Henry Stedman wrote the first edition of this title and is a hiker of considerable experience, having hiked in many parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. He has been writing guidebooks for more than a quarter of a century. Other books he has written for Trailblazer include: British Walking Guides South-West-Coast Path mini series, Parts 1-3, with Joel Newton, the original Hadrian's Wall Path, Dales Way, Cleveland Way, Kilimanjaro the Trekking Guide.

Joel Newton co-authored Cornwall Coast Path (SWCP Part 2) and Dorset & South Devon Coast Path (SWCP Part 3) and is author of Trailblazer's guide to the Thames Path.

INTRODUCTION

About the Coast to Coast path

Wainwright's Coast to Coast path 9

How difficult is the Coast to Coast path? 11

How long do you need? 13 – When to go 14

PART 1: PLANNING YOUR WALK

Practical information for the walker

GPS 17 – Accommodation 19 – Information for foreign visitors 22 Food and drink 25 – Money 27 – Internet access 28 – Other services 28

Walking companies 28 – Walking with a dog 31

Budgeting 32

Itineraries

Which direction? 33 – Suggested itineraries 34

Village and town facilities 36 – Side trips 38 – Day walks 38

What to take

Travelling light 40 – How to carry it 41 – Footwear 41 – Clothes 42

Toiletries 43 – First-aid kit 44 – General items 44 – Sleeping bag and

camping gear 44 – Money 45 – Maps 45 – Recommended reading 47

Sources of further information 48

Getting to and from the Coast to Coast path

National transport 50 – Getting to Britain 51 – Local transport 52

Public transport map 53

PART 2: THE ENVIRONMENT & NATURE

Conserving the Coast to Coast path

Government agencies and schemes 57 – Campaigning and

conservation organisations 59 – Beyond conservation 60

Flora and fauna

Mammals 61 – Birds 62 – Reptiles 65 – Flowers 65 – Trees 68

PART 3: MINIMUM IMPACT WALKING

& OUTDOOR SAFETY

Minimum impact walking

Environmental impact 77 – Access 79

Outdoor safety

Avoidance of hazards 80 – Weather forecasts 81 – Blisters 82

Hypothermia 82 – Hyperthermia 82 – Sunburn 83

Collapse of morale 83

PART 4: ROUTE GUIDE & MAPS

Using the guide 84

St Bees 85

Stage 1: St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge 91

(Moor Row 96 – Cleator 96 – Ennerdale Bridge 100)

Stage 2: Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale 102 (The Red Pike, High Stile & Hay Stacks route 109 – Seatoller 114 – Borrowdale 115)

Stage 3: Borrowdale to Grasmere 118 (The ridge-walk alternative to Grasmere via Helm Crag 119 – Easedale 122 – Grasmere 123)

Stage 4: Grasmere to Patterdale 128 (The high-level options: Helvellyn & Striding Edge 130; St Sunday Crag 130 – Patterdale 134 Ullswater and Glenridding 136)

Stage 5: Patterdale to Shap 138 (Bampton 144 – Shap 146)

Stage 6: Shap to Kirkby Stephen 148

(Orton 150 – Newbiggin-on-Lune 155 – Kirkby Stephen 160)

Stage 7: Kirkby Stephen to Keld 164

(The three routes over the moors 167 – Keld 174 – Thwaite 175)

Stage 8: Keld to Reeth 176

(Swaledale Valley alternative: Muker 184 – Reeth 188)

Stage 9: Reeth to Richmond 191 (Richmond 198)

Stage 10: Richmond to Ingleby Cross 204

(Colburn, Catterick Bridge & Brompton-on-Swale 205

Danby Wiske 212 – Oaktree Hill 214 – Ingleby Cross & Ingleby Arncliffe 214 – Osmotherley 220)

Stage 11: Ingleby Cross to Blakey Ridge 221 (Urra 229

Chop Gate 229 – Great Broughton 229 – Blakey Ridge 234)

Stage 12: Blakey Ridge to Grosmont 234

(Glaisdale 236 – Egton Bridge 241 – Grosmont 242)

Stage 13: Grosmont to Robin Hood's Bay 245

(Littlebeck 248 – High Hawsker 250 – Robin Hood's Bay 254)

APPENDICES

Map keys 258 – Taking a dog 259 – GPS Waypoints 261

INDEX 265 – Old Norse names 268

OVERVIEW MAPS & PROFILES 270