Wainwrights Coast to Coast Walk

This classic walking route was devised by A. Wainwright, author of the well-known series of walking guide books on the Lake District. The walk starts on the west coast of Cumbria near the huge red sandstone cliffs of St. Bees Head. It cross's three National Parks before reaching the east coast at the fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay on the rocky coastline of the North York Moors.

Tradition has it that you dip your boots in the Irish Sea and take a pebble to deposit in the North Sea at the end of your walk. Completing the walk in this direction ensures that the prevailing South Westerly winds are behind you all the way. The first few days take you over the rugged and beautiful terrain of the Lake District, by way of the idyllic lakeland valleys of Borrowdale, Grasmere (Wordsworth lived here) and Patterdale, on Ullswater Lake. You pass Helvellyn, England's most known mountain, and on over High Street and Kidsty Pike both well known landmarks which can be seen from Shap, along which the Roman Legions marched on their way to Hadrian's Wall.

Shap is roughly halfway, so well done, some people do the walk in two stages stopping and restarting in Shap. In the village you will find everything you need for a good overnight stop. We have some great places to stay and eat, our fish and chip shop and cafe are local favourates, the newsagents open early and will make sandwiches for you to pick up in the morning if you call them the day before. We get a lot of questions about camping in the village - the only place is The Bulls Head Inn. We hope you enjoy your stay and the weather smiles on you.

You leave Shap and the Lake District to cross a gentler landscape to Orton. Eventually arriving in the market town of Kirkby Stephen you enter the Yorkshire Dales National Park after a sharp climb up Tailbridge Hill. Two days are then spent walking through the long valley of Swaledale, with its dry stone walls and unspoiled villages. You then reach the historic town of Richmond with its cobbled streets, sloping market square and famous castle above the River Swale.

After the farm lands of the Vale of York, you ascend on to the heather moorlands of the North York Moors and are rewarded by easy walking. After crossing the wooded valley of Eskdale you reach the dramatic cliffs of the North Sea Coast. The last few miles follow the cliff top path to the village of Robin Hood's Bay.

Visit the excellent Sherpa Van Project Coast to Coast chat forum

Visit the Walking Englishmans account of walking through Shap