The National Trails: 1,000 Mini Adventures on the 17 National Trails of England and Wales

Exploring each of our 17 unique and varied National Trails, this beautiful and inspiring guidebook highlights over 1,000 adventures to enjoy along the way.

Our National Trails encapsulate and embody the character of England and Wales, ensuring that people from all different backgrounds can enjoy our nation’s most precious asset: 24/7 access to the wild outdoors.

Following on from Stephen Neale’s successful guides to the England Coast Path and the South West Coast Path, the publication of this book coincides with the opening of the Coast to Coast Path National Trail in 2025 (a 197-mile route from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hoods Bay in the North York Moors). This guide is the first to feature all 17 of the National Trails, from the Cleveland Way to Hadrian’s Wall Path and the Thames Path, from the South West Coast Path to the Pennine Way and the Cotswold Way, and promotes a more accessible and modern take on the traditional ’turn left at the stile’ walking guide.

Read on for the story of how our National Trails were created in the first place, and the best places for backpacking, wild swimming, ruins, views and packrafting. And of course 1,000 fantastic places, adventures and highlights to be found on or around our wonderful and unique National Trails.

Walked and researched by the author over many months, beautifully designed and crammed with stunning photography, this is an inspiring and practical guidebook.

Stephen Neale is an award winning author, journalist and adventurer. He is obsessed with camping, walking, boats and fishing, and is the author of Wild Camping, Camping by the Waterside, The England Coast Path and The South West Coast Path, all published by Conway.