Walker's bid to have cross-border trek route made official
A walking enthusiast has launched a bid to officially establish a new long-distance, cross-border, trek – including a stretch through North Northumberland.
Ken Heptonstall, who developed the Northern Trek, says he aims to get the route officially recognised by both National Trail (England) and Great Trail (Scotland) – including an 81-mile route through the North Penines and Northumberland National Park from Alston to Kirk Yetholm, in the Scottish borders.
The route forms part of a six-section 560-mile journey from Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, to Ben Nevis in Scotland.
Ken Heptonstall, who developed the Northern Trek to encourage walkers to explore the spine of England and Scotland, said: “National Trail status is only bestowed on routes in England and Wales, while Great Trails are the Scottish equivalent.
"While this set-up has worked perfectly up until now, it does preclude any cross-border routes from gaining official recognition.”
He added: “I want to change this.”
The move follows two previously unrecognised routes being given National Trail status earlier this year – the 2,689-mile King Charles III England Coastal Path and the 192-mile Coast to Coast Walk from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay.
Ken said: “The Northern Trek is something different. It’s big, exciting and border crossing, features two great walks – The Pennine Way and the West Highland Way, four National Parks and four UNESCO World Heritage sites.
“If that combination doesn’t inspire the administrators to set the walking boots in motion to recognise it both in England and Scotland then nothing ever will.”
The Northern Trek is 560 miles from start to finish, includes 83,445 feet of ascent – including Ben Nevis – is split into six sections which can be tackled individually.
The entire route would take between 35 to 40 days to complete in one walk.
Ken added: “I don’t expect many people will take on the entire Northern Trek in one go but the six sections are all manageable in the space of five to seven days each.
To start the campaign, Ken is writing to both National Trails and the Scottish Great Trails and has sent a Northern Trek pack – and the Ordnance Survey maps that have featured it since 2025 – to MPs and MSPs of every constituency on the route.
For more information, go to https://www.northerntrek.co.uk/