Wainwright Coast to Coast

The Coast to Coast is one of the most magnificent walks you could find anywhere. It covers 190 miles, from St. Bees on the point of Cumbria to Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire. Fully two thirds of the route is inside the National Parks of the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors. We are offering the walk as a 16-day itinerary, which we think is an ideal span for this trip: it allows a comfortable two-week holiday, reasonable walking distances, a rest day in the middle, and leaves you a chance to enjoy this truly memorable experience.

The route is the creation of legendary fellwalker Alfred Wainwright. After finishing his guides to the Lakeland fells in the 1960s, he set himself the challenge of devising a long-distance walk to rival the Pennine Way, using purely existing rights of way. He decided on a Coast to Coast route, going across the country at one of its widest points. By universal consent, he improved on his model. His route offers variety and contrast: uplands and lowlands, sharp peaks and lonely moorland, towns and country, limestone and granite country, beautiful wooded lakes and remote upland tarns, glorious natural features and fascinating remains of human occupation. An expert on the North of England has shared his wisdom about some of England's finest places, linked them up, and invited you to travel in his footsteps.

The experiences on this walk are too many to list, but highlights include the following. In the Lake District, you'll visit four of the finest lakes: Ennerdale, Grasmere, Ullswater and Haweswater, plus the valleys of Borrowdale and Patterdale and the fine peaks of Helm Crag and Kidsty Pike. The limestone country of Westmorland offers some of the finest limestone pavements in the country, ancient settlements of Severals and Castle Folds, the Smardale Nature Reserve and the Stainmore Railway. The Yorkshire Dales offers the remote moorlands; the strikingly steep, green, and sinuous valley of Swaledale dotted with drystone walls; the fascinating relics of former lead mining works in Gunnerside Gill and Old Gang gill; and the progression of settlements from the remote farmstead of Ravenseat, through Keld and Reeth, to the town of Richmond. After the attractive farmland of the Vale of Mowbray, the North York Moors offer fine views from Beacon Hills, escarpments of Wainstones and Hasty Bank, ancient tracks across remote moorland, old railways and forested glens before arriving at the dramatic cliff-side setting of Robin Hood's Bay. That's just a partial list of the riches on offer during this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

Maximum Adventure is offering the walk as a self-guided trip, so that you can walk at your own pace and lose yourself in the magnificence of the surroundings, while we take care of the logistics backup. The core package includes accommodation in hand-picked hotels and B-and-Bs, together with transfers and baggage service from point to point, so you're not hauling everything on your back. Our support also includes an information pack and emergency support.

This itinerary splits the walk in four sections, which offers flexibility and a greater chance to complete the whole route in the time available. The route crosses public roads at regular intervals, which means that you can split the route into convenient sections, and get transfers to more comfortable accommodation if you like. We can also put together an itinerary that suits you, depending on what services you need and how long you'd like to spend. Just give us a call.

• Sixteen day trip
• Visit the best of three National Parks: Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors
• Self guided, with logistics support from Maximum Adventure
• Core package includes 15 nights' accommodation and baggage transfers
• One of the finest walks in Europe

A brief itinerary looks like this:

Please note: this is only a sample itinerary and can be changed to suit your required time period, or in what time you would like to complete the challenge.

St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge - 14 miles
The path runs from St Bees to the red sandstone coastal cliffs of St Bees Head; then it heads inland past Cleator, up over the small hill of Dent and the lovely scenery of Nannycatch Gate, and on to the edge of the National Park at Ennerdale Bridge, where you find yourself among fine mountains.

Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale - 15 miles
A tranquil footpath runs along the south shore of Ennerdale Water, the most remote of the Lakes since there is no motor road along it. The path heads up the valley through forest and past the former shepherd's hut at Black Sail. From there you go over two passes and the slate mines of Honister, and down into Borrowdale.

Borrowdale to Grasmere - 9 miles
This leg passes from Borrowdale to Grasmere via Greenup Edge and Easedale, passing over Helm Crag. This section offers some of the finest scenery in the country, and Grasmere was a favourite spot with the Romantic Poets.

Grasmere to Patterdale - 8 miles
Go over Grisedale Pass and past Grisedale Tarn, with striking alternative routes across Helvellyn or St Sunday Crag, and then down to Patterdale at the south end of Ullswater.

Patterdale to Shap - 17 miles
Climb up the steep side of Patterdale, past Angle Tarn and the nearby Pikes. A little further on you reach the striking pointed summit of Kidsty Pike (at 2560 feet, the highest point on the classic route). The route then passes down quiet side of Hawes Water, on past the ancient Shap Abbey and into Shap.

Shap to Kirkby Stephen - 20 miles
This limestone plateau makes for easier going but still has magnificent scenery. This is the area that gave the ancient county of Westmorland its name: it has a plethora of ancient roads, settlements, limestone pavements, and passes through the beautiful Smardale Nature Reserve, and down into the Eden Valley at Kirkby Stephen.

Kirkby Stephen to Keld - 12 miles
The route passes across Nine Standards Rigg (2170 feet), the most impressive viewpoint of the whole walk, giving views of the North Pennines and back to the Lake District. This is the watershed of the walk, on the spine of the Pennine mountains. Close to the summit are the large and mysterious nine cairns. From here, the route goes down moorland above Birkdale, which will later to turn into Swaledale just below the hamlet of Keld.

Keld to Reeth - 21 miles
The classic route passes to the north of Swaledale, traversing wild moorland containing the extraordinary scars caused by a formerly extensive lead mining industry at Gunnerside Gill and Old Gang Gill. The alternative is to go down Swaledale, which is quite possibly the finest of the Yorkshire Dales.

Reeth to Richmond - 11 miles
The lower part of Swaledale is especially attractive, with limestone crags on the rim and trees below. The walking is relatively easy, and the destination is the fine Georgian market town of Richmond. There will be plenty of time to shop and to enjoy the ambience of this town, including its castle and cobbled market square.

Richmond to Ingleby Cross - 23 miles
The longest and flattest part of the route takes you over the plain connecting the Yorkshire Dales and the Cleveland Hills, passing through delightful farmlands, down lanes, and passing light yellow sandstone farmhouses.

Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Cross - 12 miles
While the highest hills are far behind, this is a strenuous walk up to and along the crest of the Cleveland Hills. The views are striking, and the North York Moors provide some of the largest tracts of upland heather country in Europe. There are few roads, very few settlements, but many traces of ancient tracks and occupation.

Clay Bank Cross to Glaisdale - 19 miles
The route passes from the pass, over the ancient pathway of Urra Moor and passes along the track of the Rosedale Ironstone Railway. There follows an easy descent into Eskdale. The rest of the leg follows a beautiful path through the woodlands on the banks of the River Esk.

Glaisdale to Robin Hoods Bay - 19 miles
The route passes down deeply-cut and wooded valleys, waterfalls, and clusters of fine villages, and ends at the striking cliffs, the North Sea and the charming little town of Robin Hood's Bay.

This is a moderate to strenuous trip, with a large overall distance and total ascent. Each day of the given itinerary is quite doable for a moderately experienced fellwalker. The main challenge lies in keeping going day after day for two weeks.

Each walking day involves up to 8 or 9 hours walking up and down hill. Daily distances vary between 9 miles and 23 miles. Generally, the flatter days have more distance, and the more mountainous legs are shorter. There is one rest day in the middle. To do this trip you need to have a good level of fitness. The fitter you are the more you will enjoy your time on the walk. We recommend that you follow a fitness plan in preparation for your challenge, an example of one will be sent to you when you have confirmed your booking.

Although the fitness plan we will send to you has been devised by a fitness professional, this is only provided as a guide and you should seek professional advice before starting your own fitness regime.

We can run this trip any day you want, on any date you want for any number of people. In addition to this we offer a number of open events for people to join a group. Some are guided, some unguided. There is a cost difference and the guided dates are indicated below.

Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

The best time to go is from late April to October.

Price - unguided: £895

Price - guided: £1295

Trip Price includes:

• Event organisation & logistics back up
• 15 nights' twin room hotel or B&B accommodation
• Baggage transfers
• Information pack including map
  
• Emergency phone contact number during your walk
  
• Financial protection in accordance with the 1992 Package Travel legislation
• Guide on guided events