Long-distance walk · England
Coast to Coast
Alfred Wainwright's walk across northern England, from the Irish Sea to the North Sea.
- Distance
- 287 km
- 178 miles
- Stages
- 14
- 12–15 days for most people
- Total ascent
- 7,033 m
- over the whole trail
- Highest point
- 777 m
About the Coast to Coast
Alfred Wainwright devised the Coast to Coast in 1973: three national parks in one walk. It crosses the Lake District over its high passes, the Yorkshire Dales through Swaledale, and the North York Moors along their northern edge.
Tradition says you dip your boots in the Irish Sea at St Bees and in the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay, and carry a pebble across from one to the other.
Stages
The usual stages, ending where there's somewhere to stay. Times are by Naismith's rule, without stops.
| Stage | Route | Distance | Ascent | Time | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge | 23.9 km | 696 m | 6 h | GPX for stage 1 |
| 2 | Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite | 23.2 km | 547 m | 5½ h | GPX for stage 2 |
| 3 | Rosthwaite to Grasmere | 11.7 km | 535 m | 3 h | GPX for stage 3 |
| 4 | Grasmere to Patterdale | 11.4 km | 517 m | 3 h | GPX for stage 4 |
| 5 | Patterdale to Shap | 24.2 km | 968 m | 6½ h | GPX for stage 5 |
| 6 | Shap to Kirkby Stephen | 30.8 km | 502 m | 7 h | GPX for stage 6 |
| 7 | Kirkby Stephen to Keld | 18.2 km | 542 m | 4½ h | GPX for stage 7 |
| 8 | Keld to Reeth | 17.3 km | 523 m | 4½ h | GPX for stage 8 |
| 9 | Reeth to Richmond | 16.5 km | 315 m | 4 h | GPX for stage 9 |
| 10 | Richmond to Danby Wiske | 22.5 km | 102 m | 4½ h | GPX for stage 10 |
| 11 | Danby Wiske to Ingleby Cross | 14.1 km | 69 m | 3 h | GPX for stage 11 |
| 12 | Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top | 15.6 km | 758 m | 4½ h | GPX for stage 12 |
| 13 | Clay Bank Top to Glaisdale | 27.9 km | 314 m | 6 h | GPX for stage 13 |
| 14 | Glaisdale to Robin Hood's Bay | 29.8 km | 647 m | 7 h | GPX for stage 14 |
Walks along the way
Day walks that start near the trail, for a rest day or a detour.
Moderate
·
New
Birkhouse Moor, Sheffield Pike and Glenridding Dodd
Glenridding
11.4 km · 900 m · 4–5.5 h
Moderate
·
New
Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Kirk Fell and Fleetwith Pike
Honister Pass
13.1 km · 860 m · 4.5–6 h
