Pete's Walks - Long-distance paths

These journals of my walks on long-distance paths are listed in chronological order (to see them in alphabetical order, click here). You might possibly want to read about my journals first. The first one or two journals are a bit scanty, as they were written at least partly after the event and do not have many photographs. I think the journals have generally got better and more detailed as I have gone on (I only really started taking photographs on my walks on Day 4 of the 'The Hertfordshire Way', so you might want to start with that journal). If you only have time to look at one of these journals, I would recommend 'The Chiltern Way (2)' - my favourite walk, and one of my most detailed journals so far. If you don't have time to read that (26 walks), try reading the 'Chiltern Heritage Trail' (7 walks).

If you scroll down below the table, you will see a couple of maps showing the relative locations of the long-distance paths I've walked.

WARNING: These are meant to be journals, definitely NOT route descriptions. They should not be used instead of the official guides or the OS maps (I normally give details of the official guides in the 'About the ....' page for each long-distance path).

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The Dales Way

A linear walk from Ilkley to Bowness-on-Windermere. I walked it on six successive days in June and July 2004 (84 miles).

N.B. This journal is not very detailed, as it was written five years after the event!

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The Chiltern Way

A circular walk round the Chilterns Hills, through Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. I walked it as a section walk that took 26 days between May and August 2005 (192 miles each way) 

N.B. I have since walked the Chiltern Way a second time, and have produced a much more detailed journal with many more photographs - see 'The Chiltern Way (2)' below

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The Cumbria Way

A linear walk from Carlisle south through the Lake District to Ulverston. I walked it on six successive days in June 2005 (74 miles)
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The South Bucks Way

From Coombe Hill, near Wendover, to the Grand Union Canal at Denham. I walked it on three successive days in August 2005 (23 miles each way)
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The Chiltern Link

From Wendover to Chesham. A one day walk in August 2005 (8 miles each way)
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The Two Ridges Link

From Linslade to Ivinghoe Beacon. A one day walk in August 2005 (8 miles each way)
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The North Bucks Way

From the Ridgeway path near Great Kimble to Wolverton. A section walk that took 5 days in September 2005 (35 miles each way)
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The Hertfordshire Way

A circular route round Hertfordshire, starting and finishing at Royston. A section walk that took 27 days, September 2005 to February 2006 (187 miles each way)
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The Cross Bucks Way

From Stratton Audley to the Grand Union Canal near Linslade. A section walk that took 3 days in February 2006 (24 miles each way)
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The Aylesbury Ring

A circular route  around Aylesbury. A section walk that took 4 days in February/March 2006 (31 miles each way)
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The Greensand Ridge Walk

A linear route across Bedfordshire, from Linslade to Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire. A section walk that took 6 days in April 2006 (40 miles each way)
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A Dales Walk

A horse-shoe shaped walk through the Yorkshire Dales, from Leyburn to Richmond. A six day walk in June 2006 (73 miles)
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The Berkshire-Essex Walk

A linear walk from Berkshire to Essex, following sections of the Ridgeway and the Icknield Way. A section walk that took 13 days in June/July 2006 (97 miles each way)
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Ashridge Estate Boundary Trail

A circular walk round Ashridge and Berkhamsted Common, on the Bucks/Herts border. A one day walk in August 2006 (16 miles)
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Chiltern Heritage Trail

A circular walk round the Chesham/Amersham area of the Chiltern Hills. A section walk that took 7 days in September 2006 (52 miles each way)
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Hertfordshire Chain Walk

A series of linked circular walks, crossing Hertfordshire from Enfield in the south to near Ashwell in the north. A section walk that took 13 days in October/November 2006 (86 miles each way)
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John Bunyan Trail

A circular route round parts of Bedfordshire associated with John Bunyan. A section walk that took 11 days in December 2006/January 2007 (70 miles each way)
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Bernwood Jubilee Way

A circular route through Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, almost entirely within the boundaries of the ancient hunting forest of Bernwood. A section walk that took 8 days in February/March 2007 (61 miles each way)
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The Chiltern Way (2)

A circular walk round the Chilterns Hills, through Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. I walked it as a section walk that took 26 days between March and June 2007 (192 miles each way)
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Milton Keynes Boundary Walk

A route circumnavigating the new city of Milton Keynes. A section walk that took 8 days in July/August 2007 (60 miles each way)
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Swan's Way

A linear bridleway through Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, from just north of Milton Keynes to Goring-on-Thames. A section walk that took 9 days in August/September 2007 (65 miles each way)
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The Chiltern Chain Walk

An unofficial route created by myself, consisting of 20 linked circular walks crossing the Chiltern Hills from Dunstable Downs to Goring-on-Thames (238 miles).  I walked it between March and June 2008
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Chess Valley Walk

A linear walk from Chesham to Rickmansworth along the Chess Valley (10 miles each way). I did this in a single day in May 2009.
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Ver-Colne Valley Walk

A linear walk from Redbourn to Watford, along the valleys of the Ver and Colne (15 miles each way). I did this over two days in May 2009.
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The Beeches Way

A linear walk from near Cookham to West Drayton (16 miles each way). I did this over two days in June 2009.
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Stevenage Outer Orbital Path (STOOP)

A circular walk around the outskirts of Stevenage, that took four days in August and September 2009 (27 miles each way)
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Thame Valley Walk

A linear walk from Aylesbury to Albury (15 miles each way). I did this over two days in June 2010.
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The Berkshire Loop

An extension to the Chiltern Way (28 miles each way). I did this over four days between November 2010 and July 2011
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Chiltern Chain Walk (2)

An unofficial route created by myself, consisting of 20 linked circular walks crossing the Chiltern Hills from Dunstable Downs to Goring-on-Thames (238 miles). This time I did all the walks in the opposite direction (clockwise or anti-clockwise) to when I did them in 2008.
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Chiltern Heritage Trail 2017

A circular walk round the Chesham/Amersham area of the Chiltern Hills. A section walk that took 7 days in Autumn 2017 (52 miles)
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Chiltern Heritage Trail 2017 (anti-clockwise)

A circular walk round the Chesham/Amersham area of the Chiltern Hills, going anti-clockwise. A section walk that took 7 days in Autumn 2017 (52 miles)

The following maps shows the (very approximate) locations of the long-distance paths I've walked, firstly those in the northern Home Counties and then those in the north of England. The lines are not intended to show the actual routes of the paths, they generally just link the two most distant points the path visits, to give a rough idea of where the path goes. If you select a line and click on the associated link it will take you to the relevant page of my web site, where you will find a link to a proper map of the route.


View Long-distance paths in the northern Home Counties in a larger map

 


View Long-distance paths in the north of England in a larger map

 

A lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into the creation of this web site (and that's just writing the journals, never mind the walking!). I am not sponsored on my walks, but if you enjoy visiting this site please consider making a donation to the Huntington's Disease Association (HDA) (to make an online donation, click on the white button at the bottom of their home page). I have chosen to support this particular charity because one of my closest friends died from this incurable and hereditary disease. Thank you very much.