Coast to Coast West
Self-guided walking holiday

+ Follow part of Wainwright's famous route
+ Link up Lake District valleys over high passes
+ Ready to go without any planning hassle

Latest news January 2012
Please ask about our 2012 season which starts on 1 April. Thank you.

Walk the famous Coast to Coast path in its first week across the Lake District. This holiday tackles the popular route devised by Wainwright, but in a 6-day route as far as Kirkby Stephen on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.

The scenery is rich and varied. Setting off inland from the cliff-top coastal path near St Bees, the route crosses farmland for the first section towards Ennerdale Bridge. From this point the walk visits many famous names in the Lake District: Honister, Borrowdale, Grasmere, Patterdale and more. The walking is sometimes strenuous, crossing high passes where the route is not always clear on the ground. We describe detours up various mountains along the way including Helvellyn and High Street.

As a continuous trek, your focus can be solely on enjoying the walks and the feeling of moving through the landscape. The last day from Shap to Kirkby Stephen is outside the Lake District, across open moors and fields with distant views to the Howgill Fells - a pleasant change. Kirkby Stephen makes a suitable terminus, being an attractive and well-connected village.

Your accommodation is in a series of friendly guesthouses, B&Bs and inns. Every village has its own charm and gives you a new scene to settle into each evening.

Options

We don't have set schedules or start dates - instead we can book your trip to suit you.

Alternative schedules
Our normal 6-stage trek is fairly strenuous. It can be made quicker still, but of more appeal might be to make it slower. Here are some itineraries that we book:

Walking through Grasmere direct to Patterdale:
5 stages and 6 nights

Or for a slower finish, add a night in Orton:
7 stages and 8 nights

We can split up the longest stages with extra nights in Ennerdale and Orton:
8 stages and 9 nights

Rest days
Add one or more rest days, to recuperate during the route and to see more of the Lakes.

Coordinating with travel
As normal we include your accommodation in St Bees and Kirkby Stephen, both of which have train stations. Please ask us to advise if you'd like to come by car or if you'd like to combine traveling with your first or last trek days. We know some excellent solutions.

Accommodation
Please let us know if you fancy a more comfy or more basic trip. At many villages on the Coast to Coast West we can adjust your schedule, for example by booking smart little hotels or good youth hostels.