Wainwright's Coast to Coast

Wonderful memories of when I did it with my dad and couple of his walking mates. I was 13.

Its a tremendous walk, my favourite of the few I've done. The only poor day was crossing the Vale of York from Richmond to Osmotherly. We did amend the route a little on the North York Moors to enable us to stay at Osmotherly YHA. Other than that, its a brilliant route.

If you want to take the weight of a little and enjoy the ride more these people can take the load off, they sort everything, good accommodation and back-up...

https://c2cpackhorse.co.uk/holidays/5-day-mtb-cycling-holiday/

I used them 20 years ago when I did.

Did it when I was 16 or 17, er a while ago. Started with a mate who bailed badly blistered or something on day 3 so did it mainly on my own which as a teenager I did not enjoy. But then for reasons I forget but probably public transport related, we or rather I did it east to west.

On the one hand this is good as you've the lake district to look forward to. But on all other hands it's bad as you're against the traffic. I'd walked the pennine way with a mate the year before and one of the good things is that you keep bumping into the same people at different points in the day/campsites whatever which adds something. Against the flow and it's just a lot of hellos.

Whatever, I've not subsequently had any appetite for long walks (bikes you can just do more and it's more fun), but it's a good route.

Watch ‘Downhill’ - that’ll give you an idea about group dynamics on the C2C. Brilliant film.

Walked it around Easter time when i was 16 (so a long time ago!) with couple of teachers and some other students from my school..we took 2 weeks peaking at 33miles in a day but also had a couple of rest days. Glad i did it, some good memories like bivvying on the beach at st bees with a view of sellafield, dinning on just hobnobs with butter on, and generally being unprepared & ill equipped for a 2 week walk

I walked it with my uncle when I was 13, so over 30 years ago! I was fabulous. The landscape evolves and changes each day. I think we did it over 10 days, that included one monster day over the North York Moors.

It is a special route.

I did it about 20 years ago with my ex wife. One of the best 2 weeks holiday (13 days walking) I've ever had! We did it St Bees to RHB, used Packhorse to move our bags and stayed in B&Bs. Mostly good weather (although I did have to get our 'emergency' gloves out of our day pack on the day that ended at The Lion at Blakey Ridge, we had thick fog for the day and it was freezing in June. We couldn't see the pub but could smell the chips!

As per above it was nice to bump into folk again and again on the route, meant there was always people you recognized in the pub on a night, was surprisingly social.

Would heartily recommend it. Loved the days in the Lakes AND the NY Moors for different reasons. One of the toughest climbs that surprised us was up from Ingleby Arncliffe to Osmotherley, looked like a pimple but it was a hard end to the day, we were staying in the Queen Catherine in the village that night. We stayed at some lovely little places at the time, still remember the little B&B we were in at Kirkby Stephen that had made a reservation for us at the The Forge restaurant in the town without asking us. We walked down and had an awesome meal there, it was a lovely end to a long day.

I was bought up in St Bees and family still live there....Ive never done it! I want to do it now though. My sister did it last year and loved it. As someone has said earlier you can get your bags taken for you each day so you only have to carry a day sack. My sister said this was really good so you can just enjoy the walk.

If you like quiet time, it might not be the best route for you, it's understanably very busy and you'll be bumping into the same people over and over again.  When I used to walk in the Lakes I avoided it like the plague and sought out quieter areas, but it's very much horses for courses.  A bit like cycling Lands End to JoG, or the London to Brighton bike ride.................

This photo was taken somewhere in Mosedale near Shap and was the header image to this fine website for a little while! 🙂

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Also in Mosedale!...

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Kitting out for carrying in the Lakes...
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Don't underestimate the potential for poor weather and navigation difficulties, especially ennerdale to Borrowdale and Borrowdale to Grasmere, these legs are in our MRT patch and we seem to have pretty regular calls for lost/late/way out of comfort zone coast to coasters. Obviously a very small proportion of the large numbers that do this route but some are expecting clear signage and easily followed paths and when its grim over the tops mistakes are easily made.

Did it a few years ago.  Great trip.  We used coast to Coast Packhorse who are based in Kirkby Stephen.  They did a great job for us.   We squeezed it in between lockdowns (somehow) so it was much quieter overall, no overseas walkers.  I quite fancied doing it again the other way  as walking towards the fells appeals.