Coast to Coast

Walking England's wild side

The Coast to Coast Path meanders through three of England’s most beautiful national parks: the world-famous scenery of the Lake District, the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales and the exquisite wide open expanses of the North Yorkshire Moors. It’s an epic walking adventure that passes by stunning lakes, over rugged mountains, moors and dales and through charming rural villages.

The route has been adapted over time, but the essence remains the same: an adventurous ramble that takes you from the Irish Sea at St Bees in Cumbria across the Pennine Hills and Yorkshire Moors to embrace the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay.

Along the way, you’ll savour majestic mountain top views, stunning fells and dales and the most glorious tarns and becks in northern England. Enjoy countless small rustic villages, charming sheep and plenty of warm, welcoming inns and pubs. We’ve built up long-standing relationships with every host, so we know you’ll love every character-filled B&B carefully chosen by us for their welcoming greeting and comfortable rooms.

And, like every other iconic long-distance walk, you’ll have the opportunity to meet fellow walkers from all over the world, share a laugh and a beer and undoubtedly pour over your map and guidebook one more time, just to double check you’re on the right path!

COAST TO COAST PATH

The RAW Travel Difference

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FLEXIBLE, TAILORED TRIPS

RAW Travel offers an unmatched level of flexibility to deliver the trip you want. We listen to you and tailor your trip to fit the timeframe and distances you prefer. We know from experience this incredible walk is an adventure that works best if it's adapted to your ability. Let's work together to create your perfect Coast to Coast walk!

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DAY WITH A MOUNTAIN GUIDE

A unique feature of our walk is the day you spend hiking with our experienced Lake District mountain guide. Your guide will provide you with local knowledge, insights and basic navigational skills to give you the confidence to fully enjoy your Coast to Coast walk.

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PACK-FREE & ON-TRAIL NAVIGATION

You will have daily luggage transfers so you can walk with just a daypack. Use our proprietary app for navigation - it shows where you are on the trail in real-time and includes emergency contacts. This leaves you free to focus on enjoying your walk, knowing your luggage will be waiting for you each night and you can walk safely and confidently.

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COSY INNS & COUNTRY COTTAGES

Walking the Coast to Coast path with us means staying in lovely English guesthouses and historic pubs that provide a warm welcome and good comfort at the end of your walking day. The accommodation is an enjoyable part of this trip and we have chosen places with quintessential English character.

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COAST TO COAST PATH

Coast to Coast part guided
20 Days

Coast to Coast

The Part-Guided Walk – Coast to Coast

Challenging - Strenuous Guided
  • Part-guided and fully pack-free with our qualified mountain guide
  • Ramble through Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  • Be charmed by quintessential English villages and pubs
  • Rolling hills, pastures and the world’s most charming sheep
from

$5,450.00

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Coast to Coast0000
20 Days

Coast to Coast

The Self-Guided Trip – Coast to Coast

Challenging - Strenuous Self-Guided
  • Includes your own personal Lake District guide for a day
  • Traverse northern England on Wainwright’s famous walk
  • Meander three of the UK’s most beautiful national parks
  • Be charmed by quintessential English villages and pubs
from

$4,295.00

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Coast to Coast Path
18 Days

Coast to Coast

Coast to Coast Essentials Walk

Challenging - Strenuous Self-Guided
  • A slightly faster-paced itinerary on Wainwright’s famous walk
  • Traverse three of England’s most beautiful national parks
  • Enjoy a pint in the charming local inns and freehouses
  • Marvel at the scenery – mountains, lakes and moorland
from

$3,695.00

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Coast to Coast walker lake District
23 Days

Coast to Coast

The Slow Walk – Coast to Coast

Challenging - Strenuous Self-Guided
  • Includes your own personal Lake District guide for a day
  • Take your time, enjoy life in the slow lane
  • Reconnect with nature, yourself or your walking buddy
  • Be captivated by woodlands, meadows and mountain views
from

$4,950.00

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Lake District, Coast to Coast Path
9 Days

Coast to Coast

Lakeland Ramble

Challenging - Strenuous Self-Guided
  • Includes your own personal mountain guide for a day
  • Wander through charming lakeland villages
  • Absorb the remote wilderness of the Lake District
  • Listen for cuckoos in the Borrowdale valley
from

$1,990.00

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Coast to Coast Path hikers
13 Days

Coast to Coast

Dales and Moors – Coast to Coast

Challenging Self-Guided
  • Walk quiet pathways of England’s most-loved national parks
  • Discover the fascinating and mysterious Nine Standards Rigg
  • Eat fresh local produce and sample regional ales and ciders
  • Explore the almost 1000-year-old Richmond Castle
from

$2,495.00

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Coast to Coast Route Map

St Bees

This small town on the Cumbrian coast is the official starting point of the Coast to Coast walk. Tradition dictates that walkers start the route on St Bees beach by getting their feet wet and collecting a pebble. You do the same on the other side at the North Sea in Robin Hood’s Bay.

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Ennerdale Bridge

At Ennerdale Bridge you will catch your first glimpse of the beautiful and breathtaking Lake District National Park, which features 16 major lakes and numerous fells. The landscape is spellbinding!

Rosthwaite

The charming village of Rosthwaite is known for its picturesque landscapes, including the Borrowdale Valley, which is considered one of the most beautiful valleys in the Lake District. The village is also home to the River Derwent.

Grasmere

Grasmere is one of England’s prettiest and most-loved villages. Home to poet William Wordsworth whose gravesite lies at the local church ground, and the famous Sarah Nelson gingerbread, spend your rest day exploring all its delights. There are plenty of tea shops where you can tuck into home-made cake and scones, or visit one of the many adventure stores for any last minute hiking supplies. If you have time take a tour of Dove Cottage and Wordsworth museum on the town’s outskirts where you can immerse yourself a little in his day-to-day life.

Patterdale

Patterdale is a lovely village with a serene location at the head of Ullswater Lake; it’s well worth a stroll out in the evening before you call in at one of the local pubs or hotels for dinner. The local shop here is a mine of information and supplies for Coast to Coast walkers so it’s worth sticking your head in.

Kidsty Pike

Kidsty Pike (780m) is the highest point of the Coast to Coast Path. After you’ve reached the summit, you descend to quiet Haweswater Lake in the valley below. Haweswater is the most remote of the lakes and has a markedly different feel to the central lakes.

Orton

The pretty village of Orton has amongst its attractions Kennedy’s chocolate factory – a wonderful treat for those inclined to sweet tastes after your walk; they even have a Coast to Coast chocolate bar!

Kirkby Stephen

Kirkby Stephen is a lively market town. It’s well worth exploring if you have time. When you eave the sheltered valley of Kirkby Stephen the Coast to Coast path takes you into the wild moors of the Pennine mountain range – the spine of northern England.

Keld

The tiny hamlet of Keld sits at the head of the Swaledale Valley and has many waterfalls and old stone barns. In the mid-19th century it was the heart of a thriving lead mining industry. You’ll reach it after you’ve passed the Nine Standards Rigg – an arrangement of dry stone obelisks whose purpose remains a mystery.

Reeth

Reeth has a variety of pubs and tea shops to recuperate after your day’s walk, plus a fine village green to sit in if the weather is fine.

Richmond

Richmond is an attractive market town and one of the Coast to Coast’s busiest towns. It has its own Norman castle dating back to the 11th century, a wonderful Georgian theatre, and cobbled market square from which lead many winding alleys known locally as ‘wynds’.

Danby Wiske

The tiny village of Danby Wiske has a Norman church, village green and single pub.

Ingleby Arncliffe

Treat yourself to coffee and cake at the Joiners Shop Cafe in the idyllic village of Ingleby Arncliffe. It has delicious coffee specialties from all over the world and is a haven on the Coast to Coast.

North York Moors

The beautiful North York Moors are famed for the heather-clad moorland, most spectacular in the late summer when it magically lights up the landscape in a fiery blanket of bright pinks and purples.

Blakey Ridge

High on remote Blakey Ridge you can take in the surrounding expanses as you meander into the Esk Valley and pass the medieval stone markers of Young Ralph and Fat Betty. The Lion Inn, a 16th-century freehouse, is located at the highest point of the North York Moors National Park and offers breathtaking views over the valleys of Rosedale and Farndale.

Egton Bridge

Egton Bridge is a favourite on the Coast to Coast. This is the area where the TV series ‘Heartbeat’ was filmed and it corresponds to most people’s expectations of timeless English rural life.

Robin Hood’s Bay

Robin Hood’s Bay is a charming village of red roofed houses and narrow alleyways clustered around a fine harbour. You can celebrate the end of your crossing of England with a drink at Wainwright’s Bar and, as tradition dictates, dip your toes into the North Sea and throw away the pebble you’ve carried from St Bees!

Coast to Coast destination guide

Exclusive Guide

Coast to Coast

Wainwright’s iconic Coast to Coast Path passes through glorious scenery in three of England’s best national parks – the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. There are countless small villages, majestic views and warm, welcoming pubs to break your journey. Find out all you need to know in our free Destination Guide bursting with inspiration, travel essentials, practical information and more!

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COAST TO COAST

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Coast to Coast Path?

The Coast to Coast Path (309km) is one of the world’s most loved and best long-distance walks. Devised by the late Alfred Wainwright in 1972, it extends from the west coast of Cumbria to the east Coast of Yorkshire. It takes walkers across the breadth of Northern England through three of the country’s most dramatic national parks – the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors – linking back roads, rights-of-way and ancient footpaths. The joy of the Coast to Coast is in the rhythm of the landscape as you move from villages to remote, stark mountaintops, and back down to villages again. With each descent the villages have slightly different cultures, and are often many, many miles apart by road. The quality and variety of this much-loved walk continues to inspire walkers in ever-growing numbers.

When is the best time to walk the Coast to Coast Path?

May to September are the most popular times to walk the Coast to Coast Path. These months are often the busiest with walkers, so it’s essential to book your trip well ahead of your intended departure date. Mid to late-August and early September are the best times to see heather on the moors. Once you are into summer, the days can be gloriously long with plenty of daylight from 5am to 10pm to complete each day’s walk at a leisurely pace. July and August get very busy in the main Lakeland towns though not necessarily for the rest of the walk. The walk can also be undertaken in April and October but you will have fewer daylight hours and cooler temperatures.

How long does it take to walk the Coast to Coast Path in the UK?

The total distance of the Coast to Coast Path is 309km. It takes around 20 days to complete the walk (16 days of walking, plus a rest day and arrival and departure days). Some walking days can be adapted to suit your timeframe and ability.

How difficult is the Coast to Coast Path?

The Coast to Coast Path is a challenging to strenuous walk that is best suited to active walkers. It is an amazingly varied route and no two days are the same. In many parts it’s nice and easy going; however, you should not underestimate it. There are some difficult bits, especially in the Lake District. And if the weather is bad it can be very challenging. To do it successfully you will need to be fit, have good walking boots and be competent with a map. Our Lake District guide can help teach you the basics.

Is the Coast to Coast done in stages or is it a continuous journey?

Most people complete the Coast to Coast Path in its entirety (309km). Our trips break down the route into 16 manageable sections and include rest days. The route can be walked in either direction but most walkers travel west to east to keep the prevailing winds behind them.

What is the average daily distance on the Coast to Coast Path?

Daily distances on the Coast to Coast Path range from 13km to 28km. You can expect 7+ hours of walking on the longer days. Our navigation app will help you find your way easily on the trail but as an essential backup, you should be comfortable using a guidebook and/or map. The path can be walked in either direction but most walkers travel west to east to keep the prevailing winds behind them. Our Lake District guide will provide you with local knowledge, insights and basic navigational skills to give you the confidence to fully enjoy your Coast to Coast walk.

What are the start and end points for the Coast to Coast Path?

Yes. The Coast to Coast Path starts at St Bees (Cumbria) on the Irish Sea and finishes at Robin Hood’s Bay (Yorkshire) on the North Sea.

What historical landmarks are on the Coast to Coast Path?

There are plenty of historic landmarks on the Coast to Coast Path, including the Haystacks, one of Alfred Wainwright’s favourite Lake District peaks and where his ashes are scattered; Kirkby Stephen and the larger market town of Richmond, famous for its Norman castle dating back to 1086; the mysterious Nine Standards Rigg, which marks the boundary between Cumbria and North Yorkshire in the Pennine Hills; and Fat Betty, a medieval stone marker on Danby High Moor in the North York Moors. There are also dozens of literary connections, from Wordsworth to Beatrix Potter and the Brontë sisters. Other highlights include Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum, Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread Shop, Kennedy’s Fine Chocolates and Richmond Castle.

Are there guided tours on the Coast to Coast Path?

Yes. On our part-guided tour you’ll be accompanied by a qualified mountain guide through the challenging sections, then your group is self-guided for the easier second half. Your guide will provide you with local knowledge, insights and basic navigational skills to give you the confidence to fully enjoy your Coast to Coast walk.

How are walkers supported on the Coast to Coast Path?

A unique feature of all our Coast to Coast walks is the support our walkers receive from an experienced mountain guide. Whether you are walking self-guided or with a group on our guided tour you will be provided with local knowledge, insights and basic navigational skills to give you the confidence to fully enjoy your Coast to Coast walk. If you are in a guided group you’re able to share the experience with other like-minded walkers, and help each other hop over muddy bogs and streams of water. You’ll also have instant drinking/dining companions if you end your day at a local pub (which your guide can recommend).

What type of accommodation is on the Coast to Coast Path?

Along the Coast to Coast Path there are welcoming B&Bs and traditional cosy hotels and pubs where you can enjoy the lively company and camaraderie of local characters and other Coast to Coasters. With older historic buildings, rooms are usually small but adequate, and there may be a public area for sitting/dining. Many accommodations in the UK no longer have baths; you’re more likely to have an ensuite shower room.

Do walkers need specific permits for the Coast to Coast Path?

You do not need a special permit to walk the Coast to Coast Path.

What type of wildlife is on the Coast to Coast Path?

Lookout for red squirrels, rabbits, deer, otters, golden eagles and kestrels, plus you’ll likely encounter sheep and other livestock.

Should I pre-book accommodation for a Coast to Coast walk?

We take care of all the logistics and pre-book lovely English guesthouses and historic pubs for you. We hand-select places with quintessential English character.

Are there cafes and pubs along the Coast to Coast route?

Most towns and villages en route have cafes, good restaurants and cosy pubs with great ambience. British food is of a surprisingly good standard and you’ll usually find a good selection of well- priced meals on offer. On this walk we include legendary full cooked English breakfasts: rashers of bacon, fried eggs, a slice of fried bread, mushrooms, tomatoes, sausages, possibly, a slice of black pudding, plus toast, coffee, marmalade, jam and honey. A hearty breakfast is a great way to start a long day of walking.

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Tailor-made trips

If you don’t see the exact trip you’re looking for then consider a customised trip, individually tailored to your ideal walking distances and timeframes. Have a look at our tailor-made trips page on the link below and drop us a line:

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