My first Coast to Coast Walk, 1990.

[foxy mars]

This was my first ever Coast to Coast Walk and it was done in September 1990.

The weather was very good and don't recall any rain at all, in fact the Nine Standards Rigg was dry as a bone.

I walked it in 11 days and did a mix of camping, b&b & yha.

This is was itinerary:
St. Bees, Stonehouse farm. B&B - 0 mls.
Ennerdale Yha - 19 mls.
Thornley Howe Yha, Grasmere - 19 mls.
Bampton Grange, Post Office. B&B - 19 mls.
Newbiggin on Lune, Bent's farm. Camp - 18 mls.
Keld, Park Lodge. Camp - 18 mls.
Reeth, Hackney Ho. B&B - 11 mls.
Danby Wiske, White Swan pub. Camp - 24 mls.
Swainby, Black Horse pub. Camp - 16 mls.
Church House's, Head House farm. B&B - 17 mls.
Grosmont, Priory farm. Camp - 15 mls.
Robin Hood's Bay - 17 mls.

These are some of the photos, I had taken, there are a bit scratched with some tramlines on the negs. Digital photography was only a dream in 1990.

St. Bees Head cliff path.

Dent Hill.

Pillar from Ennerdale.

Black Sail Youth Hostel.

Brothers Water from Boredale.

Me, at Haweswater.

The Nine Standards.

My old Jet-Packer tent at Keld.

Blakethwaite Smelt Mill at Gunnerside Beck.

a Swaledale stile on the walk near Applegarth

Looking back to west, Hasty Bank and Clay Bank.

The end of the walk at Robin Hood's bay.

[Farplace]

Great pics Foxy. Some beautiful countryside to walk through. I can understand why you are hooked. Something I have wanted to do for a long time.

[foxy mars]

Thanks, Farplace. There alway say, the first time is always the best and it was.

It was in June 1991, I did the 2nd Coast to Coast with the ex and although, it was a lovely walk, we did have a bad day's rain and hill mist from Grasmere to Patterdale. I thought the ex was going to pack up the walk there and then, I kept saying, it's just typical Lakeland weather, but she wasn't having any of it. However, the next day was much better. The weather after Patterdale was to get hotter & hotter, not complaining. But, from Reeth to Danby Wiske was the hottest day of the whole walk, the ex was cooking from the heat and it was a long day of 24 miles in such conditions. I did tell her to cover up, but oh no, she wouldn't have any of my advice. It was only at Streetlam, she flaked out with the heat, so a kind local lady drove her to the White Swan, Danby Wiske. I walked the last 2 miles to the White Swan and to my amazement, she said, sitting at the bar, supping lager, that she had lovely warm shower. I was not best too happy about it, but that was the love which was to soon die out in the next year.

However, in 1992, I did the coast to coast in reverse, that is east to west from Robin Hood's Bay to St. Bees. The weather was awful from the start to Keld, in fact, I omitted the Nine Standards because of the foul weather. It was only when I got to Kirkby Stephen, the weather improved a lot better and for the rest of the walk to Honister Pass youth hostel, it was sunny and warm. From Honister Pass hostel to Cleator, a long day of 17 miles. That the weather turned for the worst, it just poured down. I got to the bed and breakfast in Cleator and I was soaked to the skin, I stood in the kitchen with a pool of water below me.
Yes, I have some good memories of the past Coast to Coast walks.
So, hoping to get some good weather this year.