Teachers

Teachers' Travel Sherpa
Independent Walking Holidays
in Britain and Europe
2008
England Coast to Coast
Wainwright's Way

Independent walking across England
This classic route was originated by A Wainwright. The walks starts on the Irish Sea Coast of Cumbria near the red sandstone cliffs of St Bees Head. You cross three National Parks before reaching the North Sea at the pretty fishing village of Robin Hood's Bay on the rocky coastline of the North York Moors.

No of Nights :          14
Starts at:                 St Bees   Ends at: Robin Hood's Bay
Grade:                     Moderate to Challenging
Dates available:      Start any day from April to October.
Day stages:             Min 10 miles - max 24 miles.
Accommodation:    Mix of farm B&B's, inns and guest houses most with private bath.
Meals included:       Breakfast daily.
Price:                       764 UK   $1503 Cdn or US based on double
                               Single supplement 123 UK $172 Cdn or US

Itinerary:

Day 1 St Bees: Travel to starting point on the edge of the Irish Sea with views across to the Isle of Man.

Day 2 St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge: Footpath along red sandstone coastal cliffs of St Bees Head and then inland over hilly ground to the edge of the Lake District National Park (14 miles 6 hours. The day's total ascent 780m/descent 665m).

Day 3 Ennerdale Bridge to Borrowdale: A quiet and scenic footpath along the shore of Ennerdale Water lake to Black Sail and over the hills (1900 ft) to Borrowdale. (14 miles 8 hours. The day's total ascent 765m/descent785m).

Day 4 Borrowdale to Grasmere: Classic Lakeland scenery over Greenup Edge to Easedale and Grasmere (10 Miles 6 Hours. The day's total ascent 750m/descent 760m via Helm Crag)..

Day 5 Grasmere to Patterdale: Over Grisedale Pass (2000 ft) and around the small mountain lake of Grisedale Tarn to Patterdale (500 ft) (7miles 5½ hours. The day's total scent 900m/descent 805m via the recommended route over St. Sunday Crag). Add 2 miles and 2 hours if include detour via Summit of Helvellyn. Add 1.5 hours for detour of St Sunday Crag.

Day 6 Patterdale to Shap: Past Angle Tarn, over Kidsty Pike (2560 feet, the highest point on the whole route) and along Hawes Water (home of England’s only nesting eagles) (17miles 9 hours. The day's total ascent 1174m/descent 1009m).

Day 7 Shap to Kirkby Stephen: Easier going over limestone plateau (18 miles 8 hours. The day's total ascent 808m/descent 950m) between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks.

Day 8 Kirkby Stephen to Keld or onto Thwaite: Across Nine Standards Rigg (2170 feet) with its array of obelisks and down to Keld in Swaledale with its many waterfalls (16 miles 8 hours. The day's total ascent 780m/descent 575m to Keld).

Day 9 Keld to Reeth: Wild moorland with long-abandoned lead mines, a magnet for the industrial archaeologist (14 miles 7 hours. The day's total ascent 838m/descent 911m). There is also a pretty lower alternative route via Swaledale if you have bad weather - or even if you don't!

Day 10 Reeth to Richmond: A morning walk through pretty Swaledale lined with limestone crags on either side, allowing time in Richmond for shopping (note shops closed Sunday) and sightseeing in Richmond whose Norman Keep towers above the Swale on one side and the ancient cobbled market square on the other (10 Miles 4 Hours. The day's total ascent 395m/descent 510m).

Day 11 Richmond to Osmotherley: This is the longest and flattest day of the tour, bridging the gap between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors National Parks (24 miles 9 Hours. The day's total ascent 375m/descent 292m).

Day 12 Osmotherley to Blakey: A strenuous day with repeated ascents and descents in the Cleveland Hills, then across heather moors to Rosedale (21 miles 10 hours. The day's total ascent 1021m/descent 880).

Day 13 Blakey to Egton Bridge: An easy descent to wooded Eskdale. The latter part of today's walk follows a beautiful path through the woodlands on the banks of the River Esk (10 miles 4 hours. The day's total ascent 265m/descent 616m).

Day 14 Egton Bridge to Robin Hoods Bay: Across heather moors and along coastal cliff path to Robin Hood's Bay. A village of red roofed houses clustered around its harbour on the North Sea coast. This is the end of the 190-mile crossing of England. (16 miles 7 hours. The day's total ascent 775m/descent 770m).

Accommodation

14 nights/15 days - On such a long walk, with 14 nights each spent in a different location, we necessarily make use of a wide variety of accommodation, varying from small B&Bs to substantial hotels. Many, indeed most, are historic buildings in their own right. Particular highlights include the fine home cooking on offer at Ennerdale Bridge, Thwaite and several other stops; the open log fireplaces at Borrowdale, Blakey and elsewhere; the warm welcomes you will receive throughout the trip, but most notably at the smaller accommodation in Borrowdale, Shap and Osmotherley; and the magnificent settings with views of National Park scenery at Grasmere, (Lake District), Thwaite (Yorkshire Dales ), Blakey (North York Moors) and finally Robin Hoods Bay, where our comfortable hotel stands on the clifftop overlooking the North Sea. And we still haven’t mentioned our own favourite hotel on the banks of the River Esk in the North York Moors, a building mentioned in the 11th century Domesday book.

Escorted departures also available

For details ask for a Sherpa Independent Walking Brochure.

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