Wainwrights 'Coast to Coast'..

This classic route was originated and described by A. Wainwright, author of a well-known series of mountain-walking guide books on the Lake District. The walk starts on the Irish Sea coast of Cumbria near the huge red sandstone cliffs of St. Bees Head. You cross three National Parks before reaching the North Sea at the pretty fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay on the rocky coastline of the North York Moors.

Tradition has it that you dip your boots in the Irish Sea and take a pebble to deposit in the North Sea at the end of your walk. That should confuse geologists a few thousand years hence. The first few days take you over some of the most rugged, beautiful terrain of the Lake District, by way of the idyllic lakeland valleys of Borrowdale, Grasmere (Wordsworth lived here) and Patterdale, close to Ullswater Lake. You pass Helvellyn, England's most popular mountain, and the mountain oddly named High Street, along which the Roman Legions marched on their way to Hadrian's Wall.

After leaving the Lake District you cross a gentler landscape round Shap and Orton. Beyond the quaint market town of Kirkby Stephen you enter the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Two days are then spent walking through the long valley of Swaledale, with its dry stone walls and unspoilt villages. You reach the historic town of Richmond with its cobbled streets, sloping market square and famous castle perched above the River Swale.

Beyond the arable farm land of the Vale of York, you ascend on to the heather moorlands of the North York Moors, a region of long vistas and easy walking. After crossing the wooded valley of Eskdale you reach the dramatic cliffs of the North Sea Coast. The last few miles follow the scenic clifftop path to the red-roofed village of Robin Hood's Bay. With an extra night here, you can relax on the beach or visit nearby Whitby with its ruined abbey (associated with the Dracula legend) and its Captain Cook Museum.

General Information
Rollup for Wainwright’s masterpiece! This is the quintessential English hill walking and long distance trail experience: 190 odd miles traversing three national parks and a lot of interesting landscapes, old towns and of course public houses in between! It is amazing to think that this most famous of routes, totally eclipsing the Pennine Way in terms of popularity and variety, is still not classified as a National Trail! Starting at the tiny Cumbrian seaside resort of St. Bees on the Irish Sea we head East, with the wind, into the Lake district to pass by some of its most famous lakes and cross some important passes, with options to extend days (with ascents of peaks such as Helvellyn). Then it is on into the Yorkshire Dales and over the mystical Nine Standards Rig, before following the beautiful River Swale for a couple of days into the old market town of Richmond. There follows a marathon section to link up with the North York Moors National Park from where we roller coaster around to the North Sea Coast to make a triumphant entrance into Robins Hoods Bay where a celebratory pint, bottle of Champagne or ice cream whilst standing in the Sea is in order. Along the way you will be amazed at the variety of the dry stone walls, the charming little villages and just how much that you get to eat for a full English cooked breakfast! There are cozy small hotels, guest houses and pubs to stay at on this tour and these, as well as the rich variety of the people that you meet enroute, reflect something of the great diversity of England.

DETAILS
Self-guided Inn to Inn Walk with two escorted departures.

DURATION: 15 days
TOURCODE: WCC
GRADE: Moderate to Challenging
DAY STAGES: 10-24 miles/day
DATES: Start any day 5 April to 11 October
ESCORTED DEPARTURE: 5 July, 16 August
STARTING POINT: St Bees
END OF WALK: Robin Hood’s Bay

PRICES
AU$2010 (US$1410) per person based on two people walking. AU$2160 (US$1512) for one person walking.

For the escorted walk the price is AU$2235 (US$1512) per person based on two people walking.
AU$2280 (US$1596) for one person walking.
DATES: 03 July and 14 August 2004

If you wish to form your own group we can customise an escorted departure just for you.

INCLUDED
Bed & Breakfast throughout plus 5 evening meals. Ensuite facilities where available. Luggage transfers from Inn to Inn. Full route notes and map package.

EXTENDING YOUR WALK
Extra nights: Kirkby Stephen, Richmond, Robin Hood Bay, or anywhere else you want to stay at on the route if you want  a rest day or other local excursion.

GETTING TO THE START AND AWAY
Convenient major city and international airport: Manchester Airport which is 4-5 hours by rail via Carlisle to the start of the walk.

Outward journey from London: Train from London Euston to Carlisle. Then local train from Carlisle to St Bees (1 hour 15 mins). Then short walk from station to hotel.

Inward journey to London at end of tour: Bus/taxi from Robin Hood’s Bay to Scarborough. Then train from Scarborough to London.

YOUR ACCOMMODATION
Night 1: The first night's accommodation is in a traditional style Inn, built in the 17th Century out of sandstone. All rooms are en suite, and have a TV and full tea and coffee making facilities.

Night 2: Overnight at a friendly family owned and run hotel, of three crown standard. Enjoy a home cooked meal of local produce including fish and game in season. A traditional feel is retained by the hotel, with its open fire, and the fully licensed bar serves a range of beverages including locally produced ale. All bedrooms have tea and coffee making facilities. Dinner is included tonight

Night 3: Tonight we stay in a very small, and long established guesthouse. It is set in a beautiful small hamlet town, and offers excellent home cooking. A popular peaceful retreat for former clients. Ensuite facilities are not available here as it is a listed building that changes cannot be made too. Dinner is included tonight.

Night 4: Tonight's accommodation is in a country house in Grasmere, The facilities allow guests to enjoy comfortable, affordable accommodation and good food in the very beautiful surroundings of Easedale, Glenthorne is operated on a non-profit making basis by a Committee and is a registered charity. Grasmere is one of Lakeland’s most celebrated villages, and there is time either this afternoon or tomorrow morning to look around and visit the poet Wordsworth's home at Dove Cottage.

Night 5: Tonight’s accommodation is popular with visitors and local people alike since the early 1800’s.Many a tale could be told of events that have taken place in all its lifetime, including the time when Wordsworth was in our very bar as news arrived that Nelson had died at Trafalgar. All rooms are ensuite

Night 6: The proprietors will welcome you to their guesthouse in the village of Shap. The village offers an interesting insight to the history of the area, and the old Shap Abbey is nearby.

Night 7: Exuding a warm and friendly atmosphere. The spacious rooms, all of which offer tea and coffee facilities, also have full size colour T.V, radio alarm, hair dryer and local information packs. On arrival all guests receive tea or coffee with home made biscuits in one of the two guest lounges. Dinner is included tonight.

Night 8: Accommodation in Thwaite is at a medium sized guesthouse, offering a gateway to the Pennines "The Backbone of England". Traditional Yorkshire fayre is served in an attractively decorated dining room, and there are tea and coffee making facilities in all rooms. Dinner is included tonight.

Night 9: Formed from a terrace of traditional Cl6th miners' cottages, a peaceful and comfortable hotel with courtyard and garden, renowned for its cuisine. Dinner is included tonight.

Night 10: The extremely picturesque North Yorkshire town of Richmond, with its cobbled market square and Norman castle, is an ever-popular destination for visitors. Our accommodation is in a small, very comfortable, guest house within easy reach of all the sights in Richmond

Night 11: Tonight's accommodation is set in an extremely picturesque village on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. All rooms are ensuite and have tea and coffee making facilities.

Night 12: Tonight we stay in a wonderful guesthouse. All the rooms are very spacious. There is a TV and tea & coffee making facilities in all rooms.

Night 13: Another listed building will be the accommodation for tonight. Situated alongside the River Esk, the inn is actually mentioned in the Norman Doomsday Book of the 11th Century, and the oldest part of the building dates back almost as far. Some rooms are en suite, and there is a TV and tea and coffee making facilities in all rooms.

Night 14: Our final night is spent in a large, cliff-top hotel. Magnificent views of the bay are offered by the attractive dining room, in which is served good home-cooked food. There are private and public bars, and a large lounge in which to relax having completed the magnificent Coast-to-Coast crossing of England. Rooms are spacious, with tea and coffee making facilities available.

OUTLINE ITINERARY
Day 1 St Bees: Travel to starting point on the edge of the Irish Sea with views across to the Isle of Man.

Day 2 Ennerdale Bridge: Footpath along red sandstone coastal cliffs of St Bees Head and then inland over hilly ground to the edge of the Lake District National Park (14 miles 6 hours) .

Day 3 Borrowdale: A quiet and scenic footpath along the shore of Ennerdale Water lake to Black Sail and over the hills (1900 ft) to Borrowdale (400 ft) (14 miles 8 hours).

Day 4 Grasmere: Classic Lakeland scenery over Greenup Edge (2000 to Easedale and Grasmere (10 Miles 6 Hours).

Day 5 Patterdale: Over Grisedale Pass (2000 ft) and around the small mountain lake of Grisedale Tarn to Patterdale (500 ft). Add 2 miles and 2 hours if include detour via Summit of Helvellyn

Day 6 Shap: Past Angle Tarn, over Kidsty Pike (2560 feet, the highest point on the whole route) and along Hawes Water (home of England’s only nesting eagles) (17miles 9 hours).

Day 7 Kirkby Stephen: Easier going over limestone plateau (18 miles 8 hours) between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

Day 8 Thwaite: Across Nine Standards Rigg (2170 feet) with its array of obelisks and down to Keld in Swaledale with its many waterfalls ( 16 miles 8 hours)

Day 9 Reeth: Wild moorland with long-abandoned lead mines, a magnet for the industrial archaeologist (14 miles 7 Hours).

Day 10 Richmond: A morning walk through pretty Swaledale lined with limestone crags on either side, allowing time in Richmond for shopping (note shops closed Sunday) and sightseeing in Richmond whose Norman Keep towers above the Swale on one side and the ancient cobbled market square on the other(10 Miles 4 Hours).

Day 11 Osmotherley: Longest and flattest day of the tour, bridging the gap between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors National Parks (24 miles 9 Hours)

Day 12 Blakey: A strenuous day with repeated ascents and descents in the Cleveland Hills, then across heather moors to Rosedale (21 miles 10 hours)

Day 13 Egton Bridge: An easy descent to wooded Eskdale. The latter part of today's walk follows a beautiful path through the woodlands on the banks of the River Esk (10 miles 4 hours)

Day 14 Robin Hoods Bay: Across heather moors and along coastal cliff path to Robin Hood's Bay. A village of red roofed houses clustered around its harbor on the North Sea coast. This is the end of the 190-mile crossing of England. (16 miles 7 hours).