This walk is the classic originated by Alfred Wainwright. It follows permissible routes over Northern England and specifically to include three National Parks, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. I first walked it during May 1994 in the company of my friend Steve Scott and my brother Dave. We travelled west so as to enjoy the Lake District as a finale. Despite walking in May we enjoyed marvellous weather on most of the 12 days we took to cover the walk. This record is a diary of our days together. We all enjoyed it immensely and recall the events, both pleasant and painful with fond memories. I hope our records of the walk prove an inspiration to those of you who are taking on the walk.

Day
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Itinerary
Robin Hood's Bay to Glaisdale
Glaisdale to Clay Bank Top
Clay Bank Top to Brompton
Brompton to Richmond
Richmond to Reeth
Reeth to Keld
Keld to Bent's Farm
Bent's Farm to Shap
Shap to Patterdale
Patterdale to Rosthwaite
Rosthwaite to Ennerdale Bridge
Ennerdale Bridge to St Bee's

Miles
18.6
17.5
18.7
16.0
10.1
11.7
16.5
13.8
15.9
13.9
14.4
13.3

      Required Ordnance Survey Maps:
      (Explorer Series 1:25,000)

• OL34 Keld to Robin Hood's Bay
• OL33 St Bee's Head to Keld
• OL27 North York Moors East
• OL26 North York Moors West
• 302 Northallerton and Thirsk
• OL30 Yorkshire Dales Northern and Central areas
• OL19 Howgill Fells and Upper Eden Valley
• OL5 English Lakes North Eastern area
• OL4 English Lakes North Western area
• 303 Whitehaven and Workington
  
  
• Movie Filmstrip - View all my photographs of the walk


• Read personal journals of walking the Coast to Coast Path on my Links Page

At the start of our Coast to Coast walk	The coastline north of Robin Hood's Bay

As Steve, Dave and I left the beach in Robin Hood's Bay the work immediately began. It's a steep walk out of the hamlet to the deserted coastline fields that are followed for the first few miles. We looked out to sea for a time whilst enjoying the view around us and anticipating the next twelve days with excitement. The weather was good to us at the start of our journey. When we left the coastline the sun came out to accompany us on our beginning of the trek across country. As we headed inland we passed the Hawkser Bottom Caravan Park and followed the road to Middle Rigg where we left the road and followed a bridleway onto Low Moor Fell, the first of a number of heather covered fells to be encountered on the Coast to Coast walk. We crossed the Fell and enjoyed our first experience of total peace until we reached the B1416 road that has to be followed for a few minutes. We left the road to cross Sneaton Low Moor, another heather laden Fell. 

Sneaton Forest holds some nice surprises	The Hermitage shaped out of a single boulder

After this crossing the scenery becomes delightful with the drop down to New May Beck that leads into enchanting Sneaton Forest. At May Beck where families enjoying the scenery will probably be we paused for a while to enjoy an ice cream.  After enjoying our treat we made our way along the beck into Sneaton Forest. Seek out Falling Foss waterfall and the Hermitage, a remarkable hollowed out boulder to shelter from storms should they be around. When the sun is out the glints of light that pierce through the woods canopy create shadows and shapes that help you to understand how enchanted forests came into peoples imagination. We left the forest at the hamlet of Littlebeck and headed upwards at pace and with a bit of a puff to the crossing of the A169 and Sleights Moor. This was the final moor walk of the day and we headed quickly down into Grosmont village.

Taking a break at the Station Tavern in Grosmont	Journey's end for today at Glaisdale

If you are lucky you may catch sight of a steam train in Grosmont. The Eskdale Railway line runs through the village. We stopped for a break in Grosmont and after refreshments we left the village and followed paths, bridleways and fields whilst keeping close to the River Esk through to Egton Bridge. After the village we then tracked through East Arnecliff Wood. We left the wood just before Glaisdale, the first welcoming stop of our walk. This first leg of the walk is 19 miles, quite a haul and there are two more legs of the same length to follow so take it easy during your stay here. We had quite a night ourselves in one of the local pubs, The Arncliffe Arms where it was Karaoke night. We endured the not so expert singing of the local folk and had quite a few beers to make the noise more palatable.  We all suffered for it in due course!