Pennine Bridleway National Trail

Start: Middleton Top
Grid Ref: SK 248531
End: Kirkby Stephen
Grid Ref: NY 739023
Distance: 340 km
Walking Time: 17 days
Counties Traversed: Derbyshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria
Explorer™ Maps: OL1, OL2, OL19, OL21, OL24

The Pennine Bridleway, when fully complete, will run for some 350 miles (560km) and will be Britain's first purpose-built long distance bridleway. The southern section (188km) starts at Middleton Top near Carsington Water in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District and runs north to the moors of the south Pennines, where it splits to form the 68km Mary Towneley Loop, a circuit incorporating Todmorden and Rawtenstall. The northern section (142km) leaves the Loop near Worsthorne and is currently waymarked as far as Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria.

Although it has been designed and built specifically to serve the needs of horse riders and cyclists, it is expected that the trail will also be widely used by many walkers as it is easily accessible from the towns and cities of north-west England. Feeder routes are already open from Bolton and Keighley. For some of the distance the route for walkers is entirely separate from that for horse riders and cyclists. The basic line of the route is parallel to the Pennine Way, but at a lower level and to the west of the Pennine Ridge.

The Pennine Bridleway traverses a great variety of landscapes and explores some fairly remote areas of the country. Route finding is very easy as the Trail is well signposted and often follows well defined packhorse trails. Even when traversing open moorland the path is clear and sound underfoot, although walkers should not become complacent as inclement weather can dramatically change moorland conditions.