Coast to Coast (Wainwright)
294 km / 183 miles
The classic route by Alfred Wainwright was intended in part to encourage others to devise their own routes, walking coast to coast connecting the Irish and North Seas. This particular route also links three National Parks taking a high level traverse wherever possible. From the west, the coastal plain is crossed to, and through, the Lake District to Shap, followed by the crossing of the Westmorland limestone plateau to Kirkby Stephen, a climb across the Pennine watershed to reach Keld and over Gunnerside Moor and Melbeck Moors to Reeth and Richmond to the low level Vale of Mowbray, before again achieving height across the North York Moors. Between Keld and Reeth you have a choice to take the high level route or a low level route through beautiful Swaledale.
The new revised edition (June 2010) of Wainwright's original guidebook includes marked alternatives to his original route where there was no public right of way or where erosion issues have required seasonal route options. These are clearly identified in the text. The original maps have been updated by Chris Jesty.
Alfred Wainwright's pioneering route is modestly named 'A Coast to Coast Walk'. Details of route publications for some of the alternative routes are listed below the principal route items.
Strider News - December 2010 (Publication Update)
There is a new 2010 edition of the popular Aurum guide to the Coast to Coast Walk,
revised for changes in the route and updated by author Martin Wainwright. With
ISBN: 978-18545135607 it is priced at £12.99.
Strider News - August 2010 (Publication Update)
Strider News - April 2010 (Publication Update)
The classic 183-mile 'Coast to Coast: the Wainwright route' has a new guidebook by Sandra Bardwell from Rucksack Readers (Tel: 01786 824696, http://rucsacs.com). With ISBN: 978-1898481348, this full-colour 112-page waterproof guide is priced at £12.50. Using Footprint mapping, the concise, up-to-date directions are supplemented by background on geology, history and wildlife, and accommodation and transport contact details. It includes features on St Bees, Richmond and Robin Hood’s Bay. See Publications below for purchase links.
Connected Paths:
Details:
| Attributes: | Challenging; Lake/Reservoir/Loch; Moorland |
| Start: | NX959119 - St Bees, Cumbria  |
| Finish: | NZ953048 - Robin Hood's Bay, N Yorks |
| Open Date: | 1973 |
Maps:The map to the right is from the Ordnance Survey. You can use the interactive controls to zoom in and out and to move around the map, or click on a marker for more info. (interactive map help) |
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| Ordnance Survey Maps: | |
| OS Landranger: | 89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 98, 99, 100, 92 |
| OS Landranger Active: | 89, 90, 98 |
| OS Explorer: | 4, 5, 6, 7, 19, 26, 27, 30, 31, 302, 303, 304 |
| OS Explorer Active: | 4, 5, 6, 7, 19, 26, 27, 30, 31, 302, 303, 304 |
| Other Paper Maps: | |
| Harvey Map (Stripmap): | Coast to Coast - West: St Bees to Keld (Harvey Maps - 2008) |
| Harvey Map (Stripmap): | Coast to Coast - East: Keld to Robin Hood's Bay (Harvey Maps - 2008) |
| Harvey Map (Stripmap): | Coast to Coast Maps (East & West) and DVD Package (Harvey Maps - 2008) |
| Stripmap: | Coast to Coast: Part 1: St Bees Head to Swaledale - map & guide (Footprint - 2003) |
| Stripmap: | Coast to Coast: Part 2: Swaledale to Robin Hood's Bay - map & guide (Footprint - 2003) |
| Stripmap: | Coast to Coast Walk: St Bees Head to Keld (Ordnance Survey - 1999) |
| Stripmap: | Coast to Coast Walk: Keld to Robin Hood's Bay (Ordnance Survey - 1999) |
| Digital Maps: | |
| Downloadable Digital Mapping: | Coast to Coast (Wainwright) (Anquet Maps - 2009) |
| Digital Mapping (25k Scale): | Coast to Coast Walk 1:25k & 1:50k (Satmap - 2008) |
Route Profile:
| 293.2 Km (182.2 miles) 8,682 m (28,484 ft) ascent 775 m (2,543 ft) maximum height |
 |
Walking Support Providers:
| Support Providers: | Baggage Handling and Self-Guided Walks (Coast to Coast Holidays) |
| Support Providers: | Baggage Handling and Self-Guided Walks (Coast to Coast Packhorse Limited) |
| Support Providers: | Baggage Handling and Self-Guided Walks (Load Off Your Back) |
| Support Providers: | Baggage Handling Service (Sherpa Van Project) |
| Support Providers: | Guided and Self-Guided Walking Holidays (Northwestwalks) |
| Support Providers: | Guided and Self-Guided Walking Holidays (HF Holidays) |
| Support Providers: | Guided Walking Holidays (Footpath Holidays) |
| Support Providers: | Self Guided Walking Holidays (Beks Treks UK) |
| Support Providers: | Self-Guided Walking Holidays (Macs Adventure) |
| Support Providers: | Self-Guided Walking Holidays (UK Exploratory) |
| Support Providers: | Self-Guided Walking Holidays (Instep Walking Holidays) |
| Support Providers: | Self-Guided Walking Holidays (Contours Walking Holidays) |
| Support Providers: | Self-Guided Walking Holidays (Knobbly Stick) |
| Support Providers: | Walking, Hiking and Cycling Holidays (Discovery Travel) |
| Support Providers: | Walking, Hiking and Cycling Holidays (Explore Britain) |
| Support Providers: | Walking, Hiking and Cycling Holidays (Mickledore Travel Ltd) |
| Support Providers: | Walking, Hiking and Cycling Holidays (Brigantes Accommodation & Baggage Courier Service) |
Group Accommodation within 5 Km of this Path:
| Camping Barn: | Tarn Flatt Camping Barn, Sandwith, Whitehaven, Cumbria | < 1 Km |
| Hostel Accommodation: | Black Sail YHA, Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria | < 1 Km |
| Hostel Accommodation: | Horse And Groom Court, Egremont, Cumbria | 3 Km |
Publications, Badges and Certificates:
| Hardback: | Coast to Coast Walk (Frances Lincoln - 2010) |
| Hardback: | Coast to Coast with Wainwright (Frances Lincoln - 2009) |
| Paperback: | Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay (Cicerone Press - 2006) |
| Paperback: | Coast to Coast Walk: Recreational Path Guide (Aurum Press - 2010) |
| Paperback: | Coast to Coast: the Wainwright route (Rucksack Readers - March 2010) |
| Guidebook: | Coast to Coast Path (Trailblazer Publications - 2010) |
| Paperback: | Coast to Coast Walk (Hillside Publications - 1999) |
| Paperback: | Coast to Coast Bed & Breakfast Accommodation Guide (Coast to Coast Guides - Annual) |
| Booklet: | Coast to Coast: In the Middle Ages (P3 Publications - 2002) |
| Paperback: | Coast to Coast (Dalesman Publishing Co Ltd - 1998) |
| Paperback: | Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk (Michael Joseph - 1996) |
| Booklet: | Coast to Coast: Walk Accommodation Guide (North York Moors Adventure Centre - Biannual) |
| DVD: | Coast to Coast Walk: DVD (Striding Edge Limited) |
| Certificate: | Certificate for Coast to Coast Walk (Instep Walking Holidays) |
| Paperback: | Coast to Coast on the Ravenber Way (Sigma Leisure - 2010) |
| Paperback: | Grassington to West Coast Walk (Fractal Press - 2008) |
| Paperback: | Grassington to East Coast Walk (Fractal Press - 2003) |
| Paperback: | Lakeland to Lindisfarne: Ravenglass to Holy Island (190 miles) (Crowood Press - 1996) |
| Paperback: | On Foot From Coast to Coast - the North of England Way: Ravenglass to Scarborough (206 miles) (Penguin Books Ltd - 1997) |
| Paperback: | Blackpool to Bridlington: The Aerospace Way (148 miles) (Anthony Johnson - 1997) |
| Paperback: | Big Walks of the North (Summersdale Publications - 2010) |
Downloads:
| GPS Exchange Format Route File: | Coast to Coast (Wainwright) GPX Exchange Format Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| MemoryMap Route file: | Coast to Coast (Wainwright) Memory Map Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |
| Tracklogs Route file: | Coast to Coast (Wainwright) Tracklogs Route File | Login to Download (Members Only) |