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Hard Hiking Trails in England

There are 575 hikes in England in our database that fit. They average 64.7 km and 1,422 m (4,665 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 921 km.

That is 28 percent of the 2,073 routes we map in England. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 64.7 km against 21.7 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,422 m (4,665 ft) on average versus 476 m (1,562 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

Trails

Expert

Norfolk Coast Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
191 km
/ 119 mi
Elevation gain
4,196 m
Typical duration
51 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Berwickshire Coastal Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
47.8 km
/ 29.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,052 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Hadrian's Wall Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
138 km
/ 85.6 mi
Elevation gain
3,030 m
Typical duration
36 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

North Sea Trail, England

England · United Kingdom

Distance
17.5 km
/ 10.9 mi
Elevation gain
384 m
Typical duration
4 hr 17 min
Expert

Saxon Shore Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
262 km
/ 163 mi
Elevation gain
5,754 m
Typical duration
70 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
European walking route E2 west, UK, South East EnglandEngland219 km4,808 m58 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (Richmond to Robin Hood’s Bay)England113 km2,490 m30 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (Shap to Richmond)England84.0 km1,848 m22 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (St Bees to Shap)England95.9 km2,110 m25 hrExpertApril to October
Norfolk Coast PathEngland191 km4,196 m51 hrExpertApril to October
European long distance path E8 - part NetherlandsEngland361 km7,949 m97 hrExpertApril to October
European walking route E9, Rye to DoverEngland65.6 km1,443 m17 hrExpertApril to October
Berwickshire Coastal PathEngland47.8 km1,052 m12 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Southend-on-Sea to Wallasea IslandEngland59.1 km1,300 m15 hrExpertApril to October
European walking route E2 west, UK, South West EnglandEngland43.5 km958 m11 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England, Norfolk Coast Path, Coast to Coast Walk (St Bees to Shap). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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