INTRODUCTION - A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay - page 2

possible, sensible or necessary in later years, including many made avail-
able by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and the introduction
of Access Land across much of the high ground of the route. However, I
have opted for the much safer and significantly more beautiful low-level
route through Swaledale, rather than grinding across the moors above,
and I've also ditched all the road walking through the Vale of Mowbray (as
I had done in the first edition) - there's just no need for it. Even so, where
I have dropped parts of the original line, I still provide them in Appendix A
for Wainwright devotees (there are cross-references to Appendix A where
relevant).
The various high-level alternatives I provided in earlier editions, notably
in the Lake District, have also been omitted - this topic concentrates on
the Coast to Coast Walk itself. You can easily work out variations for your-
self, but my guess is that most people want to do the basic walk and just
that.
THE ROUTE IN BRIEF
Opening with a lofty scamper around the edge of St Bees Head, the first
day, usually taken as far as Ennerdale Bridge, samples the delights of
coastal walking before heading inland to the western fringe of Lakeland.
The leg-buckling slopes of the minor summit, Dent fell, on a warm day es-
pecially, come as something of a joke, but beyond that one of Lakeland's
hidden gems, Uldale and Nannycatch Beck, compensates amply on the run
in to Ennerdale.
Ennerdale marks the entry, if you like, to Lakeland proper, and pushes
far into the heart of steep-sided mountains, to the great summits of Pillar
and Great Gable that lie at Ennerdale's head. Then, with a daunting flour-
ish, the walk engages the short-lived wrath of Loft Beck as it hauls itself
across the fells to Borrowdale, coming first by a back road into Seatoller,
and then by a charming traverse to Rosthwaite, as much on the traditional
tourist route as Black Sail Youth Hostel in the deep sanctum of Ennerdale
is off it.
By enterprising leaps the walk visits Langstrath, crosses by Greenup
Edge to Far Easedale and Grasmere, before crossing to Patterdale by
Grisedale Tarn.