Walking the C2C - 200 miles across England in one go
All about my walk from the Irish Sea at St Bees to the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay, following the classic Wainwright route. My first solo long distance walk.
The Coast to Coast Walk passes through some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in the country: the rugged mountains and beautiful lakes of the Lake District, the rolling hills and pretty valleys of the Yorkshire Dales and the expansive heather moorland of the North York Moors, with some dramatic coastal scenery at each end. It's traditional to pick up a pebble from the beach at St. Bees and to carry it with you and drop it on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay, dipping your toes into the sea at either end.
This is a walk I have wanted to do for a long time.....so here I go.....it's now or never! Everything is booked for June 2013.
I have bought the revised edition of A. Wainwright's "A Coast to Coast Walk," but this is more for narrative and as a memento (there is a log book section at the back which I will complete as I go). As an actual guide book I have plumped for the well recommended "Coast to Coast Path" by Henry Stedman (5th Edition). This includes 109 very detailed hand drawn maps which I have used to mark up my OS maps.
I've also used the Ordnance Survey "Get A Map" website to plot the routes for each day and download them as waypoints to my GPS. Having said that, I am not reliant on the GPS for navigation but I have been recently converted to using it as a backup to map reading to confirm one is on the right track. It is with some trepidation that I set out as the way-marking is minimal to non-existent, but I have spent time studying the maps, I'm a good navigator, and have done some walks where I have deliberately not had a map and have only used GPS so as to simulate bad weather. I'm as confident as I can be at this stage! As for walking alone - Pete has my itinerary and I will phone ahead to him and the B&B's each day with an ETA. I'll text Pete when I arrive so he can phone me back and if there is no signal, then I'm sure the B&B hosts will allow me to briefly call home. I'll also text Mum and big sis Linda to let them know I'm safe. Reading others' blogs, and having done other long distance walks, I know that you will always meet people along the way, many are doing the same stages as you and will keep an eye out for you. And if I feel unsafe at any time, or want a bit of company, I will ask to walk with a passing group (and hope that they are not the mass murdering types).
In case anyone is interested, my packing lists are here for info (several other bloggers have said they have found lists useful). It seems like a lot, but I'm actually only carrying a day sack with layers, lunch, drinks, waterproofs and first aid. The rest of my luggage will be transferred to my next B&B along the way by Sherpa, whose accommodation booking service I also used.
The Coast to Coast Walk passes through some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in the country: the rugged mountains and beautiful lakes of the Lake District, the rolling hills and pretty valleys of the Yorkshire Dales and the expansive heather moorland of the North York Moors, with some dramatic coastal scenery at each end. It's traditional to pick up a pebble from the beach at St. Bees and to carry it with you and drop it on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay, dipping your toes into the sea at either end.
This is a walk I have wanted to do for a long time.....so here I go.....it's now or never! Everything is booked for June 2013.
I have bought the revised edition of A. Wainwright's "A Coast to Coast Walk," but this is more for narrative and as a memento (there is a log book section at the back which I will complete as I go). As an actual guide book I have plumped for the well recommended "Coast to Coast Path" by Henry Stedman (5th Edition). This includes 109 very detailed hand drawn maps which I have used to mark up my OS maps.
I've also used the Ordnance Survey "Get A Map" website to plot the routes for each day and download them as waypoints to my GPS. Having said that, I am not reliant on the GPS for navigation but I have been recently converted to using it as a backup to map reading to confirm one is on the right track. It is with some trepidation that I set out as the way-marking is minimal to non-existent, but I have spent time studying the maps, I'm a good navigator, and have done some walks where I have deliberately not had a map and have only used GPS so as to simulate bad weather. I'm as confident as I can be at this stage! As for walking alone - Pete has my itinerary and I will phone ahead to him and the B&B's each day with an ETA. I'll text Pete when I arrive so he can phone me back and if there is no signal, then I'm sure the B&B hosts will allow me to briefly call home. I'll also text Mum and big sis Linda to let them know I'm safe. Reading others' blogs, and having done other long distance walks, I know that you will always meet people along the way, many are doing the same stages as you and will keep an eye out for you. And if I feel unsafe at any time, or want a bit of company, I will ask to walk with a passing group (and hope that they are not the mass murdering types).
In case anyone is interested, my packing lists are here for info (several other bloggers have said they have found lists useful). It seems like a lot, but I'm actually only carrying a day sack with layers, lunch, drinks, waterproofs and first aid. The rest of my luggage will be transferred to my next B&B along the way by Sherpa, whose accommodation booking service I also used.
OS Maps *8, marked up with route
Waterproof Map Pocket
Guide Book
2L Waterproof dry sack
(for camera and guide book to hang off rucksack for easy access)
3L Waterproof dry sacks for keeping things dry/together in rucksack
Compass
Sigi Bottles
GPS (loaded with routes) / Batteries
Camera
Head Torch / Batteries
Hats
Gloves (even on a warm day will need these at height)
Sunglasses
Trousers / Shorts
Wickable t-shirts
Fleece
Buffs
Waterproof Over-Trousers
Gortex Jacket
Socks and Liners
Boots (of course! Best ever for me are my Meindl Lady Burma)
Lekis (anti-shock trekking poles)
Spare Laces
Gaiters
Lip Salve
Sun Cream / Aftersun
Insect Repellent
Tissues
Plasters
Compeed
Surgical Tape
Sitter
Small Micro-Towel
Rucksack (Osprey Sirrus 26 - it's amazing what you can fit in)
Swiss Army Knife
Pen
Painkillers
Vaseline
Flask
Small amount cash
Small plastic bags (rubbish etc)
i-Pood (foldable trowel for emergency pit stops)
Hand Gel
Waterproof Map Pocket
Guide Book
2L Waterproof dry sack
(for camera and guide book to hang off rucksack for easy access)
3L Waterproof dry sacks for keeping things dry/together in rucksack
Compass
Sigi Bottles
GPS (loaded with routes) / Batteries
Camera
Head Torch / Batteries
Hats
Gloves (even on a warm day will need these at height)
Sunglasses
Trousers / Shorts
Wickable t-shirts
Fleece
Buffs
Waterproof Over-Trousers
Gortex Jacket
Socks and Liners
Boots (of course! Best ever for me are my Meindl Lady Burma)
Lekis (anti-shock trekking poles)
Spare Laces
Gaiters
Lip Salve
Sun Cream / Aftersun
Insect Repellent
Tissues
Plasters
Compeed
Surgical Tape
Sitter
Small Micro-Towel
Rucksack (Osprey Sirrus 26 - it's amazing what you can fit in)
Swiss Army Knife
Pen
Painkillers
Vaseline
Flask
Small amount cash
Small plastic bags (rubbish etc)
i-Pood (foldable trowel for emergency pit stops)
Hand Gel