Britain boasts more than 500 separate walking trails of 20 miles or more, so if you don't have the time or the legs for the Pennine Way why not try something a little more manageable instead? There are plenty of short, scenic routes that make ideal weekend breaks for all ages and abilities, and since most are quite easy and straightforward you won't need huge backpacks or mountain skills.
Plus they're full of interest, often reflecting local historical and cultural themes: you can step out with William the Conqueror as he lands on English soil for the first time; or retrace the journey of protesting villagers rallying to the Monmouth Rebellion in the West Country. The Cistercian Way links a number of religious sites in south Cumbria, while the Lead Mining Trail follows packhorse routes across the moors of Upper Weardale in search of a bygone industry.
The trails are each about 25-30 miles long, and ideal for a weekend or leisurely three-day break. They are all described by a book or leaflet guide, and in some cases their precise routes are even shown on the Ordnance Survey's new Explorer maps. Local tourist information centres can offer accommodation advice - even book a bed for you in advance. It's the perfect introduction to trail-walking in Britain - and before you know it you'll get the bug and be eager to discover the likes of the Witches Way (Lancashire), Landsker Borderland Trail (Pembrokeshire), Bonnie Prince Charlie Walk (Derbyshire), Forest Way (Essex), and Abbeys Way (Lothian). Time to get those boots polished!
1066 country walk, East Sussex
Start: Pevensey, East Sussex
Finish: Rye, East Sussex
Distance: 31 miles
Route guide/accom: Free leaflet from Tourist Information Centre, 88 High Street, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0AQ, tel 01424 773721, e-mail battletic@rother.gov.uk.
Maps: OS Explorer 124: Hastings & Bexhill (route shown)
This straightforward lowland route loosely follows in the footsteps of William, Duke of Normandy, after his landing at Pevensey Bay in 1066. Along the way are the castles of Pevensey and the moated Herstmonceux, with a mid-point stop at the town of Battle, site of Harold's famous defeat. Visit the abbey and battlefield exhibition, then continue eastwards via vineyards and quiet farmland to the historic Cinque ports of Winchelsea and Rye. Both Pevensey and Rye have railway stations, and apart from being shown on the Explorer map, the route is also indicated on the ground by special waymarks with directional arrows.
Ouse Valley way, Cambridgeshire
Start: Eaton Socon (near St Neots), Cambs
Finish: Earith (near St Ives), Cambs
Distance: 26 miles
Route guide/accom: Leaflet pack (50p incl postage) from Tourist Information Centre, Princes Street, Huntingdon, Cambs PE18 6PH, tel 01480 388588, e-mail Hunts.TIC@huntsdc.gov.uk.
Maps: OS Explorer 208: Bedford & St Neots, and 225: Huntingdon & St Ives (route shown)
An easy, flat path alongside the River Great Ouse in the district of Huntingdonshire. Shown on the ground by a waymark depicting a pair of swans, the route passes through traditional arable and meadowland into the landscape of the fens - but beware flooding in the winter and spring. Submerged gravel pits provide home to a range of wildfowl, and there's also much of interest in the old towns of St Neots, Godmanchester and St Ives visited along the way (nature trail and town trail leaflets are also available).
Liberty Trail, Somerset/Dorset
Start: Ham Hill, South Somerset
Finish: Lyme Regis, Dorset
Distance: 28 miles
Route guide/accom: Booklet pack (£4.25 plus 60p p&p) from South Somerset Tourist Information Centre, Petter's House, Petter's Way, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 1SH, tel 01935 471279, e-mail yeoviltic@southsomerset.gov.uk.
Maps: OS Explorer 116: Lyme Regis & Bridport, and 129: Yeovil & Sherborne (route shown)
The Liberty Trail follows the route taken by villagers from Somerset and Dorset who in 1685 flocked to the coast to greet the Duke of Monmouth, Charles II's illegitimate son and beacon of Protestant protest. The short-lived Monmouth Rebellion ended bloodily at Sedgemoor, and the guide looks at the stories of some of the ordinary people who took part. Today's route via Crewkerne and Forde Abbey also visits several Iron Age hillforts on its way to the sea. It's mostly low and undulating farmland, which may become muddy after wet weather, and is waymarked by distinctive yellow discs.
Saints way, Cornwall
Start: Padstow, Cornwall
Finish: Fowey, Cornwall
Distance: 26 miles
Route guide/accom: Booklet (£3.99 plus 75p p&p) from Tourist Information Centre, 4 Custom House Hill, Fowey, Cornwall PL23 1AB, tel 01726 833616, e-mail foweytic@visit.co.uk
Maps: OS Explorer 106: Newquay & Padstow and 107: St Austell & Liskeard (route shown)
The Saints Way or 'Forth an Syns' is Cornwall's coast-to-coast route, a cross-country wander linking the estuaries of the Camel and the Fowey and mirroring the journey made by the early saints, holy men and traders from Cornwall and Wales. The route follows paths and quiet country lanes via St Breock Downs and Helman Tor, and is waymarked on the ground by the distinctive Celtic cross. It links a number of religious sites, including chapels, holy wells and standing stones.
Three Castles walk, Monmouthshire
Start and finish: Skenfrith, near Monmouth
Distance: 19 miles
Guide/accom: Guidebook (£3.95 plus 50p p&p) from Tourist Information Centre, Shire Hall, Agincourt Square, Monmouth NP25 3DY, tel 01600 713899, e-mail Monmouth.tic@tsww.com.
Maps: OS Outdoor Leisure 13: Brecon Beacons Eastern area, and 14: Wye Valley & Forest of Dean
This short circular route close to the Monmouthshire/Herefordshire border links the so-called 'Trilateral' castles. Skenfrith, Grosmont and White Castle were built by the Normans to form a line of defence along the Welsh Marches, and also proved handy for Edward I in his attempts to counter the threat from Llewellyn the Last. The waymarked route winds its way through valleys and wooded hillsides.
Rhymney Valley Ridgeway walk, Mid Glamorgan
Start and finish: Caerphilly Common
Distance: 29 miles
Guide: Contact Caerphilly Mountain Countryside Service, Taff Gorge Countryside Centre, Heol-y-Fforest, Tongwynlais, Cardiff CF15 7JR, tel 029 2081 3356; accom details from Tourist Information Centre, Twyn Square, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan CF8 1XX tel 029 2088 0011, e-mail tic@caerphilly.gov.uk.
Maps: OS Explorer 151: Cardiff & Bridgend, 152: Newport & Pontypool, 166: Rhondda & Merthyr Tydfil (route shown)
A circular route around Caerphilly, mostly high above the spectacular Rhymney Valley, and combining steep beech woodland, hedged lanes and open hillsides. The high-point is Mynydd Machen at 1,197 ft. Waymarked on the ground, the Ridgeway Walk or 'Fford-y-Bryniau' links with the equally attractive Taff-Ely Ridgeway Walk (Caerphilly-Bridgend, 21 miles), and is partly coincident with the Sirhowy Valley Walk (Newport-Tredegar, 26 miles).
Sandstone trail, Cheshire
Start: Beacon Hill, Frodsham, Cheshire
Finish: Grindley Brook (near Whitchurch), Shropshire
Distance: 32 miles
Guide: Details from Countryside Management Service, Cheshire County Council, Station House, Hadlow Road, Willaston, Neston, Cheshire CH64 2UQ, tel 0151 327 2084, e-mail countryside@cheshire.gov.uk, accom details from Tourist Information Centre at Whitchurch, 01948 664577
Maps: OS Explorer 257: Crewe & Nantwich, and 267: Northwich & Delamere Forest (route shown)
The 300-million-year-old central Cheshire sandstone ridge runs north-south through the county, and apart from offering great views of the Welsh hills and across the plain it's studded with fascinating historical remains: from Iron Age hillforts to the fourteenth century Beeston Castle perched spectacularly on a high crag.
Natural attractions include vivid red sandstone outcrops and mysterious caves, plus the little-known Delamere Forest and Peckforton Hills.
A revised leaflet guide is expected shortly, detailing new extensions into Frodsham and Whitchurch town centres.
However, the main route is also shown on the latest Explorer maps, and waymarked with yellow and black footprint signs.
Cistercian way, Cumbria
Start: Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Finish: Roa Island, Cumbria
Distance: 33 miles/53km
Guide/accom: Free leaflet from Tourist Information Centre, Victoria Hall, Main Street, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria LA11 6DP, tel 015395 34026
Maps: OS Landranger 96: Barrow in Furness & South Lakeland (route shown)
The leaflet guide provides an overview to a trail that is waymarked on the ground by a logo featuring a walking monk with a staff. Befittingly it's a wandering and unhurried route through the quiet limestone hills of south Cumbria overlooking Morecambe Bay, linking together a number of religious sites.
The highlights are the red sandstone ruins of Furness Abbey, founded by Cistercian monks in the twelfth century; and Cartmel Priory, with its unusual tower and impressive stained-glass window, and which was home to an Augustinian order.
The way ends as it begins on the shores of the bay, opposite Piel Island where the monks of Furness built a refuge from Scottish raids.
Lead mining trail, County Durham
Start: Cowshill (near Stanhope), Co Durham
Finish: Edmundbyers (near Stanhope), Co Durham
Distance: 24 miles/38 km
Guide: Leaflet pack (£2.25 plus 50p p&p) from Killhope Lead Mining Museum, Cowshill, Upper Weardale, Co Durham DL13 1AR, tel 01388 537505, e-mail killhope@durham.gov.uk, accom details from Tourist Information Centre at Stanhope, tel 01388 527650
Map: OS Landranger 87: Hexham & Haltwhistle
The trail consists of three short walks in Upper Weardale, an area that during much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was the most important centre for lead mining in the country. By the mid- nineteenth century there were 6,000 miners and their families living high in the dales who were dependent on the lead industry.
Today's signposted route follows former packhorse trails across the moors that the miners used to transport the lead ore from the mines to the smelting mills, and then on to market. A few relics of the industry remain, and a visit to the nearby mining museum at Killhope will also help you visualise the struggle to extract the galena ore from underground.
Fife coastal path
Start: North Queensferry, Fife
Finish: Leven, Fife
Distance: 27 miles/43 km
Guide/accom: Six leaflets (20p each, plus 20p p&p) from Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board, Haig House, Haig Business Park, Balgonie Road, Markinch KY7 6AQ, tel 01592 750066
Maps: OS Landrangers 59: St Andrews, Kirkcaldy & Glenrothes, 65: Falkirk & Linlithgow, 66: Edinburgh & Penicuik
The long-term plan is for the Fife Coastal Path to stretch all the way around the peninsula to Dundee, so linking the famous Forth and Tay bridges. The European Regional Development Fund is giving some financial backing. A lot of it is already walkable, including some of the shoreline between St Andrews and Crail; but for the moment only this first section from the Forth Bridge at North Queensferry is officially open, plus another attractive stretch between Elie and Crail. With ample accommodation and handy public transport connections you can relax and enjoy the succession of historic towns and castles, plus a wealth of birdlife and some fascinating coastal geology.
