View Full Version : Coast to Coast Trail in UK
Hammock Hanger
02-26-2012, 13:41
Looking for someone who has hiked this trail. Need to ask some questions. TXS, HH:-?
Live_for_hiking
02-26-2012, 14:05
Are you talking about the one that starts in St. Bees (Irish Sea) and ends in Robin Hood's Bay (North Sea)? I'd love to hear more info on this potential trip as well. I had tentative plans to hike it this early fall with a buddy of mine but nixed the idea because I moved my thru-hike to 2013 (need to save more $$$).
I did spend a little time reading up on itineraries, etc. Most of those preplanned trips are slack-packing trips. You day hike with limited packs to the next sleeping point. They are pretty flexible and the trip can be 10 to 20 days in length to hike the ~190 miles.
It is still on my to-do list.
My wife and I hiked it in September of 2010. Fun trip! I did a brief summary of it on my trail journal, here:
http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=61a72192cd1f9f48538d9e608d2bf1 5d&entry_id=19036
Now, the answer to your first question is: we took 14 days, but were going pretty casual; a thru-hiking friend happily did it in half that time. Question two: sheep. Lots of sheep. Question three: sorry, don't drink beer, can't help you there.
Any more questions I can speculate on, or do you actually want to ask some? :)
Live_for_hiking
02-26-2012, 14:19
This is a helpful link: http://www.coasttocoastguides.co.uk/index.htm to plan your own hike.
A popular agency is: http://www.contours.co.uk/walking-holidays/coast-to-coast-walk.php .
My advice is: take along a compass or two or three.
Ask directions frequently along the way.
The Coast to Coast is infrequently sign-posted but other trails are sign-posted and better used and will lead you astray.
"take along a compass or two or three.
Ask directions frequently along the way.
The Coast to Coast is infrequently sign-posted but other trails are sign-posted and better used and will lead you astray. "
Can't recall using a compass --- even on completely overcast days generally you know what direction you're travelling just from context, at least if you're paying attention.
Asking directions is nice if there's someone there to ask, but at the (indeed frequent) places a person would wonder which way to turn, there was rarely anyone around. Good idea at lunch or evenings/mornings, however, to ask at pub or youth hostel or B&B or whereever about any known navigation challenges coming up. With the big caveat that (a) the locals know their turf and so don't see it the way you do, and (b) they might never have walked it themselves, or if so, not at all recently. Great conversations, regardless!
IMO key to navigation on that trail is to have one of the guidebooks. Handy. And generally inside a big ziplock bag as, this might surprise folks, but it rains there on occasion. My wife and I actually each had a different guidebook, and would periodically consult one or the other. In a lot of places the Wainwright trail really is just a lot of local access paths stitched together, often without any sign that references the overall C2C. You could easily stay on the AT without a guidebook, or at least you could for the vast majority of it. You need the guidebook on the C2C.
Firefighter503
02-26-2012, 18:07
Hmmm I haven't heard too much about this trail, but was looking for some backpacking to do in Europe. This might be nice for a couple week vacation.
restlesss
02-26-2012, 22:54
I have looked at it online and decided it needs to be on my bucket list. very excited in a couple of years to do it! if you wait til next summer I could join you.
Old Hillwalker
02-27-2012, 07:46
If you want a challange, hike the Cape Wrath Trail http://www.capewrathtrail.co.uk/
Firefighter503
02-28-2012, 00:24
@restless - Not sure if you are talking to me or hammockhanger, but if you are talking to me, I am def interested. I am trying to figure out where to go this June, and I think I am leaning more towards Ireland. The C2C trail, and the Pyrenees HRP trail are both on my list for the next couple of years.
WalkinHome
02-28-2012, 11:16
Can't recall using a compass --- even on completely overcast days generally you know what direction you're travelling just from context, at least if you're paying attention.
Asking directions is nice if there's someone there to ask, but at the (indeed frequent) places a person would wonder which way to turn, there was rarely anyone around. Good idea at lunch or evenings/mornings, however, to ask at pub or youth hostel or B&B or whereever about any known navigation challenges coming up. With the big caveat that (a) the locals know their turf and so don't see it the way you do, and (b) they might never have walked it themselves, or if so, not at all recently. Great conversations, regardless!
IMO key to navigation on that trail is to have one of the guidebooks. Handy. And generally inside a big ziplock bag as, this might surprise folks, but it rains there on occasion. My wife and I actually each had a different guidebook, and would periodically consult one or the other. In a lot of places the Wainwright trail really is just a lot of local access paths stitched together, often without any sign that references the overall C2C. You could easily stay on the AT without a guidebook, or at least you could for the vast majority of it. You need the guidebook on the C2C.
If you find youself on top of Kidsty Pike in the clouds, with no one to follow, you will wish you had that compass!