Overview
The new Coast to Coast (C2C) National Trail was originally conceived by Alfred Wainright. It is not clear if he would have been to happy about that, as he was not a fan of turning his original coast to coast route into a National Trail. Nevertheless, this is one of the post popular UK trails, with an estaimated 10-15,000 completors each year, which exceeds some of the ‘lesser’ trails by some margin. It is popular with international visitors too, so don’t get confused when you hear an antipodian, or US accent.
Last updated 22nd Jan 2026 – this is a template for the walk pages. I will complete this page after I have walked the path in 2026.
Time of year
Most people would walk this in the shoulder months, to avoid the winter gales, but it can be walked at any time of the year depending on your experience and the conditions at the time. I met a group in Robin Hood’s Bay, who had cross from St Bees through Storm Agnes. They looked exhausted.
Length of walk
The route is 192 miles.
Accommodation and Transport
This trail is very popular with package walking organisations. I will update this section with recommendations after my walk.
My experience
To be completed
My itinerary
Day 1 – I think I’ll go east to west, so I can meet more people!
Resources
Coast to Coast Walk UK – an independent site
National Trails UK Coast to Coast Path National Trails – formal website
Independent Hostels – C2C Guide – a very useful guide to the independent hostels on this route