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Duration
10 days
Activities
  • self guided walk
Accommodation
  • 9 nights in B&Bs
Meals
  • 9 Breakfasts

Price

$USD

 
 

Overview

Trip Code: LVP

Coast to Coast Walk Trip highlights


  • Discover Liverpool including the iconic Waterfront, The Beatles Experience and Albert Dock
  • Be surrounded by the dramatic landscapes of the Lake District with its majestic lakes & rugged mountains
  • Experience a taste of the famous Coast-to-Coast walk, one of Britain’s best long distance hikes
  • Appreciate the classic rural countryside of rolling hills and pretty villages of the Yorkshire Dales
  • Stay at premium hotels and B&Bs
  • Walk the first half of Wainwright's epic trail, from St Bees to Kirkby Stephen

An abundance of scenic highlights has led to the 'Coast to Coast' walk being regarded as one of the world's great hikes. This journey starts in Liverpool, home of the Beatles and the iconic waterfront and the Albert Dock where maritime traditions meet the modern world. Following time in this compact city of grand buildings and musical culture, you travel to the Irish Sea coast and the town of St Bees. The first half of the Coast to Coast walk takes you through the Lake District National Park and ends at the quaint market town of Kirkby Stephen. Much of the walk passes through the Lakes District, rugged mountains, stunning lakes and pretty villages. This is walking at its best with opportunities to extend your day by ascending small peaks, or shortening days by adding additional nights. The journey ends on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, steeped in traditions and oozing with classic English countryside scenery, a fitting end to an exhilarating adventure. At night stay in charming accommodation oozing with local character.

Trip Grading

moderate to challenging

More info about grading system

On arrival into Liverpool, make your way to the joining hotel. For your evening meal there is quite a choice of premium restaurants to eat in, such as Fazenda, Matou on the Waterfront and Bacaro. Overnight premium hotel.

Meals:  Nil

Today is all about exploring Liverpool on a self-guided walking tour. Discover the city centre including the iconic Waterfront (Albert Dock, Cunard Building, Liver Birds), Liverpool Museum, Tate Liverpool, St George’s Hall, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and the Western Approaches HQ (wartime tunnel complex). Additional options include a tour of Anfield (home of Liverpool FC) and taking the Ferry Across the Mersey (and seeing the U-Boat). Overnight Liverpool

Meals:  B

This morning you take a train to St Bees via Carlisle, a journey of just under 4 hours (own expense). St Bees is located at the most westerly point of Cumbria, on the coastal strip between the Lakeland fells and the Irish Sea. It has a history going back over 1,000 years and has been a popular holiday destination for over 150 years. Near your hotel on the edge of the Irish Sea you'll have views across to the Isle of Man (but that's another trip). In St Bees you should have time to visit the Abbey church, which has features on the local history and a display on a mummified knight that was discovered in a lead coffin from the graveyard. If you arrive early enough, you can follow the coastal path or quiet inland roads to the attractive town of Whitehaven, with its marina and great museum. Whitehaven is famous in the annals of the US navy as the site of an elaborate raid on the British mainland by one John Paul Jones during the American War of Independence. Accommodation: hotel right by the beach

Meals:  B

Take the first steps on this first half of the epic Coast to Coast walk when you climb from the beach at St Bees. Take a footpath along red sandstone coastal cliffs off St Bees Head with England’s only breeding colony of Black Guillimots, then head inland over hilly ground to the edge of the Lake District National Park. Dent Hill is the first real fell that you cross and will give you some indication as to whether you are fit enough for the following days! Although short, there follows possibly the steepest descent of the whole tour down to Nannycatch Gate and Beck. A delightful stroll along which brings you to the final descent to leafy Ennerdale Bridge. // The day’s total ascent 645m / descent 547m. | Accommodation: Overnight at a friendly, family-owned hotel. Enjoy a home cooked meal of local produce including fish and game in season. A traditional feel is retained by the hotel, with its open fire, and the fully licensed bar serves a range of beverages including locally produced ale.

Meals:  B

Follow a quiet and scenic footpath along the shore of Ennerdale Water, with a bit of an easy scramble under Angler’s Crag at Robin Hood’s Seat. A long walk on a forest track then continues to Black Sail Hut, which is the smallest youth hostel and originally a shepherd’s hut. A steep climb follows up the Lowther Beck before traversing some of the Lakeland fells, perhaps with views down to Buttermere. Finally you reach the ‘drum house’, which marks the descent path to the Honister Slate Mine workings & cafe and Borrowdale. This is perhaps the most delightful valley in the Lakes with its crags and broadleaved trees. Borrowdale is a delightful ensemble of hamlets: Seatoller (the wettest place in England), Longthwaite, Rossthwaite and Stonethwaite. Delightful riverside paths connect the places and their pubs together - if you have sufficient energy left for the evening. You might be interested to know that ‘thwaite’ is old Norse for paddock. // The day’s total ascent 1028m / descent 1044m. | Accommodation: Tonight you'll stay in a luxurious hotel.

Meals:  B

Enjoy classic Lakeland scenery over Greenup Edge to Easedale and Grasmere. Grasmere is one of Lakeland’s most celebrated villages and you might have time either this afternoon or tomorrow morning to visit the poet Wordsworth's home at Dove Cottage and drop into the famous Ginger bread shop! // The day’s total ascent 547m / descent 563m. | Accommodation: Stay at a stylish hotel in the centre of this delightful village.

Meals:  B

A great walk over Grisedale Pass (609m/2000ft) and around the small mountain lake of Grisedale Tarn to Patterdale. In good weather and if you are a reasonably strong walker, we recommend that you take the detour route up St Sunday Crag (add 1½ hours). It will give some exceptional views down across Ullswater on the descend to Patterdale, possibly the most breathtaking of the entire Coast to Coast walk. Another detour option is via the summit of Helvellyn, for this add 2 miles and 2 hours. // The day’s total ascent: 541m / descent 458m (via the optional route over St Sunday Crag, less if you avoid this).| Accommodation: Tonight’s accommodation is a family-run B&B in either Patterdale or nearby Glenridding.

Meals:  B

After completing today's walk, some would say this was the most difficult stage on the Coast to Coast walk. The day starts with a steep climb up past pretty Angle Tarn. You'll then hike up and onwards to a critical cairn where you turn off the route to High Street. It will take you up and over Kidsty Pike (780m / 2560ft), the highest point on the Coast to Coast, and then descend steeply to walk along Haweswater. This is a huge body of water that was conceived in 1929 to supply Manchester with drinking water, drowning a couple of villages in the process. You then undulate through fields to Shap Abbey, the most easterly point of the Lake District National Park. This was the last abbey to be founded in England (1199) and the last to be destroyed (1540). It nevertheless is a pretty place to take a break with some new interpretation signs. After this, you continue into Shap, the old granite mining town with several pubs and shops. The village offers an interesting insight to the history of the area. // The day’s total ascent 900m / descent 798m. | Accommodation: The proprietors will welcome you to their lodge in the village of Shap.

Meals:  B

From Shap there follows a hilly section across limestone moors with limestone pavements in places strewn with ‘erratic’ boulders moved there by glaciers. Finally you drop into the gentler climes around Orton, a diversion of about a mile can be made to this quaint picturesque village - with Kennedy’s Chocolate Factory & Shop to lead you into temptation. Walking now between Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales, there is a lot of attractive farmland to cross with a section of moors around Sunbiggin Tarn, which is an important site for birds. A steep descent to the Scandal Beck at Smardale Bridge makes for a nice late lunch stop. Then ascend over Smardale Fell for the pretty descent into Kirkby Stephen. It is an attractive market town, with St. Hedda’s Church, containing the 8th Century Loki stone relating to Norse Mythology. // The day’s total ascent 452m / descent 532m. | Accommodation: B&B located in the town centre.

Meals:  B

Your Coast to Coast walking experience concludes after breakfast. We can assist with onward transfers.

Meals:  B


Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.
On self guided trips, actual route information provided before departure will be more detailed.


Inclusions

  • 9 breakfasts
  • 9 nights in premium hotels and B&B accommodation on a twin share basis usually with private facilities
  • One piece of luggage per person transferred from Inn to Inn, not exceeding 20kg
  • Information pack including route notes & maps (1 pack per room booked)
  • Emergency hotline
  • GPX Files

  • Dinner, lunches and drinks
  • Entrance fees
  • Travel to the start and from the end point of the trip
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses such as laundry and phone calls
  • Unscheduled transfers required during the trip
  • Travel between Liverpool and St Bees including luggage transfer

Accommodation


Grading

moderate to challenging  

The trip is graded Moderate to Challenging. Some long days and steep climbs and descents. Generally however undulating. Mixed weather can be expected. We would not recommend the route for first time walkers. Note that often the trails, in the Lake District especially, are steep and rocky at times. Despite its justifiable popularity, Wainwright's Coast to Coast is not yet a UK National Trail. When walking early or late in the season, you need to be mindful of shorter daylight hours and be prepared for changeable weather conditions which may include snow.


Departure dates

Daily from 27 Mar to 8 Oct

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Priceper person from

$USD

Options & Supplements*
    *Prices listed are per person

Frequently Asked Questions

This is the first half of the itinerary that we have been running for many years and has been our original two-week Coast to Coast walking holiday. When Alfred Wainwright researched the route, he actually walked the Borrowdale to Grasmere and Grasmere to Patterdale (Glenridding) sections as one long day which is different to what we do today.

If the weather is good, for fit walkers the high level variants of the Coast to Coast are worth doing. You should be aware that the Red Pike option above Ennerdale often takes walkers an extra 2 hours over the standard route. The Helm Crag option adds and extra hour, the St. Sunday Crag option above Grisedale takes about 1.5 hours more than the standard route, and the Striding Edge option about 2 hours more than the standard route. We advise to always bear this in mind in terms of evening meals etc.

Wainwright's Coast to Coast in the UK is a very popular trail. Most days throughout the season, individuals, couples and groups set off to walk the route. However you may find that no one starting on your start date will walk exactly the same speed so it is unlikely that you will all arrive at the end each evening at the same time and of course different people have different itineraries. Realistically there will be sections of the walk where you will be walking alone.

The Coast to Coast Path has become generally well signed on the lower sections, and there is a small dedicated waymark on sections of the trail, sometimes on gates or fingerposts. It is still possible to take a wrong term and people still make mistakes in bad weather in the Lake District so good maps, GPX and route notes are essential.

Please always carry maps / compass / guide book or route notes as well. We have seen GPS fail in heavy rain and you should be able to follow a map.

It was announced in 2022 that the Coast to Coast will become a UK National Trail in 2024. This should mean more funding for trail maintenance and signage. It is however unlikely that you will suddenly see a rash of waymarks across the higher levels of the walk such as in the Lake District.

It depends what you like to do! Grasmere is a great place to stay. With an extra night, you allow yourself more time to see the sights and visit for example Ambleside or Keswick. Other places could include Kirkby Stephen.

Your bags should be ready for collection at 08.30am each day. It doesn't mean that the bags will go exactly at that time, but depending upon schedules, the van driver may arrive at your accommodation first.

This makes sense in those places along the Coast to Coast where there is no shop. Otherwise you can choose to buy your own items at a shop or bakery. Some people find the packed lunches more than substantial, they may even contain more items than you require.


Coast to Coast Walk Trip reviews


Why travel with us

Making Europe Affordable

We offer different levels of accommodation and comfort so that even the most budget conscious can treat themselves to active holidays on Europe's most celebrated tracks and trails. Our trips are great value for money because you only pay for what you want.  

Self-Guided Specialists

Our wide range of self-guided itineraries embody the UTracks philosophy of exploring Europe your way. We handle the logistics so all that's left for you to do is enjoy exploring Europe at your own pace. Most depart daily with a minimum of two people, meaning maximum flexibility.

Our Wide Range

With close to 400 trips in almost 50 countries, including the largest range of bike & boat holidays in Europe, we're confident that we can organise an Alps walk, Camino de Santiago or Via Francigena experience, Food Lovers' trip or a tour in a lesser-known pocket of Europe that you will love. 

Coast to Coast Walk Videos

Walk England's Coast to Coast with UTracks

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