Wainright's Coast to Coast
On holiday in Yorkshire many years ago we stopped in Robin Hoods Bay and had a beer in the Bay Hotel and I watched as people arrived, having completed a long distance walk that I soon discovered was Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. Listening to them I was instantly hooked on the romance of the idea of traversing our country from Irish Sea to North Sea.
Nearly twenty years later it was still on the bucket list, a dream that had hovered in my imagination but one which I never seemed to have the time and space to complete as work and family life intruded. But in October 2019 that changed as my work contract was coming to an end and I could finally see a way to create the space to have a go at it.
“You’ll be walking it in November” some of my friends pointed out, and with relatively short notice there was no chance of finding a companion from my usual walking friends and so a solo attempt would be needed. November from a weather perceptive was not too daunting, it could be just as wet in July. But it does alter your options on the type of expedition you want.
There are several options if you attempt the route in the summer months. You can find plenty of ‘sherpa’ services who will book your accommodation for you and ferry your heavy gear from place to place, leaving you with a light day sack to carry. But I was out of season so stuck with carrying all my kit each day and sorting my own accommodation out. In summer campsites offer a cheaper alternative for accommodation but again there are few open in November. So my realistic choices were book my own mix of youth hostels, B&B’s and pubs or wild camp my way over. Here discretion and the physical practicality of how much I could actually carry took over and I opted to book myself a room somewhere for each night, so that at least if the weather was foul then I had somewhere to dry out and get a meal.
Before you book accommodation you need to determine the stages of the walk you are going to undertake and how many days you plan to complete in. I decided on a 15 day crossing, adding two days so that I could spilt the section between Rosthwaite and Patterdale into two days with a stop in Grasmere, and splitting the section crossing the Vale of York (23miles) into two with a stop at Danby Wiske. You can do this walk in fewer days but some of the stages become very long days - possibly ok in summer when you have long daylight hours but I’d be walking when it was getting dark by 5pm.
With a route plan determined I then started booking accommodation, working backwards from Robin Hoods bay so that I could adjust the route if I couldn’t find a suitable place to stay. The advantage of going out of season was that in most places there was good availability, although I did have to persuade one B&B owner to take pity on me and open up especially for me as it was out of season. In summer some of the choke points get really busy with limited options so best to book very far ahead if you can.
Once I’d booked my first accommodation I felt committed, excited and slightly nervous. I’m an experienced walker but this was 15 days of back to back walking, with restricted training and the longest period in my life where I would be completely on my own. My biggest fear was whether my middle-aged body would hold up to 15 days of continuous walking.
But before the challenge started it was time to think kit. I had plenty of walking gear, but realised I need some extra bits and pieces. Ignoring Dave Hughes advice to take just two pairs of pants and socks and wash a pair each night I invested in some Montane underwear and more socks. Several visits to BCH saw a smaller first aid kit, some long sleeve T-shirts and several more dry sacks - if I was going to get wet then I was determined my kit was not going to.
And then some decisions around luxury items - I decided on a pair of walking trainers for the evenings (which proved invaluable on the nights where I had a short walk to get food) and a pair of jeans so I wasn’t stuck in walking trousers every evening.
With new kit and luxury items placed in my new dry sacks I packed the rucksack. Everything just about fitted in my 45 litre Lowe Alpine rucksack, but I was daunted by the weight of the thing (perhaps I should have listened to Dave more). Deciding that comfort and safety outweighed the desire for a lighter sack I persevered with my choices and Monday 4th November dawned with excitement as travel day.

One of the factors of point to point walking is you end up some distance from where you started. So leaving the car at home the route up was via train. Or more accurately 4 trains which managed to take up a most of the day. For once the British railway system worked well, all connections were made and I arrived in St Bees at around 7.30 pm. It was dark and very quiet and hard to get a sense of the surroundings. But fortunately the B&B was 2 mins away (I’d survived my first navigational challenge). Welcomed by a friendly lady and her family, who helped my confidence no end by looking aghast at my idea of a November crossing, they pointed me in the direction of a pub a couple of doors away for a good pre-walk meal and a pint of beer. Tomorrow and the fun really started.
Tuesday 5th November dawned dry and bright. At least I’d be starting with a dry day. The first of what proved to be many cooked breakfasts was soon consumed, my flask topped up with tea and I was off.
Day 1: St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge.
The guidebook description: An exhilarating stride along sea cliffs leads to a stint of orienteering across farmland through small towns recovering from industrial collapse and over an outlying fell to a secret valley and the gates of Lakeland.
I had about a half a mile stroll to get to the seafront and the official start. But the day was fine and bright with clouds streaking the sky as the sun came up.

The start is a stunning walk along the cliff faces north of St Bees. The walk takes in some stunning views across Southern Scotland and the Isla of Mann. After a few miles you turn east and leave the north sea behind. And all too soon you hit the dreaded tarmac which unfortunately is a feature of Day 1 as you traverse the gap between coast and the Lake district. There was some pleasant countryside to cross as I skirted the industrial towns of Whitehaven and Cleator Mor but the tarmac stretches were wearing. The weight of the rucksack was already beginning to tell and the pace was slow. Aches and pains came and went, with only some rubbing on one of my toes getting progressively more annoying. Having skirted Cleator, and restored some energy with a mars bar and lucosade from a conveniently located shop en-route I came across my first disappointment as the official route up Dent Fell was barred with a significant diversion. More tarmac. And my first rain shower.

I thought that my hardest mental moment would be after several days when tiredness had really kicked in, but it turned out to be on day 1. I was sore, tired with many miles still to go that day and with 14 days ahead. The best part of the days walking had been barred to me and I was facing several miles of tarmac to get around the diversion. And that’s when the tea-flask came to my rescue. A welcome bench stop for lunch and a cup of tea proved a reviving moment. As a rainbow popped up from the passing shower, I managed to become a bit more philosophical about the prospect of the tarmac diversion ahead.

Restored I pushed on across the tarmac section and was soon back in lovely countryside heading towards Lakeland. I crossed the gorgeously named and gorgeously pretty NannyCatch Gate and the end was in sight. Having avoided getting trampled by a herd of cows I descended from Blakeley Moss and got my first glimpse of Ennerdale water.

I arrived at Bank House B&B to find I had a whole cottage to myself and it was run by a family from South Wales who had lived close to where I grew up. I’d completed my first 15 miles. There was a pub nearby for food and beer and then tomorrow would bring the start of the Lake District.

Day 2: Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite
Guidebook description: Past a lonely lake to the remote youth hostel of Black Sail, one of the most beautiful places to stay in Britain, then over a high pass with ravishing mountain views to Honister slate mine and down the lovely valley of Borrowdale. 14.3 miles and 530m of ascent. Highlight of the day could be “the path turns for 25 yards into a cautious clamber over smooth water worn rocks with a chain bolted into the cliff face above the river....be careful you may be more tired than you think and the water is always icy cold”
Day 2 promised some rain as the day progressed but started out dry as a I followed the tarmac road to Ennerdale Water. I had learnt from day 1, my troublesome toe was taped up and pain free, and I started out in my trainers for the tarmac stretch. I was soon at the edge of Ennerdale Water, and the start of the Lakeland traverse. Opting for the more sporty path to the south of the lake I was soon scrambling over rocks perched high above the water with the Lake District stretched out ahead of me.

This was a lovely section and the walk along the peaceful lake was majestic. Apart from the odd fell runner I was on my own, with mountains and lakes stretching ahead and around. The end of the lake saw me encounter my first real rain, and it increased in intensity as I wandered the well defined forestry trail up towards an old stomping ground; Black Sail YHA. The rain was still heavy as I got to Black Sail, which was sadly closed at this time of year (tea and cake in the summer months). The rain eased as I reached the top the valley and climbed steeply alongside Loft Beck. My first high ground beckoned with stunning views and an excellent series of cairns marked the route to Drum House. Ennerdale Water could be seen far back in the distance behind me and a sense of satisfaction of the progress being made settled on me as lakes glistened in all directions.

From Drum House the route followed a dismantled tramway and my first encounter with some of the industrial heritage that I would follow for the rest of the trip. I dropped down to Honister House and followed the path above Honister Pass down to Seatoller. A lovely forestry path dropped me to the river and the scramble alongside the river proved surprisingly easy before the short stroll to Borrowdale YHA. I felt on top of the world, my body felt much better than it had on Day 1, I was in the Lake District and they had Jenning’s on tap.
Day 3: Rosthwaite to Grasmere:
Guidebook Description: Switchback over a high pass surrounded by outstanding mountain walks climbing from Borrowdale to Grasmere
This was a wet day. In all senses. Water poured from the sky, I seemed to cross endless streams or bog and I started the walk surrounded by wonderful waterfalls that tumble as Langstrath Beck joins Greenup Gill. The initial walk alongside the stream is heavenly and on a better day would have been stunning. The river and waterfalls on this stretch were beautiful.

But as the rain steadily increased so did the sense of actually walking in a stream as the various becks used the path as an alternative route. And that’s where I realised my right boot was not as waterproof as I would have liked. A squelchy trudge brought me out onto Greenup Edge and my first bog. This was more challenging navigation, assisted by the odd cairn, but requiring careful route finding to avoid sinking into gooey black stuff to get to them.
At Brownrigg Moss I met two other walkers heading the other way who were coming to the end of their own Coast to Coast adventure. It turned out they would be the only others I was to meet along the whole route. It was too windy and cold for a long conversation, so wishing each other well we pressed on in our opposite directions. The wind was strong as I crossed Moor Moss and tried to avoid sinking into more bog. But eventually bog and wind eased as I dropped down into pleasant fields that lead to Grasmere.
This was where one of my route splitting days came good. It was already 2pm by the time I reached Grasmere and while the guidebook had suggested that you could push onto Patterdale in one day that would have involved another climb from valley floor and over another mountain pass which would have meant descending in darkness. As it was I was glad to reach my hotel, hang up wet clothes and stuff paper into my wet boots.
Day 4: Grasmere to Patterdale
Guidebook Description: Switchback over a mountain pass, past the cliffs of Helvellyn to the quiet southern shores of Ullswater.
The day formed bright and sunny, a lovely contrast to the wetness of the day before. A quick stop at Grasmere Co-op for provisions and I was off, cutting across pleasant lanes around Easdale before crossing the A591 and heading steeply uphill along Great Tongue. You can choose to go either up the main path or an alternative alongside Tongue Gill. Opting for the main path I was soon panting and moving excessively slowly as the gradient steepened. But every time I stopped and turned I was rewarded by the most stunning views back across the Lake District. And it got better as I gained height, with clear blue sky & high cloud allowing far reaching views back as far as Scarfell Pike and Scarfell. Despite the effort I was feeling blessed and at peace.

As sometimes happens in high mountains a mountain pass can prove the dividing line between two weather systems. Behind me to the east I had blue skies and far reaching views. Ahead of me the cloud hid the tops of the mountains, whipping across rapidly in the wind. Sure enough as I reached the top of the pass and crossed Hause Gap it felt like a completely different day. With waves whipping across Grisedale Tarn, low cloud and a sharp drop in temperature announced that I was in the foothills of the Helvylln Range. The guide book had suggested that the intrepid walker could head up Dollywagon Pike and onto Helvellyn from here, and indeed this had been our route down when we had completed Helvellyn some years earlier. The weather soon put paid to any notion of further climbing that day and so I re-traced our steps from an earlier walk following the well defined path down Grisedale and into Patterdale, where I was rewarded by a fine beer and Wainwrights words of wisdom in the local pub.

Day 5: Patterdale to Shap
Guidebook Description: A final, high level farewell to the Lake District, with the chance of seeing wild deer and a golden eagle before following the flooded valley of Haweswater and route finding across meadows to medieval Shap Alley and Shap Village.
After my route splitting of the Grasmere / Patterdale section had afforded me an easier and shorter two days, this section at 18 miles already looked like a long day. A perusal of the route and where my hotel was situated afforded the unpleasant shock that the Shap Wells Hotel was not actually in Shap, but 4 miles to the South. A schoolboy error when booking of not actually checking where the hotel was located in relation to the route (thankfully this was the only occasion where I came unstuck). So with some urgent re-routing which meant that I avoided the village of Shap completely I managed to keep the walk to around 19 miles for the day.
The day started fine and bright, but cold. And the start didn’t bode well as the footpath on the map had ceased to exist. A decision to try to go off road then seemed to have backfired as having climbed very steeply I found myself in a field surrounded by a very high and ancient wall that I didn’t dare climb. Just when it looked as though I’d have to back track back down the hill I spotted a hole in the wall that had been created for an ancient stream. Thankfully now dry it was just about big enough for first the rucksack and then myself to squeeze through. Feeling relieved at not having to lose the height already gained I soon found a main track and reached Boredale House with fine views back down to Patterdale. It was truly cold now, with iced puddles and hoar frost reminding me that winter was fast approaching.
Fully wrapped up I followed well defined paths with fabulous views to Angle Tarn. A herd of wild deer crossed the slopes ahead of me, but of the promised Eagle there was no sign (I found out later that he had last been seen in 2017). Angle Tarn was a beautiful last reminder of the high tarns that had accompanied the route over the last few days.

Leaving Angle Tarn behind I pressed on past ‘The Knott’ and with too in the stunning views over the old Roman route of High Street, before turning westwards onto Rampsgill Head and then along to Kidsty Pike, the highest spot on the entire route.

This felt like a major milestone, not just because it was the high point, but because it was the end of the Lake District and the high mountains that had been my companions for the last few days. Immediately ahead was the end of Haweswater Reservoir and in the far distance the Pennines - a reminder of the challenges to come. It was too cold to linger for long, and the glimpse of Haweswater was a sobering reminder that there was still a long way ahead of me. A slow and slippery descent, and a precarious crossing of boggy land lead me to the end of Haweswater Reservoir. Although not a natural lake, having been flooded in the 1930s to provide water for Manchester, it is still a stunning watercourse. And the path followed the northern shore for the entire length. A lovely scenic farewell to the Lake District.
Reaching Burbanks at the far end of Haweswater brought the realisation that I was only a little over halfway for the day, and a long tramp across country was now required to reach the hotel. It was already past lunchtime and the prospect of finishing in the dark was clearly ahead.

My diversion saw me pick up an old utilities road that zig zagged across country in the broadly the right direction. Many signs warned that it was not suitable for vehicle traffic, being badly subsided, were largely ignored by the locals. And although tarmac I was glad that it allowed for a steady pace. At first it traversed rolling countryside, and then bleaker lowland moorland. Quite why there was a road here still baffles me but as the miles dropped past I was glad that someone had considered the needs of idiot walkers who fail to check where their hotel is based.
The fine weather of the morning had given way to heavy clouds and the odd shower. The walk had turned into a steady plodding march, with little to see and a simple goal of just completing the route. In the distance for miles I had been able to see the A6 and behind it the M6, which I was due to cross early the following morning. They acted as a constant reminder of progress and the distance still to go.
Eventually my trusty utilities road deposited me on the A6 and I turned south. The footpath to the hotel lead me directly through the eerily deserted Shap Granite Works (it was a Saturday and closed). A good bridleway lead south and as darkness fell I found the lane leading down to the Shap Wells hotel. While most of my accommodation, although really varied, was great, Shap Wells was a commercial shock to the system. As families and groups booked in for the night the spectre of the long distance walker, dirty, dishevelled and wet was not one they were expecting (or wanted). For anyone doing the route I’d avoid this place.
Day 7: Shap to Kirkby Stephen
Guidebook Description: A venture into one of England’s few Empty Quarters, traversing a gap on the map via wild moorland, gentle sheep farming intakes and the dramatic remains of Victorian rail engineering.
This would have been the longest section, but my diversion from the previous day was now working in my favour as I could cut across country to pick up the main trail and cut out a couple of miles. I still had another 18 mile day ahead of me. But the guidebook description of this section was inspiring - I’d be in places most people don’t visit, let alone walk. The start again proved tricky as the footpath I wanted to take ended at the M6. And although the map showed another footpath emerging on the other side there was no way over or under. An immediate detour ensued, but soon I was past the M6 and heading across lonely moorland to a stone statue that commemorated where King Charles watered his armies horses on the way to the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

This was stunning countryside, on a truly beautiful day, firstly traversing lowland moorland and then gentle sheep farming land. A note to perspective walkers here that the gaps in the walls that they built to allow footpaths and walkers to get through were not designed for anyone who is not stick thin. Wriggling through with a full rucksack was a wearisome and slow task.

But the minor annoyance of tiny wall gaps was compensated by the charming village of Orton with its fab cafe that I was delighted to find was open. It was too early for lunch but a cream tea raised both the spirits and waistline. From Orton the route tracks across lovely countryside, with old lime kilns and even older sets of standing stones.

Soon the routes leaves behind the sheep farming countryside and heads over more lowland moors as you cross Ravenstonedale Moor. Old Victorian Railways add romance to this section, but the length of the day coupled with my stop at Orton meant it was again dark as I approached Kirkby Stephen and the Black Bull Hotel. I had walked 36 miles in two days. The Lake District and Cumbria were complete. Tomorrow the Pennines and Yorkshire.
Day 8: Kirkby Stephen to Keld.
Guidebook description: An invigorating climb to the watershed of northern England, which is every bit as wet as you might expect. A boggy moorland traverse leads slowly and gently down through the wilderness to the beautiful headwaters of the River Swale.
After the two long days just completed this section promised on paper an easier 15 miles. The route started up quiet country lanes past Hartely Quarries before emerging onto open moorland. It was a blustery cold day, with showers coming and going, becoming more wintery as I climbed higher. The guidebook promised wet and it was right. Soon the challenges of this section became clear as the footpath disappeared in to a stream.

Some creative fording kept me on track and reasonably dry. This section reminds us of the damage that multitudes of walkers can do to sensitive environments, with park rangers having to create three routes for differing times of year to allow the environment to recover. Thankfully my route included the mysterious Nine Standards Riggs. Stunning examples of dry stone wall skills, nobody seems sure as to why they were created. But as they emerged out of the low cloud and mist I was grateful to them as both a landmark and windbreak.

Leaving them behind I was soon facing my biggest navigational challenge. The route here is bog, with huge peat banks and streams intersecting boggy moorland. It was wet and totally featureless. Add in heavy wintery showers and a biting wind and this was hard going. Every few yards another peat stream had to be crossed, with care and some difficulty. The risk of sinking to thigh level was constant. Eventually a set of old posts acted as Cairns and route finding became easier, although the boggy ground still made for slow going and as I reached the head of the River Swale the going became slightly easier.
As I dropped lower the distinctive and beautiful Dales scenery began to emerge and my spirits raised again. I’d crossed the start of the Pennines and was in Dales Country.

The Keld Lodge Hotel is a walkers delight. Warm and welcoming with good Yorkshire beer on tap and a massive drying room. Just what you need after a wet boggy traverse. I was lucky - another week and they would have been closed for the season and there are no alternative options in Keld at this this time of year. And another cause for celebration - I’d reached halfway.
Day 8 Keld to Reeth
Guidebook Description: A fascinating meander among the ruins of Swaledale’s lead industry, reached and left by beautiful stretches of riverside, rich in flowers, wildlife and waterfalls. An alternative route follows the river all the way through some of the finest landscape in the Yorkshire Dales.
It would be easy at this stage to opt for the easier alternative route along the river. Pease don’t. Wainwright’s chosen route takes you over a fascinating landscape shaped by man, a reminder of the devastating impact that we have been having on the environment for centuries, but somehow still eerily beautiful nevertheless. And there was plenty of river walking still to come. As you leave Keld you immediately get to some beautiful waterfalls followed quickly by evidence of previous human activity.

Taking photos from here I slipped on a rock and landed heavily, with my ribs striking a rock as I landed. Although not broken they were badly bruised, and while walking was fine it turned out that sleeping was awkward for the rest of the journey. Ignoring my painful ribs I continued to climb and head across the moors. Here I was rewarded by a total blizzard, thankfully blowing in from behind me another reminder that winter was almost upon me

More industrial heritage was on display before I encountered the bizarre moonlike area of Melbecks moor. Memories of the slag heaps of South Wales were stirred as I navigated the old ruins and spoil.

The track out of the moors is well defined and followed more industrial heritage as it descended. A couple of tricky stream crossings caused some delays but eventually I reached the charming town of Reeth and my bed for the night. Despite the weather this was one of my favourite days full of interest and strange, almost forlorn, beauty.
Day Ten: Reeth to Richmond
Guidebook description: A pleasant, short stretch up ancient nuns steps and through a semi feudal village to peaceful hillside woods above the steep valley of the lower Swale.
This is a short stage, only ten miles and across easy going relatively flat land. The walker is rewarded with beautiful views across the River Valley at numerous points as well as woodlands and historical buildings.

As I stoped for lunch, looking across the River Swale I was aware of a pain in my right calf. This steadily got worse as I pressed on after lunch. On the whole I was really pleased with how my body had held up to this point. Various minor aches and pains had come and gone, but nothing serious had developed to impede me. However as I limped the last 4 miles to Richmond I was worried that my calf might prove to be a more serious concern as I still had 60 miles ahead of me. I was grateful for the shortness of this section which meant I arrived in Richmond early in the afternoon - with a chance to rest my calf and buy some DeepHeat. The advantages of staying in a larger town also allowed the treat of a curry for dinner, a welcome change from the pub food of the last week.
Day 11 Richmond to Danby Wiske
Guidebook Description: An ingenious traverse of heavily farmed, flat land with much in the way of history and wildlife to enliven route finding and a calm placid atmosphere unique to this stretch of the walk.
This stretch of the walk takes you over the relatively flat Vale of Mowbray between Richmond and Inglebury Cross. Some people do the whole traverse in one long day, covering 23 miles. I decided to spilt the section into two and stop at Danby Wiske. Given my dodgy calf and a wet day ahead I was glad I only had 15 miles to traverse. Thankfully my calf had responded to rest, deep heat and hydration and seemed pain free as I set out. The start of the route is a pleasant stroll along the River Swale, with lovely views along the river.

The walk passes near Britain’s largest Army Barracks at Catterick and although you don’t see any of the barracks there are reminders of the military history of this area as you pass along the path.

Once past Catterick though the path becomes a series of traverses across farmland. Perhaps in the summer, with crops and wildlife to see it would be more interesting. In November there is less to see. And some farmers are more welcoming to walkers than others. One field had a beware of the bull sign to help make the crossing interesting (thankfully no sign of the actual bull, although plenty of cows to avoid). The same farmer then routed the next footpath out of his field and perilously close to a fast flowing stream. My faith in farmers was thankfully restored a few miles on by one who had left a notebook out detailing what they were doing for the local environment and a pencil so that walkers could add comments or feedback.
Finally I arrived to the White Swan Hotel in Danby Wiske and a reminder as to what I love about Yorkshire Pubs. Although not officially open I got poured a beer while they took my boots and waterproofs to dry before the open fire. This place alone makes stopping in Danby Wiske worthwhile.
Day 12: Danby Wiske to Inglebury Cross
Guidebook Description: An ingenious traverse of heavily farmed, flat land with much in the way of history and wildlife to enliven route finding and a calm placid atmosphere unique to this stretch of the walk
The second half of my crossing of the Vale of Mowbray had the major advantage of being short at only eight miles. Virtually a rest day before the North York Moors that tomorrow would bring and which I could clearly see on the horizon as I set out.
This stretch is more open countryside, which again in summer might be pretty but had little to recommend it on a cold wet November day. The highlight was my accommodation at the Inglebury Farm B&B. They had taken pity on me when I called as they didn’t normally open out of season, but realising I was stuck (the pub was full) they had agreed to open up for me. Lovely people and a great place to stay.

Day 13: Inglebury Cross to Clay Bank Top
Guidebook Description: An exhilarating switchback along the Cleveland escarpment, dipping down to quiet villages before striding back up to heather moors and panoramic views, including the first glimpse of your second sea.
I was excited about the North York Moors, it was years since I had walked up here, but I love the high moors with their big views and sense of wildness, interspersed with lush green valleys below. Alas today was a day when I was cheated of any view as it started raining almost as soon as I departed and stayed wet all day, with low cloud and poor visibility. Despite that I gained a sense of the stunning scenery around as the route headed through late autumnal forests before heading up and down across several moorlands. This was a day of height gain and loss, which the low cloud at least obscured the endless climbs, you simply trudged up until it flattened out and then trudged down again.

This section sees the C2C join the Cleveland Way for most of the day, which made navigation much easier, for which I was grateful given the poor visibility. After several miles of this I alighted at Wain Stones. Even in the mist and murk they were spectacular - they must be stunning on a good day.

From here I had to call the pub I was staying in, The Buck Inn at Chop Gate. There are no pubs or any accommodation at Clay Bank Top, so you have to arrange to stay nearby. The Buck Inn arranges to pick you up at Clay Bank and take you to the pub, with you providing warning of approach at the Wain Stones. I covered the last couple of miles to Clay Bank Top pretty quickly as it was still raining and being wet and cold I wanted the warmth of a good pub. I was met at the car park by Wolfgang, a German with an Australian accent who runs the Buck Inn with his wife Helen. I was grateful for the lift as Chop Gate is an extra 3 miles down a very busy road. Wolfgang & Helen took my wet stuff away to dry in the boiler room and I settled down to an evening of German inspired food and Bavarian Pilsner. Not a typical Yorkshire experience - but a great place to stay.
Day 14 Clay Bank Top to Blakey Ridge
Guidebook Description: The classic moors and a lost railway line with marvellous views.
Finally I got the moors experience I wanted. The day was bright and sunny with views in all directions, including looking back at much of the section that I hadn’t been able to see yesterday. After a hearty breakfast and another lift back to Clay Bank Top from Wolfgang I was keen to get moving. The walk proved one of the easiest sections, picking up an old railway line cut across the moors for mineral extraction in Victorian times. With a flat route and firm path underfoot the miles soon slipped away. The views across moors and valleys were spectacular as far as the eye could see, although a view of my second sea still alluded me.

All two quickly the Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge was reached. This is a great pub to stay in being right on the route and with a great selection of Yorkshire Beer. At £25 for a single room it was also the best value accommodation of the whole route.
Day 15: Blakey Ridge to Grosmont
Guidebook Description: Marvellous moorland with views of green valleys and a rich heritage of carved stones.
Setting off from the Lion Inn meant that I already had the height of the moorlands, so it was an easy start. However the first few miles of this section follow the busy road and then smaller lanes before you branch off to footpaths again. But the views were great and it wasn’t too long before I gained a glimpse of my second sea in the distance.
The tops of the moors in this section offer panoramic views. They are marked at regular intervals by strange, very old standing stones, believed to mark the old trails through the moors. They add a mysterious and timeless element to places that you largely have to yourself.

Too soon though I was saying goodbye to the high moors as the path steadily descended into Glaisdale, a very pretty village. Keen to press on though I headed through Carr End and picked up the River Esk. Stunning on this placid day. The route meanders through woodland alongside the Esk, rising and falling to meet the river in various places, before taking you through estate lands to Grosmont and the working steam railway

Day 16: Grosmont to Robin Hoods Bay
The last day beckoned. 12 miles to Robin Hoods Bay, the Bay Hotel and the finish line. It’s a brutal start as you leave Grosmont and climb out of the valley. But there is a totally magical moment when the ground ahead falls away and off to your left is the North Sea with Whitby and its Abbey only 6 or 7 miles distant.

As you head along the last part of the moor tops the sea views keep you motivated and captivated. Soon you drop down into pleasant farmland and then down to Littlebeck. A wander through stunning woodlands follows before the last of the lowland moors. In truth once you leave Littlebeck and woodlands the route becomes a bit of a trudge through boggy lowland moors and then through quiet country lanes as you approach the coast. More roads and villages appear as you get closer and the coast path itself itself is reached through a caravan site, which is weird intrusion after the remoteness of the last few days.
Here, the proximity of the finish lures you into a false sense of security as you still have several miles of coast path to traverse. The coastline here rises and falls steadily and with wet mud under foot made for a slippery and tiring last few miles. Eventually you round the coast and Robin Hoods Bay comes into view. In another mile it is reached and you thread your way down through this stunning old fishing village until you reach the Bay Hotel. The finish and you can enjoy a beer, sign the book and realise that you have completed the Coast to Coast.

Reflections
The Coast to Coast is a wonderful route, taking you through some of the best scenery in the UK. The differing landscapes of the Lakes, Dales, Moors and lowland farmland all have something wonderful to offer. They are interspersed, influenced and shaped by centuries of human activity, the evidence of which accompanies you as you wander.
The route as never been classed as a National Trail, as a result much of it is not the sanitised walking that you might expect from such a famous trail. Sign posts vary considerably but in many sections are totally non-existent. Stream crossings can be tricky and you take your life into your hands crossing some of the major A-roads that bisect the route. You do need to be able to confidently navigate as route finding can be challenging, particularly in bad weather.
The debate as to whether it should be national trail status is divisive. I enjoyed the navigational challenge, and the wilder aspect that accompanies the fact that Wainwright plotted the route on existing footpaths and bridleways. However there is no doubt that the popularity of the route today is causing erosion on some sections that would benefit from the protection that national trail status would bring.
For me this was a wonderful experience. I missed my family but loved the solitude of the trail. The sense of achievement at completing each section and of ending each day with a pint and the company of friendly strangers made me realise I love this way of travelling. Moving on to somewhere new each day, under your own power with nature at your side is a humbling and grounding experience. Perhaps there is some nomad in everyone, there certainly is in me and I’ll be forever grateful that I took the time to do this walk. For anyone who has a dream of adventure find a way to make it come true, you will never regret taking the time to do so.