A TEAM of soldiers took a break from their duties – to tackle a 512-mile walk around the north of England.

The Catterick-based team walked through every National Park and Area of Outstanding Beauty in the north.

The 40 soldiers, from Corunna Company, 2 Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment, established the longest unbroken route in the north – and now hope it will become a nationally-recognised trail akin to the Pennine Way.

The soldiers took on the challenge to reacquaint themselves with the region after time away serving in Cyprus.

Their expedition, dubbed the Grand Tour of the North, saw them cover on average a marathon a day through Yorkshire, Lancashire and Northumberland.

Major James Ashworth, said: “We have covered about 512 miles in some of the most beautiful and challenging landscape Britain has to offer.

“The company have taken in some of the scenic highlights of the North and hopefully this will become a nationally recognised trail akin to the Pennine Way.”

The troops broke the distance down into three legs – with a different platoon covering each leg over 17 days.

They started at Lindisfarne and took in the Pennines, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Yorkshire Moors.

The last 10 miles were cheered on by their comrades as they crossed the finish line at Scarborough Castle.