The trail traces the length of one of Britain's greatest rivers, the Tyne. The 130 mile walk covers bothsources, the North and South Tynes, which are marked by giant stone monuments.

The River Tyne is formed by the merger of the North Tyne, which originates in the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland on the border between England and Scotland, and the South Tyne which arises in the North Pennines in Cumbria. The two sources, starts/finishes of the River Tyne Trail, are each marked by gigantic stone monuments. After flowing for over forty miles, the two rivers merge near Warden, some five miles west of the abbey-town of Hexham. The "meeting of the waters" is marked by a further large stone monument. The River Tyne then flows for forty-five miles to meet the North Sea between the north pier at Tynemouth and the south pier at South Shields. Here again the start/finish of the River Tyne Trail is marked by two huge stone-monuments. Walkers and cyclists will experience trickling streams that become fast flowing rivers through a wide variety of landscapes and settlements of historic importance, as well regenerated former industrial sites, all of which combine to form this "Big River".