Crag Lough and Hadrian's Wall at sunset

Pennine Way – North

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On this page:

Overview

Route

What’s Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

5 - 6 Nights

72 miles / 116 km

Prices from: £560 per person
Start: Greenhead, Northumberland
Finish: Kirk Yetholm, Scottish Borders
Availability: Any start date from April to October
Grading: Challenging to Strenuous
Way-marked: Yes

North Pennine Way Highlights

Along the border

Journey along the border of Scotland and England stepping to and from each country.

The challenge

Take on the challenge of walking part of the oldest National Trail through some of the most rugged and beautiful countryside in the UK.

Hadrian’s Wall

Explore the ruined Roman settlements around Hadrian’s Wall and pass by the iconic Sycamore Gap.

Cheviot Hills

Take on the challenging and remote Cheviot Hills, summiting the famous Windy Gyle.

Northumberland hospitality

Experience true Northern hospitality in the historic county of Northumberland and the Northumberland National Park

Remote countryside

Enjoy the seclusion of the last 27 miles through remote and wild hills and moorland finishing in the picturesque border town of Kirk Yetholm.

A Journey Through the Cheviot Hills on the Pennine Way

The Pennine Way – North offers extraordinary variation, beginning in Hadrian’s Wall Country before crossing the open moorland and farmland that epitomises the Pennine Way. The final two days see you zig-zag along the border with Scotland, crossing the remote and isolated Cheviot Hills and ending in the fairytale village of Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders.

The Pennine Way is Britain’s oldest National Trail, spanning 257 miles along the rugged backbone of England to the Scottish Borders. The northern section begins in Greenhead in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall Country and travels north to the village of Kirk Yetholm in Scotland.

The walk starts fairly flat across moorland, farmland and through the woods of the Northumberland National Park before heading into the Cheviot Hills and Scotland beyond.

This section covers 64 miles of varied landscapes and remote yet romantic countryside. Known as one of the hardest walks in Britain, the Pennine Way has gone through slight modifications to rebalance the most challenging sections.

The historical wonders of Roman Britain offer a fascinating place to begin your walk where you can visit Vindolanda and Housesteads Roman fort and get a glimpse into life around Hadrian’s iconic wall. Here the walk crosses the Hadrian’s Wall Path, another of Britain’s great trails.

Leaving the wall behind you traverse farmland, moorland and forestry tracks in an area of immensely varied walking before reaching the Cheviot Hills. The final 27 miles takes you into the splendid isolation of the Cheviots, crossing many of the regions principal hills including The Cheviot and Windy Gyle. The final descent takes you into the picture-perfect border village of Kirk Yetholm, the endpoint of your journey.

Pennine Way North Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is PENW-N2 which covers the route in 5 days / 6 nights.

Travel to Greenhead for your first night’s accommodation

Arrive in Greenhead in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall Country and spend the evening at your first night’s accommodation.

Day 1: Greenhead to Once Brewed (6.5 miles / 10.5 km)

Your walk today follows some of the best preserved sections of Hadrian’s Wall to the village of Once Brewed. As it is a rather short walk you will have the opportunity to explore some of the Roman sites in the area. We would particularly recommend Vindolanda and its excellent museum of Roman artefacts.

Day 2: Once Brewed to Bellingham (17 miles / 27 km)

Today you will start along the Hadrian’s Wall Path, passing by the iconic Sycamore Gap, a spot made famous in the 1991 film, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. You will then venture North and spend the rest of the day in a mixture of picturesque farm and moorland, before arriving in Bellingham on the banks of the River Tyne.

Day 3: Bellingham to Byrness (15.5 miles / 25 km)

The walk today is split into two clear sections firstly rising gradually up out of Bellingham and walking across farm and heather moorland before entering the expanse of Kielder Forest Park to take you down to the tiny hamlet of Byrness.

Day 4: Byrness to Trows Farm (15.5 miles / 25 km)

The scenery changes entirely again today as you head on a steep climb straight out of Byrness and into the Cheviot Hills. You are instantly on a high as you cross wild and romantic hilltop moorland in one of the most remote sections of the Pennine Way. You will cross and recross the England/Scotland border fence, before climbing the famous Windy Gyle. Today’s walk ends at Trows Farm, where you will be picked up and transferred to your accommodation.

Day 5: Trows Farm to Kirk Yetholm (17 miles / 27 km)

Today you will pick up where you left yesterday at Trows Farm and continue your journey through the Cheviot hills – taking in some of the best views of the North Pennine Way from the mountain refuge hut at the Schil. You will have the option to detour up the Cheviot itself and finish the day arriving into the picture perfect village square in the border village of Kirk Yetholm.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Pennine Way.

What’s Included?

Your Pennine Way walking holiday includes:

Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional English breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 2 suggested itineraries for walking the Pennine Way – North.

Our most popular itinerary is PENW-N2 which covers the route in 5 days.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

PENW-N1

4 Days / 5 Nights

18 miles per day

Strenuous

From £560

Average miles : 18 miles per day

Tour code: PENW-N1

Difficulty : Strenuous

4 Days / 5 Nights (PENW-N1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

Standard: £55 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Greenhead for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Greenhead to Bellingham 21.5 miles / 34.5 km

Day 2 Bellingham to Byrness 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 3 Byrness to Trows Farm (overnight Byrness) 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 4 Trows Farm to Kirk Yetholm 17 miles / 27 km

Depart Onward travel from Kirk Yetholm

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £560 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

PENW-N2

5 Days / 6 Nights

14.5 miles per day

Challenging

From £665

Average miles : 14.5 miles per day

Tour code: PENW-N2

Difficulty : Challenging

5 Days / 6 Nights (PENW-N2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

Standard: £55 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Greenhead for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Greenhead to Once Brewed 6.5 miles / 10.5 km

Day 2 Once Brewed to Bellingham 17 miles / 27 km

Day 3 Bellingham to Byrness 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 4 Byrness to Trows Farm (overnight Byrness) 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 5 Trows Farm to Kirk Yetholm 17 miles / 27 km

Depart Onward travel from Kirk Yetholm

Prices

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £665 per person

Enquire Now

Pennine Way Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Greenhead

By Air

Nearest International Airports: Newcastle Airport

There is a regular train service between Newcastle city centre and Haltwhistle (journey time 55 min), which is just 10 minutes from the start point of Greenhead.

Alternatively, you could fly into Manchester, Glasgow or Edinburgh airport and take a train to Haltwhistle via Carlisle. From Haltwhistle, you can take a local bus or taxi to Greenhead.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Haltwhistle

Haltwhistle is located 10 minutes from the start point of Greenhead. There are regular trains to Haltwhistle from Carlisle (journey time 35 min) and Newcastle (journey time 55 min). From here you can take a taxi or local bus to Greenhead.

By Car

Long term car parking in Greenhead is limited, so we recommend that you travel by public transport. However, if you do plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park in Greenhead for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing Kirk Yetholm

By Air

Nearest International Airports: Edinburgh Airport and Newcastle Airport

From Kirk Yetholm the closest train station is Berwick Upon Tweed from where you can take a train South to Newcastle or North to Edinburgh (both journey times 40 min).

By Rail

Nearest Railway Station: Berwick Upon Tweed

From Kirk Yetholm you can take a bus to Berwick Upon Tweed via Kelso (journey time 50 min). From here there are regular train services South to Newcastle or North to Edinburgh (both journey times 40 min).

By Car

Long term car parking in Kirk Yetholm is limited, so we recommend that you travel by public transport. However, if you do plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park in Kirk Yetholm for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Pennine Way – North.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Greenhead

Explore the historical sites along Hadrian’s Wall
Visit the 12th-century Thirlwall Castle, located on the banks of River Tipalt
Step into the life of a Roman soldier at the Roman Army Museum

Once Brewed

Explore the Roman sites around Hadrian’s Wall including Housesteads Roman Fort and Vindolanda, where archaeologists are still making discoveries today
Visit The Sill National Landscape Discovery Centre and learn about the unique landscape, heritage and culture of the county of Northumberland

Kirk Yetholm

After finishing your walk, relax and enjoy the picturesque surroundings of the Scottish Borders, home to magnificent abbeys, breathtaking countryside, ancient castles, and a flourishing cultural and culinary scene
Visit Kelso Abbey and Floors Castle, the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland, in the nearby town of Kelso. Its walled garden is well-worth a visit, just as Queen Victoria did herself when she took tea there in 1867

How do our Walking Holidays Work?

For more than 20 years, we’ve been weaving together unforgettable walking holidays amidst the enchanting landscapes of the British Isles. Dive deeper into how they work in our comprehensive guide. Read more

Our client walking in the North York Moors National Park

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The Pennine Way is Britain’s oldest National Trail, spanning 268 miles along the rugged backbone of England to the Scottish Borders. The Northern section begins in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall Country and travels north to end in the Scottish borders. Caitlin from the Absolute Escapes laced up her walking boots and hit the trail. Read more