The walk starts from the sea wall at St. Bees in front of the hotel and car park and heads north past the caravan and campsite before turning west and following a path alongside a continuous fence along the cliff top and across several stiles before reaching Fleswick Bay. At Fleswick Bay it is advisable to make a slight detour inland around the gash in the cliff and then back to the ‘proper' path. This saves a steep descent and ascent of the cliffs and also saves time as well as energy. If you have plenty of time and energy, then do make the descent because the scenery is certainly worth the effort.
Follow the path along the cliff and after crossing three more stiles you come to St. Bees Lighthouse. From here a private road, with access for walkers, runs to Sandwith. Unfortunately Wainwright chose to ignore this and instead the path you want goes in a much more round-about route to reach the same point. From the lighthouse follow the path along the cliff top and after another 1˝ miles you come to the eyesore of a disused quarry. Go past the two cottages into a sunken lane and then when you reach the private road you left at the light house follow it to your left and into the village of Sandwith. You have now covered almost 4˝ miles and if you had gone by road from the start to here the distance would only have been 1˝ miles. This as you will very quickly learn as you travel along this walk is one of the vagaries of Wainwright.
At the crossroads turn left and follow the road as it rises to Lanehead and pass straight across at the next crossroads. Continue along this lane as far as Demesne Farm and pass through the yard to reach the St Bees to Whitehaven road. Cross it and go along the lane opposite to pass Bell House and reach the point shortly afterwards where the path forks. Take the left hand fork which leads to a gate. Don't go through the gate but follow the path keeping the hedge on your left to reach the railway line. Pass under the line and cut across the field ahead to the fence. Follow this to the left and continue along the side of the hedge to the field corner, where there is a stile on the right. Cross the stile and head to the top of the next field where a gate gives access to a cart-track going uphill and under a railway bridge to reach the A.595. Cross the road and go down the road opposite (Scalegill Road) to the village centre. Turn right here on the Egremont road and follow this to just after the first rise where you will see a stile on your left. Cross this stile and follow the path which crosses the railway line and brings you out in Church Street, Cleator.
Church Street leads into the main street which you need to follow to your left for 60 yards before turning right down Kiln Brow. Follow this downhill and at the bottom turn right again to reach Blackhow Bridge over the River Eden, cross the bridge and go up the lane to Black How Farm. Opposite the farm is an iron gate giving access toa cart track which climbs the fell; this is the route you need to take. After a short while the cart track peters out but it is an easy task to follow the route as the path runs up alongside a crumbling wall to the summit of Dent and its cairn. Continue on in the same direction and after crossing a fence follow the eastern ridge of Dent until you come to a piece of forestry that crosses your path. At this point aim for the passage to the right and where you will come to a forestry road which you need to follow to your left to continue the descent of the eastern ridge. As you approach Raven Crag follow a path that runs off to your right and descends to the valley bottom. On reaching the floor of the valley and its stream turn left and follow the stream up the narrowing valley to its head. At this point turn right a take the path that cuts up to the road near Kinniside stone circle. On reaching the road turn left and follow it for the 1˝ miles into Ennerdale Bridge.
This section sees the start of Lakeland proper with its vast open fells, its beautiful crags and hills and its magnificent scenery. You are about to start the best three sections of the entire walk.
Leave Ennerdale Bridge via the Croasdale road and after about ˝ a mile turn right along a forestry road which after a couple of sharp bends crosses a bridge over the River Eden and then passes a pumping station before reaching Ennerdale Water. (Don't even think of having a swim; apart from upsetting the water authorities the water is bloody freezing.) Turn right and follow the footpath round the lake to the headland of Angler's Crag. At this point the path used to degenerate into a rock scramble over loose boulders but nowadays with more hikers using the path their boots have worn a rough trod through the debris; but care still needs to be taken as it is still easy to twist or break an ankle. After rounding Angler's Crag the walking becomes easy again as you go through three walls to reach the head of Ennerdale Water. From the head of the lake a green path is taken alongside a wall which is crossed via a gap to walk along its north side to reach a foot-bridge. Beyond this a forestry road is followed up the valley between the trees. These trees stretch in front of you for another 3 miles. After coming out of the forestry you come to Black Sail Hut (a youth hostel) which you pass and follow the path that follows the contour of the hill to reach Loft Beck. Cross the beck and turn sharp right to climb steeply up the hillside. At the top of the beck the slope gets easier; the path continues straight ahead through the Brandreth fence and contours along to meet a path that comes down from Great Gable on your right. This well worn path is followed to the ruins of Drum House where you turn right along the old tramway and descend steeply to the road at Honister Pass near the youth hostel. Turn right along the road towards Borrowdale. Use the old toll road (which is signed) to reach Seatoller. At Seatoller pass between the houses before turning off at a car park on your left to an old walled lane beyond. This in its turn leads to a path which contours the hillside to reach the youth hostel at Longthwaite. Beyond the youth hostel turn left and cross the Derwent by a bridge to a lane on the opposite side. Turn between the buildings on the left to follow the field path into the village of Rosthwaite.
The village of Rosthwaite is the ideal place to call a halt to the day. It has been a long day to reach this point and you will be ready for rest. There are several alternatives as to accommodation but after such a fine days walking why not treat yourself to a night at the Scafell Hotel. This is probably the best hotel that you will come across on the entire Coast to Coast Walk. This hotel is the perfect place to pamper yourself after a hard day and to relax you before another good days walking tomorrow. Check it out. You will not be disappointed.
Ullswater
Cross the bridge over Stonethwaite Beck and turn right to follow the lane leading to fields and Stonethwaite Bridge. Continue up the valley along a gated cart-track keeping the beck to your right. When you meet Langstrath Beck coming in for your right make sure you follow the good path that continues straight ahead up Greenup Gill. The path gradually climbs the hillside to reach the top of Lining Crag via a steep stony gully to the left. After reaching the top of Lining Crag the slope gets easier as it climbs to Greenup Edge. The path here becomes more indistinct but follow the row of cairns keeping to the right. After reaching the summit the path continues down the other side to another pass at the head of Far Easedale. At the valley head turn left by the old fence and follow the narrow track over Calf Crag via a small tarn on your left. After Calf Crag the path continues round the edge of the escarpment to Gibson Knott. The path through Gibson Knott is both winding and undulating but easy to follow and after a short descent you come to the short ascent to the rocky summit of Helm Crag. From the summit of Helm Crag follow the path leading down to your right to the Easedale valley and a tarmac road. Turn left along this road and follow it into Grasmere with its hoard of culture seeking tourists.
Although Grasmere is a very pleasant little village the number of tourists will soon pall and you will be glad to be on your way once again.
The way to leave Grasmere is via the A.591 road towards Keswick. This road is followed for a mile to Mill Bridge. Here turn right and follow the track signposted ‘Helvellyn & Patterdale'. Follow this track up through trees alongside a beck until you come to a confluence of two streams at the bottom of Great Tongue. At this point bear left and follow a pony track up the long tedious ascent of Little Tongue. Just as the climb gets steeper the path bends round to the right and contours the hill above some rocks before starting an undulating climb to amid stones to the top of Grisedale Pass. Cross the summit of the pass at an old wall and descend the path to Grisedale Tarn 1 mile hence. Follow the path to the right to the point where Grisedale Beck enters it. Cross the beck and follow the path to the foot of Tarn Crag. The path at this point splits into three, all routes eventually coming down to Patterdale. The path on the left ascends Helvellyn, the path on the right goes via St. Sunday Crag and the path I am going to outline is the direct route and goes straight ahead.
The path bears right beneath Tarn Crag to pass Ruthwaite Lodge and reach Ruthwaite Beck where it turns right and follows the beck to its confluence with Grisedale Beck. Cross Grisedale Beck and follow the path through trees running alongside the beck to the farm at Elmhow. Just beyond the farm the path turns into a cart-track and then ˝ mile further on it becomes a tarmac road and you will probably see cars parked in a field and this is where the path from Helvellyn rejoins the route. 350 yards further on past a plantation a gate on the right gives access to a path leading down through Glenmara Park to Patterdale and emerging near the Post Office.
This is the last stage in the Lake District so make the most of it. There is nothing else on this walk that comes remotely close to matching it.
Take the Kirkstone Pass road out of Patterdale and at the first bridge turn left to reach some houses at the other side of the valley. Here turn left then almost immediately right to reach the open fell up which a short scramble leads to a good path which you follow to the right. On reaching a seat the track splits and you need to take the right hand, lower one which climbs steadily to Boardale House. At this point there are several tracks but the one you want is the lower track which passes a sheepfold and then swings to the right and enters a shallow ravine to reach Dubhow Beck. At this point the path again splits and you need to take the lower one again which swings round below Angletarn Pikes to reach Angle Tarn. Skirt round the tarn and follow the path that leads off towards Satura Crag. From Satura Crag the path drops down slightly to cross a wet, peaty stretch before starting the dreary trudge up to the foot of and round The Knott. After rounding The Knott things begin to improve when you reach the Straits of Riggindale . At this point you need to turn left and go past the foot of Twopenny Crag and follow the path round below Rampsgill Head and on to the summit of Kidsty Pike. If it is a nice clear day turn round and spend a few minutes looking at the view behind you. It is magnificent with all the Lakeland peaks on show .
The descent from Kidsty is simple as a cairned track goes down the eastern ridge past Kidsty Howes. From this point the path gets steeper and becomes a little more difficult. Bear slightly left towards Randale Beck and you will pick up an old drove road. Follow this down until it crosses the beck. At this point leave the drove road and follow the stream down on the west bank to a bridge at the foot of the slope. At the bridge you will pick up a man-made footpath which you follow to the left for the next 4 miles around Haweswater Reservoir to Burn Banks just beyond the head of the water.
The route now becomes more difficult to follow. Form Burn Bridge bear left to the road junction and turn right. After 120 yards cross a stile in the wall on the left and head for another stile in the corner of the field which leads onto a lane heading for Park Bridge. A cart- track to the left aims for Low Park but after the 2nd gate go up the field sharp right to High Park and continue along this path to Rawhead and the Swindale Road. Cross the open land ahead, bearing left to Rosgill Bridge. From this point it is easier and quicker to ignore Wainwright and follow the road for the 2 miles into Shap. The path that Wainwright proposes is indistinct and extremely difficult to follow and, unless something has been done since I was last across there, detours have to be made off public rights of way and onto private land because of deliberate blockages in your path.
Shap close to the M.6 motorway marks the eastern boundary of the Lake District as far as the high peaks and open fells are concerned. From this point on the walk does have its odd moment of interest and beauty but nothing comes close to matching the grandeur and the beauty of the last three sections. Relax a while in Shap and reflect on what you have achieved so far for on leaving Shap the rest of the crossing is somewhat of an anti-climax.
Details of Accommodation, along the Coast to Coast can be found by following this link to http://www.coast2coast.co.uk
