Wainwright’s famous masterpiece, the Coast to Coast path, takes walkers through some of the most stunning parts of England. Every section that you pass through has its own charms and features to make you spend more time. As the classic trail takes 13 days of hiking, you may not be able to add an extra night to each town you’re staying, so we have narrowed it down for you. 

Read on to find the best places on the UK’s Coast to Coast to spend more time.
 

St Bees

With an added night, you can follow the coastal path or quiet inland roads to the nearby attractive seaside town of Whitehaven. It has a marina and a great museum and is a 1.5hr walk or a 10-minute bus ride away. Whitehaven is famous in the annals of the US navy as the site of an elaborate raid on the British mainland during the American War of Independence. It's also the start of the cyclist's Coast to Coast.

Grasmere

In the heart of the Lake District National Park, Grasmere is one of the Lake District’s most celebrated villages. It was once home to poet William Wordsworth and you might want to add an extra day to allow enough time for a visit of his home at Dove Cottage, which is just out of town. There are guided tours, gardens and a lovely tea room. Grasmere has a famous gingerbread shop that is housed in a 1630s school and a craft brewery that uses the soft water from Lakeland reservoirs.   

Scenically located by Grasmere water, the village has narrow streets with cafes, shops and pubs. If you want to explore further afield, a bus service connects Grasmere with Keswick and Ambleside.

Kirkby Stephen

Located between Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales at the edge of the Pennines - and basically marking the halfway point of the Coast to Coast - Kirkby Stephen is an attractive, traditional market town of historic buildings, cobbled yards and interesting shops. St. Hedda’s Church, which contains the 8th Century Loki stone that relates to Norse Mythology, is worth a visit, as are castles such as Brougham, Brough, Pendragon or Lammerside. Play a game of golf, go on a geocaching treasure hunt or walk the Poetry Path to discover more about the upper Eden Valley. Ask our team for all your options or have a look at the Kirkby Stephen community website. 

Richmond

The historic market town of Richmond in North Yorkshire is dominated by an iconic Norman Castle and is located at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales. It’s the largest town on the Coast to Coast path and there are plenty of things to do a rest day here. Visit Richmond Castle, Richmondshire Museum or the Green Howards Museum; book tickets for an evening performance at The Georgian Theatre Royal; or get behind the scenes when you take a tour of the most complete working Georgian playhouse in Britain. There are regular markets and several good places to eat, and you can also follow the River Swale to Town Falls, which are quite impressive when the river is in spate. 

Fun fact: around the world there are 105 places called Richmond, but this town on the Coast to Coast is the very first, and oldest, of them all!

Robin Hood's Bay

This is a North Yorkshire village of red-roofed houses clustered around its harbour on the North Sea coast. Robin Hood’s Bay is a very picturesque, old fishing village with tiny streets, shops, cafes and pubs. During the late 18th century, smuggling was rife on the Yorkshire coast and when you walk through Robin Hood’s Bay’s narrow streets, it’s easy to imagine what life was like back then. This seaside town marks the end of your Coast to Coast walk, so add an extra night to relax, swim or just enjoy the coast and the town’s vibe.

Did you know that there's a webcam at The Bay Hotel in Robin Hood's Bay? Wave at your friends back home as you complete your Coast to Coast walk.

Please note that when you’re travelling on a Coast to Coast tour with Walkers’ Britain, we ask you to request the places where you want to add an extra night at the time of booking.

For any other questions about the Coast to Coast walk or to book, please contact our team of travel experts or request a callback.