More Photos
Loading...
Holidays

Self-Guided Walking: Coast to Coast

England
Walk & Trek
Self-Guided
MODERATE MODERATE

Tackle one of the world’s iconic long-distance trails, the complete Coast to Coast, stretching 190 miles from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay

Trip Code: MC18
Holiday Grades
          

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

 1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Self-Guided Walking: Coast to Coast

Highlights
  • Fulfil a lift-time ambition and complete the whole 190 miles of the English Coast to Coast, traversing three English National Parks
  • Enjoy Lakeland panoramas, the loveliest of the Dales immortalised by Heriot and the wildness of the North York Moors
  • Follow ancient trails through England following old droving roads past Celtic crosses and Viking waystones
  • Extensive route notes, recommendations for local meals, daily luggage transfers and B&B in local guesthouses included in the holiday price

At a Glance
  • Self-guided
  • 17 days walking
  • Average of 19 km per day walking
  • Packed lunches available on request
  • Recommendations for excellent local meals
  • Join In St Bees / Ends in Robin Hood's Bay

Accommodation & Meals
  • 18 Breakfasts
  • 18 nights Guesthouse
Overview

Aficionados from all round the world come to walk the British Coast to Coast. For many of them, this classic English route is a majestic equal to the Inca Trail, and, if home's on the British mainland, it's all on your doorstep.

The Coast to Coast is a must-do if you enjoy walking. It crosses three national parks in Northern England making it stunningly beautiful while covering some wild ground. As you move from west to east you’ll enjoy mountain panoramas in the Lake District, the lush rolling green of the Dales and the wild drama of the North York Moor. The route takes you right through England’s ancient history, past Celtic crosses and Viking waystones - even the trails you walk on are ancient. An exceptional challenge and an outstanding self-guided walking holiday, we think it should be a life-time ambition to tackle it, and if you do, every step of the route will reward you.

The trip includes all accommodation, breakfast and full luggage support meaning you can travel light and concentrate on each day’s challenge and the stunning and varied scenery.

Wainwright originally created a coast-to-coast trail to be walked in 14-24 days and our version offers a 17 day walking itinerary. The route is available with 6 different time-lengths. We also offer the Coast to Coast split into two weeks.

Is this holiday for you?

This is a long trail with some remote and mountainous sections. It is, however, completed by thousands of ordinary people every year. A degree of walking fitness, the right equipment and common sense should get you there!

Terrain: Most of the route is on well defined, not overly challenging paths - but not all of it! The walk passes over some of the high fells of the La …

This is a long trail with some remote and mountainous sections. It is, however, completed by thousands of ordinary people every year. A degree of walking fitness, the right equipment and common sense should get you there!

Terrain: Most of the route is on well defined, not overly challenging paths - but not all of it! The walk passes over some of the high fells of the Lake District and over open, often remote, moorland in the Dales and North York Moors.

What’s it like underfoot? Again, varied! Much of the route is on well defined paths, tracks, and country lanes, but there are sections that can be muddy, wet, rough, and steep (although not often all at the same time!)

How Much Up & Down? Quite a lot in the Lake District. Be prepared for a considerable amount of ascent and descent. In the middle section after Richmond there is a flat section for a day or two, depending on your itinerary , then more ascent and descent until the end, but far less than in the Lakes. The first half is the hardest.

Signposting: Some but by no means comprehensive. You will need to use your map and guidebook and be able to navigate with a compass

Weather & Navigation: Bad weather can be encountered, even in the summer months, so the ability to navigate is essential. You may be lucky enough to encounter warm, dry weather over the whole route and enjoy dry paths and tremendous views. Although you must always be prepared because the weather can change quickly.

Why KE?

We operate this trip in collaboration with our sister company Mickledore Travel, which is also based in Keswick in the Lake District. Mickledore have a long tradition of operating self-guided walking holidays along some of the finest trails in England, Scotland and Wales. Route notes, maps, luggage transfers and bed & breakfast accommodation in the best B&Bs, guesthouses and inns along the way are all included. Recommendations are also made for the best places to find delicious local meals at each night stop.

Mickledore have a near perfect customer satisfaction score (99%), and we have no doubt that you will find their knowledgeable and friendly team able to answer even the most detailed of questions.

Different durations of this holiday are available on request.

Footer logos
Your Wishlist
No Wishlist Items

Start your next adventure.

Click the heart icon on the search or holiday pages to save a holiday to your wishlist.

Holiday Search