Walking 214/214 Wainrights in 18 Days

Wainright’s, Munros, Corbett’s. Tick lists for walkers and outdoorsy folk. Walk then, run them, camp on the summit and solidify your victory with a summit-top selfie. That’s the trend of the moment.

Most mortals prefer to steadily take their time to walk the Wainwrights, picking a few off when time gifts a free weekend. The ultimate prize? Knowing you have walked all 214 wainwrights and have a bunch of good quality mountain days and memories behind you.

But what if you had the wild idea to walk the Wainwrights in one continuous attempt? There are of course records where endurance runners have completed the challenge in an unimaginable time.

A few notable attempts are, of course, endurance legend John Kelly, who takes the FKT of 5d 12h 14m 43s supported, followed closely by Sabrina Verje who set an earlier record in 2021 of 5d 23h 49m 12s. The unsupported record goes to Christopher Gaskin with a time of 11d 10h 58m.

Impressive.

But it was our resident muncher of miles and shredder of shoes Mike @pack_backer who wanted to see how fast he could push himself to complete the challenge. Not for the glory of FKT, but for his own personal curiosity to explore where his comfort limit ends, and his resolve begins.

This account of journals has been taken from our community page, UK Long Distance Hiking, where Mike kindly shared his account with us between the emotional and physical pain of trying the challenge.

Day 1 - 11/214 Wainwrights

It started wet and stayed wet all day and through the night, I didn’t bag many pics as it was pretty horrendous throughout.

It was slow going through bogs and down steep gullies and ravines. Hats off to the fell runners as they are truly a different breed. My bum was twitching a fair few times going down embankments and the day of wet feet did my mood no favors.

Luckily I made it to the Borrowdale valley and stayed off the tops for the night, luckily I did because it absolutely battered it down all night. Unfortunately the next day I had to return home due to personal circumstances but have a train booked back out tomorrow, so will be back on the trail by the afternoon.

Day 2 - 15/214 Wainwrights

Short day today as I spent until around 1430 travelling to the trailhead. The weather started out brilliant, sunny with a nice breeze. That soon turned south when I was ascending into the hills and the cloud base quickly dropped with wind and rain picking up. I managed to plod onwards towards Glaramara and over the precarious-looking rocks leading to the summit.

The paths were all sodden and I spent my time with wet feet and hidden in waterproofs.

I managed to get myself turned around in the clag and almost went down a gully but a quick nav check ensured I was back on track in no time. I plan ed to spend the night at Sprinkling tarn but the wind was shocking so I thought it may be better at Styhead tarn. No luck there either as the wind seemed to be worse. I managed to find a spot as I began my ascent of base brown, it was a pretty poor choice on the side of a hill but offered some shelter from the wind. Or so I thought, it hammered the tent all night with heavy rain too.

Day 3 - 30/214 Wainwrights

Pretty big day today bagged 15 Wainwrights and tons of ascent. The day started in the slopes of Base Brown and the weather was horrendous once I made the steep ascent into the clouds.As I made my way over to Green Gable wind and rain picked up and pretty soon it must have been 40-50mph as I could barely walk and if I relaxed it would have easily knocked me down.I made my way to Great Gable which was just as bad if not worse, the rain was painful and I made quick work of clambering the boulders down and towards Kirk Fell. I made a quick ascent of Kirk fell by ditching the pack and soon found myself making my way towards Brandreth and Grey Knott’s. Once I hit Haystacks the weather chilled a little and I could see the amazing views. The wind was still present but was a backburner at this point. I made.my way over the mountainous ridge and soon found myself on the final leg of the day which was by far the hardest and the ascent/ descent of Mellbreak almost broke me. Eventually I scored food in Loweswater which was a godsend.

Day 4 - 45/214 Wainwrights

Today started well with the first couple of Wainwrights North of Loweswater coming fast. As I made my way back over and up to Burbank Fell the wind soon brought the clouds and the most horrendous rain I’ve been in, in a long time.Luckily I already had my jacket on and just had to whip my trousers on, my feet however were soaked…again.I made my way over the fells and as I was nearing Ennerdale the clouds cleared and the sun reappeared giving me a brilliant view of the sea and over the fells.I could finally see the progress I had made in days previous and was in awe of the scenery.I carried on down to Ennerdale and diverted to Ennerdale bridge for breakfast and a shower which was well needed.I soon made my way back towards the water and considered sacking it here for the day as I’d covered about 11 miles.However, my ego got the best of me and I was soon on the way up Grike which was a truly savage climb 😂.Eventually I reached the top, dried my tent in the wind and sunshine and admired the views for a while before cruising along the fells towards the other Wainwrights on the route.I hit Haycock and knew I was in for a good day so carried on over taking in the majesty of the Scafell massif in the distance.Eventually I reached Scoat fell and chilled for a while. I had some food and felt fresh still so thought I could crack on, bag a few more and make tomorrow a nice easy day.So cruised on over Red Pike, across to Yewbarrrow and down an unholy slope where I found a decentish spot for the night.

Day 5 - 50/214 Wainwrights

Started the day in torrential rain which I was praying to stop. Eventually the rain God honoured our blood contract and eased a little.I took this time to make the steep ascent up to Seatallan and then quickly back down for the next ascent.The rain began again and the wind howled but eventually I managed the third Wainwright which was Buckbarrow.I made a quick descent and opted for some food a little off the trail at Nether Wasdale. It was beautiful and I quickly demolished a good 5k calories and a quick charge of the powerbank before heading out.I took the time to dry my tent on the green and then carried on into the woods to start climbing Whin Rigg.The wind howled up here but the views were amazing and I quickly worked my way over and down to the tarn at the foot of the indomitable Sca Fell.

Day 6 - 57/214 Wainwrights

The day started sunny and after meeting my friend who was gonna be hiking with me today we set off in good spirits up the domineering slope of Slight Side and Sca Fell.It took a while but eventually we mad our way to the top of Slight Side and then you the shortish climb to Sca Fell.The clouds were in full force up there adding to the alien feeling landscape. It was eerily quiet at the top and we had a quick bite to eat before descending into Lords Rake and down the steep scree slope.Eventually we emerged from the darkness of the Rake and quickly traversed the valley to Lingmell which was a steeper climb than I thought (maybe the climb to sca fell was still reeling in my legs).A quick summit and we were onto Scafell Pike (often referred to as Ingleborough). We didn’t stay long as there were queues forming at the Gregg’s on top.We quickly descended into the saddle between there and Borad Crag before making our way over the boulder field towards Great End and then over to Angle tarn.The weather took a turn for the worst and we decided it was best to pitch here for the night and bag Rosett pike once we were set up which didn’t take longer than 15 minutes.

Day 10 - 106/214 Wainwrights

I apologise in advance if this one isn’t as upbeat as the last but my god this has been possibly the toughest day I’ve ever done.I started the day pretty sweet and cruised along the tops after a short climb towards Loyghrigg which was a drop down and then back up to summit.My new shoes that were waiting in Rydal spurred me on for a pre 9am arrival at the hotel.I made my way up Nab scar and Heron pike with the sun already at a blistering level.I topped my bottles up on the way which put me to around 3l which I thought would be ample.My god is the Fairfield horseshoe savage though, the sun was unrelenting and the constant dropping off the peaks to grab Wainwrights along the way really smashed my morale to bits.I debated calling it quits many times today and found myself a little upset with myself at a few points along the way.I remembered what my friend John and another buddy Chris said though, which was to take it one day at a time, one peak at a time and one step at a time.This helped and I plodded along, with little in way of water at this point. I managed to find some dregs in a stream and spent a good 20 minutes filling my bottles.Eventually I plodded along the the bottom of red screes and middle dodd where I had some food and a little rest. This made me feel a bit better and gave me the much needed energy to make the ascent.Eventually I bagged Middle dodd and made my way to red screes to camp for the night.

Day 12 - 142/214 Wainwrights

I started the day/ night at about 1am quickly packing my gear away with the aim of heading through the night and chilling in the day.As you can see from the mileage this was just an outright lie to myself.I cruised in the dark along the Kentmere horseshoe bagging the outlying Wainwrights as I went.It’s eerily quiet in the dark and I soon found myself hitting some pretty decent miles. As I was dropping down into Nan Bield Pass I saw the most beautiful sight.There was a literal shooting star or asteroid breaking up in the atmosphere, it was truly a spectacle to behold. Or I may have been hallucinating, both are equally possible 😂.I chilled on the huge stone seat like the guardian to the pass for a little while eating some cold porridge…yum.I then headed on up into the hills once more hitting Kidsty pike in no time and then onto High street and the old Roman road, which was familiar hiking territory for me and I soon hit Arthur’s like at the end within an hour and a bit. I then dropped down and up over Hallins fell and the others in the area before making the most demoralising climb I have ever faced. The Nab! This was like something out of a horror movie and was insanely steep considering its low elevation. I found myself having a tantrum near the summit and fully spat my dummy out.I then hit the Wainwrights near Angle tarn, taking a quick bath whilst I was there.I soon found myself on top of Place fell where the only thing keeping me going was the thought of some food in Patterdale which was sorely needed.

Day 13 - 150/214 Wainwrights

I started the day in a state as I’d fallen asleep against a tree and then thrown my tent up at daft o’clock in the night in a poor place. Managed a solid sleep though which was much needed.I soon hammered my way into the fells bagging the 3 Wainwrights on my way to Grizedale tarn.I dried my gear at the tarn and chilled for. A little while before deciding if I got the Hellvelyn hills done I could practically have the full weekend off.Naturally I flew up the hills and soon found myself on top of Hellvelyn with the 300 other people.I quickly escaped the mob and dropped into Swirral edge and over Catsycam before descending the embankment and onto my final Wainwright of the day Birkhouse Moor.The trip down was pretty brutal in all fairness and my knees definitely felt it, but hoards of food motivated me onwards.I restocked in Glenridding and chilled for the day and the rest of the weekend as I’m booked into the hostel tomorrow.

Day 15 - 163/214 Wainwrights

I started the day insanely early at around 0100 when the grizzly bear I was sharing the hostel with woke me up with his god awful snoring.I couldn’t get back to sleep so opted to get up and start smashing fells in for a laugh. I want particular happy as I’d paid for breakfast and would miss that and my money.Anyway, I set off towards Glenridding Dodd and not long after summiting and headed for Sheffield pike it began raining.I picked up the pace as I knew thunderstorms were coming and the peaks ain’t the place to be with lightning about.I ditched the bag near Stybarrow Dodd and ran across to bag Raise (yeah that’s right I can run occasionally, very occasionally).I made ym way back, not as fast as I was dying. Grabbed my pack and headed North to grab the other Wainwrights along the way before heading out to the Outliers of Gowbarrow and the like.It sucked big time heading out that far for such small mounds of dirt but hey ho!I soon found myself headed towards Troutbeck and Souther fell where I debated walking the A66. I opted for a quick bus ride for a few stops as it was busy.When I got to Scales I argued with myself about whether to stay at the bunkhouse or head into the hills once more.I listened to my brain for change and called it a day here, but not before ditching the pack and heading up to Souther fell for one last Wainwright of the day.

Day 16 - 184/214 Wainwrights

Today started fairly steady and I quickly climbed to Blencathra where the John Beamson Summit stone is (if your unsure what I mean Just Google John Beamson and blencathra summit stone). Anyway I headed over to Mungrisdale which was a short trip and then over to Bannersdale before heading North to bag the far Wainwrights.The trip was fairly steady although completely shrouded in cloud and rain (most of the day above 600m was spent like this).I made quick progress as it was quite miserable and I wanted to be down from there asap.I waded through the river near Carrick which went well up to my thigh where I’d chosen, luckily I was already soaked 🤣.I then hit the embankment to bag carrok fell and then west to the next peak.After this I made my way southeast to hit Knott and then North once more for the final outliers.The rain had stopped by this point but visibility was poor and it was still soaking wet.I quickly made my way to Great Calva and the prepared for the upcoming slog of going up Skiddaw from the North.Turns out it wasn’t too bad and I soon summited. Ditched my bag on the way to Little man and Lonsdale fell.I then backtracked to carlside ditching the pack again to make short work of Ullocm Pike and then dropping down into Dodd wood.I ditched the pack again the woods and headed up to Dodd and then searching for somewhere to camp.Turns out it was few and far between so I had to just keep cruising until something came up.The trail does provide…eventually 🤣.

Day 18 - 214/214 Wainwrights

I started the day really early with first light and quickly realised it was going to hurt.The long ascent up Grizedale Pike was gruelling and then to drop down after bagging a few Wainwrights to nearly ground level was truly demoralising.I headed back up listening to music to stop me from hearing the screams of my knees. Eventually heading back into the hills and bagging Grasmoor just as the weather closed in.And close in it truly did, I had a few little testbites but it was truly horrendous. The Lake District for some reason had decided to end our relationship in violence.I headed over the fells and ditched the bag to hit the Wainwrights in the outlying loop before dropping down and back up before…you know it, heading down again.The climb up to Robinson was grim and the war with the weather really opened up at this point. It was miserable and I was hurting, so the Lakes really kicked me whilst I was down.I headed on over pretty much with my head in the sound following the trial and bagging wainwrights as I went. I soon found myself at Dales Head and realised with a shock I was actually almost done.The added morale made me cruise down and up High Spy like it was a curb on the road. I soon headed over Maidens Moor and then the final push to catbells was in sight.My knees were screaming at this point but they were an afterthought to me hitting that last hill. And hit it I did, getting a super sick rainbow at the summit which was soo cool and almost felt like the Lakes had forgiven me for leaving.It’s gonna take a lot of processing over the next couple days but I’ll put an update about it soon.Happy trails and ☮️ Out

Breaking autistic stereotypes through long distance walking with Ian and Eve

“We want to give people the confidence to go out and do stuff and try new things they might be too nervous or scared to do and to be whoever they want to be.”

Autism and other forms of Neurodiversity are undoubtedly difficult to live with within a society structured around being ‘normal’.

We all celebrate difference when it’s put on a pedestal (Think Elon Musk, Anthony Hopkins, and Tim Burton), yet when we actually meet individuals on the Autism Spectrum, I believe we are collectively guilty of seeing them not as diverse, but simply different.

This is a shame. A shame for you and me, but also a shame for people like Ian and Eve, who are both Neurodiverse, and in their case, Autistic.

I say a shame, not because I am sorry for Ian and Eve, that they are Autistic, but because we miss the brilliance of their brains, which process the world around them differently from the rest of us.

Ian and Eve, through their remarkable challenge, hope to challenge the perception of Autism, and hope to inspire those with Autism to do things that may seem scary and to challenge the status quo on the perceptions of autism.

They are doing this through a remarkable walk from Dunnet Head, to the Lizard, the furthest point in Scotland, to the furthest point in England.

I messaged Ian to say hello, after he posted some photos in the community, and he agreed to answer some questions I had around the walk.

So without further ado, I introduce you to Ian and Eve.

Ian, and Eve, thanks for joining me. Please tell me a bit about yourselves.

We are a home educating family living in rural Scotland near Stirling. Myself (Ian) and Eve (age 8) are both autistic having both been diagnosed several years ago. And then there’s my wife Sarah, our dog and our 2 cats.

We are an outdoor family and love being outside whether it be walking, canoeing or camping etc in any weather.

Being outdoors, walking in particular, allows us to access places and experiences that most people will never have the privilege of experiencing or seeing.

The outdoors is both Eve and I’s ‘happy place’ and being outside in nature, in the hills, mountains and wild places lets us all be ourselves and feel happy and content. It takes away the everyday worries, that I know we all face, but for autistic people the ‘everyday’ can be so much more overwhelming. Being outdoors also removes us from some of the people who may judge or criticise us for being different, you will often hear us singing (out of tune) and laughing as we walk before you see us!

It gives us a very different perspective on life, a simpler existence where we can remove ourselves from social media, news, modern life in general and the pressures to conform….
For all of us, as a family, being outdoors in the ultimate freedom and liberation!

What inspired you to take on this particular challenge, over many of the other things you could have done to raise money?

We decided to take on this challenge to raise awareness of autism as both myself and Eve have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD. (‘a word of caution… the official name is very controversial… because most people with autism argue it anything but a ‘disorder’, we do not call it a disorder).

Autism comes with lots of preconceived ideas, assumptions, and stereotypes. We wanted to show everyone that there is far more to being autistic than people often think and that being autistic doesn’t prevent people from achieving great things!

We wanted to do something of this scale to make people take notice and be both surprised and inspired by what we are doing and to realise that having a disability doesn’t mean one is not capable of doing or achieving their goals!

We want to give people the confidence to go out and do stuff and try new things they might be too nervous or scared to do and to be whoever they want to be.

We love walking and being outside. This is where both myself and Eve are at our happiest. Eve is naturally an adventurous child and we want to nurture this within her so she can go on and achieve great things.

It was actually Eve who suggested doing this walk! (and she is already talking about wanting to do another one next year!)

Eve is home educated and a massive part of her learning is done in the everyday (to give her education more context and real life applications). When out for a walk we will talk about the things we see from trees, to insects and clouds and integrate core skills such as reading, math and science.

Then once home (or in a tent, having a break etc) we will ‘Google’ the various questions she had that we don’t know the answers to, like ‘how old is the oldest tree?’. It is a fantastic way to learn and Eve is discovering so much on this journey, that we hope will give her an amazing life experience that she can learn from and look back on with pride in years to come.

How much preparation and planning has gone into your adventure?

There has been lots of planning and preparation that is still ongoing. We only plan a few days ahead as things can change so quickly and as a result plans have to change too.

We did a lot of research and planning on our route choices and gained a lot of insight from other people who have walked various sections. However, this is still adapting and changing all the time. Only the other day we changed a small section of our route due to not wanting to walk through a field full of cows, calves and bulls!

We also spent a long time researching equipment trying to find the best stuff for our budget that was lightweight but also durable enough for Scotland in March! However, even now we are still finding things that didn’t work or weren’t as good as we’d hoped.

Fitness wise, we didn’t do any specific training as we were already a fairly active family.

Which route are you choosing to follow?

We are trying to stick with as many national trails on route as we can just to try and make our lives that bit easier. As these are clearly signposted and you can get maps and guidebooks etc. However, this has not always been possible or the most convenient route to take. So we have done some cross country navigation too which has been interesting.

So far we followed the John o’Groats Trail which proved very difficult. We then did the Great Glen Way followed by the full West Highland Way. We then made our own way to Edinburgh following the canals and again chose our own route through the borders using a mixture of routes where we joined up with the Pennine Way on the Scotland/England border. And we’ll follow this all the way to Edale in the Peak District.

Yes. As a family, we all have a great love of the outdoors from walking to canoeing.

Eve and I have completed several long distance hikes including the Rob Roy Way and the Great Trossachs Path. All 3 of us completed the Berwickshire Coastal Path last year.

Back in 2020 we attempted the West Highland Way but had to stop on day 2 due to the first lockdown due to Covid 19. But we have completed it now as part of our route to Land’s End!

What message around Autism do you hope that people will take away from following your journey?

Autism affects approximately 1 in 100 people with girls often being misdiagnosed or diagnosed later in life.

When people think of autism they probably think of the stereotypical traits such as obsessive interest in specific topics, repetitive behaviors, structure and routine, communication difficulties, and public outbursts.

Although these traits may be true for some people (both neurotypical and neurodivergent) they do not represent the full spectrum of people with autism.

Every single person with autism is unique and has different characteristics and it is not fair or correct to assume everyone is the same simply because they have a diagnosis of ASD.

Autism has long been thought to affect boys more than girls with boys being 4 times more likely to be diagnosed than girls.

One reason for this massive underdiagnosis in girls is a phenomenon known as autism masking whereby a person disguises their autistic traits to ‘fit in’ with their neurotypical peers.

This is incredibly damaging to the individual resulting in constant exhaustion, explosive outbursts, and lifelong mental health issues. We want to try and make people aware of these issues and the potential for diagnosis where people can get the help and support that they need to better understand themselves.

We want to encourage people to be more open and understanding of people with autism. We may behave or act differently from others but that doesn’t mean we should be treated any differently.

That child still wants to be invited to his/her classmate’s birthday party even if they don’t like the noise and bring ear defenders so they can attend, for example.

Within every autistic person is the need to feel accepted for who they are and their unique and amazing personalities. With a little more understanding we want to try and ensure that everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of autism or not!

Autism doesn’t have to prevent a person from achieving great things, on the contrary, it can be with the correct support and guidance harnessed and focussed to achieve things that can literally change the world… Elon Musk?

What have been the high points of your walk?

The walk so far has been fantastic. We have met some of the nicest and most generous people you could ever hope to meet.

Some of the best points by far are all the people we have met, the offers of help, words of encouragement, and the donations and support we have been offered. It’s been incredible and has blown my mind.

Some of the main things we can both take away from this challenge are how little you actually need and a deeper appreciation of the simple things in life such as a hot or cold drink!

What have been the hardest parts of your walk?

The hardest so far has been the North East coast of Scotland. The wind, rain, and cold were brutal in March.

Trying to tackle the north section of the John o’Groats Trail that in places where there is nothing more than a mud slide into a Geo, hundreds of feet above rocks and stormy seas, waves bigger than our house in 50mph winds with barbed wire everywhere was a huge mental and physical challenge.

What made it harder still (for me as a father) was trying to deal with the challenges and dangers enthusiastically, with energy and a sense of humour, to keep Eve motivated, engaged, and happy. We retreated to walking down the A9 for most of this route which felt like the lesser of two evils.

What can readers do to support you?

We have a Facebook page where we post daily updates on our progress
www.facebook.com/ourspectrumadventures

We have the charity page where supporters can donate to The National Autistic Society
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/johnogroatstolandsendourspectrumadventures

We have a Go Fund me page to help us with costs of equipment, fuel, food, etc to complete our challenge
www.gofundme.com/eve-ian-hike-John-o-groats-to-lands-end

And also a Buy Me a Coffee fund where people can choose to buy Eve a treat such as an ice cream or chocolate bar, and myself a much needed coffee
www.buymeacoffee.com/OurSpectrumAdv

Dyspraxia, hiking and me

NORTHUMBERLAND ROCKS

After I visited Northumberland last autumn, I decided to visit the county again to visit Marshall Meadows, the most northerly point of the county and England. So, I booked and paid for a B&B in Berwick-upon-Tweed for this May. Then, after reading posts in the UK Long Distance Hiker Facebook group, I became inspired to research trekking the Northumberland Coastal Path (NCP).

Northumberland won my heart over after my first visit with its rugged beauty in Hadrian’s Wall Country. So, as I poured over the maps and guides to plan my NCP route in the weeks before my return, I could sense the anticipation rising steadily within me. I’d be reliant on public transport for this trip as I don’t drive, so I made a habit of checking bus times meticulously and often. As time went by, I felt confident that my planning had put me in good stead.

May soon came. After spending a couple of days exploring Newcastle and Tyneside, including a ‘warm-up’ walk around Whitley Bay in which I completely lost all sense of direction, I found myself in Berwick primed and ready for action.

On the first day, I did a short but brisk hike up to Marshall Meadows to achieve my aim of reaching this furthest point of England. I loved that coastal walk, even if the path was perilously close to the edge in parts. The highlight was seeing dolphins leaping in front of a pleasure boat. The whole experience left me buzzing for what lay ahead.

Marshall Meadows at the border with Scotland

Straight after I completed the trek to Marshall Meadows, I spread out my map of the NCP on my bed at the B&B, and checked the route I was going to undertake from Creswell to Warkworth. Satisfied, I then packed my bag before going over the bus timetable again. It was only then that I stared aghast at the information before me as if a werewolf had jumped out of the wardrobe. I scanned the times again and again, but all the scanning in the universe wasn’t going to recover the obvious mistake I’d made.

Best Laid Plans….

Whatever way I looked at it, the bus times didn’t match up to the proposed start or finish times of my hikes. Also, for some end points there wasn’t actually a bus stop there! I spent the next hour or so trying to reshape the walks, and consulting my guides. Maybe there was a way around this, but I couldn’t see it. But I knew the reason why it’d occurred.

HIKING AND MY LEARNING DISABILITY

Dyspraxia is a learning disability that has impacted me since childhood, although I was diagnosed at the age of thirty. It means that I have difficulty in areas such as organisation, coordination and retaining information. For instance, I couldn’t tie up my shoe laces until I was 15 years old. There’s definitely a gap between the knowledge I need to learn new skills and the practical application of it. And sometimes I miss the completely obvious.

All of this can be very frustrating. In the past, there would’ve been times when I’d have wanted to bury myself under my duvet. But hiking in the great outdoors is a hobby that has given me, as it has so many people, a release from the challenges I face in life. Since I took country walking up in 2016, I’ve learnt to adapt around issues that are caused by my dyspraxia. An example of this would be an innate ability to lose my way on hikes, but I’ve learnt to have faith in myself through sheer determination and continually putting myself out there in the countryside. It doesn’t make the regular issue of getting lost disappear; it just makes it easier to deal with.

THE POWER TO ADAPT AND BE CREATIVE

Hiking hasn’t only given me the gift of having more belief in myself to overcome challenges and deal with situations (caused by dyspraxia or otherwise); it has helped me become more creative to achieve solutions. I’m not sure if this is to do with the empowering effect that spending time in nature offers, or if the new skills sets I’ve learnt from this hobby have caused me to think in different ways. What I am aware of, though, is that if my brain does become befuddled, then peace of mind is just a hill or river or forest away as I work to reach my trail goals – even if the goalposts move occasionally, like they did with the NCP.

So, after that dive-under-the-duvet feeling subsided, I took myself off to the pub – the place where all important decisions must be made – and I began to re-plan my holiday with extra vim and brandy. I studied Google Maps, bus times and my two guide books twice that night, and twice again the following morning before committing to my new plans.

NEW WALKS, NEW PURPOSE

With Cresswell to Warkworth off the itinerary, I head over the border to the village of St Abbs in Scotland for Day 3 of my rebranded Great Northern Tour. Okay, this was on the Berwickshire Coastal Path and not the NCP. But after explaining my predicament to a couple in the pub the night before, they explained that a day in St Abbs would inspire me for the rest of my stay.

And they weren’t wrong!

After jumping off the bus in the village – and returning to the bus stop a couple of times to make sure I had the correct time of departure – I headed to the visitor’s centre to see if they had any maps of local walks. I was handed a map of the Lighthouse Loop, and was told by an informative lady that the cliffs were the second highest in Britain. She also explained that St Abbs had been used as the setting for New Asgard in one of the Thor or Avengers Assemble films. Those two facts were enough to convince me that this was the route I’d be taking.

When setting out on any new walk, the fear rises in me that I’ll become lost again. But the map was accurately detailed, and my confidence boosted with every step. It was a welcome way to put my recent errors behind me. I was greeted by several friendly faces along this walk, so I felt confident if I needed to ask for directions.

Although this was a testing hike along steep clifftops on a very rainy day, I was rewarded with endless views out to sea and of remote sandy beaches that I wish I’d had the time to explore. St Abbs Head itself was a very picturesque viewpoint and, despite the rain, I did sit there for a bit to basque in it all and eat cake.

After heading past the lighthouse, I began the inland return leg back to St Abbs village through a spectacular hilly valley where sheep grazed lazily. In places the ground was spongy, so I had to slow my steps to prevent me bouncing down an incline. Soon, I footslogged it along a lake surrounded by woodland before one final ascent back along the cliffs to the village.

Exhilaration engulfed me as I walked through the village – via the bus stop to check my departure time again – and down to the picturesque harbour. Here, I enjoyed a fresh crab sandwich, which the cafe owner told me is a local delicacy. It was a real treat after such an inspiring walk, and it made up for not seeing any Norse gods!

Regrettably and reluctantly, I made my way back to wait for the bus. I noticed signs for the Berwickshire Coastal Path, and told myself that this is definitely an area for future exploration – just so long as I can get my travel arrangements right next time!

New Asgard, Here I Come
St Abbs

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE GOES A LONG WAY

After I returned from St Abbs, the landlady at my B&B asked me how the day had been. I explained my travel hiccups and my revised plans. She suggested that I should take a walk from Berwick over the bridge to Tweedmouth along to Cocklawburn beach for day four. She also advised that as the NCP is sixty-four miles long, I should focus on walking that number of miles or more with my new schedule. That way I’d psychologically benefit from knowing I could at least cover that distance in the same number of days.

The chat with my landlady convinced me that maybe I wouldn’t be so reliant on the bus after all as there were an abundance local walks around Berwick.

I stepped out early the next morning through the warren-like streets of Berwick, over the bridge and hugged the river tight as I marched along to Spittal beach. Here, I stopped for a drink, but the can of coke I’d bought had become so shaken up in my bag that it exploded all over my trousers! Thankfully, it was a sunny day, so I changed into my shorts in the public loo before cracking on.

After clearing Spittal beach with its army of dogs and their owners out in full force, I climbed upward past a row of houses and along the NCP proper for the first time. To my right trains roared past along the track in front of endless farm fields; to my left, the silvery grey North Sea rolled like a giant sheet of tin foil in a gentle wind. Here and there, when I looked down the cliffs, I espied alluring deserted beaches that made me want to escape the rat race.

It occurred to me then that I’d be alone for a time. However, just as I hoped this would remain, a herd of cyclists began the people stampede that remained a feature for the rest of the walk. Still, I amused every so often by saying ‘They went that way’ and pointing in the other direction when different groups of joggers with numbered vests running a race past by!

I liked this path because it was wide, set back from the cliff edge and not as steep as St Abbs. And as I passed a large isolated house perched perilously close to the land’s edge, it was here I realised I’d been in a state of flow on this walk for sometime: I’d been unaware of life’s issues – moreover, unaffected by my learning disability – and blissfully engaged with all that nature had to offer. This was the feeling that I’d hope to gain on doing a long distance hike, and knowing that it was possible made stepping out of my comfort zone so worthwhile.

I moved on then, and spent time treapsing barefoot along Cocklawburn beach. I loved the sensation of the cool sand beneath my feet along this beautiful, seemingly sparsely visited stretch of coast. After washing my feet with a bottle of water, I did the return journey back to Berwick, deciding to go full throttle as much as possible to see the most northerly lighthouse in the country. It was a straight route there and back and involved no buses, so there was no danger of my oft tangled mind going into overdrive and causing a mini mental meltdown.

Cocklawburn Beach
House On The Edge
The Last Lighthouse In England

Sunday Morning Call

I felt that I bounced back well after my initial planning fiasco. The last few days had been simultaneously physically demanding and mentally rewarding. Hitting my flow zone made me realise that long distance hiking was something that was in my bones. Despite this, though, I always experienced the fear of getting lost, even at my most relaxed. However, if I was truly going to push beyond my perception of dyspraxia defining me, I knew there was only one solution: to walk more.

So, on my final day I decided to stay around Berwick – partly because I didn’t trust bus travel on Sundays with a reduced timetable – and headed inland along the River Tweed. The powder blue sky, gentle breeze and calm waters set the scene for near-perfect conditions for the walk.

Berwick is famous for its three bridges – pedestrian, vehicle and train – and the iconic trio dominated the views of this hike.I exited by the pedestrian bridge onto the coastal path. Although I welcome any kind of incline to test my legs, I was glad this walk started flat. To my left, the wooded slopes of Coronation Park called, but I wanted to see as much of the River as possible. I passed a dilapidated boat structure that had been made out of old logs and branches, perhaps some kind of plaything. I wanted to be a kid again and play on it and stomp my feet in the muddy banks. But on this last day, I focused on eating up the miles.

After a few kilometres, the path finally rose upwards into woodland. I realised here that having dyspraxia gifted me the experience of discovering new places like this. Thinking this helped me understand that I should see any issues arising from it as challenges that could be overcome. Hiking provides me with the creativity and answers to develop the resilience and perservere in enjoying the outdoors. Sure, it was a shame that I hadn’t experienced the NCP more; however, Northumberland is a jewel of a county, and I know I’ll have many more adventures here.

Revelations clarified, I ambled through the woods and back on the river path, past isolated riverside cottages and up to a farm that marked my turnaround point. I returned to Berwick, and marched to my favourite end point for any hike: the pub!

The Muddy Banks Of The Tweed
Clear Head Space
The Berwick Railway Bridge

LESSONS LEARNT

Whilst dyspraxia has a limiting effect on me, hiking has a way of empowering me to create positive solutions. This, in turn, helps me to accept my limitations and work with them. When I think like this I can truly stretch myself and move into a state of flow. As such, hiking has given me a refreshed understanding of how I understand dyspraxia and myself. I think that this also contributes to me having a renewed purpose in life.

If I’m travelling from A to Z, I might have to travel through B, C and D and the rest of the alphabet to where I need to be. It might take a while longer, and involve a lot of replanning. It might mean that I do a multi-day hike in different locations rather than a complete national trail from time to time. But none of this is bad if it helps me to discover new places in a county like Northumberland.

Memorabilia For Long Distance Hiking

To most of us, long distance hiking is a hobby, and even a lifestyle. We often obsess over the next long distance hike, engulf ourselves in its community and subculture.

We also like purchases related to our favourite pastime, including, but not limited to outerwear, camping kit, maps, lots of lovely maps, and anything else which enhances our enjoyment of long distance hiking.

Souvenirs, and reminders of trips are often a wonderful way to jazz up a bookshelf and to remind ourselves of our achievements.

This short guide has been put together by searching for small businesses which make memorabilia for long distance paths. I hope you find something you like here.

Bucket List Prints

Bucket List Prints sells posters of popular locations from around the world, but has a section for National Trails and other long distance paths. The designs are commissioned, and then sold through the website and can be purchased in a variety of sizes, with or without a frame. 

If you want a stunning poster of your favorite long distance trail sat behind your sofa or bed, then look no further than bucket list prints.

Splashmaps

Splashmaps make fabric maps, which are “waterproof, washable and wearable”. They now include a small range of long distance trail maps, such as the Cleveland Way, Thames Path, and Great Glen Way. 

Great for wearing on your head in warm weather to keep the sun and swear off, or using as a lightweight picnic blanket.

Gosshawk

Gosshawk sells a range of hiking and biking t-shirts, and this includes long distance t-shirts. The best bit is that you can contact them for a customised design. For example if you are walking for charity, they can alter the wording, if a t-shirt isn’t in stock it can be printed up on demand.

The Adventure Patch Company

The Adventure Patch company don’t sell long distance hiking specific embroidered patches, but they do sell some for popular challenge walks, such as the  Wainwrights, Welsh 3000’s and the 3 Peaks Challenge. 

These patches are sold either individually or in small batches and need to be sewn onto a bag of your choice. Preferably cotton canvas for maximum retro-vibes.

Trails Shop

The National Trails shop has a great selection of National Trail gifts for long distance hikers from maps, guides and even my favourite – Trail Signs.

If posters, maps, t-shirts and maps were not enough for you, a trail sign may satisfy your appetite for trail souvenirs. 

Note. It’s unethical and somewhat naughty to pinch trail signs on the route. Also, somebody may notice it sticking out of your bag. You can however purchase them from here.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and found it helpful for decorating your house with memories of trails past. Please share with your hiking friends, and if you do purchase, let the companies above know what you were recommended by DistanceHiker.com. Happy Trails

Episode 1: A Walk Around The UK With Chris and Moose

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Show Notes

I’m always in awe of individuals, like Chris, who take on challenges, or journeys such as these. Walking the coastline of Britain is no easy feat, and comes with a remarkable amount of patience, planning, preparation. Patience comes with one’s ability to find the right time in life to do it, yet it often boils down to working out when that time comes and not passing on the opportunity.

For Chris, there was a perfect storm of circumstances that enabled him to walk the Coastline. The difference here between Chris, and so many of us is that he saw the opportunity, and took it.

Moose, a large Labrador Mastiff, accompanies Chris on his walks. You could assume that Chris is a solo walker, but I certainly think that when walking side by side with man’s best friend, you are walking with possibly the best company. However walking with a dog is now without its challenges. For starters, having a 2 man tent, with a large dog sleeping with you can be an interesting experience according to Chris. Also, there are the added challenges of thinking about water, food, and having to often stop during the heat of the day to ensure that Moose didn’t get heatstroke.

Walking the West Highland Way in 8 Days

UK Long Distance Hiking is a wonderful community of like minded hikers. Every member has a story to tell regardless of how many trails they have hiked (or plan to hike) and I’m in a remarkably privileged position to see and approve every member who has joined the group.

Also, with such a wealth of collective experience within the group, I’ve decided to ask members who have recently shared their experience on a particular trail

Which trail did you hike?

The West Highland Way

How many days did you take to walk the trail?

8 Days

Did you camp or stay in accommodation along the trail?

Both – mixture of camping, glamping and hotels

Which were the best overnight spots you found?

Camping – Beinglas – Staff was very welcoming, a good selection of hot and hearty meals and the place had a good social atmosphere (despite social distancing).
Glamping – Strathfillan Wigwams – Accommodation felt huge (especially compared to other cabins) and it had a heater, electricity, microwave, a ‘dining table’ which converted to a massive bed and a beautiful riverside location. Also the shower – £1 for 16 minutes – was super hot and wonderful.
Hotel – Inveroran – made to feel super welcome, food was amazing, room was very homely (although there was limited hot water for the shower).

What was your biggest day on the trail in terms of miles?

16.9m – both on day 2 (Drymen to Rowardennan) and day 8 (Kinlochleven to Fort William)

How was the social aspect of the trail? Did you meet a lot of other hikers?

Day 1 out of Milngavie we met a couple who said the trail was exceptionally quiet compared to normal – due to covid a lot of overseas travelers were not able to visit and the Scottish borders had only been open less than a week. Despite this, I felt this was one of the more social trails I have walked. Throughout the day, you were leapfrogging other hikers and you saw familiar faces at the stops each night. There were more opportunities to socialize than we took advantage of and in non-covid times this would be a very sociable trail.

Was it easy for you to replenish food and water along the route?

Very easy. We took more food than we ended up eating because it was so easy to eat/stock up en route.

Did you find the trail easy to navigate or were there any tricky sections?

It is exceptionally well signposted. The only tricky bit was the section by Loch Lomond (which is well known). Here the way markers are few and far between and at times you come to areas where the trail appears to be blocked by rocks – it isn’t but you have to figure out the easiest way to get over/around them. Nothing too difficult but trickier than the rest of the trail.

How difficult did you find the trail?

Not difficult. The section by Loch Lomond was the most difficult simply because the trail was so uneven underfoot. It’s also helpful to be mentally prepared for the ascent out of Kinlochleven – it’s steeper than you expect for the final day.

What were the best bits of the trail?

The views were outstanding.

What was the worst bit of the trail?

For us the weather whilst walking the Loch Lomond section. It was torrential rain all day. No criticism of the trail – or the weather – rain happens!

If camping, what shelter or tent did you use?

Alpkit Jaran 3

What bag, stove, and footwear did you carry?

Granite Gear Crown Ki 60 pack, Jetboil flash stove, Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX shoes

Roughly what was the total weight of your pack?

12.5kg without water

If you were going to walk the route again, was there anything you would do differently?

Take sealskinz socks and gaiters to help mitigate how wet my feet / shoes got on the Loch Lomond section.

What inspired you to walk this trail?

It’s a classic trail and the promise of amazing views lived up to all my expectations.

Where do you plan to walk next?

Cumbria Way and/or Yorkshire Wolds Way this summer

UK Long Distance Hiking Pack Survey

UK Long Distance Hiking Pack Survey

A few weeks back I asked the UK Long Distance Hiking community to fill out a survey all about the type of hiking pack they use. 

I’m not talking about packs for day hikes here. 

Instead, I was interested in discovering what packs, including brands, sizes and packing tips the community used for trips spanning multiple days where all kit was carried on the back.

So if your gig is luggage transfer (which we cover in other articles), then this post may not be for you. But If you would like to find out which packs to choose, based on the collective experience of this group, keep on reading.

Forenotes

Before I get into things too much I wanted to let you know something. I’m certainly not going to be recommending the top 10 packs to buy, or selling you anything here. The information which comes below is quite simply the collective knowledge kindly offered from UK Long Distance Hiking. 

What Brand Of packs are used?

I was really surprised to see a vast difference of packs used for this survey. We had 33 responses, with 24 different options selected. However without a doubt, and rather unsprisingly Osprey came in first at 39.4%.

Honestly Osprey is a great pack brand, and has a very strong hold on the UK market. They also produce some great packs to suit most budgets, including some lightweight offerings too.

What I didn’t do, and quite intentionally was ask for the make, and model of the pack used. I felt this would be information overload, and honestly I would rather new long distance hikers visit an outfitter to find out which type of pack they need by trying some on. 

What size pack do you use?

I have to admit, upon writing this question I had a personal interest here as I was on the market for a pack. The brand I was going to choose wasn’t the issue, just the size. 

Interestingly, 46-50L came in as the most popular pack size.

I think if you had asked this same question 5 – 10 years back the answer would have been somewhere between 50-60L but with lighter kit we can all pack easier. Goodbye to the days of long distance hiking with a huge load on our backs! And good riddence. 

18.2% of participants did however travel with a 61-65L capacity.

Kudos to those who travel with 31-35L  bags. You must have packing down to an art, and some seriously lightweight kit.

It’s pretty clear to me that most long distance hikers will be perfectly comfortable with a 50L backpack. Unless you are using budget gear which doesn’t pack down small (I’m talking tunnel tent with 3 sets of poles, and a heavy cooking system), you should be able to get all you need in 50L worth of pack.

Would you consider yourself to be a lightweight long distance hiker?

Lightweight long distance hiking or thru hiking can be a race to the bottom.

To the person carrying a 25L pack with only 4kg worth of weight, a fellow hiker carrying a 35L pack with 7kg worth of weight is not a lightweight hiker, but has packed too much.

What i’m getting to here is that there are no rules, or definitions about what exactly makes one a lightweight hiker. 

However for the purpose of trying to define this I’m going to assume its anyone carrying a bag size up to 45L, and 9kg. 

If you are less than that- at 4kg, I guess that makes you an ultralight backpacker?

I’m sure there is some generally agreed boundaries online somewhere. 

Either way, 72.7% of the respondents identified as lightweight backpackers, while 27.3% did not. 

My take away here is this: You don’t need the lightest kit, and the smallest back to be a lightweight backpacker. If you bag does not feel like a burdensome pack, which will suck out every inch of your soul then you are probably in the right place.

If however you put your pack on and wonder why its so heavy, contemplating the miserable days ahead with 15-20kg strapped to your sweats back, I advise you possibly assess what your taking. 

I’ve done those days – they are not fun.

Are there any brands (who sell bags) who you would recommend avoiding?

I’ll start here, before going into the responses.

Yes there are lots of brands, or shops who sell bags who I would recommend avoiding.

Anything by the following retailers – Sports Direct, Trespass, Mountain Warehouse and any other budget retailer or supermarket. Also be cautious of Decathlon.

Broken packs on the trail are no fun. Believe me.

And you will regret not spending an extra bit of money when you will only need to pay it out when your bag breaks mid West Highland Way. 

Here are some replies:

“Trespass or mountain warehouse”

“Oex, mountain warehouse”

“Not really. Karrimore is not as good anymore but for many people a really cheap “first” pack to try and figuring out what you want before buying a pricey one”

“Mountain warehouse”

“No, but I go for simple designs without masses of compartments etc”

“None really. Use your judgement. You get what you pay for”

“Any of the cheap poorly made ones people end up throwing away, it’s just a waste”

In short, buy cheap, buy twice. 

What advice do you have for first time long distance hikers?

These replies were amazing. I certainly learned a thing or two from this list of wisdom. The big take away is this. Pack less, much less than you need. 

  • Try a few local walks and camps first with your kit and get rid of everything you don’t need.
  • Ditch the non essentials and embrace the himer trash smell
  • Weigh everything. Distribute the weight. Try the fully loaded pack on a short hike.
  • Leave half of it at home
  • Have often used kit accessible first.
  • Check, prioritise, check again
  • You only need half of what you think you might need.
  • Sleeping bag at the bottom clothes and anything not used during the day in the middle. Heavy items at the top. Ten poles down the side. Pegs on the outside pocket. Tent at the top. Snacks and water in outside pocket. Map case round neck with compass and whistle.
  • Take the bare essentials, plan well in advance so you know what you can buy on the way if needed. A filter water bottle is worth it, (again check the path and map, plenty on SWCP barely any on NDW etc). After every hiking trip unpack your bag, what did you not need and can you leave it out?
  • Do a fully loaded practice hike to understand how the weight feels. It makes losing the ‘just in case’ items a lot easier.
  • Pack your rucksack, weigh it, unpack it, then pack it again with a target of 50% of the original weight.
  • Abandon personal standards! One set of hiking gear, one dry change, plus extra socks & undies. Quick dry is the answer. It’s really worth investing in quick dry kit. Only carry enough food to get to your next supply stop/town/shop. Your tent, sleeping bag & mat are your rest & recuperation. Buy the best & lightest you can afford.
  • Take flip flops or light sandals for evenings (& night visits to the loo, & showers 
  • Gauge the likely conditions & whether you’ll REALLY need gaiters etc.
  • Take a shorter shakedown trip to see what you need and what you can leave
  • Don’t struggle with the weight, lose some stuff you don’t need.
  • Make sure you are warm at night
  • Keep as light as possible
  • Do a 2 day local trip and then remove kit you know you won’t use.
  • Keep your waterproofs light, and handy. Small packing mac in a sac and the like are seriously underused. Make a list and ask someone experienced to look it over. If you don’t know anyone, post it in an online forum. Lighterpack.com is a useful way to do this. All my earliest hikes were failed due to over packing: keep minimalism in mind from the get go. Take only what you really need. That being said, there’s no need to be obsessive about it or spend thousands of pounds.
  • Use colour coded dry bags for different types of stuff. Don’t carry loads of spare clothes, if you’re wild camping nobody cares and if you’re not then you can wash things in your accommodation. I know it’s obvious, but stuff you won’t need while you are actually walking goes in the bottom.
  • You never need as much as you think.
  • Set it all out so you can see it all, then remove half of it. In particular clothing. You only need one spare of anything. Every thing can be washed on the hike or just wear smelly. No one cares about your hygiene except you.
  • Post unwanted kit home.
  • Fit bag correctly weight in centre minimise and then minimise again
  • When you return from a hike divide your kit into emergency items, items used frequently, and items used not at all. Next time take items from the first two piles, and only a few from the third. Reoeat after each hike
  • Lay your kit out on the floor and try to reduce by 50%. Don’t forget to ensure you have a inner bag to protect contents from getting wet.
  • Reduce weight.
  • Lay your kit out and ask 2 questions of each item. 1 – Is there something else I carry which will do the same job, if so then ditch it. 2 – Try and halve the weight of every single item… get rid of straps, buckles, liners, cases that aren’t being used.
  • Pack & unpack a few times before leaving, get to know what you need and can leave out, get familiar with where in you bag your kit is so you can get to it quickly and easily. Adjust the fit of your back to maximise comfort, always check zips, straps & clips are done up. Don’t stress about it, if it’s too heavy you will adapt and get used to it quicker than you think. Enjoy it, if it’s not enjoyable you’re doing it wrong
  • Looks for bags with wide padded shoulder straps
  • Research, and buy better second hand gear to get value for money
  • Try a 1/2 day/night walk with full pack first to check comfortable with weight & content

What mistakes did you make when first packing for long distance hikes?

Ok, ok sorry. This question, and the previous one were pretty similar. 

Well at least the responses I received were. Basically, most of you packed too much.

Your bags were too heavy, filled with everything from way too much water, to CDs, books, and with the weight being at the top of your bag. 

Almost every reply was the same.

The take away, if you are just starting out is this…

DON’T PACK TOO MUCH!

Naturally, 90.9% of hikers who responded aimed to carry less on their next long distance hike.

Final Notes

I really enjoyed putting this together, with the help of the wonderful UK Long Distance Hiking community. You may be wondering why I have not recommended a pack. Here is why. 

There is not a single pack which suits all. They have different shoulder widths, hip widths, support systems, entry points, and attachments. One persons lightweight pack which allows for ultralight hiking heaven, is hell to somebody who values the support of a slightly heavier pack. 

I strongly suggest visiting an reputable outdoor shop who will help you find the right pack for your needs.

Thank you to everyone who took part, including assistance from the following websites:

Summit.up.ni

Wildyorkshireway.co.uk

Trailman.co.uk

Thecoastwalker.com

Chrisandmoose.co.uk  

The #1 Guide To The Coast to Coast Baggage Transfer (2022 Update)

The #1 Guide To The Coast to Coast Baggage Transfer

The Coast to Coast Baggage Transfer article we have put together below is aimed at helping you choose between the various business who offer their services on the popular Coast to Coast trail stretching 190 miles from St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay. To find out more information on the Coast to Coast visit our walk page here

Many popular long distance trails in the United Kingdom are now supported with Baggage transfer, which opens the trails up to individuals of all abilities, rather than hardened backpackers or lightpackers.

With any of our articles, we encourage you to contact the companies we suggest to see which works for you.

Ok! Here are our pick of Coast to Coast baggage transfer companies.

Sherpa Van

Sherpa Van provide luggage transfer services on a number of long distance walks, either as part of their excellent accommodation booking services, or as a stand-alone service.

Sherpa Van offer an online booking element to their business making it particularly easy to make arrangements without having to pick up a phone, or to-and-fro with emails. The online system does require some tedious inputting of details in order to share your accommodation information for each day of bag movements required. However you have the assurances of booking with a well regarded business who employ local drivers to move your bags.

The terms of their Coast to Coast Baggage Transfer are as follows:

£9.45 per bag per movement
A minimum of £25 per booking
A minimum 1 bag for walks duration with a maximum of 20 kg per bag
A £25 non-refundable deposit is payable at checkout
If you only need 1 – 2 moves please contact the office for pricing

Coast to Coast Packhorse

A fitting name, for a business who specialise in moving bags. If you are looking for a luggage transfer business who know the trail well, and can provide an unparralelled service on the Coast to Coast walk then look no further than the Coast to Coast Packhorse. 

Of course packhorses would be a slow way of moving bags, and likely the prices would be higher. So instead your bags are moved by able bodied drivers and their trusty vans. 

In addition to providing baggage transfer, Coast to Coast Packhorse also offer the following:

Passanger Transfers, Car Parking, guided and self-guided cycle tour packages (including GPS and bike hire), running tours, again both self guided, and guided and of course walking packages. 

The terms of their Coast to Coast Baggage Transfer are as follows (copied from their website).

Excellent working relationship will all accommodation hosts
Regular as clockwork and fully reliable
Tags and labels sent out to you in advance
Excess baggage storage and delivery to final destination
Prices for walkers from £10.00 per move OR £140 for up to 16 moves (whichever is lower)
If booking less than 24 hours before first transfer – £11.00 per move

Lake District Baggage Transfer

Lake District Baggage transfer are a new business, started in Late 2020. We did a piece about them here.

They offer baggage transfer on a number of routes, including the Cumbria Way, Cumberland Way, Eden Way, and all versions (cycling, walking & running) of the Coast to Coast walk.

The terms of their Coast to Coast Baggage Transfer are as follows.

Prices from £24.00 (£12.00 per bag)
Maximum transfer distance per bag, per day is 30 miles
Bookings made within 24 hours of pick up are subject to a 10% surcharge
Maximum weight per bag is 20kg