Stockport Independent Issue 208

OCTOBER 2026 18 Independent TRAVEL MANY centuries have passed since Hadrian built his wall and pilgrims left their footprints in chalk trails, and today most of us set off on a walk merely for pleasure, or perhaps for a personal challenge. The extent to which we treasure walking the breadth of our islands can perhaps be measured in the post-war development of national parks and trails and the enduring appeal of the National Trust. But not every walk is obvious or celebrated — some have been quietly trodden for hun- dreds of years and are waiting to be rediscovered. Chances are you’re not liv- ing too far from one of these. SEVEN SISTERS AND FRISTON FOREST, EAST SUSSEX Distance 7.9 miles Difficulty 2/5 The faintest mark of a trail in the grass of the undulat- ing downlands, running par- allel to the chalk cliffs where Great Britain abruptly runs out of land, this section of the South Downs Way combines both minimalism and drama in its scenery. A circular route past the wide meanders of Cuckmere Haven and back inland through Friston For- est adds landscape variety to the famous seven-peaked sequence of white rock faces, but you could also extend the walk east past Birling Gap to admire the country’s highest chalk sea cliffs at Beachy Head. Belle Tout Lighthouse promises an eccentric and extraordinary stay right on the cliffs between Birling Gap and Beachy Head. WHERRYMAN’S WAY, NORFOLK Distance 5.5 miles Difficulty 1/5 The marshes and rippling reedbeds of the Norfolk Broads are traditionally explored by boat rather than on foot. The Wherryman’s Way, however, runs to 37.5 miles of paths between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, and is easily tack- led on shorter and circular walks. The final 5.5-mile stage is the most unusual, beginning at remote Berney Arms rail- way station, which is inacces- sible by car. The scene is set by the tallest drainage windmill in the county, at your back as the path skirts the marshes towards Great Yarmouth. LLANTHONY PRIORY AND HATTERALL RIDGE, MONMOUTHSHIRE Distance 5 miles Difficulty 3/5 In the easternmost valley of the Welsh Black Mountains, on the edge of Brecon Beacons National Park, Llanthony is a village so small it only regis- ters because of the splendid medieval ruins of Llanthony Priory. This is the start point for a circular route that bor- rows from short stretches of two well-known trails, the Offa’s Dyke Path and the Beacons Way. A steep climb up to 600m (1,968ft) reaches the former, which runs along Hatterrall Ridge, with Wales to one side, England the other, and panoramic views in both directions. TIN COAST, CORNWALL Distance 9.1 miles Difficulty 3/5 Gaunt shells of old tin mines stand implacably over PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD Whether you’re a hardcore hiker or more of a lazy ambler, there’s a route for you this autumn. breaking waves where Corn- wall tapers down to a point. The shore around Pendeen and St Just, dubbed the Tin Coast, is in large part under both National Trust and world heritage protection, as a post-industrial landscape with a strange beauty all of its own. The rugged one-day stretch of the South West Coast Path between Pendeen Light- house and Sennen Cove (you can also duck out halfway at Cape Cornwall) runs past abandoned mines such as Botallack and Levant, and prehistoric Ballowall Barrow. Bosavern House, south of St Just, dates back in part to the 1620s, and is well set up for walking holidays. BEN LOMOND, STIRLING Distance 7.5 miles Difficulty 3/5 The most southerly of Scot- land’s Munros rises 974m (3,182ft) above the shores of Loch Lomond, and though the climb to the summit is one of the area’s favourite walks, it’s a good four to six- hour round trip. The usual path begins near Rowarden- nan Pier (served by water- buses on the loch) and climbs steadily through forest for a mile before following the bare shoulder of Ben Lomond to the top. For some hiking variety Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond (Image: Scottish Tourist Board) The Crowns Engine Houses, part of the abandoned Botallack Mine (Image: Cornwall Tourist Board) Try theWherryman’sWay in Norfolk (Image: Norfolk Trails) The Seven Sisters at Cuckmere Haven (Image: East Sussex Tourist Board) return via the steeper Ptarmi- gan Ridge. Either way you’ll enjoy panoramic views over Loch Lomond and its islands. Base yourself at the Lodge on Loch Lomond, a waterside hotel with a private beach and a smart restaurant.