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Hard Hiking Trails near Manchester

82 routes near Manchester qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 46.1 km and 1,015 m (3,330 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 150 km.

That is 47 percent of the 174 routes we map near Manchester. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 46.1 km against 25.5 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,015 m (3,330 ft) on average versus 562 m (1,844 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

Two Saints Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
150 km
/ 93.5 mi
Elevation gain
3,310 m
Typical duration
40 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
Expert

North Cheshire Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
117 km
/ 72.5 mi
Elevation gain
2,567 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

High Peak Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
28.5 km
/ 17.7 mi
Elevation gain
627 m
Typical duration
7 hr 17 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Expert

The Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
101 km
/ 63.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,357 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Airedale Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
76.5 km
/ 47.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,683 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Barnsley Boundary Walk

England · United Kingdom

Distance
64.5 km
/ 40.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,418 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Bronte Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
70.7 km
/ 43.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,555 m
Typical duration
18 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Burnley Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
65.2 km
/ 40.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,433 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Calderdale Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
81.6 km
/ 50.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,795 m
Typical duration
21 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Cheshire Circuit

England · United Kingdom

Distance
141 km
/ 87.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,096 m
Typical duration
37 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Dane Valley Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
77.4 km
/ 48.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,702 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Kirklees Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
122 km
/ 75.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,688 m
Typical duration
32 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Limestone Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
74.8 km
/ 46.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,646 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Mary Towneley Loop

England · United Kingdom

Distance
72.0 km
/ 44.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,585 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Pendle Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
72.0 km
/ 44.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,584 m
Typical duration
19 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Ribble Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
112 km
/ 69.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,471 m
Typical duration
30 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rochdale Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
77.8 km
/ 48.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,711 m
Typical duration
20 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rossendale Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
67.0 km
/ 41.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,474 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Sheffield Country Walk

England · United Kingdom

Distance
88.6 km
/ 55.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,950 m
Typical duration
23 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Wakefield Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
124 km
/ 76.8 mi
Elevation gain
2,719 m
Typical duration
33 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Weaver Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
62.7 km
/ 39.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,379 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Wirral Circular Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
61.7 km
/ 38.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,357 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Bollin Valley Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
37.0 km
/ 23.0 mi
Elevation gain
814 m
Typical duration
9 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Dales Way Link

England · United Kingdom

Distance
33.6 km
/ 20.9 mi
Elevation gain
738 m
Typical duration
8 hr 39 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Delamere Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
33.9 km
/ 21.1 mi
Elevation gain
746 m
Typical duration
8 hr 45 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Irwell Sculpture Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
55.2 km
/ 34.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,214 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Newcastle Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
41.3 km
/ 25.7 mi
Elevation gain
909 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Salford Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
39.5 km
/ 24.6 mi
Elevation gain
869 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain

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
King Charles III England Coast Path: Birkenhead to Welsh BorderEngland37.6 km827 m9 hr 45 minExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Cleveleys to LiverpoolEngland58.4 km1,285 m15 hrExpertApril to October
Two Saints WayEngland150 km3,310 m40 hrExpertApril to October
North Cheshire WayEngland117 km2,567 m31 hrExpertApril to October
Pennine Way (Edale to Crowden)England26.4 km581 m6 hr 43 minHardApril to October
High Peak TrailEngland28.5 km627 m7 hr 17 minHardApril to October
The Ribble Valley Jubilee TrailEngland101 km2,357 m27 hrExpertApril to October
Gritstone Trail (Disley - River Dane)England32.9 km725 m8 hr 29 minExpertApril to October
Pennine Way (Calder Valley to Ickornshaw)England25.7 km566 m6 hr 32 minHardApril to October
Pennine Way (Crowden to Standedge)England20.6 km453 m5 hr 8 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with King Charles III England Coast Path: Birkenhead to Welsh Border, King Charles III England Coast Path: Cleveleys to Liverpool, North Cheshire Way. 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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