A 268-mile trail from a village near Manchester to a hamlet on the Scottish border — that's the Pennine Way, and one American hiker is about to tackle it solo. Known as the "backbone of England," it runs from Edale in the Peak District north to Kirk Yetholm, just across the Scottish line.

The route has serious pedigree. Established in 1965, it was Britain's first National Trail, created after three decades of campaigning by Tom Stephanson, who had just returned from hiking the Appalachian Trail and believed England deserved "a long green trail" of its own. It now leads a family of National Trails across the British Isles.

The terrain is the draw — and the challenge. Hikers cross rugged hills, rolling pasture, reservoir country and vast trackless moors, with historical oddities ranging from Roman fortifications to Napoleonic monuments to WWII aircraft crash sites. Despite long remote stretches, most days pass near a village, so walkers who plan well can sleep indoors nightly. Luggage-shuttle services even let you hike with just a daypack, though locals reserve special respect for those who camp — and wild campers earn the highest honours of all.

Weather is the real adversary. Expect rain at any moment, temperatures swinging from the mid-60s down toward freezing, and notorious winds on open moorland. The bogs deserve their reputation: paving stones help in the worst spots, but some sections sit below dark bog water and the mud can reach your knees.

The hiker behind this blog series — who recently finished the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu — chose the Pennine Way as a European contrast: challenging without Andean elevation, rich in rural English culture, and free of language barriers. The plan: 20 days, 12.5 to 14 miles daily, wild camping most nights with an indoor bed every third day for laundry and resupply, packing around 30 pounds including a 20-degree sleep system, full rain gear, gaiters and a reliable GPS, since many moor sections are unmarked and trail signs have been lost to the elements.

Training started in April with weekly loaded hikes that built to 12-15 mile walks twice a week, overnight gear tests, and a three-day Shenandoah backpacking trip by August. It's a useful blueprint for anyone eyeing a first long-distance trail: build mileage gradually, test your kit in real conditions, and keep the total weight honest.

For travellers, the Pennine Way offers something rare — a serious, weeks-long walking challenge in an English-speaking country with villages, pubs and campgrounds never far away. Whether you'd hike it end to end or sample a section, it's one of Britain's great walking adventures. Follow the series on The Trek to see how it unfolds, bog and all.