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Kidsty Pike
This photo was taken at the highest point on the Coast to Coast Path in northern England. It was my second walk on this path, in 2002, with my daughter Ruth. |
I've been enjoying long-distance walking in Europe since the mid-1990s. Most of my trips have been in Britain – England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. I've also walked long-distance paths in Italy, France, Switzerland, and in the United States.
At left, you'll find links to accounts and photographs detailing four of the paths that I've walked in Britain. Perhaps someday I'll get around to putting up accounts of some others.
If you enjoy hiking, there's no better way to see a foreign country than to walk through it. These step-by-step encounters with the land and people provide a perspective that's missing from riding in high-speed trains or touring by automobile.
Britain is particularly blessed with hundreds of walking paths, some of them designated as National Trails. These allow walkers rights-of-way across private land, many of which date back centuries to a time when drovers had to have access to bring animals to market. These paths climb to the high places and follow river valleys from town to town. Accommodation is easily found, and there's a warm pub waiting at the end of the day.
Lake District
A sheep grazes near Honister Pass, with Buttermere Lake in the background. |
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