■ Distance: 9½ miles/15.3km ■ Time: 4½ hours ■ Grade: Moderate

■ Distance: 7¾ miles/12.5km ■ Time: 3½-4hours ■ Grade: Moderate

■ Distance: 7 miles/11.2km ■ Time: 4 hours ■ Grade: Moderate

I’m sceptical about news stories you sometimes read of big black cats roaming the countryside. I was, however, tempted to don my boots for a hike I found on the internet titled In the Footsteps of the

■ Distance: 10⅔ miles/17.1km ■ Time: 5 hours ■ Grade: Moderate

■ Distance: 5½ miles/8.8km ■ Time: 3 hours ■ Grade: Moderate