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Coast to Coast Walk Season 2008

7th April - 30th September 2008

Chestnut House, Crosby Garrett, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4PR, UK
Phone / Fax: +44 (0)17683 71777
packhorse@cumbria.com



The Coast to Coast Route for Walkers & Cyclists

Walking Coast to Coast...
The route for Walkers is fully described in A. Wainwright’s original guide ‘A Coast to Coast Walk’ (reprinted in 2003) and a number of other publications - all of which may be ordered from Packhorse. Two new water proof strip maps covering the entire route (in two halves) have now been published by Harvey Maps and are also available from Packhorse as well as the 8 OS Landranger maps which cover respective sections of the entire route.
Covering a total of 190 miles the route for walkers is usually broken down by the guide books into the following 12 stages, although a number of these can be broken further to give shorter days / walking distances as required. Typical stage break options are shown in red:-

St Bees
Ennerdale Bridge (14 miles)
Rosthwaite (14.5 miles)
Grasmere
Patterdale (17.5 miles)
Bampton / Shap (13 / 16 miles)
Orton
Kirkby Stephen (24 / 21 miles)
Keld (12 miles)
Reeth (11 miles)
Richmond (11 miles)
Danby Wiske
Ingleby Cross (23 miles)
Clay Bank Top (Gt. Broughton/Urra(12+ miles)
Blakey
Glaisdale / Grosmont (18 / 22.5 miles)
Littlebeck
Robin Hood’s Bay (20 / 15.5 miles)

For advice on planning your walk schedule click here

 

Cycling Coast to Coast...

Mountain Bike Route:-

There are various route permutations for the Mountain Biker: These include Woodcock's route which deviates south down to Eskdale in the early Lakeland section -making Packhorse servicing difficult. The Packhorse serviced route opts for the Ennerdale to Buttermere crossing via the Floutern or Scarth Gaps and then on to Rosthwaite, Grasmere, Patterdale and Shap. Beyond Shap Woodcock's route coincides fully with the Packhorse serviced route. The Mountain Bike Route served by Packhorse broadly shadows Wainwrights’s walking route. Where bridleways permit the walk and bike routes coincide otherwise the routes follow different courses to reach the overnight destinations. Some of the Lakeland stages are particularly tough and do involve quite a bit carrying or pushing!Taking to the tarmac is also inevitable over some stages. However 'off bike sections' are generally compensated by some good down hill runs. For those who do not want to tackle the particulakeld & ennerdalerly demanding mountainous stages accross the Lake District, there is a less strenuous option taking advantage of quiet roads and cycle-ways between Ennerdale & Keswick (following the C2C Sustrans route as far as Keswick) and from there on to Shap.

Cycle-Way & Road based Route:-

The tarmac based route is by no means a poor alternative and enjoys similarly spectacular scenery whilst taking advange of the network of quiet county roads spanning the country. Indeed the cycleway starting just above St Bees and taking you the first 9 miles or so over to Kirkland provides a lovely car-free start to your trip! After a first day following the C2C Sustrans route as far as Braithwaite (just outside Keswick) the route then takes you out of the Lakes, through Kirkby Stephen and on to the rolling Yorksire Dales and more challenging North Yorkshire Moors beyond. Packages can be tailored with number of overnight stops / daily mileages to suit your own particular needs.

Which ever route you opt for... it is vitally important that you cycle within your own limits!

See Cycling Package Section for example schedules...

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