Walk
Coast to Coast
Walk Alfred Wainwright’s iconic Coast to Coast trail for the adventure holiday of a lifetime.
Walk
Coast to Coast
Dedicated to crafting memorable journeys across Britain’s Coast to Coast trail.
Trusted by travellers worldwide, with 200+ five star TripAdvisor & Google reviews.
The UK’s only travel company specialising in Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route.
Walk the
Coast to Coast
The Coast to Coast walk is a famous British hike designed by Alfred Wainwright that steers across the UK’s landscape from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay. The C2C rambling route passes through three national parks: the Lake District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and the North York Moors National Park. The great fell-walker, Alfred Wainwright, who devised the journey, chose a route which showcases the British landscape at its best.
The Coast to Coast Walk Route
The coast to coast walking route from St Bee’s to Robin Hood’s Bay runs across many stunning landscapes that offers a self-guided walking experience that is completely unforgettable.
Alfred Wainwright’s ‘Coast to Coast Walk’ book was first published in 1973 and there have been a number of changes to the route over the years. Specifically, Wainwright divided his hike into 12 sections for ramblers, meaning experienced fell walkers can tackle the journey in as many days.
It is suggested that Wainwright’s route is better travelled over 14 or 15 days, therefore taking time in your itinerary to explore and wonder. Significantly, Wainwright recommended that ramblers dip their booted feet in the Irish Sea at St Bees and, at the end of the hike, in the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay. Hikers will explore some of the famous Wainwright Fells along the way.
The Wainwright Society, founded in 2002 to keep alive the things which AW promoted through the guidebooks, took on responsibility for the Coast to Coast Walk.
How long is the Coast to Coast Walk?
The length of the Coast to Coast walk is 192 miles (309km) long, depending on the route you take. Therefore, there are some variations possible on some of the sections from Wainwright’s guide. As a result, to travel the whole route, it is suggested to be across in 12-14 days.
The itinerary for the long distance ramble can be quite challenging. Consequently many people ask us how difficult is the C2C walk? By the time you take your first steps in St Bees, you should ideally be at a good level of fitness and stamina. The natural environment can be especially demanding at times.
The Coast to Coast season runs from March to October, and provides the flexibility to book on any date throughout our season, except when booking the guided holidays with set dates.
Walk the Coast to Coast
with our package holidays
Nights
Type
EXCELLENTVerified Excellent and well organised C2C A very well organised trip, Hayley and the team were very responsive and the accommodations chosen were all good, some excellent. The bag pick up and drop went very efficiently and overall I had a great time and would highly recommend Packhorse.Posted onVerified Lifetime experience. In August 2025 we did the C2C. Just wonderful: great walk, Packhorse/Hayley very professional, service minded and personal. All in all highly recommended! We thoroughly enjoyed this lifetime experience. Thanks Hayley, Packhorse team and all others involved.Posted onVerified Memorable Walking Holiday in an Extremely Beautiful Area This was a spectacular experience to celebrate our retirements. It was our first walking holiday but hopefully not the last. All the accommodations were really lovely with excellent breakfasts, the scenery was stunning, the people from around the world were so interesting and friendly, and Coast to Coast Packhorse did an outstanding job of providing support, especially during Storm Floris. I’m glad we booked with the local experts. Our bags were always waiting for us once we arrived at our lodging. Hayley was very helpful answering questions and setting us up with the gpx files. John, who shuttled us over to St. Bee's from Kirby Stephen, was a great driver and easy to talk to. Thank you to everyone for making this such a special vacation.Posted onVerified A brilliant experience with excellent support from C2C Packhorse that made everything manageable. We undertook this challenge as a 'Daddy-Daughter' adventure. We were joined by two other members of the family for 2 days/ 3 nights. We had an amazing time with great highs, some difficulties and a range of weathers but never had a cross word and we are so much closer as a result and both have a huge sense of achievement. The people, scenery, food and drink were wonderful and each part of the country has its own distinctive character.We would not have been able to do it without C2C Packhorse: they took the pressure off booking accommodation that was appropriate and actually had more 'nice touches' and little luxuries than I was expecting - we were really impressed. We met others walking who were unsupported and our days and journey distances were all in our control which was really important on the longer, tougher days: not everyone had this luxury. Transporting bags was really easy - as was pick up - a huge plus for us. More than this, on the days we were moving very slowly we had phone calls and welfare checks to make sure that all was ok and that we arrived safely. Support pre-booking and over the event was prompt and much appreciated. Huge thanks to Hayley and Kate for this and for working around our specific requirements: with my busy job I could not have put this trip together without them: the personal visit in Kirkby Stephen was a nice touch too. A highly recommended challenge made possible by a company with the right values.Posted onVerified Well organised adventure Just completed my Coast to Coast adventure. Originally, I approached Packhorse to just organise my baggage transfers and I was going to organise my own accommodation. I had tried with several companies but they wanted, what I considered, a ridiculous amount of money for a single supplement for a sole traveller. When I explained this to the Packhorse team they said their single supplement was no where near what I had been quoted by others. Packhorse quoted and I accepted. Accommodation, baggage transfers, maps and notes provided. The entire experience was fantastic from start to finish. A faultless display from Hayley and the Packhorse team. 10/10Posted onVerified A Beautifully Organised and Truly Memorable Coast to Coast Walk We had an absolutely fantastic experience walking the Coast to Coast, and we’re so grateful to Coast to Coast Packhorse for the excellent planning and support throughout.Walking across three stunning national parks on foot was a unique and unforgettable experience. Every day offered something new — beautiful landscapes, varied walking terrain, and welcoming places to stay.The accommodation was especially well chosen: a lovely mix of pubs, inns, lodges, and the occasional B&B — all either directly on the route or very close by. Arriving at a pub in the afternoon, settling in, and becoming part of village life, even just for a short while, was one of the highlights.We were constantly met with kindness, helpfulness, and genuine interest from hosts and locals — both where we stayed and on the trail itself.It’s also clear that the route is well maintained and appreciated. We walked 320 km and climbed around 9,000 metres, so a decent level of fitness is definitely helpful — but we enjoyed every step.Huge thanks to the team at Packhorse for organising such a smooth and memorable journey. Highly recommendedPosted onVerified Excellent Excellent service, great accomodation booked. Bags delivered as promised. Hayley was very friendly and helpful. I recommend Packhorse unreservedly.Posted onVerified Third Time with Packhorse and Highly Recommend! This is the third time I have walked the Wainwright Coast to Coast and have used Packhorse every time. The entire staff have always done so well for us both in communication and execution. On my most recent trip this month I had left a t-shirt behind at our hotel in Reeth that had some sentimental value. A quick message to Hayley in the Packhorse office and it was found and delivered to my next day's stay. Brilliant! All of the accommodation Packhorse booked for use were excellent and made for a wonderful end to a long day's hike. Oh and my son LOVED the C2C bandana! Highly recommend!!!!!Posted onVerified Packhorse is on top of everything Five stars all the way for Packhorse and the support they gave my group of five on the Coast to Coast in May/June. Hayley somehow managed to keep track of our custom itinerary, 19 days, 15 different b&bs, one of us only walking half the route, some of us sharing rooms and some not, etc etc. Lots of detail to track and I fully expected some minor bumps along the way, but she was 100% and so upbeat and positive. We even had to be booked into a couple different b&bs last minute and that was no problem. The luggage gentleman (Ian) was on top of it. Because my husband was driving the route, I occasionally didn't leave my bag with the others to be picked up in the a.m. - my bad on that, because it throws off the count, of course. But Ian would always follow up with the inn owner to figure it out and make sure he wasn't leaving something behind. The price was incredibly reasonable, given all the service they provide. They did a nice job of mixing in some very nice places along with the more moderate. I believe all provided bag lunches for a small fee, which made it very easy, as there weren't many places to stop on the routes we took. Hayley even visited the B&B in Kirkby Stephen to say hello, and brought her son along, as they were planning to hike a part of the route that day. Lovely surprise. We didn't use the map book or online maps they provided, as we had worked out our routes well before we went (as everyone should - there are many options). We loved the Packhorse buffs they gifted us, though. Would absolutely use them again. As for the Coast to Coast itself, it's a forever memory now. Among the most meaningful adventures of my life. The Lake District is certainly one of the most beautiful places on earth, although my favorite for pure serenity would be the windswept North York Moors. Here were my faves among the B&Bs, in case that's helpful.Glaramara Hotel, SeatollerOld Water View, PenrithKeld Lodge, KeldWillance Guest House, RichmondAshfield House, Danby WiskeLion Inn, Blakey RidgeLee-Side, Robin Hoods BayVerified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
Coast to Coast Walk Itinerary
Below we have detailed a general guide to the Coast to Coast route itinerary. The journey can be traversed with several itineraries, allowing for rest days, breaking the hike up into longer sections. For more exact itineraries, please see each individual holiday page.
On a clear day, the ridge line from Red Pike through to Haystacks presents one of the best views in the Lake District. The path from Red Pike to High Stile is a fun hike that takes you across the rocky peaks of High Crag, passing Bleaberry Tarn, and Buttermere along the way.
Overall, this is one of the shortest sections of the Coast to Coast hike. However, the path takes you across particularly high, rocky sections with steep climbs and stream crossings. Hikers begin from Borrowdale towards Stonethwaite Beck, while exploring Eagle Crag. You will be taking in the amazing views of Easedale and the surrounding fells and distant summits, before ultimately landing at Grasmere.
The final leg of the Coast to Coast walk takes you from Blakey Ridge to Robin Hood’s Bay. Between Blakey to Grosmont, hikers will make the short trip between Glaisdale and Egton Bridge. Watch out for ‘Fat Betty’, a white landmark with the tradition of leaving a small gift for fellow travellers! Finally, walkers stroll from Littlebeck to the final destination of Robin Hood’s Bay! The end of a spectacular journey.
Read the
Coast to Coast Blog
Read our Coast to Coast Explorers Blog. Here we share all of our company news and local information direct from our team on the C2C route in Kirkby Stephen. We also share tonnes of useful guides to mountains around the UK and valuable ‘before you travel’ articles about Alfred Wainwright’s famous route.
EXCELLENTTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My second Coast to Coast trip with Packhorse. I was very impressed with the pre trip updates and info from Hayley, the standard of accommodation was excellent and the drivers who ferried me from Kirby Stephen to St Bees at the start and Robin Hoods Bay to Kirby Stephen at the end were great, my bag was always at my accommodation when I arrived and all I had to do was concentrate on walking, I was very happy with the whole experiencePosted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Communication with Packhorse through Hayley made this whole trip exceptional. It was an absolute delight to meet her in person. Nothing was too much trouble and everything went so smoothly. We cannot recommend them highly enough.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. At 69 years of age, I had apprehensions about this adventure. But it all went well. It was a wonderful adventure all the way from St. Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay. We enjoyed every part of it, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, the Moors, all of it was fantastic. Our accommodations varied from very good to excellent. Packhorse is a great company! Hayley was always available to answer our questions and give us some advice.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Walked the coast to coast trail individually in September 2025 and booked everything through this company. Everything with Packhorse went smoothly from beginning to end. All accommodations were up to speck, route descriptions were clear, including alternative options, and all luggage transfers went 100% fine. Not a single issue!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The team at Packhorse were excellent, especially when we experienced issues with our cycling route. The accommodation, meals and luggage handling was also excellent. They were very easy to deal with and and they replied to our enquires in a timely and comprehensive manner.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. In August 2025 we did the C2C. Just wonderful: great walk, Packhorse/Hayley very professional, service minded and personal. All in all highly recommended! We thoroughly enjoyed this lifetime experience. Thanks Hayley, Packhorse team and all others involved.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. C2C Packhorse delivered an excellent service from the first moment when I contacted them to ask about the trip, through the planning, booking and trip itself. Hayley was my point of contact and she was excellent in every way. I can highly recommend C2C Packhorse and from talking to other people doing the Coast to Coast walk C2C Packhorse seemed to offer the best service and at the best price.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had never done a hike/trip like this and we had a fantastic time. Coast to Coast Packhorse was really great - training advice beforehand, fascinating range of accommodations with good food and everyone friendly, advice on the trails, quick response to any emails, and when there was a fire on the moor near Robin Hood's Bay we were advised of an optional route. And: when we couldn't start our trip at St. Bees due to flight complications, they picked up some sea water and pebbles for us, and delivered them to Grasmere! They are much more that a bags delivery service. We highly recommend them.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Hayley was unbelievably helpful and went out of her way to smooth any issues. We didn’t do enough research and found the cycle ride too challenging. So although the C2C wasn’t a success for us Hayley did everything she could to help us out.Verified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more