Coast to Coast – 12 nights (self-guided)

Quick Facts

About & Details

Itinerary

• Day 1 - arrival in St Bees

  Arrive at your accommodation in St Bees.

• Day 2 - St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge

  As is the custom, dip your boots in the Irish Sea, before walking above the impressive cliffs of the St Bees RSPB nature reserve. Keep a look out for kittiwakes and puffins and a fantastic array of wildflowers. From here the route starts its easterly journey crossing fields to Dent Fell, the first hill on the journey, where there are uninterrupted views of the Cumbrian coastline and Ravenglass Estuary. The route then descends to the quiet hamlet of Ennerdale Bridge.

  22.1km (13.7 miles) and 690m (2263ft) of ascent.

• Day 3 - Ennerdale to Rosthwaite

  It’s a stunning walk today. The path begins by hugging the shores of Ennerdale Water, a great expanse of water overshadowed by towering Lakeland Fells. It then ascends initially through woodland, before passing the isolated Black Sail Youth Hostel where you begin to experience your first real taste of the mountains. Reaching the top of the pass you are surrounded by incredible mountainous views, with Buttermere to the north and Pillar to the south. There then follows a pleasant walk down the side of Fleetwith Pike via Honister slate mines into the valley of Borrowdale and the village of Rosthwaite where you spend the night.

  22.8km (14.2 miles) and 530m (1738ft) of ascent.

• Day 4 - Rosthwaite to Patterdale

  Another amazing mountain day awaits you as you pass through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery Britain has to offer. There are two serious ascents today. The first heads up Greenup Gill to the watershed between High Raise and Ullscarf, 608m above sea level, before descending back down to the valley near Grasmere. The second ascends Tongue Gill where you can admire the wonderful views of Lake Grasmere and the Langdale Pikes behind you before heading over the top and down to Grisedale Tarn. This little lake, nestled in a glaciated corrie, is the perfect place to pause and appreciate the splendour of the mountains. From here, the route descends beneath Nethermost Pike to the village of Patterdale.

  24km (14.9ft) and 1030m (3378ft) of ascent.

• Day 5 – Patterdale to Shap

  The last of the Lake District days. The route ascends steeply towards Angle Tarn with outstanding retrospective views of yesterday’s walk. Ullswater lies to the north and green fields lie peacefully in the valley below. From the top of Kidsty Pike, the lowlands come into view as the scenery changes from craggy mountains to limestone dales. Enjoy quiet solitude walking along the shores of Haweswater (a reservoir serving Manchester) before crossing through fields via Shap Abbey, the last abbey to be founded in 1199 and the last to be destroyed in 1540, to the village of Shap.

  25km (15.5ft) and 762m (2499ft) of ascent.

• Day 6 – Shap to Kirkby Stephen

  There is an invigorating sense of freedom as you experience the wide open moorland upon leaving Shap and embark on the next leg of the journey. Spot prehistoric ruins, limestone pavement and moorland birds and take one last look back to enjoy the final sweeping views of the Lakeland Fells. The highlights are Sunbiggin Tarn, an important site for birds and Smardale Fell, where you get a great views down into Scandale Beck and towards the imposing Smardale Viaduct. The day ends in the attractive market town of Kirkby Stephen, where you can see the 8th Century Loki Stone relating to Norse mythology which is located in the church yard.

  33.1km (20.6 miles) and 270m (886ft) of ascent.

• Day 7 – Kirkby Stephen to Keld

  Leaving the hustle of Kirkby Stephen you head into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Arriving at the top of Nine Standards Rigg is a cause for celebration as you have now crossed the watershed of Britain, the point at which water either flows west to the Irish Sea or east to the North Sea. The top is strewn with an array of huge imposing stone cairns and commands far-reaching views over the Pennines. No-one is sure of the origin or purpose of these structures, leaving you to come up with your own theories. The route becomes increasingly gentle as you descend past spectacular waterfalls to the village of Keld, roughly the mid-way point of the Coast to Coast.

  23km (14.3 miles) and 520m (1706ft) of ascent.

• Day 8 – Keld to Reeth

  Waterfalls and wild flowers make this a particularly special walk. Following the course of the River Swale, there are waterfalls around every corner as the river cuts its way through the creamy limestone cliffs. Dotted along the way are flower-filled meadows and traditional barns. Keep an eye out for evidence of the valley’s industrial heritage. Your destination is Reeth, a delightful village with a variety of tea shops surrounding a village green. The village grew into a thriving settlement in the 18th Century built upon its reputation for hand-knitted woollens and the lead-mining industry.

  19km (11.8 miles) and 130m (426ft) of ascent.

• Day 9 – Reeth to Richmond

  The River Swale is never far away on this pleasant walk from Reeth to Richmond. Enjoy wooded glades, a 12th Century Benedictine priory at Marrick and two quiet villages as the route makes its way into the historic town of Richmond. Worth a visit is the impressive Norman keep which would have been a formidable fortress standing on a hill surrounded by the river. The name Richmond means ‘strong hill’ and comes from the French riche mont.

  17.5km (10.9 miles) and 340m (1115ft) of ascent.

• Day 10 – Richmond to Osmotherley

  Today’s walk is predominantly through farmland as you leave the Yorkshire Dales National Park and enter the North York Moors. Walking on quiet lanes and across fields, there are charming villages and intriguing buildings to stop and admire. Kilpin Hall is an excellent example of Jacobian architecture and Mount Grace Priory, located just before Osmotherley is the most important and best preserved example of a Carthusian Monastery in England.

  38.8km (24.1 miles) and 295m (968ft) of ascent.

• Day 11 – Osmotherley to Great Broughton

  From Osmotherley, the route is joined by two other long distance footpaths, the Cleveland Way and the Lyke Wake Walk. Enjoy wonderful walking along a sandstone escarpment via Carleton Bank, the site of a Bronze Age burial mound at Cringle Moor, the Wainstones and Clay Bank finally descending down to our accommodation at the foot of the escarpment. The heather-clad moors and views back across the patchwork of fields make a great contrast to the previous day’s walking.

  21km (13.0 miles) and 600m (1968ft) of ascent.

• Day 12 – Great Broughton to Glaisdale

  The walk today crosses bleak wind-swept moors and follows the route of an old dismantled railway as it winds across the moor following the contours to the Lion Inn on the top of Blakey Ridge, a welcome pub located miles from anywhere. The wild expanses are uplifting and atmospheric with the curlews and sheep for company and further ahead is your first glimpse of the sea. From here the route descends following the ridge into Glaisdale.

  31km (19.3 miles) and 400m (1312ft) of ascent.

• Day 13 – Glaisdale to Robin Hood's Bay

  What a walk to finish the Coast to Coast. You walk through wooded valleys beside the River Esk and past the famous North York Moors Railway in Grosmont before arriving at the sea. You’re not quite there yet as there is still a short walk along the cliffs to the finishing point in the village of Robin Hood’s Bay. As you arrive in the village and dip your boots in the surf, you’re filled with a strange mix of emotions. On one hand you feel incredible triumph and sense of achievement at what you have accomplished and on the other a sense of sadness that the walk has come to an end. The trip ends at the end of the walk unless you have booked extra nights or other optional services with us.

  32km (19.9 miles) and 510m (1673ft) of ascent.

Disclaimer

Please note: This itinerary is a guide only. It can be subject to change dependent upon viability, course members’ fitness, weather conditions, accommodation availability, or for any other reason that may be deemed necessary. Any timings are approximate and for guidance purpose only.

The Route

Payment Terms

• 

  Deposit £299 - at point of booking

• 

  Balance due 10-weeks before departure