Discover 300 miles of waymarked walking, mountain biking and horse riding across wild and wonderful Yorkshire landscapes. Read what David Else, coordinating author of Lonely Planet's Walking in Britain guide, has to say about Yorkshire National Trails »

The first thing you notice about Yorkshire is it's BIG. So big that it has to be divided into four separate counties - North, West and South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire - together weighing in at an impressive 6000 square miles. That's around 15 000 sq km, or over one-third the size of Switzerland, and this vast area is home to an equally wide range of landscapes.

In Yorkshire you'll find rolling hills where the only sound is the breeze and the call of lapwings, heather-clad moors with big-sky vistas, sturdy historic villages, flower-filled meadows, verdant farmland and tranquil valleys - plus of course a wonderful coastline of rocky cliffs and sandy beaches. Perhaps not surprisingly, this wonderful landscape is protected by two national parks - the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors - as well as several Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Visit this part of the world and you have to agree with the Yorkshire folk who aren't joking when they call it God's Own County.

The best way to appreciate any landscape is to walk or cycle through it, and once again Yorkshire is heaven-blessed. Not one, not two, but four of Britain's finest National Trails are here: the Cleveland Way roller-coasts around the North York Moors from Ryedale to the sea; the Yorkshire Wolds Way rambles through peaceful fields and gentle chalk-hills; the Pennine Way strides through the Yorkshire Dales on its mammoth trek from the Peak District to Scotland; and the Pennine Bridleway for walkers and riders (horse or bike) leads from Derbyshire to the South Pennines, with plans to extend farther north.

Of course, to enjoy a National Trail you don't have to do the whole thing end-to-end. And you don't have to be hardy hiker. You can stroll along a route for a few hours then loop back to your start-point. If you don't know where to start, the range of Try a Trail downloadable walks and rides will give you plenty of ideas and inspiration.

Your next stage is maybe a weekend walk; the Trails all pass through towns and villages where you can find somewhere to stay or eat, and get a bus or train back home afterwards.

Once you've sampled a few hours or a few days on one of Yorkshire's National Trails, walking a route in its entirety will surely be your next aim. It may take a week or longer, but the sense of achievement is supreme, while close contact with the natural environment provides its own spiritual rewards - and it doesn't do the waistline any harm either.

So put on your boots and enjoy the National Trails of Yorkshire!

David Else is keen walker and professional writer with a great love of Yorkshire, having lived there for many years. He contributes to various travel and outdoor magazines, and is the author of numerous books including the Lonely Planet guide Walking in Britain.