Wainwright’s Coast to Coast – Across England on Foot

Wainwright’s Coast to Coast National Trail

A Walk Between Oceans and Across Nations

The noteworthy Wainwright’s Coast to Coast trail stretches from the Irish Sea at St. Bees to the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay, carving a winding path through England’s wildest national parks, including the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, and North York Moors. Created by Alfred Wainwright and now officially recognized as a National Trail, this iconic route is more than just a walk - it’s a journey through history, landscape, and personal endurance.

For us, it became the land bridge between oceans - a hike between two transatlantic crossings aboard Queen Mary 2. After arriving in the UK on a slow ocean voyage, we stepped into the heart of England and walked east across three geological epochs, countless stone walls, and more sheep than we could count, before eventually reaching the crashing surf of the North Sea

Along the way, we were rained on, humbled by climbs, inspired by mountain lakes, welcomed by strangers, and astonished by how much beauty could be packed into one country-sized crossing.

Why Walk the Coast to Coast?

• Three National Parks: Traverse the Lake District’s peaks, Yorkshire’s moors, and the open uplands of the Dales.
• Cultural Diversity: Explore historic villages, Viking towns, and literary landmarks like Wordsworth’s Grasmere.
• Trail Magic: From bunkhouse fires to surprise kindness in the rain, this trail renews your faith in people.
• Official National Trail Status: As of 2022, Wainwright’s route is a formal part of the UK's National Trail system.
• Links to Other Walks: Connects with the Cleveland Way and intersects with the Pennine Way near Kirkby Stephen.

 Coast to Coast Trail Details

• Origin: St. Bees, Cumbria (Irish Sea)
• Destination: Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire (North Sea)
• Distance: ~300 km / ~190 miles
• Time Required: 15–20 days
• Best Seasons: May to September
• Terrain: Coastal paths, moorland tracks, mountains, farmland, and stone-paved trails
• National Parks: Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors

Our Walking Itinerary and Stages

Arrival and Train Travel : Southampton to St. Bees

About Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Trail

Beginning Wainwright’s Coast to Coast : St. Bees to Low Cock How

First there is a Mountain : Low Cock How to Borrowdale

Recognizing Our Limitations : Borrowdale to Grasmere

Climbing Up, Climbing Down : Grasmere to Pattersdale

Hard Day : Patterdale to Shap

Long Day : Shap to Kirkby Stephen

Cross Roads : Kirkby Stephen to Keld

Drenched Double Stage : Keld to Reeth...to Richmond

Fields, Flowers and Fungus : Richmond to Danby Wiske

Roadways, Railways and Right of Ways : Danby Wiske to Osmotherley

A Proper Long Trek : Osmotherley to Blakely Ridge

Fog, Rain and Moors : Blakely Ridge to Egton Bridge

Final Day on Wainwright’s Coast to Coast : Egton Bridge to Robin Hood’s Bay

This Journey Between Journeys

Our walk across England wasn’t just a hike - it was a bridge between continents. We stepped off the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton after our Eastbound Transatlantic ocean crossing, hiked across England and Scotland, and eventually returned westward by sea once more. These trails became our compass between crossings, our slow travel answer to the vastness of the ocean and the speed of modern life.  Following Wainwright’s Coast to Coast we would continue our journey across the UK walking on the Pennine Way, West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, and Hadrian’s Wall Path.

This journey joins our growing archive of pilgrimages, long walks, and voyages, including:

• Canada’s Trans Canada Trail from the Atlantic to the Arctic
• Spain’s ancient Caminos de Santiago
• Ocean crossings on the QM2 and Wind Surf
• Rail odysseys across Canada aboard VIA Rail’s Canadian and Ocean lines
• Wherever the road, rails, or water lead, we keep following the path that calls.

See you on the trail!