Lake District National Park – part 1 of England Coast to Coast hike on commission with Wilderness Travel, July 23 - August 5, 2017 by Tom Dempsey.

Yorkshire Dales National Park – part 2 of England Coast to Coast hike on commission with Wilderness Travel, July 23 - August 5, 2017 by Tom Dempsey.

North York Moors National Park – part 3 of England Coast to Coast hike on commission with Wilderness Travel, July 23 - August 5, 2017 by Tom Dempsey.

- York's 4-kilometer long medieval town walls are the longest in England. - York Minster, built over 250 years 1220-1472 AD, is one of the finest medieval buildings in Europe. Also known as St Peter's, its full name is "Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York," located in England, United Kingdom, Europe. York was founded by the Romans as Eboracum in 71 AD. As the center of the Church in the North, York Minster has played an important role in great national affairs, such as during the Reformation and Civil War. - These York photos by Tom Dempsey also include the Yorkshire Museum, Castle Museum, and National Railway Museum.

Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. Visit it near Ripon and Aldfield, in North Yorkshire, England, UK, Europe. The adjacent Studley Royal Park features striking 1700s landscaping, gardens and canal. Founded in 1132, the abbey operated for 407 years becoming one of the wealthiest monasteries in England until its dissolution in 1539 under the order of Henry VIII. Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey is honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The abbey is a Grade I listed building owned by the National Trust.

Walk 3 miles round trip from Craster village to the impressive ruins of 1300s Dunstanburgh Castle on the coast of Northumberland, in England, United Kingdom, Europe. The castle was built by Earl Thomas of Lancaster between 1313-1322 on existing earthworks of an Iron Age fort. Thomas was a short-lived leader of a baronial faction opposed to King Edward II. This strategic northern stronghold never recovered from seiges during the Wars of the Roses 1455-1487 after it changed hands several times between rival Lancastrian and Yorkist factions. King James I sold the fort into private owndership in 1604. Dunstanburgh Castle is now owned by the National Trust and run by English Heritage.

Photos by Tom Dempsey from Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom, Europe. The site of Bamburgh Castle was originally the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort known as Din Guarie, possibly the capital of the kingdom of Bernicia from its foundation circa 420-547. After passing between Britons and Anglo-Saxons three times, Anglo-Saxons gained control in 590, but it was destroyed by Vikings in 993. The Normans later built a new castle here, forming the core of the present one. After a revolt in 1095 (supported by the castle's owner), it became the property of the English monarch. 1600s financial difficulties led to its deterioration. Various owners restored it from the 1700s-1800s, ending with complete restoration by Victorian era industrialist William Armstrong. Today, the owning Armstrong family keeps Bamburgh Castle open to the public. It was a film location for "Robin Hood" (2010) directed by Ridley Scott.

Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom, Europe. Holy Island history dates from the 500s AD as an important center of Celtic Christianity under Saints Aidan of Lindisfarne, Cuthbert, Eadfrith of Lindisfarne, and Eadberht of Lindisfarne. After Viking invasions and the Norman conquest of England, a priory was reestablished. A small castle was built on Holy Island in 1550. Photos by Tom Dempsey.

Hadrian's Wall (Latin: Vallum Aelium) at Steel Rigg, England, United Kingdom, Europe. As the Roman Empire's largest artifact, Hadrian’s Wall runs 117.5 kilometres (73.0 miles) across northern England, from the banks of River Tyne near the North Sea to Solway Firth on the Irish Sea. Much of the wall still stands and can be walked along the adjoining Hadrian's Wall Path. Within the Roman province of Britannia, it defended the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire for nearly 300 years. It was built by the Roman army on the orders of the emperor Hadrian in the 6 years following his visit to Britain in AD 122. From north side to south, the wall comprised a ditch, stone wall, military way and vallum (another ditch with adjoining mounds). The wall featured milecastles with two turrets in between and a fort about every five Roman miles. Hadrian’s Wall is honored as a World Heritage Site. The wall lies entirely within England, and is unrelated to the Scottish border, which lies north of the wall at distances varying from 1-109 kilometers (0.6-68 miles) away. Begun around AD 124 and occupied for 280 years, Housesteads Roman Fort (Vercovicium) is the best preserved fort along Hadrian's Wall. Find it near Bardon Mill, Northumberland, England.

England Coast to Coast hike on commission with Wilderness Travel, July 23 - August 5, 2017 plus more, by Tom Dempsey.