Coast to Coast Walk

Coast to Coast Walk

An iconic walk across England via the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors.

3 to 19 nights
18-190 miles
Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous

From £360 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

Created by Alfred Wainwright, the Coast to Coast Walk crosses the breadth of the North of England from St Bees on the west coast to Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast. Some of the most varied and beautiful scenery in the country lies ahead, spread over three National Parks.

Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk clambers the rugged mountains of the Lake District to earn views over glittering tarns. It winds through the pretty valleys of the Yorkshire Dales and sets out across the expansive heather moorland of the North York Moors. Dramatic coastal scenery waits at the end, with a twisting descent to Robin Hood’s Bay.

Choose this country-crossing walking holiday and explore the best landscapes of Northern England.

At long last, this well-known walking holiday is on its way to recognition as a National Trail. The work is still in progress, but anyone walking the Coast to Coast will notice brand-new waymarkers going in, complete with the National Trail acorn. It’s an exciting time for one of Contours Holidays’ best-loved routes!

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Coast to Coast Walk
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Coast to Coast Walk - East Section
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Coast to Coast Walk - West Section
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Coast to Coast Short Break - Central Section
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Coast to Coast Short Break - West Section

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

Trail running tours available

We also organise trail running holidays along this route. Find out more.

About this route

13 to 19 nights
190 miles
Moderate to Demanding / Strenuous
1st April to 20th October
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £1480 per person

Coast to Coast Walk

Take a self-guided walking holiday covering all 190 miles of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk, wandering from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay. The Coast to Coast Walk crosses the breadth of the North of England, passing through the mountainous Lake District, the rolling Yorkshire Dales and the heather-clad North York Moors along the way.

Though this trail is challenging in places, the sense of achievement you feel upon completing it will stay with you forever.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
CCW1 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 13 nights, 12 days walking Demanding / Strenuous £1480
CCW2 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 14 nights, 13 days walking Demanding / Strenuous £1585
CCW3 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 15 nights, 14 days walking Demanding £1685
CCW4 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 16 nights, 15 days walking Demanding £1800
CCW5 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 17 nights, 16 days walking Moderate / Demanding £1890
CCW6 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 18 nights, 17 days walking Moderate / Demanding £1995
CCW7 From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay 19 nights, 18 days walking Moderate £2100

Short breaks

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
CCWSBC From Keld to Richmond 3 nights, 2 days walking Moderate £360
"Atop Kidsty Pike" by Mike Donovan (2024) "Atop Kidsty Pike" by Mike Donovan (2024)
"Time to Reflect" by Mike Donovan (2024) "Time to Reflect" by Mike Donovan (2024)
"Rainbow over Angle Tarn" by Mike Donovan (2024) "Rainbow over Angle Tarn" by Mike Donovan (2024)
"River Swale and Swaledale" by Alison Andrews (2024) "River Swale and Swaledale" by Alison Andrews (2024)
"Ennerdale Water" by Alison Andrews (2024) "Ennerdale Water" by Alison Andrews (2024)
"Packhorse Bridge near Burnbanks" by Paul Day (2024) "Packhorse Bridge near Burnbanks" by Paul Day (2024)
"Descending to Honister Slate Mine" by Paul Day (2024) "Descending to Honister Slate Mine" by Paul Day (2024)
"St Leonard's Church, Cleator" by Paul Day (2024) "St Leonard's Church, Cleator" by Paul Day (2024)
"Smardale Viaduct" by Paul Day (2024) "Smardale Viaduct" by Paul Day (2024)
"Inquisitive Cows near Orton" by Paul Day (2024) "Inquisitive Cows near Orton" by Paul Day (2024)
"Haweswater" by Paul Day (2024) "Haweswater" by Paul Day (2024)
"Bright Morning along Ennerdale" by Robert Johnson (2024) "Bright Morning along Ennerdale" by Robert Johnson (2024)
"Old Lead Mines between Keld and Re" by Robert Johnson (2024) "Old Lead Mines between Keld and Re" by Robert Johnson (2024)
"Where the Coast to Coast joins the Cleveland Way" by Robert Johnson (2024) "Where the Coast to Coast joins the Cleveland Way" by Robert Johnson (2024)
"Tongue Gill Waterfall" by Bruce Lyon (2023) "Tongue Gill Waterfall" by Bruce Lyon (2023)
"Grasmere within Sight" by Bruce Lyon (2023) "Grasmere within Sight" by Bruce Lyon (2023)
"Ennerdale Water" by Mike Brown (2023) "Ennerdale Water" by Mike Brown (2023)
"Ahead over the North York Moors" by Matt Hutt (2023) "Ahead over the North York Moors" by Matt Hutt (2023)
"Patterdale" by Steve Woodward (2022) "Patterdale" by Steve Woodward (2022)
"Approaching Kidsty Pike" by Steve Woodward (2022) "Approaching Kidsty Pike" by Steve Woodward (2022)
"Ennerdale Water" by Steve Woodward (2022) "Ennerdale Water" by Steve Woodward (2022)
"Patterdale" by Steve Woodward (2022) "Patterdale" by Steve Woodward (2022)
"On the Path to Keld" by Cathy Houlihan (2022) "On the Path to Keld" by Cathy Houlihan (2022)
"North York Moors" by Cathy Houlihan (2022) "North York Moors" by Cathy Houlihan (2022)
"Leaving Kirkby Stephen" by Cathy Houlihan (2022) "Leaving Kirkby Stephen" by Cathy Houlihan (2022)
"Nine Standards Rigg" by Cathy Houlihan (2022) "Nine Standards Rigg" by Cathy Houlihan (2022)
"Leaving Kirkby Stephen" by Cathy Houlihan (2022) "Leaving Kirkby Stephen" by Cathy Houlihan (2022)
"Struggling in the Yorkshire Dales" by Greg Abrams (2022) "Struggling in the Yorkshire Dales" by Greg Abrams (2022)
"Spring Blooms near Penrith" by Greg Abrams (2022) "Spring Blooms near Penrith" by Greg Abrams (2022)
"Just Hanging On in the North York Moors" by Greg Abrams (2022) "Just Hanging On in the North York Moors" by Greg Abrams (2022)
"Making Friends in the Yorkshire Dales" by Greg Abrams (2022) "Making Friends in the Yorkshire Dales" by Greg Abrams (2022)
"Sunset Glow near Penrith" by Greg Abrams (2022) "Sunset Glow near Penrith" by Greg Abrams (2022)
"In the Lake District near Cleator" by Greg Abrams (2022) "In the Lake District near Cleator" by Greg Abrams (2022)
"From Patterdale to Burnbanks" by Lauren Nadler (2022) "From Patterdale to Burnbanks" by Lauren Nadler (2022)
"Flyover over Haweswater Reservoir" by Lauren Nadler (2022) "Flyover over Haweswater Reservoir" by Lauren Nadler (2022)
"Setting off from St Bees" by Lauren Nadler (2022) "Setting off from St Bees" by Lauren Nadler (2022)
"From Patterdale to Burnbanks" by Lauren Nadler (2022) "From Patterdale to Burnbanks" by Lauren Nadler (2022)
"Goodbye to St Bees" by Duncan Thomas (2022) "Goodbye to St Bees" by Duncan Thomas (2022)
"Parasailing at North York Moors" by Duncan Thomas (2022) "Parasailing at North York Moors" by Duncan Thomas (2022)
"Seascale" by Duncan Thomas (2022) "Seascale" by Duncan Thomas (2022)
"St Mary Churchyard" by Duncan Thomas (2022) "St Mary Churchyard" by Duncan Thomas (2022)
"A Pint of Wainwright" by Duncan Thomas (2022) "A Pint of Wainwright" by Duncan Thomas (2022)
"Grasmere Path to Grisdale" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Grasmere Path to Grisdale" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Angle Tarn" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Angle Tarn" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Swaledale Path to Reeth" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Swaledale Path to Reeth" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Littlebeck Walkway" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Littlebeck Walkway" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Bolton-on-Swale Church" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Bolton-on-Swale Church" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"St Bees Head Golden Vista" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "St Bees Head Golden Vista" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Across Grisedale Beck" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Across Grisedale Beck" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Kidsty Pike View" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Kidsty Pike View" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"Rob Hood's Bay Sunrise" by Dagmara Ginter (2022) "Rob Hood's Bay Sunrise" by Dagmara Ginter (2022)
"At St Bees" by Robert Johnson (2021) "At St Bees" by Robert Johnson (2021)
"Smardalegill Viaduct" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Smardalegill Viaduct" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Standing Stones West of Littlebeck" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Standing Stones West of Littlebeck" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"One of the Nine Standards" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "One of the Nine Standards" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Gisedale Tarn from St Sunday Crag" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Gisedale Tarn from St Sunday Crag" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Sheep on Reeth High Moor" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Sheep on Reeth High Moor" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Crackpot Hall" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Crackpot Hall" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Helm Crag Looking Towards Grasmere" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Helm Crag Looking Towards Grasmere" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Haweswater Reservoir" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Haweswater Reservoir" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"Looking West from Kidsty Pike" by Raymond Riggs (2021) "Looking West from Kidsty Pike" by Raymond Riggs (2021)
"We Were Here" by Stuart Brooks (2020) "We Were Here" by Stuart Brooks (2020)
"North York Moors" by Stuart Brooks (2020) "North York Moors" by Stuart Brooks (2020)
"Food Glorious Food" by Stuart Brooks (2020) "Food Glorious Food" by Stuart Brooks (2020)
"Nine Standards Rigg" by Adrian Pugh (2018 Photo Competition Winner) "Nine Standards Rigg" by Adrian Pugh (2018 Photo Competition Winner)
"Ivelet Bridge" by Adrian Pugh (2018) "Ivelet Bridge" by Adrian Pugh (2018)
"Healaugh" by Adrian Pugh (2018) "Healaugh" by Adrian Pugh (2018)
"Near Nine Standards Rigg" by Adrian Pugh (2018) "Near Nine Standards Rigg" by Adrian Pugh (2018)
"Waterfall near Cotterby Scar" by Adrian Pugh (2018) "Waterfall near Cotterby Scar" by Adrian Pugh (2018)
"Swaledale Barn" by Adrian Pugh (2018) "Swaledale Barn" by Adrian Pugh (2018)
"Trig Point at Carlton Moor" by Adrian Pugh (2018) "Trig Point at Carlton Moor" by Adrian Pugh (2018)
"Autumn Woodlands near Falling Foss" by Jane Thorley (2018) "Autumn Woodlands near Falling Foss" by Jane Thorley (2018)
"Seat overlooking Ennerdale Water" by Robert Evans (2018) "Seat overlooking Ennerdale Water" by Robert Evans (2018)
"Honister Pass" by Robert Evans (2018) "Honister Pass" by Robert Evans (2018)
"Approaching the Wain Stones" by Robert Evans (2018) "Approaching the Wain Stones" by Robert Evans (2018)
"Signpost Overlooking the North Sea" by Robert Evans (2018) "Signpost Overlooking the North Sea" by Robert Evans (2018)
"Barley Field near Danby Wiske" by Robert Evans (2018) "Barley Field near Danby Wiske" by Robert Evans (2018)
"Honister Slate Mine" by Robert Evans (2018) "Honister Slate Mine" by Robert Evans (2018)
"Grasmere" by Pat Taylor (2018) "Grasmere" by Pat Taylor (2018)
"Mount Grace Priory" by Pat Taylor (2018) "Mount Grace Priory" by Pat Taylor (2018)
"Near Danby Head" by Pat Taylor (2018) "Near Danby Head" by Pat Taylor (2018)
"Swaledale" by Patricia Taylor (2018) "Swaledale" by Patricia Taylor (2018)
"Heading out of St Bees" by Pat Taylor (2018) "Heading out of St Bees" by Pat Taylor (2018)
"Frosty Signpost" by Alastair Cairns (2018) "Frosty Signpost" by Alastair Cairns (2018)
"Good Company at Kirkby Stephen" by Alastair Cairns (2018) "Good Company at Kirkby Stephen" by Alastair Cairns (2018)
"The Great British Weather" by Alastair Cairns (2018) "The Great British Weather" by Alastair Cairns (2018)
"Nine Standards" by Alastair Cairns (2018) "Nine Standards" by Alastair Cairns (2018)
"Curious Sheep near Seatoller" by Michael Searle (2017 Photo Competition Winner) "Curious Sheep near Seatoller" by Michael Searle (2017 Photo Competition Winner)
"Mollie on Holiday" by Jodie Archer (2017 Photo Competition Winner) "Mollie on Holiday" by Jodie Archer (2017 Photo Competition Winner)
"Mansion on Ullswater Lake" by Jodie Archer (2017) "Mansion on Ullswater Lake" by Jodie Archer (2017)
"Robin Hoods Bay" by Jodie Archer (2017) "Robin Hoods Bay" by Jodie Archer (2017)
"Boots in Kirkby Stephen" by Helen Anderson (2017) "Boots in Kirkby Stephen" by Helen Anderson (2017)
"Borrowdale" by Helen Anderson (2017) "Borrowdale" by Helen Anderson (2017)
"Nine Standards" by Helen Anderson (2017) "Nine Standards" by Helen Anderson (2017)
"Angle Tarn" by Norma Moxham (2017) "Angle Tarn" by Norma Moxham (2017)
"Honiston Dismantled Railway Line" by Susan OSullivan (2017) "Honiston Dismantled Railway Line" by Susan OSullivan (2017)
"Grasmere" by Susan OSullivan (2017) "Grasmere" by Susan OSullivan (2017)
"Ennerdale Lake" by Susan OSullivan (2017) "Ennerdale Lake" by Susan OSullivan (2017)
"Rosthwaite" by Susan OSullivan (2017) "Rosthwaite" by Susan OSullivan (2017)

Customer reviews from the Coast to Coast Walk

“Everything went very well, all organised taxis, rooms and meals were as expected.”
Mr Herridge, UK
“Had a fantastic time and everything ran very smoothly. All the accommodation was of a high standard, some exceptional, and the taxi companies and baggage handlers all went out of their way to be helpful. We travelled with my dog, who was welcomed everywhere he went. The walk itself was enjoyable and we only had one day of rain. Loved the fact you were progressing each day and the change in scenery was a delight. The dog friendly aspect worked a treat. I will be recommending 'Dog Friendly' magazine do an article on this. Keep increasing the dog friendly options. Was considering the West Highland Way but no dog friendly option.”
Mrs Pidd, UK
“Thoroughly enjoyed, a great experience with varied walking, not to mention the challenge of walking across the entire country. Some outstanding accommodation booked, and it's lovely to start a day's walk knowing that wherever you're headed is going to be an excellent night. Have hardly stopped talking about it and have also been using it to inspire my Year 4 lessons this week, talking about scales, measurement and compass directions.”
Mr Pickup, UK
“A fabulous and varied walk, with different beautiful scenery every day. Met lots of nice people doing the same, and great fun to share experiences. Almost without exception, the organisation by Contours was flawless, though rather a lot of taxi transfers and Contours are missing a trick by not providing a mobile phone app for the route. I can see why this is often regarded as Britain's best long-distance walk. Organisation was very good.”
Mr Gates, UK
“A real adventure. Very well organised.”
Mr Hammond, UK
“This holiday was primarily about the walking and the scenery so was significantly weather dependent. Apart from a few showers the weather was excellent and previous weeks\' dry weather also ensured it was generally dry underfoot. The luggage transfers, apart from being a little late arriving a couple of times, seemed to work well. The accommodation was interestingly varied and generally good to excellent with only a few negatives.”
Mr Shenton, UK
“It was an amazing experience. Every day was filled with new sights and delights.”
Ms Davies, Australia
“We are back home in Oz after a fantastic UK holiday.”
Mr Guthrie, Australia
“Exceeded expectations. Fortunate with weather mostly. No hitches. Most accommodations good or better.”
Mr Newbery, New Zealand
Find your holiday