Coast to Coast

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After doing the Pennine Way, and seeing the increasing popularity of long distance walking routes, Wainwright decided he could do better. And so he set off creating the Coast to Coast.

Since he published his book A Coast To Coast Walk thousands of people have walked his route. All that, despite it having no official or legal status.

In the summer of 2010 we joined them.

One Coast To Another: Following Wainwright from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay

Read about my journey in book format. Available in paperback, and for Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Kobo, Nook, Google Play and more.

Coast to Coast Introduction – Walking Wainright’s Walk

Published 22 August 2010

There are ways to begin a long distance walk. Things that must be done. It’s compulsory. It’s written in the rules.

Coast to Coast Day 1 – St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge

Published 23 August 2010

Setting off on Wainwright’s mighty Coast to Coast walk

Coast to Coast Day 2 – Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale

Published 25 August 2010

It’s day two walking Wainwright’s Coast to Coast, travelling along Ennerdale Water, up over Honister and down the beautiful valley of Borrowdale.

Coast to Coast Day 3 – Borrowdale to Patterdale

Published 27 August 2010

It’s time to traverse from Borrowdale to Patterdale in some of the worst weather conditions you can think of. Bar snow.

Coast to Coast Day 4 – Patterdale to Bampton

Published 30 August 2010

There’s yet more rain as we head off to the edge of the Lake District and a fantastic pub in Bampton.

Coast to Coast Day 5 – Bampton to Orton

Published 1 September 2010

The rains have gone and there’s an Abbey to look at too. Oh and the Pennines in the distance. Finally the Coast to Coast started behaving like a walker would actually want it to behave…

Coast to Coast Day 6 – Orton to Kirkby Stephen

Published 3 September 2010

Oh for good weather… Oh, we got it! Yay for good weather as we head to the beautiful Eden Valley and the delightful Kirkby Stephen.

Coast to Coast Day 7 – Kirkby Stephen to Keld

Published 6 September 2010

It’s our seventh day on the Coast to Coast and after visiting some cairns, being unimpressed by bog and walking through fog, we reach the half way point.

Coast to Coast Day 8 – Keld to Reeth

Published 6 October 2010

Striding through the Yorkshire Dales it’s time for a dose of lead mining history

Coast to Coast Day 9 – Reeth to Brompton-on-Swale via Richmond

Published 8 October 2010

Our Coast to Coast adventure continues as we head through the fields to the chip fuelled town of Richmond and beyond.

Coast to Coast Day 10 – Brompton-on-Swale to Ingleby Cross

Published 11 October 2010

Over farmland do we go as we traverse the rather flat landscape just before the North York Moors.

Coast to Coast Day 11 – Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top

Published 13 October 2010

Leaving the fields behind it’s time to get out on to the moorland for a day of panoramic views and ridge walking.

Coast to Coast Day 12 – Clay Bank Top to Blakey Ridge

Published 15 October 2010

It’s off to the pub as Wainwright takes us ridge walking and down an old railway to the isolated Lion Inn.

Coast to Coast Day 13 – Blakey Ridge to Grosmont

Published 18 October 2010

It’s the penultimate day as we walk over more moorland and head to a village in a timewarp and a ride on a steam train.

Coast to Coast Day 14 – Grosmont to Robin Hood’s Bay

Published 20 October 2010

And after two weeks on the road we finally arrive at the other side of the country and a celebratory pint at Robin Hood’s Bay.

Planning your Coast to Coast walk

Published 22 October 2010

Wainwright’s classic walk across the north of England needs a fair amount of planning, especially if you’re going to do it all in one go. Get all the useful information you need to plan your trip in this handy guide.

Coast to Coast - the trail highlights

Coast to Coast Gallery

Published 5 February 2011

Going from one coast to another in Summer 2010.

At the end of the Coast to Coast

Published 11 November 2012

Who cares about monuments, signs and plaques when you can have a pint?

Video St Bees Boot Wetting

Published 18 December 2013

Splish splash! TIme to wet those boots at the start of the Coast to Coast walk.

Video Toot Toot! Steam trains on the Coast to Coast

Published 23 December 2013

They say that steam trains and walking go hand in hand. Quite who “they” are, I have absolutely no idea. But say it they do.

At the start of the Coast to Coast

Published 5 July 2020

Is it a monument? A wall? Or a very well built thing extremely over-engineered for the purposes of putting a sign on?

Also about Coast to Coast

National Trails – from old to new

Published 25 June 2023

In 2025 we’ll be getting a new National Trail. But how long have the others been around?

Which walk should I do?

Published 7 July 2019

Every now and then, someone emails me to ask which walk they should do. Now there’s an open ended question, I think, because it totally depends on who you are and what you like. And if you fall into one these categories, you’ll find your answer here! And if you don’t fall into one of these categories, you might not.

The Coast to Coast National Trail

Published 12 October 2016

There’s a campaign to upgrade the Coast to Coast to National Trail status, and it probably can’t come too soon.

The Lion Inn – the best pub on the Coast to Coast

Published 19 March 2014

Sat in the middle of nowhere on the North York Moors, arriving at the Lion Inn is a cracking way to end your day of walking.

At the end of the Coast to Coast

Published 11 November 2012

Who cares about monuments, signs and plaques when you can have a pint?

Choosing between three walks

Published 10 May 2012

I recently had an email that posed me an interesting question. They were hoping to do a long distance walk in 2013 but weren’t sure which to do.