Coast to Coast Path National Trail

Cumbria, N Yorkshire

The classic route by Alfred Wainwright was intended in part to encourage others to devise their own routes, walking coast to coast connecting the Irish and North Seas. This particular route also links three National Parks taking a high level traverse wherever possible. From the west, the coastal plain is crossed to, and through, the Lake District to Shap, followed by the crossing of the Westmorland limestone plateau to Kirkby Stephen, a climb across the Pennine watershed to reach Keld and over Gunnerside Moor and Melbeck Moors to Reeth and Richmond to the low level Vale of Mowbray, before again achieving height across the North York Moors. Between Keld and Reeth there is a choice to take the high level route, as favoured by Wainwright, or a low level route through beautiful Swaledale.

The Coast to Coast Path became a National Trail on 26 March 2026.

For National Trails website alerts see 'Coast to Coast Path Interactive Map'' below. The National Trails website states "The approved route does not cross the A19 at Ingelby Arncliffe. A signed alternative route north to cross the A19 via the Black Swan Bridge is provided." Several of the websites and blogs listed below don't use the Black Swan Bridge.

UPDATE: March 2026: A 3km section of the King Charles III England Coast Path and the Coast to Coast Path is closed due to landslips between St Bees (NX959118) and Fleswick Bay (NX942136) see https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/short-routes/temporary-route-to-and-from-st-bees/?trail=coast-to-coast

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Details:

Path Type:	National Trails (England & Wales)
Waymark:	National Trail Acorn with path name & AW initials
Attributes:	National Trail (England and Wales) Challenging Path Passport Coast-to-Coast Lake/Reservoir/Loch Moorland
Start:	NX960118 - St Bees, Cumbria
Finish:	NZ953049 - Robin Hood's Bay, N Yorkshire
Open Date:	1973
Web Sites:	National Trails - Coast to Coast Path Interactive Map Wainwright Society - AW's Coast to Coast Walk Independent Hostels UK - Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk Accommodation Rambling Man - Planning your Coast to Coast Walk Outdoor Scott - Walking the Coast to Coast Walk in England Abbie Barnes - Camping the Wainwright's Coast to Coast in England [YouTube video] Roy D McKee - Coast to Coast Waypoint51 - Coast to Coast

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Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook	Coast to Coast Path: St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay  (Trailblazer  - 2023 )
Guidebook	Trekking the Coast to Coast Path: two-way trekking guide  (Knife Edge Outdoor Guidebooks  - 2022 )
Guidebook	Coast to Coast: St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay  (Rucksack Readers  - 2018 )
Guidebook	Coast to Coast Walk: St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay  (Cicerone Press  - 2025 reprint )
Guidebook	Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk : from St Bees Head to Robin Hood's Bay  (Frances Lincoln (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2017 )
Guidebook	A Coast to Coast Walk : a pictorial guide : St Bees Head to Robin Hood's Bay  (Frances Lincoln (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2017 )
Guidebook	Coast to Coast Walk : the classic high-level walk from Irish Sea to North Sea  (Aurum Press (an imprint of Quarto)  - 2016 )
Guidebook	Coast to Coast Route Guide  (Skyware  - 2014 )
Guidebook	Fastpacking: multi-day running adventures: tips, stories and route ideas  (Cicerone Press  - 2018 )
General Interest Book	Coast-to-Coast Walk: Rocks & Scenery  (Cordee Ltd  - 2017 )
General Interest Book	Coast to Coast with a camera  (Hayloft  - 2011 )
General Interest Book	Big Trails: Great Britain & Ireland  (Vertebrate Publishing  - 2020 )
Path Passport	Coast to Coast Official Passport  (Richmond Yorkshire CIC )

Click to showhide 9 more Publications, Badges and Certificates

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