Welcome to Distance Hiker Trail Snapshots, where members of our community share a Q&A snapshot of a trail they love!
The Yorkshire Wolds way travels through a stunning corner in England that has remained largely untouched for centuries.
This landscape is alive with butterflies, birds, and villages nestled into woodland dells. Between England’s most popular deserted medieval village at Wharram Percy, views across the Humbug Bridge to the towers of Lincolns Cathedral, and the quaint coastal resort of Filey, this trail offers plenty to keep you interested.
You can find Matthew, who contributed this trail snapshot on YouTube, Instagram and on his personal website.
What made you choose the Glyndŵr’s Way?
I’m walking all of the National Trails, with an immediate focus on those over Chalk landscapes – a project I’m calling “Walk the Chalk”
What were the highlights of the trail for you?
The central section between South Cave and Wharram Percy – I lost count of the secluded deep dry valleys I passed through.
Can you tell us about some great overnight spots you found, whether it’s a wild camp, B&B, or campsite.
I wild camped the whole trail, with 5 camps across 2 trips. My first two camps were nasty stealthy affairs on rubbish brambly ground, but after that I camped high overlooking dry valleys each night, totally undisturbed. I’m not telling you exact spots, but anywhere not close to a village, not in a field of crops is probably going to be ok.
Were there any parts of the trail you didn’t enjoy?
Very little. As is often to be expected, with the need to put the trailhead somewhere accessible, the start wasn’t as good as the rest, but even that was pleasant with a walk along the Humber. The penultimate day along the northern edge of the escarpment didn’t have the drama of the central bit, but for a North Downs boy like me was like being at home.
What would you do differently if you were to walk it again, and what advice would you have for anyone else looking to walk the trail?
Very little. I originally intended to thru hike it in one go, but had to return home urgently on day 2, so I had to come back to finish it off.
So I’d certainly aim to do it in one next time. For a repeat though, I would deviate from the trail to include some of the other dales to the east of the trail, linking up with other long distance trails in the area.
It’s that good, I’m actively planning to go back as soon as I can and do some more of the area.
My main advice for anyone walking it is to think about your accommodation strategy – campsites aren’t spread very well, there’s no hostels really, but there are a number of B&B’s if you’re prepared to go a mile or so off path.
The trail is in practice pretty easy to wild camp though. The biggest challenge with doing that is water though. I found one tap near Settringham Beacon, there are very few rivers to take water from (and questionable whether you’d want to anyway).
Some people take water from animal troughs (usually filtering it as well), but it was pretty nasty when I looked. I resorted to buying bottled water each day.
Where is your next long-distance hike?
I am re-walking the North Downs Way (in chunks), then off to hopefully finish the Cambrian Way (got to Mallwyd so far). In October I’m finally off to do the West Highland Way.
You can learn more about Matthew on Instagram @backpackartist
Trail Map
Would you like to be featured?
Here at Distance Hiker we are always on the lookout for great new long distance hiking content. Our Trail Snapshots are a great place to start. If you have a long distance trail you would like to share simply fill in the form linked here and email some photos to matthew@distancehiker.com.
