The newly completed (2002) Trans Pennine Trail spans the Pennines via the Peak District and joins the fertile farmland of the west Lancashire plain to the North Sea coast.
It is wheelchair-accessible for significant sections; cyclists and horse riders are also catered for, though signage is a problem currently, partly due to vandalism in urban areas and partly because it is still a 'work-in-progress'.
What follows is a personal exploration by me, Andy Hibbert - not a lifelong resident, but born on the Wirral and currently based in Southport, the left-hand start on the Irish Sea.
It is the second long distance route across the north of England, the original being Alfred Wainwright's classic walking route (starting from St Bees Head on the Cumbrian Coast and finishing at Robin Hood's Bay, Yorkshire).
In order perhaps to prevent confusion, it seems this one should be referred to as the 'Trans Pennine Trail'; the prior claim of Wainwright's route to be known as the 'Coast to Coast North' is acknowledged.
Both cross the country, and not that far apart in distance, but this one (the 'TPT') travels through the heart of the industrial north, along renovated canal towpaths and old railway lines, offering a quite different insight into the countryside and history between the east and west coasts.
Long sections are wheelchair accessible, and the route can be done on foot, by bicycle or on horseback (mostly); which makes this route quite different to its northern neighbour, much more a walkers route.
The 'Links' page contains links to other sites covering the route, including the official (www.transpenninetrail.org.uk) site though, at the time of writing - May 2003 - it is a 'skeleton site' (their words) offering little more than invitations to buy the £4.95 sectional maps (three in total).
Current OS Explorer/Outdoor Leisure maps carry full trail marking as do the Landrangers, and though the three sectional trail maps are 'based on' OS information, I suggest all users have a good look at them before forking out a fiver each!
Anyway, let us press on with the walking!
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