery on a circular walking route that is wide, well-surfaced and relatively flat, making it suitable for pushchairs and wheelchair users. This easy route takes around an hour to walk and skirts around the reservoir, passing the bubbling brook that flows through Ogden Clough ravine – a sight that is particularly magical in the snow. Those who would like a longer walk here can extend the original circuit with a four mile detour that travels up to the wind farm on Knoll Hill, going through the Ogden plantation and across the beautiful wilds of Ovenden Moor.

Photos: Leeds Country Way @leedscountryway, Ogden Reservoir @mancs_photography, Wainstones Way @paulkentphotography1000