United Kingdom

The Coast to Coast walk takes 20 days for the full route (16 days of walking, plus rest days and arrival and departure days). Walking days can be adapted to suit your timeframe and ability.

May to September are the most popular times to walk. These months are often the busiest with walkers, so it’s essential to book your trip well ahead of your intended departure date to ensure accommodation can be booked at every intended stop. There are a limited number of rooms in remote locations. 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 light from 5am to 10pm and plenty of daylight to complete each day’s walk at a leisurely pace. July and August get very busy in the main lakeland towns though not necessarily on the rest of the walk. This walk can also be done in April and October but you will have fewer daylight hours and cooler temperatures.

Walking is one of the most natural things to do, so you may feel that you are already in good enough shape. However, you will be walking for many hours over successive days carrying a daypack, which is likely very different to your current walking schedule. We recommend that you undertake a training program according to your level of fitness for at least 3 months leading up to your departure. Regular exercise prior to the trip will allow you to build your fitness steadily so that you will enjoy and complete the trip with a smile and energy left over.

The trail starts and finishes in two iconic coastal towns in the south coast of England: Minehead in Somerset and Poole in Dorset. The 1014km trail traverses through five different counties through Somerset, North Devon, Cornwall, South Devon and Dorset.