Coast to Coast
14 stages . 15 nights . Northern England
Nince Standards Rigg on the Coast to Coast
Coast to Coast
Coast to Coast
14 stages . 15 nights

Coast to Coast
Self-guided walking holiday


Key information

Start: St. Bees in Cumbria
End: Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire
Season dates: 1 May to 15 Sept 2024
Length: 14 days' walking
Typical walk: 22.5km, 550m ascent
Longest stage: 35.1km on our 14-stage trek
Total distance: 301.5km or 187 miles
Highest altitude: 792m
Grade: Red 4 (Walking grades)
Group size: 2 or more trekkers

From GBP 1,620 per person


Walk the Coast to Coast path under your own steam on a self-guided walking holiday. Our trip lets you walk at your own pace, takes away the work of planning and gets you to the best bits.

Wainwright devised his Coast to Coast route to cross England via the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. The route is a delight throughout and one of the classics of the walking world. The obvious drama and charm of the Lake District stages show only one side of the walk; engrossing views in the Dales and North York Moors later in the trek reveal many more aspects of Northern England.

Each morning, set off after a good breakfast and pick up the trail. Arrive at your next accommodation and settle into a nearby pub or restaurant for the evening. There's great satisfaction to be had from this footloose yet purposeful life; a sense of moving through the landscape. We plan it all for you and give you our detailed routecards, the local maps, and lots of information.

If your group would like to hike with a leader, we can also arrange a privately guided Coast to Coast trip for you. We welcome you to get in touch to ask for more details.


Alternative trips in England
Prefer a different length of trip or different trip in England? Why not try one of these:
Coast to Coast West - 6 stages, 7 nights
Coast to Coast East - 8 stages, 9 nights
Lake District Tour - 6 stages, 7 nights
Pennine Way - 19 stages, 22 nights
Map
Options
Make the trip shorter
For seasoned long-distance trekkers, we can recommend walking the entire Coast to Coast trail in just 11 stages. Please note that this will include walking over 30km per day most days. It's worth remembering that even our normal 14-stager is an unusually tough walk, and is easy to underestimate. As an in-between we also offer a 12 and 13-stage option; please contact us for details and specific schedules.

Make the trip longer
For a more relaxed pace, we can break up some of the longer stages to suit your preferences. A popular trip is our 15-stage one, splitting the long day from Clay Bank Top to Egton Bridge in the North York Moors. For a longer trip still, making it 16 stages lets us take 3 days over the 2 long stages from Patterdale to Kirkby Stephen.

Additional rest days
We do not include a rest day as standard on the Coast to Coast. However, if you have the time then we recommend adding one in. You'll know whether you're happy to keep walking for two weeks or you prefer a break after 7 days, or 4, and so on. With one rest day, spend 2 nights in Richmond which is the liveliest town on the route, or make it Kirkby Stephen which is nearer half-way and is a solid base. With 2 rest days we suggest Grasmere then Richmond. Please ask us for details.

Coordinating travel
As normal we include your accommodation at both St Bees and Robin Hood's Bay. If travel time is short, we can suggest ways to fit journeys in before your first stage or after your last. If driving, there are ways to minimise time needed to return to your car, for instance by using Kirkby Stephen as a base to go out and back. Please ask us about these options.

Hike with a leader
Hike with confidence in the company of our fully qualified International Mountain Leaders (IMLs), with the navigation, accommodation and all arrangements taken care of. You're welcome to walk on any date within our season and we can adjust the hike to suit your needs. If your group would like a guide for your trip, please get in touch for more details.
Prices
Coast to Coast
1 May to 15 Sept 2024
Hutty Classic Comfy
Self-guided
14 stages
(15 nights)
Please ask
GBP 1,620
Singles 675
220 per dog
Main Trip
GBP 1,810
Singles 750
220 per dog
15 stages
1 rest day
(17 nights)

Please ask
GBP 1,780
Singles 765
240 per dog
GBP 2,000
Singles 850
240 per dog
16 stages
2 rest days
(19 nights)

Please ask
GBP 1,940
Singles 855
260 per dog
GBP 2,190
Singles 950
260 per dog
Options
Baggage transfer
To all stops
GBP 220 per bag
Baggage transfer
Direct
GBP 40 per bag

Accommodation
Where we stay
Your accommodation is in a mix of guesthouses, B&Bs, hotels and inns that we hope will invigorate and entertain. The Coast to Coast, as much as any long distance trail in the UK, offers some authentic and memorable overnight stays. One night you could be staying above an inn in the middle of a small village; the next you could be guests in a friendly home hidden in the hills. We book ensuite accommodation where possible.

Comfy
Add some comfort and upgrade your accommodation in some towns and villages along the way. For our comfy trips we book hotels and a guesthouse in Borrowdale, Grasmere, Glenridding, Kirkby Stephen, Reeth and Richmond, rather than our usual B&Bs. For your first night we book a country house hotel in Cleator and include a taxi from Cleator to the start of the route in St Bees.

Hutty
Contact us for details of our basic accommodation on the Coast to Coast. We book hostels and bunkhouses in Borrowdale, Grasmere, Patterdale, Shap, Kirkby Stephen, Osmotherley and Robin Hood's Bay. Depending on your particular schedule, more nights than this might have basic accommodation available and we would reduce your price further.

Single Room Supplement
If you would like to stay in single rooms rather than sharing a double, twin or triple room we add our single room supplement. This covers the additional cost of booking single occupancy rooms on a per person basis.

Dogs
We welcome dogs on our Coast to Coast trips. On a doggy CTC schedule we have to split the long Richmond to Osmotherley section in two by using taxis. This is because there is sadly no dog-friendly accommodation between these two stops; Danby Wiske is our normal stop but is a dog-free zone. Therefore, we suggest 2 nights in either Richmond or Osmotherley. We will organise taxis from Danby Wiske and then back in the morning, and we will cover the cost of these. In addition, on our longer schedule which adds a night in Orton, we have to arrange taxis due to the lack of dog-friendly accommodation in Orton. Here we propose 2 nights in Kirkby Stephen with taxis included.

Solo Travel
We do not take bookings for solo walkers on self-guided trips. If you are still interested in this trip, we do have availability on our guided trips.
Route
Hike to Haweswater
Views onto Haweswater
Our approach to the Coast to Coast
Your route follows the Coast to Coast trail, as closely as the slightly relaxed nature of the route allows. Set off from St Bees and reach the headland above cliffs before breaking away inland towards Ennerdale. Cross the centre of Lakeland, past the Black Sail hut into Borrowdale, then through Grasmere and across to Patterdale. Over the ridges of High Street reach Shap and some gentler ground. Pass Orton to reach Kirkby Stephen, then cross into the Yorkshire Dales on Nine Standards Rigg, the barrier between East and West and a major milestone. Swaledale beckons, all the way to Richmond, past Keld and Reeth. Cross the Vale of York to Ingleby Cross and Osmotherley before setting off for the last section on the North York Moors. High and open walking on good ground leads you past Blakey Ridge and down to Glaisdale and Egton Bridge. A final stage leads to the coast with a few short clifftop miles left before Robin Hood's Bay.

People at Alpine Exploratory
Alpine Exploratory's latest research on the Coast to Coast was led by Steph




The Terrain
The Coast to Coast involves a broad mix of England's walking terrain. Most miles are across relatively forgiving terrain such as field paths, tracks, rockier paths or country lanes. On the four Lakeland passes and to a lesser extent on Nine Standards Rigg and on the North York Moors, terrain is rougher: either rockier or boggier. The path might not be visible on the ground for short stretches, necessitating good navigation if the cloud is low.

Is it for me?
The Coast to Coast is a long-distance trail, suited to most walkers who are fit and have the stamina for 14 days of walking. The scenery is immensely varied as you pass through three National Parks, from the mountains of the Lake District, to the rolling moorland in the Dales and the steep valleys of the North York Moors. This is a famous trail and there is undoubtably a great sense of achievement is completing the full walk across the width of England. For those short of time or who would like to try a section before committing to the full route, we offer the East and West sections as fantastic trips in their own right.

Difficulty
The Coast to Coast's emphasis is on distance rather than steepness. The terrain and weather can combine to create another challenge: navigation on the Lake District stages can be tricky in mist, and those used to climbing hills in the Lakes will know what to expect. In any case it will greatly help your enjoyment of the walk to arrive fit at the start, and be used to days of similar distance and height gain on this route. There is no climbing or scrambling, but there are some steep rocky paths, especially in the Lakes. It is all par for the course in the sphere of hill-walking in the UK. On some days there are easier and harder alternatives, which you can decide on the day depending on weather conditions and whether you feel up for a more challenging day.

   For an even more detailed read, please see our Coast to Coast Walking Guide
How to get there
Hike the Coast to Coast
Follow the fence


Your holiday starts in St Bees and ends in Robin Hood's Bay. We suggest the train to St Bees, which is a station on the coastal line that links Carlisle and Lancaster. From Manchester, change trains at Lancaster. Coming back, Robin Hood's Bay has no station but is linked by a regular bus to Scarborough, for trains to York, Leeds and Manchester. For London, change at York. If flying then we suggest Manchester for both directions and then to transfer by train.

Travel to and from the trip is not included in the holiday price. We take care to give the most useful notes possible about all the travel options. We supply these both on booking and in your info pack, and we offer personalised tips at any point. The aim is that our trekkers arrange their travel by the simplest and most scenic means as suits their plan.
Included
  • Bespoke accommodation itinerary - tailored to suit your particular requirements
  • Breakfast every morning
  • Detailed Routecards CTC1-14 of the Exploratory system, printed on waterproof paper
  • 2 topographical maps of the route
  • Expert advice and local information
  • A comprehensive 'Season Update' following our pre-season recce
  • Full support during your trip from the Alpine Exploratory team (8am until 8pm in the UK)
Not included
  • Travel to and from your trip
  • Local transport whilst on the trip unless specified
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunches, snacks, drinks and evening meals
  • Baggage transfers (available as an extra)

Baggage transfer

Our baggage option on the Coast to Coast takes your bag to each night's accommodation. Each morning simply leave your bag with your host or at reception, and it will be delivered to your next accommodation. If you are traveling onwards in the UK but don't need your bags during the trek, then instead take our direct baggage option to Robin Hood's Bay.
Got questions about the Coast to Coast?
Feel free to ask us any questions you have about any aspects of your planning and preparations! Lucy, Steph, Nicky, Dan and Rob will reply with expert advice. We spend a lot of time walking our routes and more broadly exploring ski and hiking trails around the world so do feel free to ask anything at all.


Enquiry Form
Coast to Coast Self-guided

Your name


Your email address


Optionally, where did you first hear about us? We're always curious!


Your intended arrival date on the Coast to Coast? (This helps us give you an idea of availability and doesn't need to be exact)


How many people will you be?


Any questions or preferences?


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Contact Alpine Exploratory
Email info@alpineexploratory.com
Phone +44 (0)131 214 1144
Our times 9am to 5pm UK time
Monday to Friday
Australia 02 8319 2266
Canada 416-548-4819
New Zealand 04 889 4515
USA 646-757-1102

Open to the world
Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Along with the UK, our best-represented countries are the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Please use our national-rate numbers for a cheaper call to contact our office in Edinburgh.

The Alpine Exploratory Team
The Alpine Exploratory team in Edinburgh

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Derwentwater Cumbria
  Sunset behind Derwentwater, Cumbria    Photos from the Coast to Coast


Alpine Exploratory
Alpine Exploratory is a system of knowledge on the best mountain trekking in our areas, giving clients superb holidays based on this exploration.

About us