There and back again | Living Magazine

‘Shortly after moving to Richmond, I bought a guidebook and started planning the trek but never got around to it and then, of course, the pandemic got in the way. Once restrictions eased and I had an opening in my calendar, I decided not to let the opportunity pass again’

Nine Standards Rigg in the Dales; right – camping at Borrowdale, the Cleveland Way sign with Roseberry Topping in the distance; and Peter in the Lakes

THERE AND BACK AGAIN

Richmond-based writer and keen outdoorsman Peter Watson loves to stride out from his home, most recently walking across England – twice PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER WATSON

F

eeling cabin feverish after months under lockdown, Richmond-based writer and photographer Peter Watson hiked England's Coast-toCoast Walk from St. Bees Head in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire twice.

He covered 600km and climbed 17,760m in the process – the equivalent of two ascents of Everest. He walked from his home in Richmond to Robin Hood’s Bay and back, and then from Richmond to St. Bees and back again.

The keen outdoorsman moved to the market town of Richmond on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in 2018. After climbing every mountain in the Yorkshire Dales National Park between lockdowns last year, Peter was looking for a new challenge when the latest set of restrictions eased. As the Coast-to-Coast footpath passes through Richmond, he decided to walk the footpath twice so he could experience the famous trail

in both directions. “Living in Richmond, I have spent plenty of time walking in the Yorkshire Dales, but have somewhat neglected the Lakes and North York Moors. I thought what better way to address that than traversing this wonderful trail twice,” he says.

Neither a national trail nor a singular footpath, the unofficial and partly signposted 302km Coast-to-Coast Walk passes through three of England’s finest national parks: the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. It was devised and popularised

by Alfred Wainwright, who recommended that walkers dip their booted feet in the Irish Sea at St. Bees and at the end of the walk in the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay. Despite its unofficial status, the Coast-toCoast Walk is one of the most popular of Britain’s footpaths. In 2004, it was named the second-best walk in the world behind only the Milford Track in New Zealand.

A writer and photographer, Peter quit his teaching job and spent a year travelling around the South Pacific and South America.

En route, he launched the award-winning outdoor travel blog Atlas & Boots with his partner, author Kia Abdullah. He's a keen trekker and climber, has visited over 80 countries, and been featured by BBC Travel, The Telegraph, The i Paper, The Independent, Lonely Planet and National Geographic, among others.

How did you get the idea and why twice?

I cycled the Coast-to-Coast from Whitehaven to Tynemouth several years ago and thought then that I would like to complete the hike at some point. Shortly after moving to Richmond, I bought a guidebook and started planning the trek but never got around to it and then, of course, the pandemic got in the way. Once restrictions on staying overnight eased and I had an opening in my calendar, I decided not to let the opportunity pass again.

I considered completing it just once, but as I live on the route, I thought I would rather spend a few extra days walking the trail twice instead of spending a day on public transport.

After so many months of relative confinement, I preferred to spend as much time outdoors as I could.

How far is the hike?

As routes can vary a little, distances can change, but the guidebook I followed put the distance at 302km, so I completed roughly double that distance. On both outward

journeys, I deviated off the trail to take in extra fells, points of interest and access campsites and accommodation. Having looked over my route in more detail, I feel pretty confident in saying that I hiked at least 600km.

How long did it take?

In total, it took me 20 days to complete the entire distance, averaging around 30km a day.

It took me seven days to walk from Richmond to Robin Hood’s Bay and back, and 13 days to walk from Richmond to St. Bees and back.

The route is usually broken down into 12 or 13 sections, which means averaging around 23km a day. However, it’s perfectly acceptable to take longer with 15 to 19-day itineraries widely described in guidebooks and online.

Is it difficult to navigate?

As the C2C isn’t a national trail or a singular footpath, it is only partially signposted, which can be frustrating and time-consuming. In the national parks, it’s relatively easy to follow the trails, but there are some tricky sections, particularly across the farmland such as in the Vale of Mowbray between Richmond and the North York Moors or between Kirkby Stephen and Shap.

I was much quicker on the return legs of the trek, because I recognised the route by then. I also know the Yorkshire Dales pretty well, so was able to make better time there too.

Which direction is better?

Most coast-to-coasters walk from west to east and with good reason: that’s how Wainwright conceived the trail, the prevailing weather is at your back, and all the guidebooks follow that direction. This is also the direction I preferred.

East to west, I often had the wind (and rain) in my face and had to reverse engineer some of the navigation. I would advise people to stick to the traditional direction if it’s their first time walking the C2C. What was your favourite section?

I loved the Lake District as it has the most dramatic views of the entire route. Lakeland is by far England’s wildest and most picturesque landscape and never fails to enthral visitors.

That said, unfortunately, I didn’t have great weather during my time in the Lakes. which slightly tainted my time on its trails.

I’ve spent huge amounts of time in the Dales, and it often felt like retracing my steps, so I think I enjoyed my journey through the North York Moors the most. It may not be the highest or hardest part of the walk, but I really savoured exploring a new part of Yorkshire under bright blue skies with striking sunsets to boot. The Cleveland Way and coastal segments of that section are particularly scenic.

And the least enjoyable?

The 33km section between Richmond and

should really be considered a holiday!

Also, the route does not need to be completed in one go. I met walkers who were completing sections a day at a time and others who had split three or four-day sections over long weekends.

Finally, however you choose to walk the C2C, it is a wonderful gateway to the outdoors and a superb way of exploring the best of the English countryside. Just get outside and enjoy being in nature.

‘East to west, I often had the wind in my face and had to reverse engineer some of the navigation. I would advise people to stick to the traditional direction’

Ingleby Cross through the Vale of Mowbray.

It is the least appealing scenery-wise and the navigation through and around farmland was tedious and slow-going.

Where did you stay?

I camped throughout my trek, staying at a range of small campsites and farms and wild camping in some of the high fells of the Lake District. There is a wide range of accommodation options available along the route, much of it generated purely to accommodate walkers. These include hotels, lodges, hostels, B&Bs and camping and glamping sites.

The start and the finish: St Bees and Robin Hood's Bay

What sort of gear did you need?

I tried to go as light as possible, but I needed to carry all my camping gear, which included a tent, sleeping bag and mat, a stove and cooking utensils, food, a first aid kit, waterproof clothing and lots of spare socks!

The weather in England means you need to be prepared for all conditions throughout the

year, but I managed to keep my backpack below 12kg. The good news was that as I ate more of my food, it got lighter! By the end, it was below 10kg.

If you don’t fancy lugging all your gear with you then there are luggage transfers available that will move your kit between your accommodation at all the major stops.

What tips do you have for others considering the Coast-to-Coast?

Go light! The trek will be so much more enjoyable if your backpack is manageable.

Likewise, make sure you use trekking poles to protect your knees, help your balance and increase your walking speed. I also used mine to pitch my tent. which saved weight.

It’s important to plan your trek carefully and be realistic with the time you set yourself. If you’ve never done anything like this before make sure to give yourself enough time. The walk is not a forced march and should be what you want it to be. The Coast-to-Coast is a walk best enjoyed in a leisurely manner and

What’s next?

I’m currently working my way through a challenge to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on every continent. So far, I’ve climbed four: Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Kosciuszko in Oceania and most recently Aconcagua in South America.

My plans have been put on hold due to the pandemic so I’m not sure when I’ll get the chance to have a crack at the next one. I still have Denali in North America, Vinson in Antarctica and Everest in Asia. I also aim to summit Puncak Jaya in Indonesia to complete the two separate versions of the Seven Summits lists, the first of which restricts Oceania to Australia while the second includes the islands of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Closer to home, I’d like to complete some of the region’s national trails such as the Hadrian’s Wall Path, Cleveland Way and Pennine Way. atlasandboots.com