3
moderate

Traveller Rating

 

Activities
  • self guided walk
Accommodation
  • 10 nights in hotels and guesthouses
Meals
  • 10 Breakfasts

11 Days£1330GBP

View Inclusions

Overview

Trip Code: WCO

Coast to Coast Walk Trip highlights

  • Spend more time on the route by breaking up the 2 long days between Richmond & Blakey
  • Staying at cozy small hotels, guesthouses & traditional, English pubs
  • The stunning Pennine Hills and North York Moors National Park
  • Chance to see an ancient steam train pull out from Grosmont railway station
  • Start your day with a full English breakfast, guilt-free!
  • Arriving at vibrant Robin Hood's Bay to celebrate your achievement
  • Stunning views over the Pennine Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty from the summit at Nine Standards Rigg

Starting about halfway, this beautiful section of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast walk has some long days and steep climbs & descents. You will be rewarded with great views. It is a longer itinerary with the days in the middle of your trip broken up. This allows for shorter walking days and more time in the lovely North York Moors National Park.

Start your holiday with hiking from the Pennines AONB into the Yorkshire Dales and over the mystical Nine Standards Rigg summit. Follow the beautiful River Swale for a couple of days before reaching the old market town of Richmond. There follows a section to Blakey, linking up with the North York Moors National Park. From here you’ll roller coaster around to the North Sea Coast. Make a triumphant entrance into Robin Hood’s Bay where a celebratory pint, bottle of Champagne or ice cream whilst standing in the sea is in order.

Along the way you will be amazed at the variety of the dry stone walls, charming little English villages and just how much that you get to eat for a full English cooked breakfast. There are cozy small hotels, guesthouses and pubs to stay at on this tour. These, as well as the rich variety of the people that you meet enroute, reflect something of the great diversity of England.

The end of this part of the Coast to Coast has two long days, you can also opt for our 11-day version of this route that breaks up these days between Richmond and Blakey (trip code WCO). Scroll down to find an overview of all Coast to Coast walking options to choose from.

Countries:

England

Starting Point:

Kirkby Stephen

Finishing Point:

Robin Hoods Bay

Itinerary

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Make your own way to Kirkby Stephen on the edge of the Pennine Hills. You should have time to explore this pretty old market town with St. Hedda’s Church containing the 8th Century Loki stone relating to Norse Mythology. Or we recommend adding an extra night if you like to enjoy this town more. | Accommodation: This is a fine looking guesthouse and the interior retains many of the delightful and original features. It has a friendly relaxed atmosphere.

Meals:  Nil

It's your first day of this second half of Wainwright's Coast to Coast! Climb out of town to the cairns of Nine Standards Rigg (661m / 2170 feet) with its array of obelisks. This is an ancient, possibly, boundary feature that no one has any real knowledge of. It marks the Watershed of England. Next you cross squelchy moors down to Keld in Swaledale. You might relish a scone & tea made on the farm at Ravenseat, where they akso breed prime rams. The moors then become increasingly gentler as you walk into Keld with its many waterfalls and old stone barns. /// The day’s total ascent 780m / descent 575m. | Accommodation: Keld - A medium-sized guesthouse with traditional Yorkshire fayre served in an attractively decorated dining room, and there are tea & coffee making facilities in all rooms. Thwaite - traditional stone hotel with 12 en-suite rooms.

Meals:  B

There are two options today. >> The first is the slightly longer & higher alternative over wild moorland with long-abandoned lead mines, a magnet for the industrial archaeologist. >> The second option is the pretty route via Swaledale, which is a lovely option if you have unfavourable weather or you just prefer a lower level walk. There is a really nice pub in Gunnerside on this second route. Your day finishes in Reeth, an attractive green village which flourished at the height of the mining age and today does well out of tourism, hence a collection of pubs and tea shops. // The day’s total ascent 838m / descent 911m (via the higher route). | Accommodation: Your accommodation tonight is the oldest surviving Inn in Reeth, dating from 1680.

Meals:  B

Your morning walk through pretty Swaledale is lined with limestone crags on either side and allows time in Richmond for shopping (note most shops closed Sunday) & sightseeing. The extremely picturesque North Yorkshire town of Richmond, with its cobbled market square and Norman castle, is an ever-popular destination for visitors. You can also follow the swale to Town Falls, which are quite impressive when the river is in spate. // The day's total ascent 395m / descent 510m. | Accommodation: The extremely picturesque North Yorkshire town of Richmond, with its cobbled market square and Norman castle, is an ever-popular destination for visitors. We use a number of guesthouses or pub accommodation in this busy town.

Meals:  B

A gentle rural day, walking out from Richmond beside the River Swale and across the fields to Catterick Race Course. You'll then be threading your way to Brompton on Swale, an ideal lunch stop in the churchyard. You then trundle along beside tiny streams and quiet country roads reaching the village of Danby Wiske with its village green and single pub. | Accommodation: We use the guesthouses or pub in this small village.

Meals:  B

Today is primarily a road walk although there are cross country sections. The two hills are towards the end, a short climb to what was East Harlsey Castle, and then with the North York Moors pressing ever closer you have to carefully cross the main A19 road to take a lovely woodland footpath up to Osmotherley. On the way you may want to visit Mount Grace Priory (1398), this is a ruin that has had some restoration work. Osmotherley is a quaint hill village with three pubs to choose from plus Britain’s oldest functioning Methodist Church (1754) - John Wesley came to preach here. | Accommodation: Tonight's accommodation is set in an extremely picturesque village on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. All rooms are ensuite and have tea & coffee making facilities.

Meals:  B

This is a roller coaster walk. A steep stretch from Osmotherley introduces you to the North York Moors and its sandy, heather-clad hills with areas of forest. After coming off Scarth Wood Moor, there is a long ascent up Live Moor and Carlton Bank (408m) before we descend to Lord Stones Café. It's almost hidden in an off-road embankment and comes at the right time for coffee. There then follows the succession of Cringle Moor, Broughton Bank and White Hill - all at or over 400m. You loose and then re-ascend 100-200m between each one. White Hill has an area of sandstone boulders called The Wainstones that we thread through on the way up. Great views in clear weather, incl. Roseberry Topping, Vale of Mowbray and back to the Pennines. We come off the ridge at Clay Bank Top and you will get a transfer to your accommodation (included) from the car park at Clay Bank Top to Great Broughton. | Accommodation: In Great Broughton, Wainstones Hotel - this present-day structure has developed around a former dwelling dating from early 1700. It combines quality service with the atmosphere of a Yorkshire country inn.

Meals:  B

You will be transferred back to the car park (included). Today, the walk follows a moorland ridge up over Round Hill (454m) and the track maintains its height as it follows the line of the old dismantled Rosedale Railway line. The moor can be bleak in bad weather and is punctured in places by standing stones, some marked with inscriptions. There are enticing views at times into the fertile upper valleys of Farn and Esk dales, but your arrival at the ancient Lion Inn at Blakey can be a great relief. | Accommodation: You'll stay at the Lion Hotel in this bleak moorland location. This pub hotel has been a refuge from the elements for 400 years or so, and very cosy it is too! Normally there are a large number of species of Real Ale and great dining in either the bar or the restaurant.

Meals:  B

After a bit of a road perambulation past a white cross called Fat Betty, you follow an easy undulating descent down to beautiful wooded Eskdale. You also get some views opening up to the sea. The latter part of today's walk follows a pretty path through the woodlands on the banks of the River Esk. You come across the ‘Beggars Bridge’ a parabolic stone structure that has a story of love lost and love refound! Egton Bridge features a church with relics of the Catholic martyr, Nicholas Postgate. A really pretty setting, the river is famous for fly fishing and has some interesting stepping stones, which enables you to hop between the two pubs faster than using the road. // The day’s total ascent 265m / descent 616m. | Accommodation: Egton Bridge or Grosmont - We use a variety of lovely guesthouses/B&Bs in either of these villages.

Meals:  B

You follow a delightful, private road to Grosmont, where you might want to try and get in time to see a steam train pull out for Pickering. You then follow a very steep pull up across heather moors with views down to Whitby and its Abbey. But the sea and journey’s end is still tantalizingly far as the route abruptly changes course to visit the May Beck valley with its Falling Foss waterfall. A last area of high moor brings you to the coast, where the last 5 km/3 miles are spent on the coastal cliff path to Robin Hood's Bay. It will appear almost by surprise as you near it. This is a village of red-roofed houses clustered around its harbour on the North Sea coast marking the end of this 190 odd-mile crossing of England. Celebrate with a drink at the Bay Hotel. // The day’s total ascent 775m / descent 770m. | Accommodation: Your final night is spent in an elegantly refurbished Victorian guesthouse with many original features. This is a popular seaside location so one of many similar B&B's may be used.

Meals:  B

Your Coast to Coast walking experience concludes in Robin Hood's Bay after breakfast.

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

What's included

  • 10 breakfasts
  • 10 nights accommodation on a twin share bases with ensuite facilities where available
  • One piece of luggage per person transferred from Inn to Inn, not exceeding 18kg
  • Digital information pack including route notes & maps
  • Emergency hotline
  • GPX Files

  • Lunch, Dinner 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
  • A supplement will apply if you are travelling solo or book a single room
  • Guide - this is a self guided holiday

Accommodation

Hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses & country inns

The hotels described are our usual accommodation, however if these are not available then alternatives are used. Rooms generally do not have baths, the main reason being that they take up a lot of space. Some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main it is showers. Note that the sheer popularity of this tour may mean that we cannot get you into the accommodation described for the dates of your tour. We will endeavour to get you into a similar standard of accommodation nearby, but please appreciate that there is limited accommodation on the Coast to Coast path. Also, although we aim to get you into accommodations with ensuite rooms this is not always possible, at a couple of places on your tour you may be sharing bathrooms, particularly if you are in a single room.

Suggested rest stops (must be requested at the time of booking):

KIRKBY STEPHEN: Traditional market town of historic buildings, cobbled yards and interesting shops.

RICHMOND: Historic market town, dominated by the Norman Castle, which is open daily. There are regular markets and quite a few places to eat. It’s the largest town on the Coast to Coast path.

ROBIN HOOD'S BAY: Picturesque village with tiny streets, shops, cafes and pubs. During the late 18th century smuggling was rife on the Yorkshire coast. Adding an extra night after finishing your walk to relax, swim or just enjoy the coast is worthwhile.

Suitability

moderate

3

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. 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 31 Mar to 9 Oct

Notes

H
High Season
DN1
9 day version available
DN2
Please note that minor changes to your 2024 itinerary may apply.

Priceper person from

£1330GBP

Options & Supplements*
  • Single Supplement 2025GBP£470
  • Solo Traveller Supplement 2025GBP£470
*Prices listed are per person

Frequently Asked Questions

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This is the second half (actually slightly more than half) of the original Coast to Coast itinerary. We have included extra nights at Danby Whiske and Great Broughton to break up a couple of the longer walking days. It differs from Wainwright's route only in the sense that you stay overnight in Osmotherley (rather than Ingleby Cross) which is slightly off Wainwright's original route.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Robin Hood's Bay will be a good choice to add an extra night if you would like to visit Whitby.

Coast to Coast Walk Trip reviews

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Our well priced trips offer great value for money. Included in your package are comprehensive route notes, maps & guide books along with bag transfers and locally run accommodation. We take the stress out of organising your holiday.

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We have been operating active self guided holidays since 1973. We handle all the necessary logistics so that you can relax and explore your destination at your own pace. Many of our tours depart daily, giving you even greater flexibility.

Coast to Coast Walk Videos

Walk England's Coast to Coast with Walkers' Britain