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The Roof of England Walk is a circular route through the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark, crossing parts of County Durham, Cumbria, and Northumberland, with a section in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The trail passes through Middleton-in-Teesdale and includes the waterfalls of Teesdale: Low Force, High Force, and Cauldron Snout.
Chris Woodley-Stewart, director of the North Pennines National Landscape, said: "We have worked with our partners in the visitor economy and access teams in our local authorities to develop the Roof of England Walk.
"We are very pleased to have reached the milestone of making this route available and to be able to share a new way to explore the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark.
"Since the very first Roof of England walking festivals in the 1990s, we have encouraged walkers to explore the high uplands of the North Pennines.
"The name captures the sense of elevation and space offered by a walk through this very special landscape."
(Image: Supplied) The route was developed with support from Defra's Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme for 2024-25, which funded waymarking and promotional materials.
It was co-ordinated by the North Pennines National Landscape's responsible tourism lead Shane Harris.
Mr Harris said: "It has been a privilege to be part of the team that has realised the ambition of Cllr Bob Pendlebury - the first chair of what was then known as the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership.
"Bob was a leading light in Crook Ramblers, a keen walker, and he was enthusiastic about developing a circular walk around the North Pennines, a landscape he loved.
"I'm sure Cllr Pendlebury would have been delighted that people can now start to enjoy the Roof of England Walk and take their own North Pennines journey."
(Image: Supplied)
The trail is designed to offer a range of walking experiences, from the full 14-day route to shorter three or four-day sections, with individual legs also suitable for one-day or half-day walks.
The route is described from Appleby-in-Westmorland, but as a circular trail, walkers can start from locations including Haltwhistle, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Wolsingham, Stanhope, Alston, Allendale, and Kirkby Stephen.
It is accessible by public transport, with train stations at Appleby, Kirkby Stephen, and Haltwhistle, and bus connections to other key points along the trail.