About the walk

The Roof of England Walk is described in a clockwise direction, starting and finishing in Appleby-in-Westmorland in Cumbria. The choice of where to start/finish has been influenced by the location of accommodation and services. The route is circular and can be started anywhere and walked in either direction. The main settlements on the route are Appleby-in-Westmorland, Dufton, Alston, Haltwhistle, Allendale, Blanchland, Edmundbyers, Wolsingham, Stanhope, St. John’s Chapel, Middleton-in-Teesdale, and Kirkby Stephen.

The Roof of England Walk is a grand tour of the North Pennines National Landscape and is a hilly walk. It crosses some high ground and is, in places, quite remote from villages and other habitation. The terrain is very varied with sections of the trail including: wet and boggy moorland paths; stony tracks; pathless sections over rough ground; quiet tarmac country lanes; rocky scrambles and boulder-strewn sections; paths across fields with gates and stiles; steep climbs and undulating sections across rough mountainous terrain; and muddy riverside paths. The longest day is Leg 2 – Dufton to Alston – a distance of 31.1km (19.3 miles) with 1,030m (3,333 feet) of ascent. It is a tough day over rough boggy mountain tops and steep climbs. It crosses some high ground which is quite featureless, and quite challenging to navigate across if the mist is down. Not all the days are as difficult as this, but it gives a flavour of the route.

You can take your dog on the Roof of England Walk provided it is kept under effective control and you follow the Countryside Code. Specifically you should keep your dog under effective control to make sure it stays away from wildlife, livestock, horses and other people unless invited. You should:

•  always keep your dog on a lead or in sight;
• be confident your dog will return on command; and
• make sure your dog does not stray from the path or area where you have right of access.