Stroll
Coast to Coast The Lake District: Best Available B&B’s and Guesthouses -  9 Days

Coast to Coast The Lake District: Best Available B&B’s and Guesthouses - 9 Days

9 Days
Active

Overview

Experience the finest and most dramatic section of England's legendary Coast to Coast walk on this nine-day journey through the Lake District and beyond. Starting at the red sandstone cliffs of St Bees on the Irish Sea, the route covers 131 kilometres to the old market town of Kirkby Stephen on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, spending the majority of its time in the Lake District — a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of rugged fells, glacial lakes and lush green valleys. This is the most challenging section of the full Coast to Coast, and the most spectacular. For those who want a week of serious fell walking without committing to the full route, this is the one.

Highlights

  • Rolling green hills, drystone walls, and fluffy sheep in the hypnotic Yorkshire Dales
  • Picturesque country villages and farms, and nesting seabirds on the cliffs at St Bees in spring
  • Sensational views of Scafell Pike, England's highest peak
  • Old churches with stunning stained-glass windows
  • Walk through the Grasmere Valley which the poet Wordsworth famously called, ‘the loveliest spot that man hath found’
  • Stunning high routes for good weather days and easier low-level alternatives for those inclement weather days

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Itinerary

Day 1

Getting to St Bees

Arrive at St Bees at your own leisure and check into your accommodation. Enjoy a stroll on the beach or explore the lighthouse and the Priory founded in 1020AD. Or simply take the opportunity to wander around the very pleasant township and relax in one of the many pubs in preparation for the first day's walk.

Accommodation

Guest House in St Bees

Day 2St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge
25 km · 8 hours
Day 3Ennerdale Bridge to the Borrowdale Valley
21 km · 8 hours
Day 4Borrowdale Valley to Grasmere
15 km · 5.5 hours
Day 5Grasmere to Patterdale-Glenridding
13 km · 4-5 hours
Day 6Patterdale to Shap
25 km · 6.5-9 hours
Day 7Shap to Orton
12 km · 2.5-3.5 hours
Day 8Orton to Kirkby Stephen
20 km · 5-6 hours
Day 9Kirkby Stephen and away
Coast to Coast walk start St-Bees

What's Included

Accommodation

3 Guest House, 3 Hotel, 2 Lodge

Meals

8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 0 dinners

Transfers

  • Luggage Transfers

Guidance & Support

  • Printed itinerary & walk notes
  • Stroll walking app
  • 24/7 on-trip support

How We Rate This Walk

4

Stroll Walking Level

Moderate to Challenging

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Regular hills and varied terrain. These walks involve more challenging sections. Regular walking beforehand is recommended.

View Fitness Guide

7

Days on the trail

12-25 km

Average per walking day

218-826 m

Gain per day

8/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

Nights are spent in traditional English bed and breakfasts, guesthouses and characterful country pubs — and they are a genuine highlight of this walk. Hosts are warm, knowledgeable and in many cases have walked the route themselves. All rooms are ensuite and consistently comfortable, with the crisp local ales and country hospitality that the English do better than anyone. Occasional substitutions may be made where properties are unavailable, always with equivalent quality in mind.

Stonehouse St. Bees
Stonehouse St. Bees Dining
Glaramara Centre Hotel LogFire
Heidis-Grasmere-Lodge-queen-Room
Shepherds Arms Bar
Heidis-Grasmere-Lodge-Room
Old waterview hotel bedroom
Greyhound hotel shap bedroom
The George Hotel View

What You'll Eat

A hearty cooked breakfast is included each morning to set you up for the day, along with a packed walkers lunch on all but one day. Dinners are yours to choose each evening, with pubs and local restaurants along the route offering plenty of good options — this is all part of the experience of walking through the heart of England.

Cheesboard-Old-Water-View
coast to coast walks uk
coast to coast hike across england
Beers-at-the-George-Hotel
Coast to Coast The Lake District: Best Available B&B’s and Guesthouses -  9 Days food

More About This Trip

Departure Dates

Choose Your Start Date

Pick any available date — this is your trip, your schedule

April 2026

Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Available
Limited
Unavailable

Season & Pricing Guide

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Coast to Coast reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

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The Coast to Coast Experience

Wonder
Cross the Pennines to Nine Standards Rigg’s 800-year-old drystone cairns
Explore Richmond Castle, Marrick Priory and old churches with stained-glass windows
Pause at Dove Cottage in Grasmere, Wordsworth’s beloved Lake District home
Wellness
Stay in character-filled English B&Bs, guesthouses and lively country pubs
Walk pack-free via varied high and low routes let you match each day’s conditions
The rhythm of the repeated footfall is meditative & regulates the nervous system
Nature
Follow Ennerdale Water past glacier-carved valleys to Black Sail Hut through the Grasmere Valley, fells, moors and Esk Valley
Wander Yorkshire Dales past drystone walls, meadowlands, woodlands and the Swale
Finish beneath North Sea cliffs via Falling Foss Falls and heather moorland

From

£1,495/person

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