Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast Walk (St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay)
Alfred Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast Walk was created by England’s most beloved writer on Lake District fell walks, this is not an official coastal path. The walk takes a few weeks (stopping at inns along the way), running from the west to east coast.
You can do the walk the other way, though most people start in the coastal village of St Bees in Cumbria. Because that’s the more difficult hilly part, so once your legs are tired, the eastern part is easier on the joints! Before you finally paddle your toes in the village of Robin Hood’s Bay in East Yorkshire.
There is a train station at St Bees. The nearest train station to Robin Hood’s Bay is Whitby, a short bus ride away.
Always follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from steep banks, mushrooms (and toxic plants/trees) and on leads near birds, barnyard friends and wild ponies.
If at the coast, keep away from nesting birds and never walk on sand dunes. Learn how to keep dogs safe by the seaside (check beach bans before travel).
The coast to coast walk is a great way to view the differences in landscape, but also nature. For instance, you’ll start off seeing hardy Herdwick sheep in Cumbria, and these will give way to curly-horned Swaledales as you move east!
How to upright an overturned sheep
Pregnant sheep (and sometimes due to wool waterlogged from rain) can sometimes roll over onto their backs, and can’t get back upright, due to having four stomach chambers (so will die if not turned back upright).
If you see a sheep on its back, just firmly right it back, then stay with it, until rain has drained off, so it won’t happen again. Then inform your local farmer.
St Bees, Cumbria (start of the walk)
St Bees faces the Irish Sea, and was named after 7th century Irish nun Bega (who was shipwrecked here). The village still maintains a 12th century priory. And is home to many seabirds (kittiwakes, fulmars and razorbills), it’s now an RSPB reserve, to protect them.
The village has an independent school, which is over 440 years old. One former student was comedian Rowan Atkinson (aka Mr Bean!)
Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire (end of the walk)
Robin Hood’s Bay is a tiny little place, on the East Yorkshire coast. It’s pretty steep, and was a smuggling hub in the 18th century, with narrow streets and passageways, that would confuse customs officers!
It was said that you could smuggle more or less anything from the bay to the top of the cliff, without ever seeing daylight!
Despite the name, there appears to be no connection to Robin Hood and his merry men. However some say that he did meet French pirates in the bay, defeated them and returned the looted goods to villagers. Who knows?
The area is prone to coastal erosion, with up to 22 metres have already been lost to the sea, since 1895. Poet Simon Armitage is a fan, and recently presented a delightful Winter Walk for the BBC in a wonderful series.
Who Was Alfred Wainwright?
Alfred Wainwright was a fell guide writer, who took a pay drop, to move to the Lake District, after falling in love with the area, on a visit as a young man.
After an unhappy first marriage, he married the love of his life (on condition that she walked several paces behind him, and didn’t talk on their walks!) It seemed to work, as they remained blissfully happy until he died of natural causes, at a ripe old age.
Alfred was extremely fond of nature and wildlife, and donated profits from his books to animal charities. A local animal shelter is even named after him.
More information on the coast-to-coast walk
Contours has accommodation (look for pawprint icons if walking with dogs – you can book just part of the walk). Mickledore also offers part-of-the-walk holidays, although not everywhere is dog-friendly.
Official guidebooks feature details on places to stay and camp, plus local pubs. Or go for the older but more interesting guide by Alfred himself, with pictures (updated regularly).
You can report damaged paths or overgrown hedgerows.
A one-woman journey on the coast path
On Winter Hill is the fourth book by an award-winning nature writer, whose book about the south west coast walk (with her husband who has a serious illness) was made into the film The Salt Path.
Now Raynor laces up her walking boots once more, to complete the Coast to Coast Walk. But after 45 years of walking hand-in-hand, a setback in her husband’s health means this time she is walking alone.
As she makes her way across boggy moorland and snowy fells, she replays in her mind the events that led on on this path, like a migratory bird on a journey for survival.
Faced with turbulent weather, impassable routes and inner turmoil, she looks to nature for the strength to grapple with Moth’s absence, and to calm her overwhelming anxiety about the future. Can she find renewed peace and hope that previous journeys have yielded? And will Moth find the strength, to walk beside her once again?
