Coast to Coast (West)

Day 1: Arrive in St Bees

This is your chance to get to the start of the holiday by making your way to St Bees. We will have accommodation arranged for you so you just need to turn up and tell them your name. If you plan to get the train to St Bees and would like a lift to your accommodation this can usually be arranged, just let us know. In the evening you will get the chance to meet the rest of your group as well as your guides at a local pub for a drink or two.

Accommodation St Bees

Day 2: Walking to Ennerdale Bridge - 14 miles

Today is the beginning of your journey along the Coast to Coast and the beach at St Bees makes for a fine starting point. Keeping with tradition we will begin at the sea front, with everyone dipping their boots into the Irish Sea before heading up on to the coastal path, giving spectacular views over St Bees. We will follow the coastal path north before heading inland where the scenery will change, we will soon be crossing fields before walking through the village of Cleator. After lunch we will be making our way up Dent Fell, which on a clear day gives spectacular views over Whitehaven, St Bees, Sellafield, Scotland, Ireland and, of course, over to the Lake District. Once we descend down, a short section next to the road will bring us into Ennerdale Bridge. Today’s distance of 14 miles (22.5km) with nearly 700m of ascent should take around 7 hours to complete.

Accommodation St Bees

Day 3: Walking to Rosthwaite - 14 mile

We head out of Ennerdale Bridge and soon arrive at Ennerdale Water, giving dramatic views over the lake as well as the forest and fells beyond. We will follow a rocky path all the way to the other end of the lake, whereby we will cross over the river into Ennerdale forest. The path will now become much wider and the walking easier, offering excellent views of Pillar. We continue along the well maintained path all the way to Black Sail Youth Hostel, which was described by Wainwright as “the loneliest and most romantic of youth hostels”, you will see why once you arrive. From here we ascend to a height of almost 650m, and if clear, we gain the best views of the day. Next we will descend to the Honister Slate mine, still in operation before making our way through Seatoller and into Rosthwaite. Today’s distance of just over 14 mile (22.9km) with around 700m of ascent should take around 7 hours to complete.

Accommodation Keswick

Day 4: Walking to Grasmere - 9 miles

Today you will head out of Rosthwaite by following Stonethwaite Beck. Soon we will be ascending up to Greenup Edge, while a tough ascent the scenery along the way make it well worthwhile. The views back along the valley and the cascading waterfalls next to the path, make this a fantastic section of the route. Once at the top of Greenup Edge, you will descend into Easedale, a beautiful and wild area, soon reaching Grasmere itself. This is a shorter day of around 9 miles (14.5km) and a little over 500m of ascent, and so it should take around 5 hours to complete.

Accommodation Keswick

Day 5: Walking to Glenridding - 8.5 miles

Today we start with a short section on the road before we can head up the flanks of Fairfield, alongside Tongue Gill, to Grisedale Hause. Here you will find Grisedale Tarn and your first views into Patterdale. We cross the stream running from the tarn itself on good stepping stones with equally good photo opportunities. Then we head down the path to the upland pastures of Grisedale. Walking past fields of Herdwick sheep and woodland groves on a good farm track takes us to our final destination; the village of Glenridding. The day is 8.5 miles (13.8km) with around 750m of ascent and should take roughly 6 hours to complete.

Accommodation Penrith

Day 6: Walking to Shap - 16 miles

To start our day we will wonder down the road from Glenridding for a short way until we can leave by bridleway to Side Farm. From here we undertake our biggest climb of the day. You will be rewarded for your efforts by stunning views of the mountains and valleys of the Lake District. After the climb the character of the day changes as you follow high level footpath amongst mountain terrain to the stunning Angle Tarn. Photos taken we carry on over The Knott (our high point) and along Kidsty Pike before dropping back down to the shores of Haweswater Reservoir. The stunning views continue as we travel the length of the reservoir on improving track to the hamlet of Burnbanks. We now leave the mountains behind and head through the pastures to the small town of Shap, passing the ruins of it's historic abbey on the way. Arguably the hardest day on the route this is 16 miles (25.7km) long with 1300m of height gain.

Accommodation Penrith

Day 7: Walking to Kirkby Stephen - 20 miles

Longer but easier going than the previous day, our last day is 20 miles (31.2km) but with only 660m of height gain. Walking out of Shap we cross the M6 via footbridge and have contrasting views of Hardendale Quarry and the Lakeland fells we left behind the previous day. These soon fade into the distance as we travel the rolling farmland around Orton. From the farmlands we pass a disused railway and cross Scandal Beck before heading into the town of Kirkby Stephen to celebrate finishing.

Accommodation Kirkby Stephen

Day 8: Depature/Transfer back to St Bees

Today we will pick you up from your accommodation in Kirkby Stephen and drive you back to St Bees, unless you would prefer to make use of the train station in Kirkby Stephen for your onward travel . From here it is time to say goodbye and make your way home.