What National Trails are

National Trails are the long-distance walking routes that the UK government designates and that trail partnerships then manage to an agreed standard. They are meant for short walks and day trips as well as end-to-end journeys. This page sets out what the official sources say, and where those sources do not quite agree.

How many National Trails are there?

Natural England and Natural Resources Wales say there are 17 National Trails in England and Wales. The collection was published on 24 June 2026. That is the figure this site uses for England and Wales.

The same GOV.UK page says that in Scotland the equivalent trails are called Scotland’s Great Trails.

National Trails UK, the membership body that champions the trails, has used more than one UK-wide count on its own site. Its homepage, opened on 14 November 2026, said there are 20 National Trails across the UK, while also listing more named routes than that. Because those figures do not line up with each other or with the GOV.UK total for England and Wales, this guide does not treat a single UK-wide number as settled.

The official list in England and Wales

GOV.UK publishes a visitor page for each trail. The England and Wales publications opened on 14 November 2026 name these 17 routes:

In England

• Cleveland Way
• Coast to Coast Path
• Cotswold Way
• Hadrian’s Wall Path
• North Downs Way
• Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path
• Pennine Bridleway
• Pennine Way
• South Downs Way
• South West Coast Path
• Thames Path
• The King Charles III England Coast Path
• The Ridgeway
• Yorkshire Wolds Way

In Wales

• Glyndŵr’s Way
• Offa’s Dyke Path, which also runs on the England–Wales border
• Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Visitor details for the English trails are collected at Visit a National Trail in England. The three Welsh trails are collected at Visit a National Trail in Wales.

The acorn waymark

The official symbol for National Trails in England and Wales is an acorn. The Countryside Code describes it as the mark created for walking, with horse riding and cycling possible on some trails. Natural England and Natural Resources Wales say the acorn is used to show the route of the trails.

The June 2026 GOV.UK guidance National Trails: prepare for your visit says all National Trails are easy to follow and are marked with an acorn symbol or the trail name, for example on gates and signposts. You may also see diversion signs, danger or warning signs, and the usual coloured arrows used on public rights of way.

The Countryside Code page still says the acorn “marks 16 long distance routes in England and Wales including the England Coast Path”. That page was last updated on 26 May 2023, before the June 2026 collection that lists 17 trails. The newer official total is 17.

Who can use them?

The trails are open to everyone for short walks, day trips or long-distance walking challenges. Cyclists and horse riders can use the Pennine Bridleway and the South Downs Way, as well as sections of the other trails. The official advice is to check which sections are open to cyclists or horse riders on the National Trails website, and to use Ordnance Survey maps or council sites for ordinary public rights of way.

Some trails have their own extra marks. The Pennine Way and South West Coast Path pages, for example, say you can walk them in either direction, and that signposts show the route both ways.

Who looks after them?

National Trails UK describes itself as the membership organisation for the trails and says that, in England and Wales, the trails receive some funding for repair and maintenance from Natural England and Natural Resources Wales. In Scotland, it says, there is no ring-fenced funding for the National Trails and funding for the core path network is allocated to councils.

To report a problem on a trail, GOV.UK says to use the relevant National Trails online form. Problems on an ordinary public right of way should go to the local council.

What this site covers next

The guides that follow take four of the longer or newer English trails in more detail, using only figures printed on their GOV.UK visitor pages: the Pennine Way, the South West Coast Path, the King Charles III England Coast Path and the Coast to Coast Path. For planning, access rules and staying found, see planning a long-distance walk, the Countryside Code and access rights and maps, waymarks and staying safe.

Where do I find official information about a trail?

Start with the National Trails collection on GOV.UK, then open the visitor page for the trail you want. Those pages cover accessibility, what you can see, example sections, maps and who to contact.

Sources

Checked 14 November 2026.

• National Trails in England and Wales, Natural England and Natural Resources Wales, 24 June 2026
• Visit a National Trail in England
• Visit a National Trail in Wales
• National Trails: prepare for your visit
• The Countryside Code: advice for countryside visitors, updated 26 May 2023
• National Trails UK