A new multi-day walking trail which explores the North Pennines National Landscape, and UNESCO Global Geopark, has been officially launched.

Called the Roof of England Walk, the trail is described as ‘a journey around the North Pennines’ where ‘people will feel that they are literally on the Roof of England, walking some of the country’s highest footpaths and enjoying views of open moorlands, big skies, and enticing horizons’.

Conceived as a circular route, and covering 188 miles, the Roof of England Walk takes in swathes of countryside across Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland. With some challenging stretches, its terrain includes high moorland paths, riverside trails, meadows, bogs and ancient woodland.

Among the highlights of the route are several impressive waterfalls in County Durham; the dramatic river gorge at Allen Banks in Northumberland; and the stunning u-shaped glacial valleys of High Cup Nick and High Cup Gill in Cumbria.

The entire route has been designed to be tackled in 14 days, or undertaken through a series of shorter stages taking a few days each.

Despite the official start being in Appleby-in-Westmorland, the circular nature of the route means it can be accessed from a host of convenient starting points, including Haltwhistle, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Wolsingham, Stanhope, Alston, Allendale and Kirkby Stephen. Like the GM Ringway, all of start and finish points are designed to be accessible by public transport.

Chris Woodley-Stewart, Director of the North Pennines National Landscape, said: “Since the very first Roof of England walking festivals in the 1990s, we have encouraged walkers to explore the high uplands of the North Pennines. The name captures the sense of elevation and space offered by a walk through this very special landscape.”

You can find out more about the Roof of England Walk, including detailed trail information for each leg, advice on planning your trip, and information on what you can see along the route, on its official website: www.RoofofEnglandWalk.org.uk