Hi i am doing the coast to coast in september, any advise welcome, but I have a question if anyone can help. Has anyone walked from the start at St Bees to Ennerdale YHA for the first night and if so is it too far to walk as most people seem to stop at Ennerdale Bridge. TIA

Thank you Iain ; I am devising my route as you suggest ; one part I am stuck with is Cambridge to St Neots ( both camping sites booked ) but I cannot see and safe walking route - do you have any ideas please ? best wishes Bill

Hello Bill.

The Via Beata project (http://www.viabeata.co.uk/, Chrome says 'not secure') was set up to create a Christian pilgrimage route from Lowestoft to St David's, but the project may have stalled though the website may still be updated. Our path page for this route
https://ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Via+Beata
was set up in 2013 and the last update (or first setting up) of the GPX etc route was 2016. You'll see that the route that we have only goes as far as Cambridgeshire, so there may be more to add to it

You won't get much readership in the Forum now. I suggest you post in the main LDWA Facebook Group site 'Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA)' to see if anyone's done a similar walk (not necessarily the Via Beata route). The British Pilgrimage Trust https://britishpilgrimage.org/routes/ don't seem to have it on their route page, but they're pretty active and may be able to update you on the Via Beata.

Iain

Having done my own Scottish East to West route version nearly 40 years ago ( Peterhead to Ardnamurchan) I will be walking from furthest East England ( Lowestoft) to furthest West Wales ( St Davids) but this time solo camping at `proper` campsites ( not wild ) ; it might take me around 6 weeks slow going ,so might do in 2/3 sections each year
Has anyone tried this before and/or is there any recognised paths on the way.

Was thinking of doing this walk in September, over say 10/11 days, from west to east.
Has anyone done that type of itinery?
Is anyone thinking of this walk (Normally hike in Alps, but with travel disruption/Virus, this may be difficult)
Jeremy Corke

Hi again - difficult to find posts, message was cut short. I also said preferably female. Cost about £1,100 for 14 days B&B, transport from Kirkby Stephen to beginning, and RHB back to Kirkby Stephen at end. Not sure I've put this in right place, but worth a try. Sally

Hi - intending to do C2C middle May, but afraid I'm cheating a bit, doing self-guided through Packhorse, 12 days and they've sorted an itinerary for me. Was intending to do with a friend but unfortunately they can't make it now. Could do alone but quite a lot extra for single occupancy, my friends in LDWA have all done it before, or not free - bit of a risk

Suggest you copy most of this post - the footwear/waterproofs vs weight on two-week-plus continuous walks - as a new post in Gear.
Iain

Hi Dick, congrats on completing the C2C! You were really lucky with the weather. Contrast that with my Pennine Way walk, which I commenced on 5th September this year and finished 13 days later at the end in Kirk Yetholme. Wow, was it wet at times! Although there are now stone flags on many of the worst boggy areas, like Black Hill, nevertheless there are still vast areas of bog to go through. Personally, I think the 2 biggest problems encountered on a 2-week LDW are a) the need to carry equipment, particularly clothing, to serve every eventuality the weather can throw at you in the UK. Long range forecasts (i.e. beyond a week) are in my experience not accurate enough to rely on insofar as kit selection is concerned and, like you, I might take waterproofs, but never wear them, but you can bet that if they were left at home, the second week would see downpours! The second point, b) is selection of footwear. I still don't think there is a single solution to this in the UK due to our contrasting weather conditions no matter what time of year.
I've recently acquired a pair or Meindl Response GTX mid-boots, which I am getting on with really well. I wish I had them on the Pennine Way, maybe with a pair of waterproof socks too, as the bogs are pretty deep in places! But I also think a second type of footwear is required, despite the weight penalty. I wondered what your thoughts might be, and hopefully that of other members, if they read this? Let me explain..
I'm not a huge fan of "boil in the bag boots" (GTX membrane), but that said, I don't seem to sweat too much in these at my stage in life. Maybe older folks can tolerate them better than younger hikers. My feet used to sweat more when I was younger, but not so much now. Boots give some people reassurance about ankle bracing, but I've always thought it's accurate foot placement that is more important to avoid ankle injury. Also avoidance of tired legs, especially when going downhill. Light shoes on the feet give me stronger legs for longer and I am "nimble" on my feet. That said, the Meindl Response are only 890g and are pretty good, especially when conditions are wet, but not shin-deep bog. Up to about 3" seems ok. Any more than this and the water goes over the top of the boot. Even with a waterproof sock, it's no fun walking after that. In those cases, it's better to have a fully ventilated trail runner in my opinion, with wet feet during the walking day, which are then dried and oiled at night.
I used to take camp "flip-flops", but not now. They might be light, but they are of limited use. Instead I'll take some very lightweight (350g or so) trail runners for wearing around camp. I can wear a waterproof sock in these and keep my feet warm, dry and insulated when walking around camp. Also, if the conditions are favourable, I would wear these to hike in during the day and carry my boots on the outside of the pack. If I'm expecting wet, but not really boggy conditions, I'd probably take my Inov-8 Roclite 315s to walk in during the day and use the really light trail runners around camp in the evening. If really wet, boggy and cold conditions are anticipated (Pennine Way!), I'd probably swap out the Inov-8s for the Meindl Response boots.

I just don't think there is one boot or shoe that does it all for LDW & wildcamping. I've tried quite a few combinations now over a lot of LDWs and the closest I have come to a single ideal footwear solution is a trail runner that was fully ventilated and dried quickly, but there were still limitations. I'm of a mind now that two pairs of footwear are the best solution that I have found, but there is a weight penalty. The penalty has, however, reduced with modern very light-weight performance materials. Volume is still an issue, but the footwear can probably be carried external to the pack for most of the time. I still reckon I can keep to 15lb in Summer, 20lb in shoulder seasons and 25lb in Winter.
I'd be pleased to hear your own thoughts and hopefully the thoughts of some of the other members about what works for them.

Thanks for that Neil. Walk now done and thoroughly enjoyed. No wet feet and no rain. Carried my wet weather gear the whole route and never got it out! I used the same Decathlon mountain trekking shoes that I used on the Camino last year and they were perfect. Waterproof to 3cm depth.
Shared the walk with some really nice people from US, Holland and Australia - bit like the Camino but far fewer walkers. Might try Offas Dyke next.

Post

FREE TO A GOOD HOME

I have two Harvey Strip maps - Coast-to-Coast West and Coast-to-Coast East. Only used once!
If anyone would like them I will put them in the posy.
Text me on +33777696260

In a pub you can often get a bar meal even if the dining room is full. Apart from that, though, I would be inclined to book, especially in a small place with few options - the C2C is fairly busy in June, and it is frustrating to turn up somewhere at 6.30 and be told they can't fit you in until 9.

Three of us are starting the Coast to Coast next week, west to east, B&Bing the walk over 12 days. Mostly we?ll be staying in small villages, with one or maybe two pubs, maybe a restaurant, maybe not.

How busy is the C2C at this time of year? Should we book tables ahead? Are the weekends - Friday and Saturday evenings - busier than the week due to local people eating out?

the coast to coast walk accommadition is now to be abtained at The Castle Bookshop in Richmond .the address i gave no longer does the booklet ,it was tranfered to the bookshop when Mrs Doreen Whitethead retifed from the b/b trade. +www.coast to coast .co.uk on line also for addresses on acc.

Hi Dick, I did this walk with my Springer Spaniel Ben last year and have very fond memories. Each one of the 3 National Parks you will go through has its own merits and you will run out of superlatives to describe your experiences. It sounds like you have mapping and navigation sorted - I too used the A-Z Adventure series and also Martin Wainwright's guide. In addition I would very strongly recommend OS mapping subscription and app on your mobile phone as well as compass. You should have enough maps with the A-Z and the Guide, but you can print these from the OS mapping prog. OS mapping is probably the best £20 I've ever spent (recently increased slightly). You can download the .gpx file of the route from a number of websites on-line and "import" it into your OS "routes". The mobile phone app syncs with your computer and so you get the route and 1;25,000 OS Leisure maps on your phone. Provided you put your phone onto "energy saving mode" and also "airplane mode" (to stop it trying to transmit all the time), it will act as a GPS receiver and your batteries will last a lot longer. You should be able to completely re-charge at your accommodation.
I did a lot of camping, with some accommodation, but it sounds like you have your accommodation sorted out, so I won't comment on that side of things.
Conditions can be tough at times and even in June it can be wet underfoot in some areas (particularly the moorland near the Nine Standards). I did this walk last year in boots, but I found my feet got wet anyway, no matter what I did. Once my boots were wet, it was difficult to dry them out and it wasn't a happy experience for my feet. Ben was OK. Since then I have read around the subject and I have experimented with a very different approach on my Hebridean Way walk in April this year. I used fully ventilated trail running shoes and just let my feet get wet. There were vast areas of sphagnum moss and peat bogs on the Hebridean Way, particularly in South and North Uist, but also pretty much throughout the entire 156 mile route. Although it was early season and there was some cold weather, made worse by a savage "Beast from the East" wind much of the time, I found my feet were much better in trail runners than they ever were in boots. Why not try and experiment yourself and take a pair of trail runners as well as your boots, to see which you get on better with? Let me explain how it worked for me...
So, my feet got wet wearing a pair of "Tough Mudders" (a bit too light really, and not enough arch support), worn with some ALDI short cycling socks. The wet didn't affect my feet, particularly if they had been dry and well "greased" the night before with vaseline. By looking at the maps, if I realised early in the day that my bog-walking had come to an end, I washed my shoes, socks and feet, dried my feet thoroughly and put them into some quite inexpensive waterproof socks that I picked up for about a tenner from my local ALDI. I then put my dry feet into my wet trail runners, but a mile further along the route my trail runners were dry, my feet were comfortable and I had a big smile on my face. I'd then make camp later with really healthy happy feet and put them into dry cycling socks and dry trail running shoes the next morning. The trail runners were a bit light for the type of terrain in the Outer Hebrides, but from memory I think they would be just fine for C2C. Alternatively you could try something a bit more supportive, like the INOV-8 Trailroc 315s or similar, or even some Merrell Cham 7 Slams, which are ventilated, but have more support on the sole and the arch. I remember my feet getting pretty well beat up in boots on the C2C, but this didn't happen on much tougher terrain in the Outer Hebrides using some Merrell very lightweight All Out Crush Tough Mudders.
I could go on about backpacking gear that works, but I don't think this would be useful for you as you will be staying in accommodation en-route, but if you do want some advice on anything else, I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you might have. Have an enjoyable and memorable trip!

Thanks Ray, Rob and Francis - very helpful. I have done all the bookings myself online and hope it all works out despite having to adjust my dates due to block bookings ahead of me. I have the A-Z Adventure map book plus the two Harvey maps. I am using the Martin Wainwright book as well. Been out and bought a compass (with whistle!). Plan to set off on Saturday 22 June and finish on Friday 5 July all being well. I managed the Camino Frances last April in 30 days and hope C2C goes as well.

Hi Dick,
I did this walk alone in 2015 so not all that recently. BTW you're not really "alone" you'll meet loads en route. I even met someone who lived round the corner from me!

The guide book I used was:-
A Coast to Coast Route Guide
by Tony & Chris Grogan
https://www.skyware.co.uk/coastto.htm

It's a quirky book because the maps read in the way you walk not with north pointing "to the top" but for me excellent. I used that mostly but for the more tricky sections the Geographers is fine. I carried the two Harvey's maps as well and I had a GPS. You can use the full OS set instead, pricey, but they do them as a bundle. I see that Cicerone do a guidebook to the trail, and it shows the full route on OS 1:25,000 maps. Recently published so I can't comment but I used Cicerone for the Tour Mont Blanc hike last year and that book was excellent. Mind for this walk I would still prefer the Grogan's.

Otherwise I agree with everything Rob says - you MUST at least have a map and compass for the whole route, for instance from Nine Standards and the Lakes where there are a number of variations. I also worked out my own variation in the Dales. Also the weather changes all the time. One moment glorious sunshine, the next thick mist. Nevermind the usual wind and rain! Enjoy it is an outstanding walk. Oh and don't miss the tea and scones at Ravenseat farm. PS. If you like steam trains make your Grosmont section a short walking day and take the steam train to Whitby.

Hi Dick, although most paths are waymarked east of the Lakes, there are no waymarks in the Lakes at all. Unless you know the Lakes well, you will definitely need a map (and compass). The A-Z Adventure map has the route and the alternative high level routes through the Lakes in 25K OS mapping and is ideal for the trip.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coast-Adventure-Atlas-Geographers-Map/dp/178257168X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
We did it in June 2016 and had a great couple of weeks using Contours Holidays to book B&B and baggage transfer. Other trip organisers are available, ie Mickeldore, Macs etc

You need a map and compass, although a GPS would be an alternative
I print the pages I need from the computer, it weighs a lot less

Hi Everyone,
Has anyone done the C2C recently? I am planning on doing it in June this year and would like to know how well way marked it is. Do I really need to take OS map and compass? I did the Camino Frances last April and the way marking is so good you couldn't get lost if you tried.

Campaign to make it a National Trail. BBC News 7th April 16:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35984255

Iain

So just to close off my part of this thread. Did the walk in first 2 weeks of June. FANTASTIC. Recommend it to all. Had some bad weather (mist rain etc) over Kidsty Pike, pity missed the views and also same over Kirby and Hasty Bank. Pity missed those views as well. All that hard work.... Otherwise 2 weeks of glorious sunny warm weather. Many thanks for all your suggestions. Most useful.

Definitely do Nine Standards, but if its really foul use the mostly quiet B6270, but you would miss the fine scones!
It is a place where you need navigation.

Indecently some guides suggest avoid Nine Standards rigg by heading SE at Hartley Fell. As far as I can see you end up walking on the B6270. Hmmm not much of an adventure, still if it's been raining a lot.....

Many thanks for these tips. Any more? The Wainwright book is going on my Christmas list. :-) I see the original Wainwright has been reissued in a new edition and updated. Put that on the list as well.....

Really looking forward to it.

It's a superb walk covering some of the best scenery in three national parks. Martin Wainwright's Aurum Press guidebook worked for me. As it is so popular there should be no shortage of accommodation options. The Lion Inn at Blakey is particularly recommended, perched on the ridge with a lovely walk across the moors to Glaisdale the following morning.
A couple of route recommendations. From Grasmere to Patterdale take the Stone Arthur/Fairfield/Cofa Pike/St Sunday Crag route, a fine high level walk that avoids the Hellvellyn hordes. From Kidsty Pike avoid the tedious walk along Haweswater by heading North over High Raise and following the NE ridge path gently down to the waterfalls at Measand Bridge. Much nicer. Be prepared to disappear into the bogs around Nine Standards Rigg!

My wife and I used Saloman Speedcross for the Pennine Way & Coast to Coast walks this summer. I had to buy a new pair half-way through the C2C as my soles were running low on rubber! We found them extremely comfortable and suffered ZERO blisters. We also wore Rab scree gaiters to keep the grit/seeds out which helped a lot.

We did get our feet wet a couple of times but as the trailer runners weren't lined they did dry out quickly. I can also recommend the Saloman Ultra X shoe which I used for the JMT (also this summer), this would probably suit the C2C better, especially the Lakes section as it's a tougher shoe.

Most of all though go into a good retailer and try some shoes on and get them fitted properly. Nothing worse than having sore feet on the trail.

I'd recommend Intake Farm at Littlebeck as a great place to stay. We camped on the lawn but the B&B side of it looked great. Very homey indeed.

Unless you are exceptionally unlucky with weather you will really enjoy this wonderful walk. Lots to see, do not rush it.
Its a nice but very slow train ride round the Cumbrian Coast. Book ahead for cheap singles.
On returning from Robin Hoods Bay get a bus south to Scarborough station, rather than rather than going north to the very scenic but very slow Whitby Middlesbrough line.
As it is an unofficial route you need your map as there are few way marks.
Good coffee and cakes at the Ravenstonedale farm, and stay at Swale farm, Muker if you can.

To open this thread again - I'm intending to walk this alone, any tips? Other than don't haha. Eg. good guide book with good route instructions (OK wont be as good as LDWA Challenge Events but something equivalent). I'm intending to do this in June next year and won't be camping en route. Instead nice comfy shower bed etc each night.

The address for the Coast to Coast (Wainwrights ) one of many. Mrs Doreen Whitehead Butt House Keld Richmond North Yorkshire DL11 6LJ

WWW.coastocoastguides.co.uk
Coasttocoasts?

There is a booklet listing accommodation for the C/to Coast I have a copy. Look on the c/c web site? I can reply tomorrow as to were it can be abtained. If i remember the lady who writes it lives in Keld.
Also there is places to camp along the way at av 15 - 20 miles a day, and some will do you a Breakfast.
The best breakfast you will find is at The Lion Inn at Blakley ridge, and the camping is around £3-50 with use of a shower throw in. Not a stop to miss I assure you. A must. The outdoor Centre just beyond the Bluebell inn above Osmorthley do not now take in campers, stop in the grounds at the pub, or down the the YHA in Osmorthley. A Metcalfe Cornishbreeze@yahoo.co.uk

Paul, my brother and I did the Coast to Coast in 2012. We used Contours to do the organisation of accommodation and baggage transfer. We had also used them for the Offas Dyke walk in the previous year. We've found their service to be excellent and the accommodation standards to be usually very good. Do not worry too much about which boots: any reputable brand of hiking boots or shoes will do the trick (I swear by Scarpa, but that's a personal thing). We took gaiters, but they never left our suitcases. A more important item is a pair of good quality walking poles (which you've learned to use properly): the English do not believe in trail maintenance, so their are some uncomfortably rocky sections here and there, some boggy bits near Kirkby Stephen and between Grosmont and the coast, and lots of slippery-slidey stuff in the Vale of Mowbray. It's a great walk and well worth doing - enjoy!

Coast to Coast is great. It can be very wet and boggy over the moorland sections so make sure that your boots are waterproof and take gaiters. The main baggage handling companies' websites often have useful accommodation sections or links to accommodation sites which are good starting points for finding walker friendly accommodation even if you don't use their services and this supplemented by a web search for local tourist offices usually gives a wide choice. Many baggage sites post walker reviews and trip advisor often has reviews from walkers. I don't use baggage carriers as modern light weight gear dries out very quickly so one change of clothes is enough and you can wash it and dry it at YHAs and many walker friendly landladies at B&Bs on popular trails will do it for you for a modest charge, many even ask as a matter of course if you have anything you would like to add to their own wash or dry out overnight. Do consider places up to a few miles off the route that offer lifts to and from pick up points on or near the trail or are a couple of stops away on bus routes, they often will give you a lift to a local pub to spend the evening in too - it is always worth doing an internet bus route search.

As far as footwear is concerned you have really got to try them first - I like many use Innov 8's but they might not suit your feet. For accomodation I found the Trailblazer guide was up to date (when I did it) and detailed. It also has excellent mapping and I didn't need anything else for navigation. After saying that I do know the Lakes well and you might want to get a map for the area (BMC Harveys one is excellent) as there is no C2C waymarking as you cross the Lakes. Have a great trip and if you have time make a detour off the route to spend a night at the Tan Hill Inn - it's a few miles off route up the pennine way but well worth it for novelty value!!

Why don't you ask the luggage transfer company to advise on the accommodation? They probably know them all pretty well as they would be dropping/off picking up each day at all different places. Probably worth telling them your estimated daily mileage and they'll most likely recommend some options for you.

I used Inov8 Terroc 330s for the Cumbria Way/ Dales Way and Hadrian's Wall/ southern section of Pennine Way to Haworth in perfect comfort. Absolutely superb in my opinion!

I am planning to do the Coast-to-Coast next year with a friend (probably late May/early June). We're both conscious of getting some proper mileage in beforehand, but can anyone recommend a particular brand of walking boot/shoe to wear for the trip please? We're going to utilise one of the companies that transport your luggage between nightly stops as well, so any recommendations there would be useful too. Lastly, can anyone recommend decent standard Guest Houses/B&B's/Hotels to stay in on the way? We both appreciate our 'creature comforts', so the facilities must be of a good standard, and we'd like to be close to good beer and decent evening meals wherever we stay. Maybe there's a recent up-to-date publication with all these questions answered? Personal recommendation would be much appreciated, and if we bump into any of you nice people who have provided help, then let's just say you won't go thirsty! Many thanks in anticipation.