Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk

The story of my adventures walking Alfred Wainwright's iconic Coast to Coast path — firstly from east to west, and secondly from west to east.

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West to East

This is the direction Alfred Wainwright designed the walk to be done. He said, “You are best doing the walk with the prevailing wind at your backs.” This way takes you straight into the Lake District with the hardest work done in the first four days. I did the route this way in 1999 in the company of my dear friend Deke Lawrenson from Knaresborough, alongside Jez Clapham, Chris Clapham, and many new friends like Chris and Zarina Brewer. I shall always treasure those 12 days in July 1999, plus the 13th day walking from Robin Hood's Bay to Scarborough where Lil was waiting with Champagne.

📖 My Coast to Coast Walk 1999 ▶ View 1999 Photographic Journal

East to West

This is the course I first took on the Coast to Coast walk, and it is the direction I prefer as it provides a splendid Lake District finale. The route helps you 'walk yourself in' to the journey by tackling the North York Moors first—a good challenge but not as severe a start. I did this in May 1994 with my brother Dave and friend Steve Scott. Despite severe blisters from unaccustomed stress, it was a life-changing experience that sparked a lifelong passion for walking and inspired the creation of The Walking Englishman website.

📖 My Coast to Coast Walk 1994 ▶ View 1994 Photographic Journal

About the Coast to Coast Walk

This classic long-distance walk was devised by Alfred Wainwright in 1972. It is a classic and quite rightly has become one of the most popular long-distance walks in the British Isles. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the walk has distinct starting and finishing points as it starts on the west coast of Northern England at St Bees and finishes on the east coast at Robin Hood's Bay. Hence the obvious title 'Coast to Coast'.

Secondly, the walk makes its way through three of the finest national parks in the country: the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and the North York Moors. All three parks are distinctly different. The Lake District is rocky with the highest hills and largest lakes in England. The Yorkshire Dales are covered in a mixture of limestone and gritstone with challenging hills of its own. The North York Moors are predominantly heather moorland with rolling hills and lush green dales.

The Coast to Coast is about 190 miles long, depending on the variations chosen on some of the legs, and is designed to be walked in 12–14 days. Accommodation is readily available, with guest houses, bed and breakfasts, bunkhouses, and camping facilities all along the route. If you are going to do one long-distance walk and haven't decided which, I recommend you choose this one. It will give you the drive to do others!

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Feedback and Suggestions

I am always pleased to receive feedback on the structure and content of the website. I also welcome suggestions on how I can improve the website, which may include new areas to cover, new walks, or route alterations to existing walks. To get in touch with feedback and/or suggestions, please contact me on one of my social media links. Thank you.

(Note: Walking without proper preparation can be dangerous. Information and downloads on this website are provided free of charge; it is each walker's responsibility to check the material and use accordingly. Postscript: My walk reports are not route guides and should not be treated as such. They are written with personal reflections of my walks.)