Why yellow acorns and blue thistles mark something special
One great thing about Britain is the number of footpaths. The country is literally covered with them. They cover an estimated 140,000 miles (225,000km), just in England and Wales. Incredibly, this is more than 5 times the circumference of the planet! It’s so easy to get walking, wherever you are.
While you’re out walking, you might see wooden posts marked with a yellow acorn. The acorn is the symbol of a National Trail, a special long-distance walk. There are 16 National Trails in England and Wales, some over 125km (78 miles) long. In total there are over 2,500 miles (4,000 km) of National Trail, and they are an amazing way to experience Britain’s coastlines and countryside at a slow and detailed pace.
In Scotland, these long walks are called Great Trails and are marked with a blue thistle. Each one is at least 25 miles (40 km) long.
Find out more about long-distance walks:
- Go to the National Trail website
- Read more about Great Trails on the NatureScot website.
Image: David Murray/Dreamstime
