hiking northern england

Thanks so much, Lola! I don't know where I was looking but I didn't find those SC offerings a month or so ago the last time I looked. I had some trouble accessing some SC material from my iPhone, and I kind-of dropped it because it wasn't something I could consider anyway at this time with all my other plans already cast. Next year!

Sherpa Van does baggage transfers on many popular British walking and cycling routes.

I met an American couple in Amsterdam in April who waxed poetic about a small-group Sierra Club International walking trip they did in 2012 across northern England for about 3 weeks, including the Dales and the moors, etc. It sounded fantastic and their photos were beautiful. Of course, it included baggage transfer and stays in some great B&Bs. I have been checking the Sierra Club International offerings frequently on and off since then, but have not been able to find a similar trip. Granted, I'm not looking hard because I already have so much other travel already booked, but it's most certainly on my radar. Good luck! I'd love to hear more about what you find.

It sounds like the Coast to Coast Walk, which traverses Northern England east to west (or vice versa) from one coast to the other, crossing the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, and lots more. The Sierra Club is doing that trip this September and again next May. Space is available on both trips. http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/brochure/13700a.aspx Other travel companies such as Wilderness Travels also offer the trip (at a higher price). If you want to do an independent, self-guided trip, English companies such as the above-mentioned Sherpa, plus Contour and others, will offer services including booking accommodation, luggage transport, maps, etc.

Hi Carol, if you go to this website....http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ ~~ it will tell you about all the trails available to walk. A friend and I are walking the Cotswold Way next year. I think we will be using the company Luggage Transfers to transport out bag from one B&B to the next B&B. There are several companies that transfer bags.

Gosh, thanks to everyone for the great referrals and speedy replies!!!

My eldest son and his wife are hiking Hadrians Wall this week. It is about 72 miles total or 12 per day. They are doing it independent with a company carrying their luggage from B&B to B&B located in market towns along the way.
I understand they are having a wonderful time.

We have done this twice, and it's a great way to travel! There are lots of companies that do this! Some are local, some are UK-wide. In 2006 we walked Hadrian's Wall and used this company: http://www.hadrianswall.ltd.uk/home.html We just got back from 5 days walking in Wales, and used Celtic Trails: http://www.celtic-trails.com Both companies were great. Both arranged our family's independent walk. We did not join a tour group either time. I think you can do it either way, whatever your preference might be. Have fun!

Many ways to do an English or UK walking holiday. As some mentioned, there are luggage services that pick up and deliver your bag each day allowing you reduce your pack contents to what you need during your walk. As some mentioned, you can option fully guided walks. We have had good experiences with a booking company that books daily accomodations, provides maps, guide books and specific instructions on finding your nightly accomodation, and coordiantes the luggage service. You simply have to be able to get from your daily points A to B. I can highly recommend Contours Walking Holidays:
http://www.contours.co.uk/index.php

Cheeck. the sherpavan forum,very comprehensive.They. also do baggage. transfer

Another one I found is Mickeldore: http://www.mickledore.co.uk/walking-holidays/coast_to_coast The price for a sefl-guided is about half that of the Sierra Club guided trip I posted above, and includes the whole walk (the Sierra Club trip does not cover the entire distance). You can also do one half or the other (west half or east half) if you don't have time for the whole length.

Those Mickledore trips look great. When I was speaking with the couple about their SC experience, the husband was a lot more enthusiastic about it than his wife and I wondered why. When I asked her later she said weather was a huge factor. She didn't mind the rain, but combining the rain with the sometimes difficult terrain made it a long, hard daily slog for her. Her advice was think very carefully about the gear you bring. The Mickledore site has a good list under FAQ > Equipment & Luggage. She is now trying gradually to persuade her husband that this may not be the way she wants to spend her vacation time anymore. :)

I would not undertake any walking trip, especially in the UK, without excellent Gore-tex (or similar) jacket and pants. But we Seattlites are generally well-equipped with that.

And even with Goretex or the like, plan on getting wet if you are walking for a week or more. When your parking list says waterproof map case, they mean one that lets you read your map without getting it wet. Wool or synthetic socks are a must because they will get wet even with Goretex lined boots. The coast to coast is a memorable walk for the scenery, challenge and the fellow walkers that you will meet.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/A-Walk-Across-England.html The Striding Edge photo hooked me: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/multimedia/photos/?c=y&articleID=10010386&page=5