Wainwright's A Coast to Coast Walk
Lake District walker extraordinaire Alfred Wainwright first published his 'A Coast to Coast Walk' in 1973. Recognised for its scenic and beauty, it's grown to become one of the best-loved long-distance trails in the world and has previously been named as the second best walk in the world.
After passing through the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, it enters the North York Moors National Park at Ingleby Cross, and 47-miles later, it finishes in Robin Hood's Bay. Wainwright himself called this leg of his walk ‘the finest section of our marathon (outside Lakeland)’ – high praise indeed. By the time you get to Robin Hood’s Bay we reckon you’ll have a pretty good idea of what he meant.
A plaque by the quayside marks the end of the walk although custom dictates that the 190-mile (308 km) journey isn't over until you've dipped your feet or hiking boot in the North Sea, followed swiftly by a pint in the Bay Hotel right by the slipway.
Follow the acorn!
We're delighted that this much-loved route is becoming a National Trail! We are now working alongside landowners as the official route is established over the next few years. This will see the trail made accessible to new groups of users and ensure it is maintained to the highest of environmental standards. This work will include:
- Better signage, visitor information and signposting to services as part of the core establishment work for the Coast to Coast
- A multi-user audit of access opportunities, including accessibility for people with reduced mobility and alternative routes for cyclists and horse riders
- Nature Connectivity – to include restoration of priority habitats
- Community Engagement
- Economic Development – support local businesses
We also commissioned local sculptor Steve Iredale to carve a new sculpture within Little Beck nature reserve on the Coast to Coast. You can read more about the words chosen for the carving, and how this came about in Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's blog.
The Wainwright Society is the Responsible Organisation for the Coast to Coast and publicises the walk on its website and reports access issues on the route.
Wainwright’s A Coast to Coast book and other guide books are available in all good book stores and online.
Onward travel
While Robin Hood’s Bay does not have a railway station, there are a couple of good bus services that will connect you to the closest station:
- Arriva X93/X94 bus to Scarborough railway station for train services south via York or Manchester
- Arriva X93/X94 bus to Whitby railway station and connections to the north via Middlesbrough and Newcastle.
