I'm 70 and pretty fit and have walked quite a bit in England. I plan to do this walk in August of 2026 with a small group, and someone in the group will make all the arrangements and lead the group.
My questions for those who have done the walk are: Do you have any special advice as to how to prepare? Any advice on what to bring? We will have a luggage transport service and will carry daypacks.
Many thanks.
Logistical advice is to try to fly into Manchester Airport.
From there an almost hourly rail service runs to Barrow in Furness, for at least hourly connections to St Bees.
Ignore all rail ticket booking websites. When you arrive just buy a Northern Explorer 55 ticket- currently priced at £19.20.
That will cover any Northern train on that route (and further) after 9.30am weekdays/any time at weekends. No railcard needed, available to anyone over 55.
For the fine coastal views sit on the left hand side of both trains.
Bring layered clothing for all 4 seasons- it can do anything in terms of weather (short of snow) especially on the Lake District sections, even in August.
At St Bees most guide books probably still talk about Hartley 's Beach Cafe. It has now closed as such and is now under new management as the Beach Road Bakehouse- far better than Hartleys was.
On Day 2 before you start off from Ennerdale do stock up at the shop and cafe at The Gather. It is a long way down Ennerdale with no facilities before Honister Mine. On the last Friday of each month there is a Community film club there at 7pm for £5.
Hi Grier -
My through hike on the Coast to Coast was way back in 1985, so not terribly relevant now. That said, I completed some of the Lake District sections last year and was on it on the North Yorkshire Moors (and coast) where it runs in tandem with the Cleveland Way a couple of months back. Like you, I am approaching seventy from the wrong direction!
In terms of preparation I would be getting in lots of regular walks and, if possible, including plenty of hills in them. While the peaks in England are admittedly not high in terms of sheer altitude on the Coast to Coast the ascents and descents are relentless throughout the walk. For that reason alone I would be taking walking poles - they really do take some stress off the knees especially, on both ascents and descents, plus they provide additional balance on the more rocky trails especially in the Lake District for instance.
So what do I wear on an English long distance trail? I should state that I tend to ‘run hot’ so am happy in thin layers. Thus I wear a wicking t-shirt and if I need to be warmer I wear a thin long sleeved half zip base layer on top of the t-shirt. I have added a couple of hooded versions of these to my wardrobe. In summer I try to wear shorts but have longer hiking pants in my main luggage as back up if the weather conditions require it. (This I ascertain by reading the weather forecast and looking out the window first thing of a morning - this doesn’t always work and thus I found myself in shorts at the highest point of the North Yorkshire Moors on a day when some folk were helicoptered off with hypothermia, although we were ostensibly in the grip of what Brits refer to as a ‘heatwave’! It was a bit brisk around the knees, but if needed - I didn’t feel the need as it happened - I had my full length waterproof trousers in my day bag.)
I always carry full body cover waterproofs in my day bag as a matter of course. In August I would think you would get away with a lighter weight waterproof jacket and waterproof pants. On the Cleveland Way I wore a very light windproof jacket which I also had - your waterproof would double as a windprooof if you wanted to save weight. I had both but never wore the waterproof as the weather was (remarkably) dry. That said, because weather conditions are so changeable and localised here, the waterproofs were in my bag every day without fail. I wear a baseball cap or ‘flat ‘at’ on my head if conditions allow but have a lightweight beanie for when the wind gets up. There’s also a pair of gloves and a Buff (or similar) in the day bag, every day.
I wore lightweight hiking boots on my latest Coast to Coast section hikes. What works for me are a pair of liner socks and a thicker merino pair on top of those. My boots therefore are a size larger than my regular footwear. I arrived at this system by trial and error over a long period - works for me, but I recognise that everybody is different and it may not work for them. I know the tendency these days is to hike in ‘trail shoes’ and if you can get away with that, fine. Mostly, whether to go with boots or shoes depends on a) how wet or dry it is underfoot, b) how rugged your trail shoes are in comparison to boots, and c) whether you feel the additional ankle support offered by even a lighter weight boot is necessary/desireable (on balance I think I do).
I am normally a fan of knee length gaiters but noted my lightweight boots don’t have the indent in front of the heel section to accommodate the underfoot strap, so left them at home. If the weather had been especially wet, I would have switched to a heavier duty boot and taken the gaiters but as it was I was prepared to risk the vagaries of the British summer!
(Continues below……)
I carry a minimum of a litre plus (two and a half pints) of water which I flavour with electrolyte tablets and I have some trail snacks in my bag. On the Coast to Coast there are some days where you don’t come across any opportunities to buy lunch or snacks en route, so it’s wise to have something to fall back on. Many days though there is something en route - check with your guide/organiser what the daily options are, in advance, at least the day before.
In addition to my wallet and phone, I also carry a small head torch, compass map and guide, although if you are in an ‘organised’ group you may not need to. Anything that might be adversely affected by water I put in either sealable - ziplock? - plastic bags or dry bags within my day bag. The phone has its own dedicated waterproof pouch.
I think that’s it. Hopefully there’s something here you might find useful. If you need further info, don’t hesitate to ask! Hope you have a great trip along the C2C - it remains my favourite English trail, and I’ve done plenty of them!
Ian
P.S. Also a minimal First Aid Kit - band aids, antiseptic cream and wipes, tweezers (ticks!), and Paracetamol. I’m told Ibuprofen takes the edge off aching muscles at the end of a long day, but for medical reasons I’m not allowed to take it, so paracetamol in the day bag and a tube of Voltarol in my main bag wash ups!
I've done this walk twice, in 2006 and 2022 both times were self planned and self guided, although in 2022 I did arrange luggage transfer (2006 I carried all my stuff) and stayed in B&Bs both times. Others have given excellent advice. You will experience all weather so pack with layers and don't skimp on the rain gear (as already mentioned). I'm a strong proponent of waking poles and used them on both of my trips.
Think about bringing two pairs of hiking shoes. I had both boots for the more rugged portions, like the lake district, and also a pair of low top trail running shoes to wear on days where there was more road walking or the trail was less rugged, like the days you're crossing a lot of fields. It gave my feet a break and I learned miles and miles of road walking in hiking boots can be murder on my feet.
When you are planning your days, don't forget about rest days! In 2006, I only had one rest day in Richmond. In 2022 my friends and I, acknowledging we were older with more aches and pains, we also did any earlier rest day in Grasmere as well as one in Richmond. Also, accommodation can fill fast in the smaller towns/villages so your planner should start reaching out now to see if places are taking bookings yet for 2026. Some will some won't.
Leave time to stay in, and explore the area of Robin Hood's Bay at the end. Tell the folks back home when you're about to finish so they can watch you on the RHB webcam on the Bay Hotel as you head for the shore line. We did that and I believe someone at home saved a screen shot of us briefly standing and waving towards the camera.
I've used OS maps, the Steadman book and the Far Out app for wayfinding. All were good all have pluses and minuses.
It's a fun, hard, enjoyable hike. Keep an eye out for the various honesty boxes and keep some change in your pocket to pay for any treats. You may not realize just how amazing a kit kat sounds until you open an honesty box in a farm yard and see it there, calling to you. Have fun!
