Price comparison - multiply by 1.37 for 2023 equivalent
Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk is a 190-mile route following existing rights of way from St Bees Head, through the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors National Parks, to Robin Hood's Bay. It is not an "official" long distance path but has almost become one by its popularity. Television programmes about Wainwright have spread around the globe and the walk attracts many overseas visitors, particularly from America.
There are a number of places where there are optional routes to cater for the weather and/or the relative fitness of the walker. There are also many alternatives for overnight accommodation to cater for different daily schedules and for cost / standard of the accommodation, though the popularity of the walk means it is advisable to book things well in advance. Most people do the walk in about 13 or 14 days, but some choose to take it at a more leisurely pace or attempt to do it in a shorter time depending on the amount of time they have to spare and their physical fitness.
The popularity of the walk has made it feasible for luggage transfer services to be provided to avoid walkers having to carry heavy packs and many walkers are happy to pay for this facility.
Most of the route follows good paths, tracks and roads, and there are even places where trail markers have been erected, though these are limited and cannot be relied upon. In more remote areas, a few enterprising farmers or residents along the way have set up fridges with cold drinks and snacks with honesty boxes for payments to be made.
The original guidebook produced by Wainwright himself has been updated and several other guides have been produced by other authors. The route has changed somewhat in places to avoid Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) where there are rare flowers or wildlife habitats and also to take better paths or more scenic routes that have developed over the years.
Preparation and Planning
I had already walked the Coast to Coast walk twice before, the first time in 1992, walking the guidebook way from west to east, then in 2006, walking from east to west. There are various pros and cons about walking one way or the other making it difficult to say which is best. West to east is easier because the guidebooks are generally written that way and the theory is that the wind and rain mainly come from the west so are behind you, though this is not always the case near the East Coast. East to west has the advantage of having more gentle walking to start with, allowing you to build up strength to face the tougher walking through the Lake District towards the end. This also means that the scenery tends to get more spectacular as the walk progresses whereas in the normal direction the latter part of the walk can be somewhat of an anti-climax. Another factor to take into account is the direction that most others are taking. By following the normal direction of travel, you keep meeting up with the same people along the way and can compare notes and develop friendships, whereas walking the opposite way means that encounters tend to be just a brief 'Hello' as walkers pass by plus one or two who are going the same way as you.
Having toyed with both options, I decided to go back to the original route that I took in 1992 and, having found my schedule to have worked quite well for that walk, I could plan something similar this time. However, not all of the accommodation options remained the same, which is hardly surprising considering that 26 years had elapsed since then.
I decided against buying a new guidebook but instead used GPX files of the route to print off 37 A4 sheets of 1:25,000 O.S. maps with the route marked using my subscription to OS Maps. I also downloaded GPX files of each stage into my Garmin etrex10 GPS and, for additional backup, I took my original copy of Wainwright's guide.
Accommodation can be very expensive in popular areas such as the Lake District and parts of the Yorkshire Dales and this is particularly true for lone walkers who are often charged single supplements. However, there are several Youth Hostels along the way and also a few independent hostels and bunkhouses which can help keep costs down. As I had some flexibility in the dates when I could do the walk, I was able to check the availability of many of these online so that I could tailor my schedule to maximise their use. This resulted in me starting the walk on a Tuesday which meant I could get accommodation in most of the hostels. On a popular walk, it is often worth setting off mid-week as most people start at the weekend and everything gets booked up as they progress along the way. In fact, there were only a few places where I needed to use B&Bs, and these were not in expensive places.
Although Youth Hostels are cheaper than many other types of accommodation, especially in popular areas such as the Lake District, prices have increased a lot over the years even when allowing for inflation. The Bank of England figure shows that the RPI (Retail Price Index) inflation makes £10 in 1992 equivalent to £20.33 in 2018 - roughly double. In 1992 I was paying around £14 to £15 for a bed, full meals and a packed lunch in the more expensive hostels, wheras in 2018 this had increased to over £50 in the same hostels. In 1992 you had to be a member whereas now you do not, but you can get a discount if you are, though you have to stay at several hostels in a year to make the membership fee worthwhile. Even taking this into account, the prices have gone up way above the rate of inflation. Some hostels have benefitted from refurbishments, and there are often better choices of meals as well as the fact that alcohol, which was banned from the premises in 1992, is now freely available which makes them more attractive places to stay. The sale of alcoholic drinks is now a lucrative business for the YHA and strongly promoted in all but the most basic hostels.
I made a few amendments to my 1992 schedule for various reasons. Firstly, I found the first day from St Bees to Ennerdale Youth Hostel quite long for the start of the walk and decided that, as I should arrive in St Bees by train early in the afternoon, I could walk part of the way before stopping for the night. Unfortunately, convenient stopping places were either full or expensive, so I took the option of detouring to Whitehaven where there were more options. This did break up the walk but also added a few miles in the process.
My other stops through the Lake District were as before and I planned on taking the same high-level options as previously including a detour up Great Gable and back for old times' sake (that is where I proposed to my wife in 1972).
The Youth Hostel near Reeth was full, but the Black Bull pub offered B&B at a reasonable price and was directly on the route, unlike the hostel. I was able to use the bunkhouse in Brompton-on-Swale instead of one I had used in Bolton-on-Swale previously meaning there was a different split in the mileage. This made the next day to Osmotherley rather longer than I would have liked at nearly 21 miles, but this is mainly on the flat so was not too difficult.
The next section to the Lion Inn at Blakey was problematic as they had no room, and the little B&B where I had stayed before was no longer a B&B. The best option was to stay in a B&B in Rosedale East with a package that included transport to and from the Lion Inn. I normally prefer to walk all the way, but there was no point in being pedantic and pushing myself too hard when there were a few long days in this part already.
My previous stay in Grosmont was replaced by a B&B in Littlebeck with my final destination of Boggle Hole Youth Hostel as before.
As I have never done any of my walks using baggage transfer services, I did not even consider this when planning the walk, though it is the option that the vast majority of walkers take, and I felt myself to be very much the odd man out in carrying my own things.
Travel to St Bees - Tuesday 26th June 2018
I was sent off from Rhyl station by my wife Jean, my younger daughter Jen and my 12-month-old granddaughter Margot. I had booked my train tickets online in advance and had been hearing about disruptions on the rail network caused by ill planned imposition of new timetables, and this was supposed to be particularly bad in the northern region. However, I was pleased to see that my train to Warrington arrived in Rhyl at 9.15, spot on time.
Everything was going well until we were nearly in Warrington when an announcement came that those going through to Manchester would have to get off and walk to the other station in Warrington due to major signal failure. No problem for me as I was changing in Warrington to get the Glasgow train to Carlisle. Everyone got off and were then told to get back on again as fault was presumably fixed. My Glasgow train was expected on time but then there was a flurry of announcements about delayed trains saying that the earlier Glasgow train would be arriving instead. It wasn't quite clear whether I could get on that, as I had a cheap advance ticket which was non-transferable. However, it was already a few minutes later than the one I had booked so I chanced it and got on. Nobody checked the tickets until we were nearing the Lake District. The girl studied it for a while but said nothing, so all was fine.
The journey to Carlisle was smooth and fast but I then had to change to the slow train down the coast to St Bees. I arrived in Carlisle only a few minutes later than I had expected but with only a couple of minutes to catch the next train to St Bees, which I was told would be on platform 2. I arrived on platform 1 but couldn't find any signs for platform 2, only for several other platforms so I went around in circles, over the bridge and back again to find that Platform 2 was hiding near the other end of platform 1 but was out of sight of it. The only signs to platform 2 were when approaching from the opposite direction. By the time I found it, the train had departed and there was an hour to wait for the next one. At least I had an open ticket and was not too pushed for time, so I ate my packed lunch and then had another look around to check if I had missed a sign previously. There was definitely no sign from the platform 2 side, only from the other direction. Having some time on my hands I decided to mention the problem to the 'Team Leader' as Station Masters are now called, and he said he would look into improving it.
The next train was now in and waiting but the passengers were also waiting as the doors wouldn't open. Somebody made the suggestion that we go further down the platform where we found that the last two carriages had been uncoupled with only the first two going onwards, again with nothing to indicate this to passengers, though we may well have been informed before the train departed if we had not already found our own way.
At last I was then on my way and due to arrive at 2.30, later than planned but still early enough for the walking I had to do. It had already been a saga before I had even started walking! At least now that I could get started I would only have to depend on my own devices and only myself to blame for any delays.
The train ran to schedule, I arrived in St Bees at 2.30 and I reached the official start by the sea at 3pm.
Day 1 - St Bees to Whitehaven along coast
Distance: 6.9 miles, 840ft ascent
Accommodation: Read Guest House - B&B
The customary thing to do is dip your boots in the sea at the start and finish, which can add a mile if the tide is out. Fortunately, it wasn't very far out so it didn't take me too long. Despite bring very hot there was a cool breeze from the sea which was very welcome though it disappeared in some sheltered places. The first day with a heavier pack than usual is always a bit of an effort, which is why I didn't want to do 19 miles to Ennerdale and opted for a half day to Whitehaven which is a couple of miles off route.
There were a number of walkers along the path over St Bees Head but nobody that obviously looked like a Coast to Coast walker, which was not really surprising as this was an unusual day and time to be making a start. Generally, it was very calm and peaceful apart from some screeching seagulls protecting their chicks along the cliff path. There are some good views from the cliffs, which are a bit over 300ft high, looking back along the beach by the start. A week ago, the coastal path was closed because of grass fires but it was now open again, though there were large areas of grass and vegetation that had been scorched. This hadn't been helped by the hot dry weather, which was forecast to last for some time. I managed to keep going at a reasonable pace despite the heat though I was getting soaked in sweat in the process.
Start of Walk towards St Bees Head
St Bees Head charred by Recent Fires
St Bees from St Bees Head
After about a mile and a half along the cliffs is the inlet of Fleswick Bay where the path drops down almost to sea level before climbing up again and heading for towards the westernmost headland of North Head with the lighthouse set back on higher ground away from the cliff edge.
Towards Fleswick Bay, St Bees Head
Back across Fleswick Bay, St Bees Head
Lighthouse, North Head
Soon, the coast swings sharply round to the east bringing my destination of Whitehaven into sight across Saltom Bay. After about another mile the route heads east by Birkhams Quarry where sandstone has been quarried since the 18th Century. The stone has been used in a number of famous buildings including Carlisle Castle and Cathedral and Liverpool Cathedral. Operations have now slowed down and the area is gradually being restored to heathland by re-introducing native flora and fauna. My route, however, followed the coastal path to my B&B in Whitehaven - an easy path with an amazing display of wild flowers for part of the way.
Towards Whitehaven from St Bees Head
Wild Flowers on Path to Whitehaven
Whitehaven Harbour
I found my B&B very easily using the route programmed into my GPS, though it would not have been difficult from the map and I arrived at 5.45. It turned out that, despite being some way off the route, Whitehaven is very much a Coast to Coast town, not for walkers but for the Coast to Coast Cycling route, as one of the optional starting points is from here. After a very welcome shower I headed into town, which was not far away, to have a couple of pints and a meal.
Day 2 - Wednesday 27th June 2018 - Whitehaven to Ennerdale
Distance: 15.6 miles, 1050ft ascent
Accommodation: YHA Low Gillerthwaite
After a very hot night's sleep, most of the night with no cover on, I had a full breakfast and set off at 8.50 to negotiate the rush hour traffic which was surprisingly busy for an out-of-the-way place like Whitehaven. I didn't intend to pick up the path where I left it yesterday but planned to cut off the corner and join it further on at Moor Row (this part is not very interesting and, having done the walk twice before I was more interested in having an enjoyable walk than sticking to the exact route, though I did intend to follow a continuous path from one end to the other). There didn't seem to be any reasonable paths shown to avoid the roads so there was not really much option but to head steadily up the hill, progressing along the pavements and having to keep stopping at junctions to wait for traffic lights to change. As I progressed up the main road out of town to Hensingham, the road joined a dual carriageway where the A595 had been made into a bypass and it looked like there was no pavement after a short way, so I diverted along the old route of the road which was a much quieter road though the suburbs at the top of the hill. At some stage I needed to head eastwards to rejoin the proper route so a look at the map showed I could follow quiet backroad through Rosebank to eventually reach the open countryside. At last I got out of the urban area and into open country within sight of the distant Lake District mountains, albeit with rather hazy views.
The weather was already hot but at least there were occasional breezes to make things better. The next objective was Dent hill, the highest point of the day's walk at a bit over 1000ft. This is not normally difficult but in the heat of the day it was rather taxing, and I was already wondering whether I would have enough to drink with two and a quarter litres. Eventually I reached the summit and had my packed lunch and a rest sunbathing in the baking sun.
Cairns on first Summit of Dent Hill
Lake District Fells from Dent Hill
Blakeley Raise from Dent Hill
The views were very good with views back to the coast and a faint view of the Nuclear Reprocessing Plant at Sellafield. I am old enough to remember back to 1957 when the original nuclear power station at Calder Hall had a fire in one of the reactors, spilling radioactive waste around the area. It was the worst nuclear accident ever in Britain with a rating of 5 out of a maximum of 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. This was at the time when there was a race with Russia to build up the nuclear arsenal and safety was very much an afterthought. For many years the surrounding land was unsuitable for farming until the level of radioactivity reached safe levels.
From the rounded summit over to the east it is a steady descent into the attractive valley of Nannycatch. As I progressed along the valley, I came across a lady and her dog sheltering from the sun under a tree. She was supposed to be meeting up with some friends to walk a few days of the Coast to Coast but had news that one chap had taken a tumble and his companion had to take him to A&E. After a chat, I headed on my way along the valley with foxgloves brightening up the hillsides. Further along was a clear looking stream with a good display of orchids nearby, so I decided to chance having some drinks from there to supplement my supply. Generally speaking, the streams around the Lake District come from springs and are fairly safe to drink from, but there is always a slight risk especially when there has been very little rainfall. For many years I carried water purification tablets but never ever used one so have not bothered with them since. However, there are many moorland areas further east where it is much riskier to drink from streams without having a water filter or using tablets and I would have benefitted had I still been carrying some.
Towards Nannycatch Beck down Dent Hill
Foxgloves near Nannycatch Beck
Great Borne and Ennerdale Water
The walking was quite easy, and I was pleased to see that there is now a footpath running beside and above the minor road into Ennerdale Bridge, which has hidden bends and no verges for most of the way. As I reached the village I was still thirsty and concerned about my water supplies so I called in the pub for a pint of lager shandy with ice, which was very refreshing. There then just remained the walk along the southern side of Ennerdale Water to the youth hostel. I remembered from before that the path was very stony but didn't remember just how bad it was, nor how long it went on for. I took the higher route over Angler's Crag which gives better views across the lake albeit rather tortuous in places. The lakeside walk is a beautiful walk spoiled by a horrible path. There is little chance to appreciate the scenery because you spend all the time looking down on the ground to avoid tripping. The path seemed never ending until the end of the lake came in sight and the path started to improve. I was a bit later than expected reaching the hostel at 6.15 and my GPS said I had walked 17.1 miles rather than the 15.6 miles that had been calculated from online maps.
Great Borne and Ennerdale Water
Great Borne and Ennerdale Water towards Angler's Crag
Pillar from beyond Ennerdale Water
There is a magnificent view from the hostel with Pillar towering over the valley.
Day 3 - Thursday 28th June 2018 - Ennerdale to Borrowdale via High Stile & Great Gable
Distance: 12.3 miles, 4690ft ascent
Accommodation: Accommodation - YHA Borrowdale in Longthwaite
After a good night's sleep and a good YHA breakfast I set off at 8.45 intending to take the high-level alternative route over Red Pike, High Stile and Haystacks. To me this is the highlight of the walk that most people miss by sticking to the easier route along the valley. The only problem is that it involves a steep 2000ft climb at the start and a lot of scrambling up and down peaks along the ridge. In the hot weather this is more of an effort but at a higher altitude there tends to be more of a cool breeze and somewhat lower temperatures.
Ennerdale Water from ascent of Red Pike
Lowes Water & Coast from ascent of Red Pike
Starling Dod and Ennerdale Waterfrom ascent of Red Pike
After a couple of days of walking carrying a heavy pack, I was getting accustomed to the weight, but it was still a struggle up the steep climb. However, by taking it steadily I finally reached the ridge at the summit of Red Pike (755m). The views were stunning and some of the finest that Lakeland has to offer with bird's eye views over Buttermere Lake and Crummock Water as well as a whole panorama of the surrounding fells. After Red Pike, the main peaks along the ridge are High Stile (807m) and High Crag (744m) but there is not a lot descent and ascent between them, making it fairly easy walking especially when being inspired by such amazing views. There then follows some rather slower walking with the the way becoming more craggy and a steep descent down to Seat (561m) and another steep descent to Scarth Gap (450m) before the final climb up Haystacks (597m).
Crummock Water from Red Pike
Bleaberry Tarn and Buttermere from Red Pike
Crummock Water and Buttermere from Red Pike
High Stile from Red Pike
Bleaberry Tarn from Chapel Crags
Bleaberry Tarn and Crummock Water from Chapel Crags
Bleaberry Tarn and Crummock Water from Chapel Crags
Red Pike from Chapel Crags
Buttermere Village from High Stile
High Crag from High Stile
Buttermere from High Stile
Crummock Water and Buttermere from High Crag
Haystacks and Great Gable from High Crag
High Crag from Seat
Crummock Water and Buttermere from Seat
Haystacks itself is even more craggy with rocky ridges requiring some scrambling and meandering to negotiate. This makes progress quite slow but it is a fascinating area of tranquility surrounded by high mountains and it is easy to see why it was one of Wainwright's Favourites places. After passing a small tarn and crossing a small ridge, Innominate Tarn could be seen further down. This is a rather strange name in that it means 'not named' so rather than just having no name, like many other small tarns, its lack of a name has become its name! Beside the tarn itself it is even more peaceful and this was where Wainwright wanted his ashes to be scattered. Black Sail Youth Hostel gets its water supply from the stream coming from Innominate Tarn, so it can be said that a lot of hostellers have a bit of Wainwright in them!
Crummock Water and Buttermere from Seat
A small Tarn on Haystacks
Innominate Tarn from Haystacks
Great Gable & Kirk Fell from Haystacks
Innominate Tarn where Wainwright's Ashes were scattered
Despite the going being slow, I was enjoying it all the way. I now had to decide whether to take my other option of climbing Great Gable. This is nothing to do with the Coast to Coast walk but it is where I proposed to my wife Jean 46 years ago. Whenever I am nearby I try to climb it for old times' sake. It was the first and last mountain that she ever climbed. I knew that this was likely to make me late getting to the hostel and that I might not be in time for a meal, but I was having a good time walking so I went for it anyway.
As I was making my way towards Brandreth, I met a Canadian couple who were also walking the Coast to Coast but with light packs, using one of the baggage transfer companies. They were quite surprised that I had not only walked the high-level route with a full pack but also that I was making a detour to climb Great Gable as well and looked upon me as some 'Old man of the mountains'. They bade me farewell with their best wishes and I headed towards Great Gable whilst they headed towards Borrowdale.
Green Gable and Great Gable from Brandreth
Buttermere and Crummock Water from Brandreth
Ennerdale from Brandreth
The one bonus of taking a detour like this is that I didn't need to carry my pack as I would be going to the summit and back again. The first time I walked the Coast to Coast in 1992 I left my pack by a stone and when I returned it had gone. There was nothing else to do but carry on to the Youth Hostel but on the way, somebody asked me if it was my pack that had been found. Apparently, some chap thought it was lost and had found my YHA card so taken it to Honister Youth Hostel. However, I was not booked in there, so they passed it on to the police. I continued to Borrowdale Youth Hostel and the police eventually brought it back to me there. It still begs the question as to how somebody can think a rucksack is lost. Do they think it just fell off without me noticing it had gone! Now whenever I leave my pack I put a note on it just to be on the safe side.
The ascent of Green Gable then Great Gable was easy from this side as I was already at about 2000ft above sea level and the only fairly steep climbing was on the final part of the ascent of Great Gable. There is a good view over Wastwater from the summit but despite the sunny weather, it was rather hazy, especially looking towards the evening sun. I also noticed that the plaque on the summit has been removed. This was to commemorate those from the nearby area who had lost their lives in World War I and this is still shown as 'Meml' on the latest O.S. maps. However, in recent years such things have been discouraged on the mountain tops, probably to avoid an excessive number appearing.
Styhead Tarn from Brandreth
Hazy View of Wast Water from Great Gable
Borrowdale Youth Hostel
It was apparent that I would be quite late arriving at Borrowdale Youth Hostel by my planned route of re-joining the Coast to Coast route towards Honister. Had I thought this through a bit more, I could have taken a more direct route to Borrowdale to reach there earlier had I not left my pack on the way back to Honister, but it was too late to think about that now and I made my way back as quickly as possible. I later checked on the map and it would only have saved about three quarters of a mile so it was not as much as I thought, and I would have had about 3 miles more carrying my pack. As I approached the slate mines at Honister, a chap greeted me, asking if I had seen a lone walker on Brandreth as he was supposed to be meeting him. On the way back, I had skirted round the summit but had just been able to see someone taking a rest there. The only feature visible from where I was looking was a pair of knees sticking high in the air as he was laying on his back, so he must have been quite tall and slim. There were very few people about at the time, so he may well have been the one he was looking for and the description seemed to fit. He had already been up to the summit earlier and didn't particularly want to go up again unless he had a definite reason to believe he was there.
I hurried along as quickly as I could, but it was rapidly approaching the time when the hostel stopped serving meals, which was 7.30 and it was 7.40 before I reached the hostel. They were, in fact, still serving meals when I arrived but I was stuck at reception behind a couple of women who were discussing a possible future booking for about ten minutes, completely oblivious of anyone else in the queue, so meal orders were well and truly finished before managed to get to the reception desk. I checked in, had a quick shower and had to think about where I could get something to eat.
There were a couple of places not too far away where meals were available, and I chose Stonethwaite as the one that seemed the nearest. It was quite busy with a lot of people ordering meals and drinks for the tables outside as well as those inside. I found a table near the bar and ordered a desperately needed pint of bitter whilst looking at the menu to find that the cheapest main course was £14 with many things nearer to £20. That is the Lake District for you. I ordered salmon at £15 and had quite a long wait because they were so busy. Despite having drunk a lot of water on the way, both from my water bottles and from streams, as well more at the hostel, I was still dehydrated, but was reluctant to pay for more beer when the price list showed it as £2.50 for a half pint (though the full pint was charged at £4.50 on my bill). Water was about £2 or £3 so I decided to go to the gents to get a drink from the wash basin only to discover that the only water in there was a spray of hot water for hand washing.
I returned disappointed to my table and then my meal arrived. In fairness, it was a work of art that would not have looked out-of-place in a Master Chef competition, but this is not what I was looking for at the time. Furthermore, because I was still so dehydrated, I found it very difficult to eat the food and didn't enjoy it at all as I tried to force it down. In different circumstances, I am sure it would have been delicious and perhaps the cost of another pint would have been worth it to make the experience enjoyable. Recently, there has been a big push for establishments to provide free tap water on request but in the past the only water served in many places was mineral water at high prices. I didn't actually ask the question so do not know what the response would have been.
Returning to the hostel I went to bed for a well-earned rest after a strenuous but very enjoyable day.
Day 4 - Friday 29th June 2018 - Borrowdale to Grasmere
Distance: 8.8 miles, 2580ft Evening - Hostel to Helm Crag and back - 3.6 miles, 1110ft ascent
Accommodation: YHA, Butharlyp Howe
It was quite busy in the hostel with a large school party who were just leaving. I set off up the long valley of Stonethwaite Beck which is a gentle climb at first but gets steeper as it goes along. I had got myself thinking that this was going to be a leisurely day with plenty of time to spare, so that I could rest whenever I felt like it. It may have been more leisurely than yesterday, but was still the equivalent of climbing Snowdon from Pen y Pass in a heat wave on more difficult paths whilst carrying my 12 month-old granddaughter on my back!
I made my way from the hostel, crossing the River Derwent into the village of Rosthwaite, which was the other place I could have tried for a meal last night, then crossed Stonethwaite Beck and followed it upstream along an easy track, then along a steeper path towareds Greenup Gill and an even steeper path up to Lining Crag. Although it was very hot, there was at least some breeze higher up to make things easier.
Eagle Crag from Stonethwaite
Sergeant's Crag from Greenup Gill
Looking back down Greenup Gill towards Stonethwaite Beck
Back to Eagle Crag from ascent of Lining Crag
Honister from Lining Crag
Scafell Pike from Lining Crag
There were some beautiful views looking back down the valley from higher up, particularly from Lining Crag. Another couple were going the same way and we kept meeting up and chatting along the way. At Greenup Edge, the highest point of the day at about 2000ft (610m), I settled down to eat my packed lunch and did a bit of sunbathing but then fell asleep. I still wasn't worried about the time and made my way onwards. After dropping down to Brownrigg Moss with its small tarn, I opted for the high-level route over the crags as I had done before, rather than down the valley and this takes more effort as well as making progress much slower over the rough, craggy outcrops. The main crags are Calf Crag (537m), Gibson Knott (422m) and Helm Crag (405m) but there are nummerous small ups and down in between. At 6.00 I had just started to come down from Helm Crag, which towers over Grasmere, when my phone rang. It was my wife Jean saying that the hostel had rung wondering where I was and wanting to know what I wanted for my meal at 6.30 (generally evening meals are at 7.00 but this can vary from hostel to hostel. When there are groups of children staying they often opt for earlier times. Orders are required 30 minutes in advance). I rang the hostel and they said they would keep my meal for me if I were late, so at least I was assured that I wouldn't have a repeat of yesterday with another expensive meal in this very popular tourist area.
Grasmere Common and Far Easedale
Calf Crag from Brownrigg Moss
Tarn at Brownrigg Moss
Gibson Knott, Helm Crag and Grasmere
Grasmere (telephoto shot)
Gibson Knott
Helm Crag
thorny how
Rocks on Helm Crag
Rock Formation on Helm Crag overlooking Grasmere
I then started going on my way but realised my GPS was nowhere to be seen. I must have dropped it when I was fumbling in my pocket to answer the phone. I was on a steep bracken-covered hillside and I just couldn't find where it had gone despite going up and down the path and rummaging around in the bracken. I couldn't afford to search any longer so had to press on to the hostel without it and arrived at 6.50.
After having my meal I wasn't ready to give up on my GPS, so I decided to go back up Helm Crag to have a more thorough search, which involved about 4 miles of walking and a steep climb of over 1000 ft (305m). This was a lot easier without the weight of my rucksack and in trainers instead of boots, so I was able to climb quite quickly without many rests despite the steep path. I searched even more vigorously going up and down the path and hunting through more and more bracken but still had no success. I suspected that it may have bounced along down the steep hillside under cover of the bracken and may have gone a long way before coming to a halt. Eventually I had to abandon the search and headed back to reach the hostel at 10.00.
I had a pint and then decided to wash all the sweaty things I had been accumulating since the start, as the hostel had a good drying room. I eventually got to bed at 11.00. So much for a leisurely day. Despite it all though it was a very enjoyable day's walking.
Fortunately, I was not dependent on the GPS as I had a full set of maps, guidebook and compass but the GPS does make route finding a lot easier, especially with GPX files of the route loaded. I had not had this GPS for very long, having upgraded from my old Garmin etrex only a couple of years previously, but Jean didn't mind me losing it as it solved her problem of what to buy me for an anniversary present!
Day 5 - Saturday 30th June 2018 - Grasmere to Patterdale via Helvellyn
Distance: 10.1 miles, 3090ft ascent
Accommodation: YHA, Patterdale
The hostel had a large school party in, so it was suggested that it would be wise to have breakfast at 7.45 to avoid the rush at 8.00. I then went to get everything ready and couldn't find my camera so unpacked everything to make sure I hadn't missed it. After losing my GPS yesterday I wasn't prepared for losing my camera as well. The last time I remembered seeing it was when I hung it on a peg in the shower, but it was no longer there. Fortunately, someone had handed it in to reception which was a great relief, but it helped to delay my start to 9.45. It was another hot day, but I was quite used to that by now and I had planned a different strategy with water. Rather than waiting until I was very thirsty before drinking, knowing that there would be plenty of mountain streams along the way, I would drink my fill whenever I felt like it and top up from a stream, keeping some in reserve for where there were none. This way I would avoid dehydration and would feel a lot better. This seemed to work well and I also carried a small bottle in my hand so I could have small sips at regular intervals without having to take my pack off each time.
Towards Grisedale from Thorny How Bunkhouse
Back to Helm Crag from Tongue Gill
Back down Tongue Gill towards Grasmere
There is more than one optional high-level route, the other option being over St Sunday Crag, which is the one to take if you like peace and quiet away from the crowds that head for Helvellyn. However, as I was more or less following my 1992 route, I stuck the Helvellyn route, crowds and all. The initial climb was up to Grisedale Tarn and was quite steep in parts but a steady plod with frequent short rests got me up there and I was now saved from constant thirst despite the heat. I mistakenly took a slightly different route to Grisedale Tarn (now feeling the loss of my GPS), going up the west side Great Tongue instead of the east side so I started to get slightly confused but soon realised what had happened, which didn't make a lot of difference. There were lots of people about as it was Saturday, so all the weekend walkers were out heading for Helvellyn which is a very popular mountain, being one of the few Lake District mountains over 3000 ft as well as having the challenging ridge of Striding Edge which is akin to Crib Goch in Snowdonia. Helvellyn it is not as high as Scafell Pike, being 950m as opposed to 977m, but I think the views are better and access is quicker and easier for people, which adds to its popularity.
Grisedale Tarn and Dollywaggon Pike
Back across Grisedale Tarn from ascent of Dollywaggon Pike
Mountain Biker ascending Dollywaggon Pike
As I came over the ridge to Grisedale Tarn there was a lovely cool breeze giving welcome relief from the heat. A few people were headed for other mountains, but most were heading the same way as me. After walking past the tarn came the steep zigzag path to Dollywagon Pike which is at the start of the Helvellyn ridge. With anything like this it is just a matter of taking plenty of small rests and eventually the summit comes into sight. I was passed on the way up by two chaps carrying mountain bikes which, strange as it may seem, is quite common these days.
Grisedale Tarn from Dollywaggon Pike
Grisedale and Ullswater from Dollywaggon Pike
St Sunday Crag from Dollywaggon Pike
The views on the way up were good but on the ridge there are even better views over Ullswater and down Grisedale to Patterdale and there was an easterly wind coming over the top which was most welcome. As I got to the top a couple waved at me. I had met them several times previously, so I joined them on the fine spot they had picked with a view down the valley. They had had a swim In Grisedale Tarn and said it wasn't too cold despite being over 1500 ft above sea level. It was time for lunch, so I had mine whilst they went on ahead.
Once on the ridge of Dollywagon Pike (830m), it is quite an easy walk over the other summits of High Crag (884m) and Nethermost Pike (891m) to reach Helvellyn which is very flat topped, so much so that small aircraft have landed and taken off from there. There were a lot of people around but because there was plenty of space to spread out it was nowhere near as bad as Snowdon is on a sunny weekend. On the ridge there was a cool refreshing breeze, which made a pleasant change from all the heat.
Fairfield from Dollywaggon Pike
Striding Edge from Dollywaggon Pike
Grisedale from Dollywaggon Pike
Helvellyn Summit
Red Tarn and Striding Edge from Helvellyn Summit
Swirral Edge and Ullswater from Helvellyn Summit
There is a bird's eye view of Red Tarn in the middle of the Helvellyn horseshoe with Swirral Edge on one side and Striding Edge on the other, both of them being very steep sided ridges. As I looked down on Striding Edge quite a way below the masses of people looked like a swarm of ants crawling all over the ridge and trying to pass each other in tight places. This is one of the drawbacks of being here at a weekend in glorious weather. From the top it looks quite daunting as there is an almost vertical drop of a few hundred feet but there are lots of good hand and foot holds so it is not too difficult so long as you have a good head for heights. The rest of the ridge has numerous possible paths, again with plenty of things to hold on to, so apart from being slow going it is neither difficult nor dangerous.
Red Tarn and Catstye Cam from Striding Edge
Red Tarn and Striding Edge from Helvellyn Summit
Walkers far below on Striding Edge
It was still quite a way to Patterdale but the long path to there wasn't too steep. Having been caught out by meal times in other hostels, I was trying to avoid any problems with dinner, so hurried as much as I could to arrive at 6.00 only to find that there was no rush as it was served at 7.00. I sat with a group of four other hostellers who were all very keen mountain climbers, so the conversation was very interesting with a couple of them having climbed large numbers of the Munroes in Scotland as well as many others.
Red Tarn and Catstye Cam from Striding Edge
Red Tarn and Helvellyn from Striding Edge
Path down Grisedale towards Patterdale
Once again this had been a very enjoyable day in brilliant weather, though the heat took its toll in places where there was no breeze to help keep me cool. However, up on the high ridges it was somewhat cooler and very pleasant.
Day 6 - Sunday 1st July 2018 - Patterdale to Shap
Distance: 14.9 miles, 3890ft
Accommodation: New Ing Lodge Bunkhouse, Shap
One of the drawbacks of many hostels is the lack of space in dormitories when they are busy, so you end with things on the floor trying not to encroach on other hostellers' space. Patterdale hostel was somewhat different in that it was purpose built and not overcrowded with bunks and it also has storage space for rucksacks beside them. The only real problem is when you are one of the later arrivals end have to have a top bunk. I don't think that the people who designed the bunks ever tried climbing to a top bunk in bare feet. It is bad with most bunks but here it was particularly so as the steps were thin round metal bars which cause agony to the feet. Also, at the top was a wooden surround that was higher than the mattress and this has to be knelt upon causing agony to the knees. Having suffered getting up and down once I decided the only way was to put my trainers on for the climbing process knowing that I would probably have to get up in the night.
The design of Patterdale hostel is also unusual in that the dormitories are downstairs almost sunken in a dip with the dining and lounge areas upstairs, which means that the dormitories stay quite cool even in hot weather making for a better night's sleep.
Enclosed open-air seating area in Patterdale Youth Hostel
Patterdale from near Youth Hostel
Looking back towards Patterdale from path to Angle Tarn
Being the weekend, there were no school parties, so everything was far more peaceful at breakfast and I was able to get off before 9.00 with a long day ahead. At first it was quite cool but as soon as I headed up the steep hillside in the full glare of the sun it was a different matter. After a short while I caught up with a Japanese lady doing the Coast to Coast walk. I met her previously in Ennerdale hostel and had not seen her again until now. Like most people doing the walk she was using the baggage transfer services so could travel light. However, I was now quite accustomed to carrying my pack, though it did slow me down a bit especially where it was steep.
Deepdale from Path to Angle Tarn
Ullswater from Path to Angle Tarn
Helvellyn from Path to Angle Tarn
The views soon started to open up with fine views over Patterdale and across to Helvellyn. A bit higher up it got less steep with an occasional breeze, so it was much more pleasant, and the views got wider with Ullswater and Brothers Water in sight. The next objective was Angle Tarn, a beautiful tarn halfway up the mountain with a backdrop of surrounding fells. This made a good place for a short rest and there were a couple of young men swimming in there with their dogs.
Brothers Water from Path to Angle Tarn
Angle Tarn
Angle Tarn with Helvellyn behind
Another steady climb led up to the old Roman road of High Street which follows a long south-north ridge from Ambleside to near Penrith. Its highest point is Racecourse Hill at 828m though the Coast to Coast route joins it about a mile further north and follows it for a little way before heading east to reach its highest point on Kidsty Pike at 780m. On my walk in 1992 I took the detour to the summit of High Street as I was keen on 'summit bagging' at the time, but there was nothing especially different about the view and, struggling with the heat, I was in no mood to take on any extra exertion this time. There were a number of mountain bikers heading along High Street which despite its altitude is a fairly easy track.
Kidsty Pike and Head of Hawes Water Reservoir from Rampsgill Head
Head of Hawes Water Reservoir from Kidsty Howes
Towards Dam of Hawes Water Reservoir from Kidsty Howes
Over the top of Kidsty Pike, there was quite a strong easterly breeze making it very pleasant and I stopped there for my lunch break overlooking Hawes Water reservoir which, considering the lack of rain was not as low as might be expected. In fact most of the Lake District looked very lush and green which seems to be because a huge amount of water is held in the rocks of the mountains, This means that the hillsides are always kept moist so that grass, ferns and wild flowers are thriving with a blaze of colour from foxgloves everywhere. Although the main climbing was over there was still ten miles of walking to Shap so I needed to press on. A fairly steep descent along the ridge leads to the edge of the reservoir where many of the submerged walls were now exposed but not low enough to expose the sunken village.
Head of Hawes Water Reservoir
Towards Dam of Hawes Water Reservoir
Although the route follows the edge of the reservoir it is not that easy as it keeps going up and down the hillside and although pleasant it seems interminable with the dam never seeming to get any closer. Towards the end of reservoir, it is hidden by trees and I was expecting to have reached the dam by the time the reservoir came back into sight. However, instead of getting nearer it looked even farther away as if somebody kept moving the dam! Eventually, I did reach the dam and started to make my way across a very different landscape with easier walking through rolling hills and along riverside paths and through fields and meadows towards the ruins of Shap. A minor road then took me into Shap itself where I was booked into New Ing Farm B&B that also had bunk rooms. On the way I met a couple of Coast to Coast walkers who were also heading into Shap and I chatted to them for a while as we walked along until I turned off to New Ing Farm. What I didn't realise until I arrived there was that they also served a very nice dinner and had a bar, so there was no need for me to go any further after my long day's walk and I had a bunk room to myself. I also met the lady walker with her dog who was camping in the grounds of the B&B. I had not seen them since Nannycatch on the second day of my walk so it was good to catch up with how she had been getting on. Her venture had all been part of someone's 60th birthday celebrations and a group had decided on a few days of C2C walking. They did manage to meet up after one of them had fallen over and had to go to A&E, so all was not lost in the end.
Day 7 - Monday 2nd July 2018 - Shap to Kirkby Stephen
Distance: 15 miles, 2090ft ascent
Accommodation: Independent Hostel, Kirkby Stephen
At breakfast I met a chap who was doing the Coast to Coast in the other direction. He had done a lot of other walks as well, so we had a very good chat. This was probably not the best thing to do as I had a fairly long walk ahead and should have been trying to get off for an early start. I needed a few things from the shop as well so by the time I really got going it was about 9.30.
17th Century Market Hall, Shap
M6 and Cement Works near Shap
Near Hardendale Quarry, Shap
Shap's main claim to fame is a huge quarry and a cement works as well as being close to the M6 and the main train line to Scotland. These are the most noticeable things when leaving the village and getting started on the route. Once past all of these there begins an area of pleasant limestone moors with easy walking but without a great deal of note. This helped in that I needed to cover a lot of ground without too much effort. I could see a couple of walkers ahead who I took to be the couple I had met at Shap Abbey and walked into Shap with last night, but it was a long time before I caught up with them to confirm it. It was his birthday today so they were only doing a short day into Orton so they could then relax and celebrate rather than having the long walk to Kirkby Stephen that I was doing.
Limestone Pavement, Wicker Street
Large Boulder near Wicker Street
There was a complete change of scenery now from high craggy mountains to gently rolling moorland with much evidence of the limestone of the Dales such as limestone pavements and outcrops. It was somewhat surprising that even this sort of area wasn't suffering much from the heat and dry weather and was generally quite green. After crossing the road near Orton Scar I stopped for a lunch break having been walking for three hours.
The route from here is confusing as originally Wainwright had the route going over Orton Scar but this turned out not to be a right of way beyond the monument on the top of the hill so he hurriedly changed the route involving a lot of road walking and adding two miles in distance. My copy of his guide shows the hurriedly redrawn route but subsequently ways were found using footpaths to avoid a lot of the road walking making things better. These were incorporated in later guides and became the accepted route. However, in 2002 the disputed route became access land, so Wainwright's original route was now legal though the guidebooks still stuck to the later route. A little further on the area around Newbiggin Tarn became a nature reserve with restricted access, so the route was diverted round the south. Consequently, it is anybody's guess as to which route is the official one (if there is such a thing as an 'official' route in an unofficial walk).
Limestone Pavements towards Orton Scar
Monument on Beacon Hill near Orton Scar
Limestone Pavements over Great Asby Scar
When I walked the route from east to west in 2006 I took a route over Orton Scar, following the very first route. I was undecided as to which route to take this time but was tempted over Orton Scar again, always preferring to take the high ground. In fact, though this is access land with legal access to anyone, it is obvious that very few people walk this way and I think that this is preferred to avoid wear and tear to the large areas of the fragile limestone pavements that abound. It does little harm if a few walkers explore the area but to direct hordes of Coast to Coast walkers this way could do a lot of damage and is best discouraged.
Scarside Farm and Orton (looking west)
Sunbiggin Tarn (now out of bounds)
South from Begin Hill near Smardale Bridge
After crossing the limestone areas, I then joined the modified route bypassing Sunbiggin Tarn but was unable to get near to the tarn as there were notices everywhere showing the only permissible route was this loop around to the south. There were very few signs of habitation along this route, only a few remote farms and I saw nobody for many miles. Eventually the route gets a bit hillier and there are relics of the old railway line with an old viaduct near Smardale Bridge. There were far fewer places to pick up water among the route and many of the small streams had dried up, so Smardale Bridge was the only place I topped up with water from the river. I started off with 2.5 litres and had been managing quite well on this thanks to the wind that was quite strong at times and was saving me from overheating. The lack of a lot of climbing also helped, so I just picked up half a litre from the stream as I didn't have too far left to go.
Smardale Bridge
Smardale Gill
Smardale Gill Viaduct
The going got a bit slower towards the end with more ups and downs as well as a few minor navigation errors that wasted a bit of time so it was 7.50 before I reached the hostel in Kirkby Stephen. There is a fish and chip shop almost next door which was open when I arrived but by the time I went out again it had closed. Fortunately, the pub nearby was still serving food, so I had Cumberland sausage plus a few pints of a special ale brewed for the World Cup called Bulldog which in my opinion was the best thing to come out of the World Cup. In the pub I met three Americans who were starting this section of the Coast to Coast and were, like me, heading to Keld tomorrow.
In the hostel I had a whole large dormitory to myself. This used to be owned by the YHA but, like many out-of-the-way hostels it was sold off. Fortunately, it now runs as an independent hostel. It would have been a pity to lose a hostel here, though there is quite a lot of other accommodation available in this market town. It is self-catering but, being in the centre of town, it is easy to find places offering breakfast and evening meals and there are shops to stock up on supplies and things for packed lunches.
Day 8 - Tuesday 3rd July 2018 - Kirkby Stephen to Keld
10.8 miles, 2090ft ascent
Accommodation: Keld Bunkbarn
Kirkby Stephen is a picturesque and historic market town with a large number of pubs serving the surrounding area which has many remote farms. It also had an abundance of churches and chapels, but with a decline in churchgoers, many of these have ben put to other uses, such as one chapel that became a YHA hostel and is now an independent hostel. Its beautiful interior has been lovingly restored to its former glory. There are several other historic buildings around the town making it an interesting place to stay.
Kirkby Stephen Hostel in old Chapel
Hostel in old Chapel and Black Bull Inn, Kirkby Stephen
War Memorial, Kirkby Stephen
The Cloisters, Kirkby Stephen
Frank's Bridge (Footbridge over River Eden)
South from Hartley Fell
Looking for breakfast in the morning, I had been recommended a café, but this didn't open until 9.00, so I found the butcher's shop selling bacon and sausage baps. They were huge and one of them was plenty for my breakfast. I ate it back in the hostel where there was a free cup of tea. There were quite a few hostellers there but mainly cyclists as, having started my walk mid-week, I was out of sync with the bulk of walkers. Today's walk wouldn't be too taxing, so I could take it fairly easily and recover from the long walk of yesterday. It was 9.30 when I set off out of town over Frank's Bridge, a footbridge over the River Eden, heading past Hartley Quarries up Hartley Fell on the way towards Nine Standards Rigg. This is about 2170ft high (662m) and gets its name from the nine cairns near the summit. On the way I passed a group of Americans. I had already met three of them who were just starting from here, but they had now been joined two more who had been walking right from the start. I stopped for a chat with them and then pressed on ahead as. Despite being weary from yesterday's walk, I was now well accustomed to walking with a full pack and didn't need to have many rests on the steady ascent. There was a good view back over the town and across to the North Pennines as well as the surrounding hills and eventually the distinctive row of cairns could be seen ahead. I said 'Hello' to two elderly ladies sitting on a seat overlooking the view and assumed that that they were just out walking for the day but I was to meet them two days later in Marske where I found out that they were also Coast to Coast walkers.
Back Down Faraday Gill towards Kirkby Stephen
Approaching Summit of Nine Standards Rigg
Looking North along Nine Standards Rigg
I reached the cairns at quarter to twelve with the hardest part of the day's walking already done, so I could now relax for the rest of the way. It was a bit early for lunch, but I had one of the two large sausage rolls I had bought and would have the rest later. The cairns are all different in shape and size and, when I had last seen them nine ago, some were badly in need of repair. Now they were all in immaculate condition and provided an impressive sight. There were also a number of other smaller cairns here and there arounf the area and these were also built to the same high standard (excuse the pun). I sat on the ledge of one of them and eventually the Americans rolled up and came to chat. One thing they asked about was the best route ahead, but I wasn't much help to them as my old guide only showed one route whereas the latest guides show about three. However, I had seen notices on the way up saying that for erosion control purposes certain routes should be used for certain times of year - in this period it was the red route (I thought that was only for skiing). The Americans had missed the signs, but I said that they were only advisory, and nobody could do anything if they wanted to take the one that their guidebook recommended.
Northern Pennines from Nine Standards Rigg
Shooting Box towards Ravenseat
Ravenseat Farm
I went ahead of them and, when it came to the alternative routes, there were large fingerposts showing which route was for which months. I took the requested one as there doesn't seem to be much difference in the views, it all being a large expanse of peaty moorland without many features. The going was easy, and I ambled along until I decided to have the rest of my lunch by a cairn, followed by a spot of sunbathing. After a little while the Americans came along obviously having been persuaded to use this route by the sign. They didn't disturb me, and it was then very peaceful with only the sound of a few distant birds. I was there for about an hour and half and had a nap for a while. The temperature was perfect up there at around 2000ft with a pleasant breeze.
had started off with 2.5 litres of water sipping as I went along, and this was proving just right, which was just as well as the few streams that hadn't dried up looked very unappetising to say the least. Peaty moorland isn't good for drinking water. Further along there are lots of grouse shooting butts to which Wainwright says in his guide 'The vicinity of Ney Gill is so littered with shooting butts that one feels like apologising in shame to the birds one sees.' The first real feature of any note is Raven Seat with a bridge over the beck and an attractive farm offering cream teas to passers-by. I didn't succumb, but I am not sure whether the Americans had done so, as I could see them just across the river and they should have been a long way ahead by now.
Bridge over Whitsundale Beck at Ravenseat Farm
Stone Barn near Ravenseat
Waterfall and Rock Pool at Keld Bunkbarn
I stopped for a short rest just past the farm and was passed by a lady walker I had not met before. I then started looking at my notes and realised that if I wanted an evening meal at Keld Bunkbarn I needed to order it by five. I thought I could phone but there was no reception, so I set off at a brisk pace to try to get there before five. I caught up with the lady walker who was just approaching the Americans who were working out which way to go, so I just said a quick 'Hello' and said I had to press on.
Arriving just before five, I found that the Bunkbarn was fitted out like five star accommodation and there were only two of us staying, myself and the lady I had passed who arrived just after me who was called Bridgette. There was free tea and coffee as well as a choice of several main course dishes and drinks at reasonable prices. Toast and cereals were free and other breakfast items could be ordered as well. These were all delivered from the house to the Bunkbarn at the appointed time. Amazing service. Not only this, but the view from the entrance to the bunkbarn overlooked a beautiful waterfall with large rock pool with a little path down for anyone wanting a swim. I didn't try this out myself, as I knew that mountain streams can be a lot colder than you may think, even on a hot day.
For our evening meal, both Bridgette and I had the shepherd's pie which was delivered in large Pyrex dishes that were big enough to feed a family. It was piping hot and delicious and I only just managed to eat it all. For the first time on the walk I watched the ten o'clock news which included scenes of screeching football fans excited at a win for England and I was glad that I was away from it all. The only thing I was waiting for was for Senegal to win, as I had picked them out of a hat for a sweepstake at work!
As well as the Bunkbarn, on the same site, are 'Swaledale Yurts' offering luxury camping with a private hot tub for those in need of a bit of pampering at this half-way stage of the walk.
Day 9 - Wednesday 4th July 2018 - Keld to Reeth
Distance: 10.7 miles, 2110ft ascent
Accommodation: Black Bull, Reeth
Swaledale Yurts by Keld Bunkbarn
Keld Village
Waterfall at East Stonesdale
For breakfast, I had a bacon and egg baguette which was again served to the bunkbarn at the appointed time. With a fairly easy day's walk ahead, I wasn't worried about getting an early start and, after chatting for a while, I got going at 9.30. After heading down the road into the tiny village of Keld and past the waterfall at East Stonesdale, which was reduced to a trickle with the lack of rainfall, I started to check the route ahead on my map. I was a bit confused about the route that I should be taking, as I had downloaded some recent GPX files to print out the route on my maps as well as loading them onto the GPS that I lost on Helm Crag. In my haste, I had not noticed that the route was shown following the River Swale. This route didn't agree with the maps in Wainwright's guide nor the route I had followed in the past over the old lead mines at Gunnerside, though I noticed later that the following paragraph appears in Wainwright's guide.
"For most walkers the royal road from Keld to Reeth will always be along the lovely banks of the Swale, the first three miles to Muker especially being very beautiful and the whole distance with minor interruptions being possible by using public footpaths on or near the riverside. If the day be wet or misty this is the way to go."
Note that the three miles that are "very beautiful" are on the Pennine Way and he later makes this comment.
"....the route coincides with the Pennine Way. Spare a smile (of pity) for any poor wretches you see travelling thereon. Your own route is so much better."
This arose because Wainwright produced a guide for the Pennine Way. He had no car and had to rely on lifts to get to various sections and these were mainly in bad weather when the views were obscured and there was squelchy peat underfoot. He therefore had a very jaundiced view of the Pennine Way and this is one of the things that inspired him to devise the Coast to Coast walk which he considered to be much better.
However, the riverside route now seems to be the route recommended in at least some of the latest guides. O.S maps now show a route along there that is marked as a major Trail and named 'A Pennine Journey'. I had not heard of this before, but it is based by an early walk by Wainwright in 1938, which pre-dates the Pennine Way (officially opened in 1965) by 23 years, though the initial concept of the Pennine Way dates back even earlier to 1935. Wainwright never produced a guide for 'A Pennine Journey' but it has been taken up by Wainwright enthusiasts who produced a guide in Wainwright's style as a tribute in 2010.
There seem to be a few changes like this that have taken place to suit people who want easier routes but, as always, I am tempted onto the high-level routes and, as I was more or less copying my 1992 route and the weather was good, I decided that I would go via the lead mines. The old route is still walked by a few, but the majority of walkers take the easier options wherever they can, considering that these are difficult enough anyway. For my part, I am accustomed to the rigours of mountain walks like the Cambrian Way, so do not consider the Coast to Coast to be particularly difficult even when taking the high-level routes. In terms of beautiful scenery, the low-level route no doubt wins, as the old lead mines have left ugly scars on the landscape, but they are an interesting insight into our industrial heritage with a sort of beauty of their own.
Remains of an old Tractor near Crackpot Hall
Upper Swaledale from near Crackpot Hall
Back towards Keld from near Crackpot Hall
I therefore had to forget my maps and revert to my old Wainwright guide to pick up the high-level route by Crackpot Old Hall, passing the relic of an old tractor half sunken in the ground. There are beautiful views down Upper Swaledale from here, route of the Pennine Way, before heading up the steep sided valleys into the old lead mining areas. The distance is not much different but there is considerably more ascent on this route. This is quite a fascinating area though not always beautiful: some of the ruined buildings by deep valleys and streams are picturesque but the devastation of the landscape is not so, as the lead has poisoned the soil and killed off large areas of vegetation that has not managed to grow back even to this day.
Ruins of Crackpot Hall overlooking Upper Swaledale
Swinner Gill
Old Lead Mines by Swinner Gill
Looking back down Swinner Gill
Looking back along East Grain towards Keld
North Hush, Gunnerside
There were several walkers about but most of them were doing day walks not the Coast to Coast walk. Heading up Swinner Gill, I passed some of the lower lead mines before ascending by the stream of East Grain onto the top of the moors. Further along I passed North Hush, a hush being the name for a stream where a dam was built to hold a large amount of water. The dam was then broken, allowing a sudden rush of water to wash away all the soil down the valley with the hope that it would reveal lead ore beneath. This had a rather devestating affect on the landscape but was one of the primative ways of achieving things using available resources whilst saving a great deal of wasted manpower. In those days nobody gave a care about the effect on the landscape or the pollution of streams with lead, it was only the economic benefits that counted.
Ruins of Blakethwaite Smelt Mill, Gunnerside
Old Blakethwaite Smelt Mill, Gunnerside
North Hush from Bunton Hush
Further along, the route drops down the steep sided valley of Gunnerside Beck to the remains of the old Blakethwaite Smelt Mill, which is more picturesque than the lead mines. This made a convenient place for a lunch break and I spent some time sunbathing amid one of the ruined buildings. After a while, Bridgette came by. I didn't expect this as she had had problems with her legs whilst walking through the Lake District causing her to rest up for a few days previously, so I thought she would have gone for the easier option along Swaledale.
After my relaxation, I continued up over the moors to where the worst of the devastation had taken place, passing Bunton Hush from which there was a clear view across the valley revealing the full extent of the erosion caused by North Hush. In fact, Bunton Hush was even more extensive than North Hush. Higher up, the steep hillside levels out onto the Old Gang lead mines on the top of the moor. It surprised me to see notices saying that this was a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and warning of surveillance cameras and that people should not stray off footpaths nor allow dogs off leads. This all seemed to be a bit over the top for an area that was already devastated by mining and where all the waste from the mines had prevented anything at all from growing there. It also made me wonder if this SSSI was the reason for trying to encourage a different route for the Coast to Coast walk. However, looking it up online, the SSSI is for the vast areas of blanket bog and the moorland bird population which just happens to include the lead mining areas as well. Very few people would be walking over the wild, open moorland but many more would walk this way, hence the proloferation of signs.
Abandoned Machinary at Old Gang Mines
Poisoned Soil at Old Gang Mines
Level House Bridge
Once over the top of the moor, it was a steady descent down to Level House Bridge, an old packhorse bridge, to follow Hard Level Gill, which becomes Mill Gill or Old Gang Beck as it flows steadily down from the moors passing Surrender Bridge and the Old Gang Smelting Mills on the way. Most of these old buildings have been saved from further deterioration by stabilising the masonary and in some cases re-roofing them so they are preserved as part of our industrial heritage. The weather forecast had said that a band of cloud would cover this part of the country for most of the day but there was in fact fairly little cloud and this mostly dispersed making it another very hot day. I was now coping with the heat quite well, setting off with 2.5 litres of water and sipping it regularly along the way and this managed comfortably without me feeling thirsty. Although I was coping with the heat, I am sure it was still making the walking more difficult, though it was still far preferable to rain as it brought out the best in the landscape.
Old Gang Smelting Mills
Inside Old Gang Smelting Mills
Surrender Bridge
Along this moorland route it is amazing just how remote this area is with no sign of civilization for miles and no mobile phone reception all of the way apart from the very occasional weak signal letting me pick up texts but only once allowing me to send one. Eventually, I reached Surrender Bridge where I met the first road since Keld. For the rest of the way, the route follows a path along the hillside up above Barney Beck, then down a lane to join the road into Reeth. I should have continued further along up the hillside to follow the correct route, but I ended up on a minor road to Healaugh, so continued my way along a path following the River Swale into Reeth. I thought that as Reeth came close that I would get a mobile signal but even in town I got none, so I had to revert to the old-fashioned call box to phone home. The call box needed 60p but wouldn't take a pound coin, so I had to ask a couple sitting outside a nearby pub for change. The chap said he had a good signal on his phone, but he was obviously on a different network. This is what happens quite a lot in remote areas; some networks give reasonable coverage whilst others do not, though there is often the ability to make an emergency call if your own network doesn't give reception but another one does, which is a great help for mountain safety.
Towards Healaugh in Swaledale
Reeth Village Green (from my Room in Black Bull)
Black Bull, Reeth
always think that Reeth is a beautiful place with its wide village green surrounded by pubs, shops and stone houses. There was some game being played on the green which involved throwing metal hoops. A lot of locals were participating in this and it was taken very seriously with someone washing the metal hoops presumably to allow them to be thrown more accurately. I had my evening meal sitting outside the Black Bull where I was staying and watching all the activities in the distance. The Black Bull is a very old pub as I could tell by the very uneven stairs, but they had very good homemade food (I had steak and kidney pie) and one of my favourite beers, Old Peculier. When I went back inside all the Americans were in there, so I had a chat with them for a while before making my way to my room.
Day 10 - Thursday 5th July 2018 - Reeth to Brompton-on-Swale
Distance: 14.5 miles - 1570ft ascent
Accommodation: Village Farm Bunkhouse, Brompton-on-Swale
I was quite surprised by the fact that I was the only one for breakfast, as it was quite busy in Reeth last night. Speaking to the landlady they seem to get peaks and troughs with bookings, sometimes being fully booked and sometimes empty. I suspect that as far as Coast to Coast walkers are concerned, so many of them book through companies offering packages including baggage transfer that if a place is not on their list of approved places they get very few bookings. I had my breakfast and got going by 9.00, setting off down the road through the village green. It was very warm and sunny again and I was already sweating from having breakfast with the sun streaming through the window.
Village Green, Reeth looking North
Evangelical Church, Reeth
Towards Grinton, Swaledale
As I walked along the road out of town there was a view across the river to Grinton Lodge Youth Hostel up the hillside about a mile off the route. It is a quite imposing building with a turreted tower and was originally a 19th Century shooting lodge. I was unable to get in on this occasion as it was fully booked, but I did manage to stay there in 1992. The next place of note on the route is Marrick Priory which is now an outdoor activities centre situated close to the River Swale. This is followed by a climb up to the village of Marrick itself where there was a bit more of a breeze. Here I had some mobile reception so texted my wife and this also prompted emails that were queued to get sent. It gets to be a bit of a nuisance trying to keep in touch with people when you go all day with neither mobile reception nor WiFi. It just shows how dependent the world has become on these things. When I first started doing long-distance walks, I was totally dependent on phone boxes or payphones in youth hostels. These days rural phone boxes are being removed on a regular basis, though they still tend to survive in places cut off from mobile reception. Part of the problem, though, is that it depends very much on which mobile network you use. The locals know to subscribe to one that works well in their area, but visitors do not realise where they stand until they try to make a call.
Grinton Lodge Youth Hostel on far Hillside
Marrick Priory now an Outdoor Activities Centre
Marrick Priory and view across Swaledale
The walking was mainly through farmland and it was noticeable that this was much more affected by the hot weather than the moorland areas, with much of the grass looking very dry, though wild flowers on the verges and in the hedgerows still seemed to be thriving. Gradually the weather changed with more cloud in the sky until it was overcast and rather sultry with only a few sunny patches. The forecast said that there was a possibility of a few heavy showers in places, but it didn't seem too likely at the moment. This had the advantage of making it quite a bit cooler for walking but it unfortunately made the scenery duller.
Village of Marrick, Swaledale
Marske, Swaledale
Applegarth Scar north of Swaledale
At the village of Marske, about six miles from today's start I stopped for a rest on a convenient bench. It was a bit before noon, so I decided to have a snack whilst resting my weary feet. A couple of chaps who were doing the Coast to Coast came by. They were doing it in ten days taking on some rather long stretches each day, then an elderly chap who was just walking around the area, joined me for a while. As I was just about to leave at 12.30 two elderly ladies came along and recognised me from Nine Standards Rigg where I had spoken to them as they sat on a seat admiring the views. I didn't realise at the time that they were doing the Coast to Coast and thought they were just out walking for the day. They seemed to be having no problem with the walking though they, like most people, were using a baggage transfer service. As we moved off, they took our places on the seat as the two of us went our different ways. There was no sign of the Americans: they would be taking a more leisurely pace as they were only going to Richmond.
Looking back towards Applegarth
Richmond Castle from Hill
Richmond Bridge from Castle Walk
Richmond was my next objective as I headed onwards and upwards towards Applegarth Scar on the hillside high above the River Swale, then on to a path below Whitcliffe Scar, a limestone outcrop, before entering Whitcliffe Wood. The weather was now a bit brighter with patches of sunshine but not too hot. The views were pleasant but nothing special until Richmond started to come into view, though it was a long way from the sign announcing the town to the first habitation. The town has a large circular centre with a museum and shops all around and I stopped on a seat to have the rest of my lunch followed by an ice cream from the nearby van, though there had been plenty of other times that I had been more in need of an ice cream than now, as the weather was rather overcast. I then called in the Co-op to get a few things for tomorrow's breakfast and lunch, so I would be able to get off to an early start in the morning with over twenty miles to walk. I also topped up my cash from the cash machine and headed round the Castle Walk on the way to the bridge over the river and out of town.
Richmond Castle from River Swale
Richmond Castle
Walking through Fields in Swaledale
There was still about five miles to go and it was not as quick as I thought as the route meanders up and down, though it didn't matter too much as I didn't have a tight deadline. One thing when planning the turn off to Brompton-on-Swale was that I had to get there from the opposite side of the river, which involved overshooting by half a mile to the main bridge and then coming back again. However, I could see another small bridge earlier along on my map, but it was not marked as a right of way. I kept a lookout through the trees on my left and spotted an unofficial path going down to the bridge which was on a track leading to the road on the other side of the river, so I took that as a shortcut. As I reached the road and looked back, I saw a sign on the gate saying it was a private track, but it was too late to take any notice as I was then already on the road. I arrived at the bunkhouse at 6.00 and found I was the only one staying the night so had the place to myself. It only cost £10 for the night plus £1 for a sheet sleeping bag and the elderly couple made me a pot of tea on arrival with a Kit-Kat and refused my offer of more money. The local pub served several main courses at around £6.50 which is a lot less than most places on the route would charge, but these were only for a limited period of the evening.
Day 11 - Friday 6th July 2018 - Brompton-on-Swale to Osmotherley
Distance: 21 miles - 1280ft ascent (including getting lost)
Accommodation: Osmotherley Youth Hostel
There was a disaster in Brompton on Swale! The annual duck race had to be postponed because the river level was too low, and they were praying for lots of rain to come soon so that it would be possible for it to go ahead on a new date a few weeks ahead.
It was a long walk today but mainly easy walking across the Vale of York to the Cleveland Hills in the North York Moors with a climb onto the moors to the hostel at the end. It is all rather flat and not very interesting, so it was really just a matter of pushing on to get to the next interesting part of the walk. I decided to get off to an early start so that I wouldn't end up short of time as is often the case. I therefore got up at seven and managed to get off at 7.40.
Wild Flowers (mainly Ragwort) by A1(M) and River Swale
Metal Military Sculptures, Catterick Bridge
Village Pump, Bolton-on-Swale
The first part of the walk goes under the A1(M) and along the riverside past Catterick Bridge where there are some metal sculptures of military figures, this being the location of a large army camp. There were not many views of the river which is mostly hidden by trees. Then followed large quarries, where it would have been quite ugly except for the fact that the mounds of rubble were topped with a host of beautiful bright red poppies. Soon came Bolton-on-Swale with an attractive Village Pump at the entrance to the village. This village's main claim to fame is a grave in St Mary's Parish Church, which belongs to Henry Jenkins who died in 1670. It is claimed that he was born in 1501 making him 169 years of age when he died. However, this is extremely dubious and it is much more likely that there was a mix up with records. However, it still remains a tourist attraction, particularly for Coast to Coast walkers who are passing by.
St Mary's Church, Bolton-on-Swale
Village Green and Pub, Danby Wiske
Walking through parched Fields near Danby Wiske
The walk continues onwards following a series of paths through farmland, along minor roads and dusty tracks for most of the way. There are few views worth mentioning until near the end when the Cleveland Hills come into view, though there are some picturesque villages and hamlets ever few miles. Danby Wiske is one of these and I stopped there on the village green for an early lunch break sheltering from the heat of the sun under a tree. The village pub was right beside but didn't open at lunchtime, as most village pubs do not attract enough mid-day trade. For the first time in the walk I started to feel cold, so I moved to a seat in the sun and was soon baking hot again.
The weather was overcast to start with and reasonably cool which made walking easier but when the sun came out it could be very hot unless there was the occasional cool breeze. My feet had been feeling rather tender for a while, but I realised that the hot dry weather was part of the problem. Normally, walking on grass or on a path is easier on the feet than walking on a road or pavement. However, in hot weather muddy paths set like concrete and, where boots or farm animals have churned them up, they set in a very uneven way, which makes them uncomfortable to walk on. Normally, I would prefer a footpath to a road, but in these conditions, I found myself preferring the road for its smooth surface. The paths varied in quality, some being good but others just narrow uneven strips beside a field of cereal crops. By not making many stops I managed to make reasonably good progress, but the lack of any good scenery made the time drag.
I stopped for a rest after two hours and there was now light cloud and a breeze making it a bit cooler and more pleasant for walking, though it also had the effect of making the landscape look duller, which didn't matter so much as it was mainly flat running through farmland.
In the early afternoon I could see the Cleveland Hills in the distance which gave me something to look forward to. Later in the afternoon a man in a car pulled up next to as I walked one of the sections on a minor road. He warned me that in the section ahead I should not follow the apparent route of the path to the left side of the field but should go across the middle of it where there was a bridge over a stream. He had wasted three quarters of an hour there a couple of weeks ago. There was actually a marker post, but it was quite a distance away and could be easily missed, so I was glad of the advice. There was one farm who had put a fridge freezer full of drinks and snacks beside the route with an adjacent box for donations. As I was very hot now that the weather had brightened up again, I had a can of cold drink. There were no suggested prices, so people probably put in more than the true cost of things, but it is good to offer the service.
First Sight of Cleveland Hills from near Streetlam
Blue Bell Inn, Ingleby Cross
Arncliffe Hall above Ingleby Cross
I met a young lady walking the opposite way backpacking and I said that in many ways it was better to do it that way, building up towards the more spectacular scenery near the end. I also then met a young chap called Alec who was heading towards Ingleby Cross to camp by the pub there. We walked along together then and encountered the greatest excitement of the day - crossing the very busy A19 dual carriageway with traffic travelling at high speed on both carriageways. We waited for a gap and then made a suicide dash across one carriageway to the central crossing area, then across the other carriageway to the safety of the other side. When your feet and legs are tired at the end of the day and are carrying a heavy pack, it is surprising how fast it is possible to run to save your life. Had it been a footpath crossing the A19 they would probably have had to install a footbridge but it was a minor road, so there were just slip roads going either way, which actually made matters worse by adding an extra lane to be crossed.
I left Alec as he went for his camping pitch beside the Blue Bell Inn in Ingleby Cross. He had set off with his brother and sister-in-law, but they were not up to the rigours of the walk and dropped out on the third day leaving him to continue alone. This is one of the pitfalls of walking with others unless you know their walking abilities match your own. In fact, it is often a matter of knowing if they have the willpower to persevere in adversity or whether the will just give up at the first obstacle.
It was now for me just to make my way up the first real climb of the day to the youth hostel at Osmotherley, a bit over two miles further on. It seemed as if the walk was almost done as I made my way up the hill along the minor road to Arncliffe Hall, a rather imposing building on the right. From there I headed up a track towards Arncliffe Wood, but half way up I made the mistake of taking a wide track that I thought was the main route only to find that nothing seemed to match up with my map. This wasn't helped by the fact that trees blocking any view, so it was difficult to get my bearings. Of course, had I not lost my GPS, I would have soon realised that I had gone wrong and would have known exactly how to get back on track. I decided to ring the hostel to describe what I could remember of the route I had taken to see if they might know where to had gone wrong. However, all that we could agree on was that, rather than trying to cut across through woodland and brambles, it was best to backtrack to where I had missed my way and then try to pick up the correct route. I did this and realised I had taken one of the forest tracks used for logging rather than the public right of way, which was a much narrower track. Everything then made sense, but it added about a mile onto an already long day as well as the frustration of getting lost. However, all was well as they were serving meals until 8.30 so I was in plenty of time. In fact, when I did order they apologised that I would have to wait until 8.30 as they had a big backlog, not from hostellers but takeaway orders from their caravan site which was very busy. I didn't mind as what I needed most was some beer to quench my thirst after the long, hot walk.
The hostel used to belong to the YHA but is one of those that were sold off as being uneconomical. It was taken over by the nearby caravan park and run as an independent hostel with a YHA franchise, meaning that they have to comply with YHA standards but are able to take bookings through the YHA and online through its website. The hostel was very quiet apart from the bar, takeaway and dining room which were very busy with people from the caravan park. There were only two of us sharing a large dormitory with en-suite facilities. The other chap was halfway through a two day walk with his sister who was in another dormitory. The lack of other hostellers was probably because it was a weekend meaning that there were no school parties and it was the wrong day of the week for the bulk of the Coast to Coast walkers.
Day 12 - Saturday 7th July 2018 - Osmotherley to Lion Inn, Blakey
Distance: 20.7 miles 3670ft ascent (including losing way)
Accommodation - August Guest House, Rosedale East - Pickup service from/to Lion Inn
I ordered the earliest breakfast at 7.45 so that I could start as soon as possible with another long day ahead. It was very quiet with only a few hostellers in and I managed to get off at 8.30. I had planned a possible alternative route to re-join the way saving a little bit of distance, but I was feeling fit so took the normal route instead.
It goes without saying that it was another hot day but at least today there would be some glorious scenery to keep me going. The initial bit was retracing a mile of last night's walk and then joining the Cleveland Way, which follows the same route as the Coast to Coast for over half of the way. This has the advantage that it is well signposted, and a lot of path work has been done especially on the steep parts but also over boggy parts as well. At first the route goes through woodland so there is not a lot to see apart from the BT wireless station which must be one of the ugliest products of the modern age. Soon though, the moorlands ahead came into view and it was a very different picture as this is one of the finest ridges of the North York Moors. There is a series of several ups and downs which involves a lot of strenuous work, but it is all well worth it for the beautiful scenery.
Weir by Osmotherley Youth Hostel
Ugly BT Wireless Station on Beacon Hill
Towards Whorlton Moor
There are a total of seven main moor tops along the ridge with significant dips inbetween them. The first one being Scarth Wood Moor with the BT wireless station and Beacon Hill. There is then a drop down through Clain Wood before the next ascent of Live Moor. Despite the good way marking of the Cleveland Way, I still managed to miss a turning at the bottom of the hill. Just as the track emerges from the forest there is a right turn where it re-enters the forest and swings back round to head SE along Scugdale Beck towards Live Moor. I missed the turning and just carried straight on down the minor road and it was over half a mile before I realised something was wrong. I got my bearings from the map and realised that I would have to walk back uphill again to get back on track. However, this little setback didn't worry me too much as I was feeling fit and wasn't too concerned about the time. I had been unable to get a room at the Lion Inn, which is on the top of the moors and directly on the route so had taken the option of a guest house in Rosedale which offered a pick up and drop off service to walkers. This meant that so long as I arrived in time for a meal at the Lion Inn then I could phone the guest house and they would collect me when I was ready. Being a very popular place on a Saturday evening, the Lion Inn would probably be serving food until quite late, so I would not need to arrive too early.
Whorl Hill from Scarth Wood Moor
Looking back to Live Moor and Whorlton Moor
Whorl Hill from Round Hill
I met another group of Americans on the way over Live Moor and walked along chatting to one of them about Donald Trump amongst other things with one of them apologising for his behaviour on the world stage and feeling that the British may dislike them as a result. However, I assured her that I for one felt sorry that the American people had to put up with him as president because of the selfish motives of populist voters. They stopped for a rest, but I carried on, trying to cover as much distance as I could. I didn't find the climbing difficult as I had built up my fitness by now and was finding it easier going up than down as it was gentler on my feet.
Each moor top gave magnificent views over the lowland below and along the ridge in each direction. The North Sea was now clear to see near Middlesbrough, which a different, less intelligent group of Americans thought was both cool and awesome in equal quantities. I suppose the fact that here you can walk from one side of the country to the other in a couple of weeks is in stark contrast to the USA where it can involve 3000 miles of walking. There were signs of some of the purple heather starting to bloom but only enough to give a slight tinge to the dark moorland. Soon however the whole landscape would be transformed with a blaze of colour lasting for about a month. It was a pity not to be able to see it in all its splendour.
Towards Carlton Moor
Cringle Moor from Carlton Moor
NNE from Carlton Moor to Roseberry Topping and Coast
On Carlton Moor, the third of the moor tops, I passed a chap with a hang glider but despite having lugged it all the way up to the top, he couldn't fly it because the wind was not in the right direction, coming from the east rather than straight up the hillside from the north. There were a few others lower down on a ridge where there was an easterly facing slope and they were hoping to have a better chance. There is a landing strip nearby on the top of the moor where gliders are towed off but there were none today. Often there are very good thermals rising up the hillside, but they were not very strong at the moment. I stopped for a lunch break at 12.20 in the glorious, warm weather with lovely views across towards Teesside.
Whorl Hill and Faceby from Carlton Moor
Live Moor looking back from Carlton Moor
Cold Moor and Hasty Bank from Cringle Moor
Continuing onwards, I was now finding the going easy, inspired by the beautiful scenery and helped by a pleasant breeze that made it more comfortable as I headed up the fourth moor top of Cringle Moor. It was actually easier going uphill than downhill because downhill was more of a strain on my legs whereas my muscles were attuned to steady ascents. I was a bit concerned about my water supplies as, with the hot weather and all the climbing, I would need a lot. Cringle Moor has a large stone seat and topograph overlooking the lowland area towards the coast and the distinctive outcrop of Roseberry Topping, which is on the Cleveland Way after it parts company with the Coast to Coast route to head north. I stopped for a brief rest there to take in the views, then continued on my way over Cold Moor, the fifth moor top. The walking was marvelous, though rather hot in the middle of the sunny day, and the panoramic views continued for most of the way.
Roseberry Topping, Middlesborough and North Sea from Cringle Moor
Topograph on Cringle Moor
Cold Moor from Descent of Cringle Moor
Looking back at Cringle Moor
Hasty Bank with Wain Stones from Cold Moor
Wainstones on Hasty Bank
There was a café mentioned by some of the walkers earlier on. It was near one of the road crossing points and I had seen it once before, so I was counting on that to get some more water as there were very few streams at all on the way and any water to be found didn't look good enough for drinking without treatment. I had it in my mind that it was at Clay Bank car park, the crossing later on after Wain Stones and Hasty Bank (the sixth moor top), but as I eventually reached Hasty Bank and descended towards the car park, I met a couple who were coming up the other way from the road and asked them if there was anything down there but they replied that there was nothing at all. It must have been at the earlier road crossing at Carlton Bank which was now a long way back and I wondering if I might have to make a long detour off-route to search for water or risk severe dehydration in getting to my destination. However, seeing my predicament the couple said that had some water in their car and, if I could wait for them to go to the top of the hill and come back down again, they would let me have it. They didn't take long, and I picked up a bit less than a litre from them, which was just about right with the half litre I still had left, as I had three or four hours of walking still to do. They refused any payment so, after thanking them profusely and saying they may have saved me from heat exhaustion, I continued on my way. The situation was then helped further by the sun going in for some while and a breeze coming up over the moors.
Wainstones on Hasty Bank
Above Wainstones looking back to Cold Moor
Looking back to Hasty Bank from Carr Ridge
There followed just one more climb up Carr Ridge onto Round Hill on Urra Moor where the moorland becomes much flatter and the route of the old Rosedale Raiway is reached. Though easier going, this is less interesting as the steep ridges give way to rolling moorland and, although there are fine views down some of the dales, they are more distant and less frequent. I eventually reached ther old railway itself and this takes a zigzag course as it follows a contour round the hillside to maintain a fairly level track. It is now covered in cinders and gravel making the walking much easier and gentler on the feet, so I was able to make good progress. It may seem strange to find that a railway ran over the moors at 1200ft (370m) above sea level, but this was built to transport stone from quarries in Rosedale to join main line railways to the coast. A 1 in 5 (20%) incline was built at Ingleby where empty trucks were hauled back up by the weight of the fully loaded trucks going down, a system that was used in many places at the time. I was just changing over pages of my maps when a cyclist came past and in a broad Yorkshire accent announced "Three quarters of an hour to t' pub". Shortly after, it came into view round a bend at seven o'clock. He was wrong - it only took half an hour before I had a lovely pint of Black Sheep in my hand and a meal ordered. I ordered gammon and pineapple but ended up with half a pig! I should have remembered what huge portions they serve from eating here once before. I just managed to eat it all and then phoned to arrange my lift to the guest house in Rosedale, which is just over three miles on foot but six miles by car. After a refreshing shower I settled into bed after a hard but very enjoyable day.
Billsdale from Urra Moor
Lion Inn, Blakey (circled) just in Sight on Farndale Moor
Lion Inn at Blakey
Day 13 - Sunday 8th July 2018 - Lion Inn, Blakey to Littlebeck
Distance: 17.7 miles 1590ft ascent (including losing way)
Accommodation: B&B, Intake Farm, Littlebeck
There was a German couple from Munich staying at the guest house, so I chatted to them over breakfast. We had agreed for breakfast at eight so that we could all be taken back to the Lion Inn together to avoid our host Michael having to make two trips. It was about 9.30 before I had changed into my boots and got started. Michael is a great joker and regaled us with all sorts of wind-ups he had done mainly at the expense of Americans. I set off up the road from the Lion Inn, still amused at all his tales and neglected to notice where I should have turned off. I passed Young Ralph Cross whereas I was expecting to see Fat Betty (White Cross). A while later, things didn't look right on the map and I realised that I had gone wrong and missed a turning off the road to the east before Young Ralph Cross. I had another rather long day's walk ahead so this was the last thing I wanted as it meant that I would either have to backtrack or take the other option of heading across the heather moor to re-join the route further on. I decided on the latter which was no easy option and a lot of hard work, but after a long struggle I managed to join a track very close to where I needed to be, past Fat Betty on the way towards Great Fryup Dale. In hindsight, however, it would have been a lot easier to go back along the road even though it was a bit further.
Young Ralph Cross at Rosedale Head
Great Fryup Dale from Danby High Moor
Great Fryup Dale from Glaisdale Moor
The weather was rather overcast but still very warm as usual, though the walking was fairly easy once I had reached the proper track. There was a long trek over the moors to Glaisdale but despite my navigation error I was making reasonable progress by managing a good walking speed on the easy tracks and roads. There were quite a lot of walkers about including a lot of Coast to Coast walkers, possibly because I had now caught up with many who had started off at a weekend on a gentler schedule. Near Glaisdale Moor, I finally caught up with the Germans who had gone off ahead of me. Despite being somewhat overcast it was still very warm and I was hoping to get to either a pub or a shop to get some more to drink and something to eat for my lunch. However as I made my way through Glaisdale, the village shop had already closed at midday, it being Sunday, and there appeared to be no pub so I was wondering what to do but then, as I turned over to my next map sheet, I saw that a pub was marked further along by the railway station so, after a short walk, I was there. It is not a good idea to drink too much alcohol when there is a lot of walking to do but a pint of shandy often works well, being refreshing whilst not being too strong. I also picked up a few snack items to have later on.
Glaisdale from Glaisdale Moor
Old Milestone on Glaisdale Moor
River Esk near Carr End
Feeling suitably refreshed I topped up my water supply and continued on my way with a steep climb following the Esk Valley walk which climbs up through the woods above the river. Rather than helping me to keep refreshed, the pint of shandy had the opposite effect, making me sweat heavily and feel more run down, showing that my technique of regularly sipping water was a better approach. The scenery, though good in places, was not particularly good, sometimes lacking sunshine and sometimes being obscured by trees, though some long distance views across valleys were very good. Having been spoiled by all the sunny weather and amazing scenery earlier in the walk, I was now easily disappointed, either by a patch of cloud or somewhat restricted views, which is one of the disadvantages of starting with the more spectacular scenery coming first. The next village was Egton Bridge which is where the Germans were heading for an easy day. These villages attract a lot of people, particularly at the weekend, because they have stations on the route of North York Moors Railway, which runs steam trains through the magnificent moorland scenery, so the place was crowded as I passed through. Some easy walking led to Grosmont where another station is situated and this was particularly busy as one steam train was waiting at a platform and another one was just arriving, causing the level crossing to close.
Through Woods on Esk Valley Walk
River Esk at Egton Bridge
Steam Train at Grosmont Station
On the way out of Grosmont came the hardest part of the day's walk with a very steep walk up the road onto the moor, at one point a 33% slope, so it was quite an effort in the heat but I managed to keep going without too many stops. Once over the top of the moor I was on the home run to Intake Farm in Littlebeck where I had booked B&B plus evening meal. On the way there was a view across to Whitby with its abbey and, of course, the North Sea. Intake Farm was a little way off the route, and I had found footpaths on the map to get me there, but they were not easy to follow as they were overgrown in places though they were at least waymarked. I arrived at 6.30 in time for the meal at seven. There were other Coast to Coast walkers in: the young chap Alec who I had met on my way to Osmotherley and an Australian couple who had been taking an easier schedule with rest days.
We all enjoyed a home cooked dinner with dessert and coffee and there was a lot of conversation about various aspects of the walk until we decided to call it a day and retire to our rooms. With various extra bits of distance added by my poor route finding I had done sixty miles in three days, which was not a good idea because of the constant need to press on which was quite a strain on the feet. It would have been better to add another day and split the walking differently, but I had been more or less following my walk of 1992 without stopping to consider whether the schedule could have been improved. Also, the change from Grosmont to Littlebeck for accommodation added about 3½ miles to today's walk though it reduced tomorrow's walk by a slightly lesser amount.
Day 14 - Monday 9th July 2018 - Littlebeck to Robin Hood's Bay and Boggle Hole
Distance: 12.4 miles, 1620ft ascent
Accommodation: YHA Boggle Hole
I had a fitful night's sleep as is usually the case with a lot of aching from the soles of my feet, which was not surprising considering how much walking I had been doing. However, by the morning this had largely gone away, and they were feeling much better. As I looked at the window in the early hours, I saw a strange phenomenon. There were droplets on the window pane and the ground outside was wet. Looking at the weather forecast it gave 10% chance of rain for most of the day with 50% chance around midday as well as a considerable drop in the temperature. The temperature drop would certainly be a great relief for walking but the the cloud and rain would not be good for the scenery, though it would finally break the seemingly endless heat wave. In many ways this is not surprising on the east coast, as the weather often comes in from the cool North Sea even when the rest of the country is fine and hot.
I had breakfast with Alec and the Australian couple. Alec was one of the few walkers I had seen carrying a heavy pack with all his camping gear, making it heavier than mine, whereas nearly everyone else was using baggage transfer services. However, it had reassured me that at the age of 73, I was still capable of doing what I did 26 years ago with the added difficulty of being in one of biggest heatwaves on record. It was very hot at times in 1992 but only for short periods. True, I had taken slightly longer by splitting the first day into two parts, but this also added a few extra miles. I also made a few less detours to nearby mountain tops, but these were generally not too far off route and without too much extra ascent. However, this was compensated for by my extra asecent of Helm Crag to search for my lost GPS.
The breakfast was all very good and there was a lot of lively conversation. With not so far to walk today we were not in a great hurry to get started and it was 9.20 before we all set off together down the farm road to re-join the route about half a mile from the farm by the tiny Methodist Chapel in Littlebeck. We had been offered a lift down there but we all declined the offer. Obviously some people are reluctant to walk even a small bit that isn't on the route but none of us were in that category, and on occasion I have walked as much as 6 miles off-route to find accommodation. It made a great change to be walking in cool conditions but the disadvantage was that everything looked rather drab. The rain had stopped but there was mist and drizzle in the air, which our hostess described as mizzle.
Me, Alec and Australian couple at breakfast
Methodist Chapel at Littlebeck
The Hermitage Shelter carved out of Rock in 1790
The route ascends alongside two becks, Little Beck and May Beck through woodland, passing a shelter called the Hermitage which is cut out of a huge sandstone boulder and dated 1790, then Falling Foss, a waterfall with the nearby Midge Hall and Falling Foss Tea Garden selling teas and snacks. We stopped there to have a rest and I ordered something to take for my lunch whilst the others went ahead. It isn't always ideal walking in a group, as people want to go at different paces and if someone wants to stop for a rest, others tend to do the same in order to stay together. I find it good to have some company from time to time but prefer to go at my own pace and keep meeting up with others along the way.
Falling Foss Waterfall on Little Beck
Bridge over May Beck
Path alongside May Beck
A little further on, May Beck joins Little Beck and it is May Beck that the route then follows, still through woodland until reaching a car park where the route follows the minor access road, doubling back up the open hillside heading north. It then follows a lot of open moorland which, in a mist and fine drizzle, was not very inspiring, but it was at least cool to such an extent that the Australians up ahead had stopped to put on their jackets. Despite it being cooler and not very difficult going I was feeling rather weary, probably because the long walks of the last few days were catching up on me, so I dropped behind the others and went at my own pace (the Australians had only small packs as they were using the baggage transfer service).
High Hawsker Village
NE along Cliffs from Maw Wyke Hole
Towards the headland at Homerell Hole
After some miles over the moors I found a sheltered place to stop for my lunch and found that there was enough drizzle to be making me wet, so I had to dig out my waterproof jacket for the first time on the walk. It was not long before it started to dry up a bit, but I kept my jacket on just in case it rained again. However, it started to make me too warm so I then took it off. There was a village green in High Hawsker where I had another rest before setting off again towards the coast at Maw Wyke Hole past a holiday village. The coast path goes around a headland before coming back round to Robin Hood's Bay. This is one of the odd things about the Coast to Coast walk in that it sets off west round a headland before going east and does the opposite at the end of the walk by rounding the headland before heading west to the finish. There is about three miles of coastal path with a number of viewpoints overlooking the cliffs where waves were breaking over the rocks below. For the first half, the coast runs roughly southeast towards Homerell Hole, then rounds the easternmost headland at Castle Chamber before swinging round to the southwest.
Headland near Castle Chamber
Looking back North Eest
Robin Hood's Bay
Eventually, the very picturesque sight of Robin Hood's Bay came into view and a steep road through the village led me down to the sea. Some people I had met earlier offered to take my photo dipping my boots in the sea as Wainwright says you should. I was then reminded that you are supposed to carry a pebble from the start and cast it into the sea at the finish. I had forgotten to do this so I said I would just have to nip back to St Bees and get one! Whilst I was phoning home, one of the walkers took a candid photo of me, which was much nicer than the posed photos with feet in the sea. She e-mailed it to me with a caption of 'Happy Man'. I then went into the nearby pub where the Australians were just entering their names into the book of those who had completed the walk. I added my name and joined them for a pint. Of the beers on offer the only one I could possibly choose was the Wainwright bitter.
Phoning Home from Robin Hood's Bay
After a good chat we parted company, with me heading along the beach to Boggle Hole Youth Hostel, which is possible at low tide, whilst they made for their B&B. The young chap Alec had gone to meet friends before I got there.
It was bedlam in Boggle Hole Youth Hostel when I arrived with large parties of schoolchildren everywhere. However, I was in a new annexe up the hillside where it was much more peaceful and there were parts of the hostel where people could sit away from the school parties, so I was able to have a pleasant relaxing meal and a few drinks.
Day 15 - Tuesday 10th July 2018 - Boggle Hole to Robin Hood's Bay and Return Back Home
Distance: 1 mile, 310ft ascent
Accommodation: Home
After a good breakfast I got off to an early start at 8.20, setting off along the coast path over the cliffs to Robin Hood's Bay as the tide was a bit too high to risk the beach route. I walked quickly along, as I was hoping to catch an earlier bus to Scarborough in case there were any hold-ups that might make me miss my train. Making my way up through the village, I found the bus stop and sat on the wall waiting for the bus to arrive. I had made it just in time for the 8.57 bus, but I waited and waited and nothing came. The next bus was at 9.27 and would still be in time for my train and I could only assume that the earlier one had got there just before I did but had carried on without waiting until the appointed time.
Boggle Hole Youth Hostel from Annexe
Towards Robin Hood's Bay from Coastal Path
Robin Hood's Bay showing Finish by Sea
Whilst I was waiting, I saw the elderly ladies I had first met on Nine Standards Rigg. They were awaiting a bus going the other way to Whitby to catch their connection down south from there - I didn't think at the time, but they may have gone that way so as to catch the North York Moors Railway from Whitby to Pickering, which would make a fine end to the walk. I had wondered about their ages, as I discovered that they had kept a very difficult schedule including one day with a 25-mile walk, so I ventured to ask the question but didn't get an answer, either because it wasn't heard properly or was conveniently ignored. Most old people are proud of their age, especially if they are capable of doing more than many younger ones can do. However, there was also an era when polite people would never ask a lady's age, so I left the question alone. One of them certainly looked like she was in her 80s, though the other looked somewhat younger.
The bus made good progress most of the way, but I think a number of passengers should have been on the earlier one as I heard complaints from those who were going to be late for hospital appointments. Apparently, the bus services were not very reliable. The last few miles into town were rather slow because of the busy traffic but I reached the railway station in time to catch my train to York, though I was somewhat confused as there was an earlier train going to Manchester whereas I was booked to go to Manchester via a change at York. I queried this and found the earlier train, though going to Manchester, didn't stop at the station I needed, so my booking was correct.
At York, I found that my train to Manchester was running 13 minutes late, but it didn't worry me too much as I had an open ticket from Manchester to Rhyl. It appears that a vehicle had hit a railway bridge in Middlesbrough and the train had to wait for the bridge to be inspected before it could continue. The delay was affecting some Manchester passengers who would have to change trains but fortunately this didn't affect me as it was going as far as Oxford Road which was where I needed to change anyway.
At last I was on the Holyhead train on the last leg of my journey to Rhyl, expecting to arrive at 3.30. An announcement came saying that passengers to Holyhead would have to get off at Llandudno Junction as there was a terrible smell from near the toilets. I wondered if it could have been from the pile of sweaty clothes in my rucksack, which was in the nearby luggage rack, but it turned out to be just a blocked toilet. I don't often travel by rail; in fact, it is generally only when I am starting or finishing a long-distance walk and not always on those either as I sometimes get there by car, either by getting a lift or by driving there myself if it is a circular walk. Sometimes the railways run very smoothly but my experiences this time just confirmed what most regular rail users are always complaining about: unreliable services. They also complain about overcrowding and high prices, but this wasn't the case for me as I was travelling at off-peak times and had booked well in advance to take advantage of lower prices on some parts of the journey.
Finally, I reached Rhyl to be greeted by my younger daughter and my 12-month old granddaughter to take me and my dirty washing, both of which should have been deemed an environmental health hazard, back home. A couple of days later I had the news that I was now a great grandfather as my adopted granddaughter had a baby boy. It makes you feel old being a grandfather but being a great grandfather takes it a stage further to being positively ancient. However, I don't let this worry me so long as I can keep on doing the things I could do when I was a lot younger.
After Thoughts
It had been both a very magnificent walk because of the amazing weather for most of the way, but also a very difficult walk because of the heat and the amount of water needed most days. On the last day which was cool, I only drank half a litre of water whereas I would have needed about three litres for the same distance on one of the hottest days. I still have reservations about the direction of the walk from west to east and think that the opposite way is better provided that the weather is not too bad. In predominantly wet and windy weather blowing from the west there are some advantages in not walking into the wind but in a reasonable summer period this is not such a big factor.
It strikes me that now, since Wainwright's death, there is nobody who can claim to be able to define what is the 'official' route, so I am not quite sure how this is arrived at. Presumably, each new guidebook or edition of a guidebook has to look at the latest situation on the ground, such as footpath diversions and SSSI sites where walkers in large numbers are either banned or discouraged. There are also new routes that are devised as walks in their own right but happen to meet or cross the route in places and these may prove to be more attractive alternatives. This inevitably means that several different alternatives can be taken, and it is just a matter of personal choice, or more likely the choice of guidebook, that determines which one to take. In my case, I was mainly trying to follow my 1992 route and did so in preference to following any of the newer routes that I had discovered recently. I also took the option of going back even earlier than my early Wainwright guide to what he initially intended over Orton Scar before hitting a right-of-way issue that no longer exists. I feel that the diverted route was not very much to his liking but forced upon him in the circumstances. However, I can also see that it may cause damage to a fragile area if hordes of people were to go his original way instead of the newer routes. The initial diversion was nearly all on minor roads, but more recent changes use more footpaths, which do improve the situation, though it is not such an attractive option unless you are seeking accommodation or refreshment in Orton.
My only real regret about this walk was that I didn't bring a tool box with me and a few spares. Wherever I have been there have been lots of maintenance jobs that have needed doing; dripping taps, loose door handles and catches etc. Without any tools the only thing I was able to fix was the shower drain in Keld Bunkbarn which was clogged up with hair. It is one of the things that I find in places offering budget accommodation (and some more expensive places as well) that things are not very well maintained. Even small jobs can cost a lot of money when they involve calling out a tradesman, so replacing a 20-pence tap washer can easily cost £50 if you do not do it yourself. Fortunately, I can do most jobs myself, so I am not faced with this problem.
Photography and Technology
Over the years that I have been doing long distance walks, camera technology, Internet technology and display technology have developed by giant leaps from 35mm colour slides that had to be scanned to produce low quality digital images for the website up to the present day with high quality digital photography, almost unlimited memory and super fast broadband,
The article in the 'Other Items' section chronacles all of this throughout my walks.
