20 Days on the Coast to Coast Trail—Days 1 to 7

Most hikers start on England’s west coast in St. Bee’s and head east until they reach Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast. We’re starting in St. Bee’s and hiking for 17 days with two rest days along the way. Tradition among Coast to Coast hikers is to select a rock on the beach of the Irish Sea in St. Bee’s, carry it the whole trip and then throw it in the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay at the end of the hike. We select ours the night before and get ready for Day 1 which will take us mostly along the Irish Sea coast and public footpaths.

Day 1: St. Bee’s to Cleator, 11 miles

Hikers at pub — Soon after turning east away from the Irish Sea coast on Day 1, we have our first of what we hope will be many midday pub stops for snacks and a pint.

Day 2: Cleator to Ennerdale Bridge, 6.3 miles

The hike on Day 2 comes with over 1,700 ft of elevation gain and a well-trodden path on a steep descent. Total miles to date 17.3.

Hikers standing on hill — The hills and valleys in the background are representative of most of the hike from Cleator to Ennerdale Bridge.

Sitting outside cafe — At Ennerdale Bridge the Wi-Fi at our hotel is poor, but we had taken advantage of the free signal at this café earlier, so we return after hours to use it to catch up on email and family video chats.

Day 3: Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale, 14.3 miles

Our trip is taking us into the mountainous Lake District. The hike to Borrowdale has us climbing, descending, donning rain jackets for the rain and then tearing them off 10 minutes later because the rain has either suddenly stopped or we’re so hot and sweaty we can’t stand it. On and off, on and off, on repeat all day. We think the first three miles along Ennerdale Lake are challenging, but then at mile 9.5 we have a climb that gains us around 1,000 ft in elevation in just over a mile. Total MTD 31.6.

Hiker on steep rocks — Wet rocks and steep terrain make the hike up a bit treacherous.

Tea and cakes break — A break for tea and cakes mid hike is always a good way to take a rest and warm up a bit.

Day 4: Borrowdale to Grasmere, 10.4 miles

Things get pretty intense on this stretch. We start out in a downpour and then our path gains over 1,800 ft over the first two miles. Because of recent rains there is water running everywhere, so we have several precarious water crossings over fast-moving streams and some slippery hill climbs where we are on hands and knees scrambling to the next perch. Of course, going down the other side is also steep and hard on our old knees. It is a tough 10.4 miles. Total MTD 42.

We start the day picking our way carefully through the rushing water, but there are so many of these wet, treacherous crossings that we eventually give up trying to keep our feet dry and just plow through.

Day 5: Grasmere to Patterdale, 9 miles

The challenges of Day 5 seem relatively tame compared to the previous day. We still cover almost nine miles and gain 2,400 ft of elevation, but the rises are gentler, and it’s not raining so it feels easier. Nearly all the towns we stop in are small, similar to today’s stay in Patterdale. You can see how important the steady stream of trail hikers is to the economy of these villages where the local pubs, hotels and shops are full of visitors from all over the world. Total MTD 51.

Sunny day in the Lake District — After the wind and wet of the last couple of days, the sun and mild breezes are a welcome relief.

Beer at a pub — Our end-of-the-day pint hits the spot on a gorgeous afternoon in Patterdale.

Day 6: Patterdale to Shap, 17.4 miles

The hike from Patterdale to Shap is brutal. This is the longest day of hiking we’ve ever done. We cross the highest point of the Coast to Coast walk, Kidsty Pike, at 2,559 ft with a total elevation gain of over 4,000 ft. Additional highlights include occasional gale force winds, intermittent fog and a relentless rain the last four miles. Total MTD 68.4.

On Kidsty Pike — We make it to the top of Kidsty Pike, the highest point on the Coast to Coast.

The wind and rain are brisk on the final climb up Kidsty Pike.

Day 7: Shap to Orton, 7 miles

We’ve now hiked seven days straight. Today we leave the Lake District and enter the Yorkshire Dales region. Most of our walk is relatively easy, so we make great time. A downpour slows down our last mile, but on the bright side, our inn, like most of our accommodations, is also a pub. Total MTD 76.2.

Removing wet clothes — Making a wet and messy grand entrance in the foyer of the hotel where we’re staying. This is a fairly common end to our days so far.

Dinner in pub — Warm food and a cask ale are an excellent way to celebrate the end of a hard day’s walk. Can’t believe how good the food is in these tiny towns.

Krause Travels