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North of England

Coast to Coast – Stage 1 – St Bees to Kirkby Stephen

April, May, June, July, August, September, October£989 pp

Late Summer Promo - Book by Thurs 19th Sep! £959 pp

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Dates may vary in price due to demand throughout the season and are subject to changes from time to time. We recommend booking your trip well in advance to secure the best pricing available for your preferred dates.

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SUMMARY

Coast to Coast – Stage 1 – St Bees to Kirkby Stephen

No. of People: 1

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TOTAL £999

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About this Adventure

Walk stage 1 of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast from St Bees to Kirkby Stephen in 7 days.  Starting beneath the red sandstone sea cliffs of St Bees, you begin a truly spectacular walk traversing the Lake District National Park, finishing in the pretty market town of Kirkby Stephen.

Quick Facts

  • 7 nights’ accommodation
  • 7 days’ walking
  • Luggage transfers each walking day
  • Map and guide book plus detailed directions to your accommodation from the trail
  • Expert local knowledge and 24 hour emergency assistance during your trip
  • 81 miles (128km) and 3282m (10,764ft) of ascent
  • Admire views of beautiful lakes and dramatic mountains in the Lake District
  • Explore the green and gentle countryside of the Eden Valley

About & Details

The Coast to Coast is a magnificent walk covering 192 miles from St. Bees on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire. Two thirds of the route is inside the National Parks of the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors.  This 7-night itinerary is ideal if you don’t’ want to tackle the whole route in one go and allows you the opportunity to complete this truly memorable long distance footpath in 3 stages.

The route is the creation of legendary fellwalker Alfred Wainwright. After finishing his guides to the Lakeland Fells in the 1960s, he set himself the challenge of devising a long-distance walk to rival the Pennine Way, using purely existing rights of way. He decided on a Coast to Coast route, going across the country at one of its widest points. By universal consent, he improved on his model. His route offers variety and contrast: uplands and lowlands, sharp peaks and lonely moorland, towns and country, limestone and granite country, beautiful wooded lakes and remote upland tarns, glorious natural features and fascinating remains of human occupation. An expert on the North of England, he shared his wisdom about some of England’s finest places, linked them up, and invited you to travel in his footsteps.

The highlights on this section of the walk include the Lake District; you’ll visit four of the finest lakes: Ennerdale, Grasmere, Ullswater and Haweswater, plus the valleys of Borrowdale and Patterdale and the fine peaks of Helm Crag and Kidsty Pike. The limestone country of Westmorland offers some of the finest limestone pavements in the country, ancient settlements of Severals and Castle Folds, the Smardale Nature Reserve and the Stainmore Railway.  That’s just a partial list of the riches on offer during this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

We take the stress out of your trip with expert local knowledge, hand-picked accommodation, luggage transfers and detailed support to help you find your way. You will need full walking kit including a waterproof jacket and trousers, a comfortable day sack and comfortable walking boots. You will receive a more detailed kit list upon booking. This trip is based on 2 people sharing, if you are a solo traveller please contact us for further details and we will be happy to help.

Inclusions

Inclusions
  • 7 nights’ accommodation in a good quality B&B or hotel with ensuite or private bathroom and breakfast
  • Luggage transfers each walking day
  • Map and guide book plus detailed directions to your accommodation from the trail
  • Expert local knowledge and 24 hour emergency assistance during your trip
  • Professional event organisation
Exclusions
  • Travel to the start and finish points of the trip
  • Lunches and evening meals
  • Personal insurance (for cancellation, accident, health, emergency evacuation and loss, theft of or damage to baggage and personal effects)
  • Guiding (please contact us if you would like this trip to be guided)

Optional extras

  • Single room supplement £90 per person per night (subject to availability)
  • Solo traveler supplement £90 per person per night
  • Odd Group Supplement £90 per group per night may apply if a single room is required
  • Extra night prior to start (single room) £180 per person
  • Extra night prior to the start (twin room, needs 2 people) £95 per person
  • Extra night at the end of the event (single room) £180 per person
  • Extra night at the end of the event (twin room, needs 2 people) £95 per person
  • Transfer back to your car at the end of your walk available upon request

Please select from Optional Extras at checkout.

Getting there and back

Getting There

By road: St Bees is located on the Cumbrian coast, approximately 1 hour from junction 40 on the M6. From the M6, take the A66 towards Workington and then follow the A595 south until you see signs to St Bees.

By public transport:
 There is a regular train service from Carlisle to St Bees station (SBS), which is a few minutes’ walk from the beach. Check traveline.info for the latest public transport information.

By air:
 The nearest airports are Manchester (MAN) or Newcastle (NCL), from where you need to take a train to St Bees (SBS).

Getting Away

By road: Kirkby Stephen is located between Scotch Corner on the A1 and Junction 38 of the M6.

By public transport:
There is a train service from Kirkby Stephen to Carlisle (1 hour) or Leeds (approx 2 hours).  Please check train times in advance as they can be infrequent.

By air:
The nearest airports are Manchester (MAN), Newcastle (NCL) or Leeds/Bradford (LBA).

Evening meals and lunches

You can purchase evening meals either at the accommodation or nearby. When our event planners send you the schedule with itinerary you could prearrange directly with the accommodation or during the walk.

For lunches we would suggest bringing some of your own favourite snack bars and then asking the accommodation for a packed lunch for the following day and also supplementing that at stops en-route.

Accommodation

Accommodation is generally at B&B, guest houses and small hotels. Once booked in, your event planner will send you a list of your booked accommodation. It is possible to adjust according to preference at this stage so please mention it if you wish to change.

Dog-friendly

If you would like to bring your four legged friend, then we will do our best to source dog friendly accommodation. It is usually possible but if it were not, then we would suggest a change of date to enable it or offer a refund. There may be a small surcharge for the overnight stays. Therefore, once booked in, please alert your event planner that you would like to bring your dog and we can proceed from there.

Need a guide?

If you would prefer to have a guide for your walk, even just for one day, then we are happy to help. We can provide a qualified leader (also first aid qualified) to lead your trek or on just one of the sections. Just ask us.
A guide can not only take the stress out of navigation, but you will also find them a great asset in terms of providing an insight into all things environment and nature.

Dates and prices

For available dates please click on the ‘book now’ option on the left hand side on desktops or at the bottom on mobiles. You can reserve your space via this route.

After you book

After placing your booking with us, you will in the first instance receive an automated email from our system confirming receipt of your reservation. If you don’t receive it, it is worth checking your spam/clutter folder.

In the process of placing your booking, you will generally set up an access password to our online gateway where you can review the details of the booking.

Your personal event planner will then be in touch with you to start to confirm the details. This contact will usually be taken up in the working day after receipt of your booking, but may, in busy times, take a little longer. The event planner will then liaise with you regarding the details of the course. If you have any specific requirements, please do mention it at this stage.

At the end of your trip

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and when you arrive in Kirkby Stephen, you have one of several options. If you have not booked an additional night’s stay then we can transfer your luggage to a location of your choice. From there you may have onward travel arranged as per the ‘Getting There and Back’ tab above.

Some people like to treat themselves to a night’s stay in Kirkby Stephen at the end. And why not? You’ve earned it. You can arrange this as an optional add on with your event planner.

Kirkby Stephen - our office location!

Sitting a third of the way into the Coast to Coast walk (and the end of your walk) is the lovely market town of Kirkby Stephen in the Eden Valley, which is also where our office is. As a result, we know the area pretty well! If you are having a rest day here, please do pop in. We will be working away organising events, but it is always nice to put faces to names. Oh, and if you need a top tip for some nice fish and chips, just ask us….

We look forward to seeing you!

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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.

    22km (14 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.

    23km (14 miles) and 530m (1738ft) of ascent.

  • Day 4 - Rosthwaite to Grasmere

    The route leads you up beside Greenup Gill to the watershed between High Raise and Ullscarf, 608m above sea level, where you have incredible views towards Helvellyn and back over the central fells. You have a choice now as to whether to head down Far Easedale, where you might spot the odd deer or to continue along the tops to Helm Crag before finally descending into the pretty village of Grasmere made famous by Wordsworth and Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread.

    12km (8 miles) and 530m (1738ft) of ascent.

  • Day 5 – Grasmere to Patterdale

    Another amazing mountain day awaits you today as you pass through some of the most dramatic mountainous scenery Britain has to offer. Take time on the strenuous ascent up Tongue Gill to stop and admire the wonderful views of Lake Grasmere and the Langdale Pikes before heading over the pass 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.

    12km (8 miles) and 500m (1640ft) of ascent.

  • Day 6 – 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 (16 miles) and 762m (2499ft) of ascent.

  • Day 7 – Shap to Orton

    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. Finally the route drops down into Orton, a quaint Westmorland village where you can treat yourself with a visit to Kennedy’s Chocolate Factory.

    13km (8 miles) and 110m (361ft) of ascent.

  • Day 8 – Orton to Kirkby Stephen

    The scenery today is softer with gently rolling hills, sheltered valleys and fascinating limestone flora. The highlights are Sunbiggin Tarn, an important site for birds and Smardale Fell, where you get great views down into Scandale Beck and towards the impressive Smardale Viaduct.  Your walk ends in the attractive market town of Kirkby Stephen.  Before you leave, take time to check out the 8th Century Loki stone relating to Norse mythology located in the churchyard.

    The trip finishes at the end of your walk unless you have booked extra nights or other optional services with us.

    21km (13 miles) and 160m (525ft) of ascent.

Notes:

This itinerary is a guide only. Timings and mileages are approximate.

We will always endeavour to accommodate you in the locations detailed in the above itinerary. Due to very high demand, some accommodation providers may occasionally have limited availability and so we may need to accommodate you in an alternative location, nearby. In this case, we will arrange a taxi transfer for you to take you from the trail to your accommodation and back again the following morning. An additional charge may be payable. We will notify you of this when confirming your booking.

The Route
Reviews

Find some of the reviews our wonderful customers have left for us below, or read them all here!

Heather Parr
3 months ago

Maximum Adventure exceeded expectations, planning a trip for me last minute and off season through the glorious Lake District. The hotels were top rate, as was the food and my daily gluten free sandwich. Nathalie got the route guide sent to me in a couple of days and the baggage service was impeccable. It was the only tour guide company that responded immediately to my last minute request. Looking forward to more adventures with your company!!!

Chris Evans
3 months ago

David and I walked the Speyside Way in September 2023 and very much enjoyed the adventure. Maximum Adventure Ltd organised our nightly accommodation and uplifting of our luggage in a seamless manner, which made the whole trip so easy with no stress. This is the second time that I have personally used Maximum Adventures Ltd and I would recommend them to others as they offer a friendly and efficient service.

Göte Fredriksson
4 months ago

We realy appreciated the tour we did on Hadrians Wall path in May.Beautiful scenery, decent weather, god arrangements including lodging, transport, bagagehandling etc. We came well prepared . In this preparation Maximum adventures gave us great support, as we are coming from abroad with no knowledge of conditions on the path. We had great BnBs and could concentrate on de daily walks that gave us great pleasure.Thank you England and Hadrians Wall path for your friendly reception and well mantained walking path.Thank you Maximum Adventures for your good service.We would love to come back in the future.

Jerry Kashinski
4 months ago

Maximum Adventure did a great job for us. With less than a month's notice, it set up an itinerary, lodging and luggage porterage for a walk from Carlisle to Newcastle, England along Hadrian's Wall. The lodging was fantastic, as was the itinerary and support during the walk. We'd definitely use Maximum Adventure again and would recommend them without reservation!

Fiona Reilly
5 months ago

I was part of a climb on 23/09, didn't think I would make ut, but I did. The descent was a different story.. I got jelly legs and lost my confidence. If it wasn't for James, my Sherpa would never have made it. Can't thank him enough, Will, met you briefly.Both of them were very knowledgeable, we had the most amazing views at the summit...the pain is still worth it and

Tom Graham
5 months ago

I walked the West Highland Way with my dad and brother. The organisation was excellent by Samantha. Itinerary and instructions were clear and all the bookings and luggage transfers went smoothly. As a result we were able to ensure the fantastic walk and not worry about anything. I would happily recommend Maximum Adventure to others.

Sarah Bracken
5 months ago

Absolutely brilliant guide - knowledgeable, interesting and humorous in addition to looking after our safety so well - making sure we ate and suggesting when to layer up! Would highly recommend!

Diana Straub
6 months ago

We just got home from our 8-days Hadrian's Wall hike and we just loved it!Everything was perfectly organized!We had great B&Bs and hotels with very friendly, welcoming and helpful staff. Our favorite was the Dacre House with Clare. But then again, all were great!The luggage was always at the day's destination, no matter how early we got to the accommodation.The description of how to get to the accommodations were clear and precise.The road map and the guide book were waiting for us as we got to the first B&B and were very helpful and interestingThanks, Maximum Adventure!

Kristin Hentschel
6 months ago

Praise for the West Highland Hike and the Maximum Adventure planners, esp. our planner Samantha. Great experience in every regard.

Simon Bradish
6 months ago

Booked for the 3 UK Peaks adventure, it was organised perfectly and everything when to plan. Accommodation was good, transport excellent, our guide (Patrick) brilliant, so cannot fault the trip and adventure. I personally expected too much from myself and was unable to fully summit as this adventure is not for beginners, I climbed Kilimanjaro in 2003 when I was 42 and twenty years later, although relatively fit, my endurance didn't last. So I did a half summit for Ben Nevis & Scafell, thanks to Patrick for letting go back down on my own, it was brilliant. With Snowdon, a half summit is tricky as you can't descend the way you go up, so I decided to do some hiking in the area while the rest of the group did the climb. I took a chance and went to the ticket office and managed to get a single return ticket up to the summit of Snowdon at 9am which returned down by 11.30am. I was hoping to see my group on top and spring a surprise but the weather was terrible. I highly recommend the trip but make sure you are fit enough otherwise as there is an emphasis on time, so a slow walk up is going to slow everyone down and really delay the trip. Have Fun, Simon Bradish

Why book with us

We know you have a choice of companies providing trips for your next adventures. Here are some of the reasons you should choose to travel with Maximum Adventure:

  • We are an established adventure travel business
  • We have been trading since 2002
  • We are financially protected in accordance with the 1992 travel regulation
  • Knowledgeable and available office staff
  • Qualified leaders and guides with ascents ranging from Ben Nevis to Mount Everest
  • All activities are risk assessed
  • We will provide you with the best service available
  • We are aware this is your holiday/your challenge and will do our best to make it an enjoyable and rewarding experience
  • We have many repeat clients stretching back over a number of years
20+ years adventure organisation experience
Full liability & financial protection
Leading provider of high quality adventure challenges
Great team of staff to support you

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