Scotland
Affric Kintail Way
Coming soon
- On trail 16.6 mi 26.7 km
- Walking time 7–8 h
- Ascent 590 m 1,950 ft
- Descent 720 m 2,350 ft
- Difficulty Moderate
The last of the Pennines: old railway, Roman road and bog, to Hadrian's Wall.
Section 12: Alston to Greenhead map
Example stay Holmhead Guest House (opens in a new tab)
Cross-check: Pennine Way route description on National Trails . The walk follows that page's sixteen days, checked 17 October 2026. Distance and climb are measured on our line between these ends, not taken from its mile figures.
The walk
Unlikely to be anyone's favourite day. Wainwright called part of it tedious, dull and complicated. It starts on the old railway line out of Alston, now the South Tyne Trail, ducking under viaducts to Slaggyford. Then the Roman Maiden Way, the Hartley Burn floodplain and the soggy wilderness of Blenkinsopp Common, where the Pennines end at Round Hill and Wain Rigg. It is a linking day, but it ends at Hadrian's Wall, and the next few days have many treats in store.
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Start of section
Alston
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The South Tyne Trail
The day starts on an old railway line, easy and level, ducking under viaducts down the South Tyne valley toward Slaggyford.
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The Maiden Way
A Roman road north over the moor, then the floodplain of Hartley Burn, crossed among farms and walls.
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Wet feet
Blenkinsopp Common
Soggy rough moor, and the end of the Pennines at Round Hill and Wain Rigg. Then the drop to Greenhead and the line of Hadrian's Wall.
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End of section
Greenhead
Section 12: Alston to Greenhead overview
The ground
- Old railway
- Field paths
- Boggy moor
A linking day of field paths and bog. Much easier than Cross Fell, with little height, but fiddly to follow and very wet. Few walkers rank it.
Stops
Refreshments
- Alston has shops and cafés. The Kirkstyle Inn at Knarsdale is a little off route by Slaggyford. Greenhead has the Greenhead Hotel and a hostel
Toilets
- No source used for this section names a public toilet
Before you go
Opposite direction
Greenhead to Alston
Walked north to south, you leave Hadrian's Wall at Greenhead, cross Blenkinsopp Common and Hartley Burn into the Pennines, follow the Maiden Way to Slaggyford, and take the old railway into Alston.
End of section
Alston
Alston to Greenhead FAQ
Is Alston to Greenhead worth walking?
It is the Way's linking day, and few rank it highly. But it is gentle after Cross Fell, has a level start on the old railway, and ends at Hadrian's Wall.
Where do I stay in Greenhead?
Greenhead is small: the Greenhead Hotel, a hostel, Holmhead Guest House and a few cottages. It fills with Hadrian's Wall walkers in summer, so book ahead.
Can I download a GPX for Alston to Greenhead?
Yes. Use the GPX button at the top of this page. It is this section's line, for Garmin, Komoot, or your phone. Open the planner if you want a file built around your overnight stops.
Walk this as a day
Used as Day 12 on the 15-day. Open the planner on that preset, then export a full-trip or per-day GPX.
Open in planner Read the 15-day itinerary
Full-trip and per-day GPX files. Free, no account.
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