With the access to cheap flights, travel has been slowly reduced down to box-ticking itineraries that are packed full of things to see. Especially in London, where sites are plentiful and in close proximity, yet is a long flight away from North America, leading a desire to squeeze every drop out of the trip.
But the real England – the many centuries of monarchs, figures like Sharespear, and movements like the industrial revolution, were not in London. In fact, some of the oldest places were in the very north, around Cumbria, in places with few locals, and even fewer visitors. The way to see this history (along with the best of country pubs, food, and culture)? A long walking holiday.
The pastoral romance of the river valleys
England has very good laws around trespassing and the right to walk – things favor the pedestrian. For a gentle introduction to this, the quintessential charm of the North of England is a great place to start. The landscape is picturesque all around, with drystone walls and rolling green hills. But best of all, winding riverbanks and canals.
If you’re looking for an exact recommendation, walking along the River Wharfe is a hauntingly beautiful, 12th-century ruins of Bolton Abbey. Further down the path leads into Sedbergh, England’s official book town, and it’s sat at the foot of the Howgill Fells. Walking through the Dales Way can take just 8 days, and booking it through a company like Orbis Ways will help get you in all the right accommodation (e.g., centuries-old inns and pubs), as you walk village to village.
The cross-country pilgrimage
To take this up a notch, you can cross the entire country on foot. It’s a small landmass, but it’s still one hell of a walk. Most of the coast-to-coast routes go from the Lake District, sideways across to the North York Moors. It’s quite the milestone, and Alfred Wainwright’s legendary path offers a ton of geo-diversity. You can begin at the red sandstone cliffs of St Bees on the Irish Sea, where it’s wet, windy and hilly, heading through mountain passes and into the historic, cliffside fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay.
Castles and tidal islands of the far north
Heading even further north is the wild coast bordering Scotland – golden beaches and dune networks. Again, incredible heritage, this time headlined by Bamburgh Castle, a vast fortress sitting high on a volcanic crag and right above a beach. Walkers can see all of this, plus the ruthless North Sea tides, to cross the causeway to the holy island of Lindisfarne. The Northumberland coastal path is one of the most historic in Europe, yet few get to see it.
The reward of the trail
By walking instead of driving, you can see the real England. It’s not the cities, but the villages in between that shaped its history. Countless pubs from the 1700s which have hosted Kings, Queens and famous musicians. And it’s in these very pubs that fueled a nation on low ABV, locally brewed ales.
You will receive warm hospitality in rural villages, and be intrigued by the mysterious stone ruins all around. Every stone wall served a purpose, and the locals’ accent can change from mile to mile.
