E-Path 2 UK Section - Stranraer to Middleton-in-Teesdale

Cumbria, Dumfries & Galloway, Durham, Northumberland, Borders, S Lanarkshire

The E2 in the UK was opened in 1999 as a result of work by the LDWA. Beginning (or ending) at Stranraer, it was intended to link up with the ferry to Northern Ireland for a possible (but so far undeveloped) extension to Galway. The ferries now dock a few miles north at Cairnryan, a 10 kilometre (6 mile) walk from Stranraer on the Loch Ryan Coastal Path.

On the southern outskirts of Stranraer the E2 joins the Southern Upland Way (one of Scotland's Great Trails), which it follows over remote mountains to the town of Melrose, famous for its Abbey ruins. After two or three days on St Cuthbert's Way the E2 reaches the start of the Pennine Way at Kirk Yetholm. This National Trail follows the mountain range down the backbone of England to Middleton-in-Teesdale.

From here the E2 splits into two alternatives. The eastern route takes you to Harwich and the ferry to the Hook of Holland, where the E2 continues across the Dutch delta to Belgium. The western alternative through central England leads to Dover, where the ferry to Calais links up with an E2 variant. Both E2 variants join together in Belgium, where they continue through Luxembourg to Nice in the south of France.

In the UK the E2 is generally not signposted, but links up the underlying trails which are waymarked and have various guidebooks and websites.

In detail:
Southern Upland Way: Stranraer to Melrose
St Cuthbert's Way: Melrose to Kirk Yetholm
Pennine Way National Trail: Kirk Yetholm to Middleton-in-Teesdale.

For updates and diversions to the E2 in the UK view the pages for the constituent trails.

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Details:

Path Type:	E Routes
Attributes:	E Routes Challenging Moorland
Start:	NX066609 - Stranraer, Dumfries & Galloway
Finish:	NY946252 - Middleton-in-Teesdale, Durham
Open Date:	1999
Web Sites:	ERA - E2 in Great Britain John Pucknell - E2 Stranraer - Middleton-in-Teesdale European Long Distance Path E2 from Stranraer to Dover

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