List of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom
There are hundreds of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom designated in publications from public authorities, guidebooks and OS maps. They are mainly used for hiking and walking, but some may also be used, in whole or in part, for mountain biking and horse riding. Most are in rural landscapes, in varying terrain, some passing through National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There is no formal definition of a long-distance path, though the British Long Distance Walkers Association defines one as a route "20 miles or more in length and mainly off-road." They usually follow existing rights of way, often over private land, joined together and sometimes waymarked to make a named route. Generally, the surface is not specially prepared, with rough ground, uneven surfaces and stiles, which can cause accessibility issues for people with disabilities. Exceptions to this can be converted railways, canal towpaths and some popular fell walking routes where stone-pitching and slabs have been laid to prevent erosion. Many long-distance footpaths are arranged around a particular theme such as one specific range of hills or a historical or geographical connection.
are a network of long-distance paths in England and Wales funded by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales and maintained by local authorities under a Trail Partnership., there are over of trails on sixteen routes. The newest trail, the England Coast Path, is not complete though more sections are planned to open over the coming months, with a planned completion date of 2020. There are 83 million visits to the National Trails each year and over 80,000 people complete a trail. †
are long-distance "people-powered" trails in Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage maintains the official list of Scotland’s Great Trails and is the custodian of the brand, but responsibility for creating and maintaining each route lies with each local authority through which a route passes, although Scottish Natural Heritage provides some of the finance and publicity. There are 29 routes, offering of trails in total. Each of the routes is clearly waymarked with a dedicated symbol, and run largely off-road. They range in length from, and are intended to be tackled over several days, either as a combination of day trips or as an end-to-end expedition. They are primarily intended for walkers, but may have sections suitable for cyclists and horse-riders. One of the trails, the Great Glen Canoe Trail, is designed for canoeists and kayakers.
Other UK long-distance paths
Those included here meet the definition of a long-distance path as being around or more, particularly that they will take more than one day's walking to complete. Some shorter paths linking between major walks are also included.
Southern England
Thames to Mersey
Northern England
Wales
Scotland
Cape Wrath Trail, runs around 300 km from Fort William to Cape Wrath; as the route is unwaymarked, different guides to it suggest slightly different routes. See .
