There are currently no dates scheduled for this trip.
We offer private and bespoke group options for all our trips. This trip can start on any date of your choosing, with a minimum of 6 people. To explore this option please don’t hesitate to contact us with your preferred dates, accommodation, and group size.
You can also let us know if you would like to see this trek added to our calendar or would simply like to register your interest. We will accommodate requests from our walkers wherever possible.
Overview
This is the second part of the full Coast to Coast route. The holiday includes 7 days of exquisite walking through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks. From Kirkby Stephen to Robin Hoods Bay, this 110 miles (177 km) trek offers some of the best walking in England. The Coast to Coast is renowned worldwide for its gorgeous scenery, diverse terrain, and welcoming villages.
The Coast to Coast (East) can be followed straight on from The Coast to Coast (West) or enjoyed in a subsequent year. Of course, there is no need to complete the Coast to Coast (West) first; this trail can be simply appreciated as a fantastic trek in itself.
Highlights of the Coast to Coast East
- The rolling hills of The Yorkshire Dales.
- The heather covered plateaux of the North York Moors.
- The historic streets of Richmond & Richmond Castle.
- Arriving on the East Coast of England, in the seaside town of Robin Hood’s Bay.
Itinerary
Each day, you will be guided along the Coast to Coast trail by your qualified and friendly walking guide, and all the logistics of your trek will be managed by your trek manager, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.
We will be with you from the moment you set off in the morning to the moment you arrive at your accommodation in the evening. You will only need to carry your day bag, with essentials to keep you warm, dry, fed, and hydrated for the day. Your main luggage will be transported to your next accommodation for you.
Everything will be taken care of so that you can just enjoy the walking!
Today is the day we will all make our way to Kirkby Stephen to begin our Coast to Coast adventure. If you are joining straight from our Coast to Coast (West) trek then today will be a rest day. In the evening you will get a chance to meet the rest of your group, as well as your guides, for a welcome evening and briefing. This will be in a local pub/restaurant where you will have the option of an evening meal.
Accommodation in Kirkby Stephen.
Today we will begin/continue our journey along the Coast to Coast to the village of Keld. The walk begins gently by following a winding tarmac road out of Kirkby Stephen which soon turns into a good path in the Pennine Moors. Here we will ascend to the summit of Nine Standards Rigg, our highest point for the day. Standing at 662m between the Eden Valley and Keld Side it is famous for its nine large cairns. The views from the top over the Eden Valley are well worth the climb.
Our route down will vary depending on the time of year of your trek. Three routes are used over the course of the season to help prevent erosion on the path. Regardless of our path, be aware that this section goes over peat and can be very boggy in wet weather. We will finish the day by following the River Swale into Keld.
Distance: 13 miles (21 km)
Total ascent: 515m
Time: 7-7.5 hours
Accommodation is in Kirkby Stephen.
We will begin by ascending out of Keld, passing Crackpot Hall and then follow The Swinner Gill and East Grain. This area is famous for its lead mining industry that disappeared towards the end of the 19th century. You will notice the ruins of the various mining works throughout the area.
We will continue crossing over the moor to a height of 580 metres, before dropping down to Gunnerside Gill. We will soon be ascending again, this time up to Melbecks Moor at 550 metres, before heading down to Surrender Bridge, passing the ruins of Old Gang Smelting Mills along the way. We will complete the day by following farmland and The River Swale into Reeth.
Distance: 12 miles/19.5 km
Total ascent: 600m
Time: 6-7 hours
Accommodation in Richmond.
Today we will be walking to Bolton on Swale, which is a great contrast from yesterday. While it is a long day in respect to the miles walker, 17 in total, the terrain underfoot is much easier and the hills much gentler.
The scenery is one of rolling countryside and we begin by following The River Swale to Marrick, passing the ruins of the 12th-century Benedictine Priory along the way. After walking through the small village of Marske we will continue walking parallel to the river, reaching Richmond around lunchtime. Richmond Castle is one of the highlights of this day. Likely built in the 1070s by Alan Rufus and extended considerably in the 12th century, Richmond Castle is one of the best examples of an early Norman castle in England.
We will cross the 18th-century Richmond Bridge and once again follow the Swale through Colburn and over Catterick Bridge before finally reaching our destination of Bolton on Swale.
Distance: 17 miles/27.5 km
Total ascent: 500m
Time: 8-8.5 hours
Accommodation in Richmond.
Another long but gentle day today. Once again, we have 17 miles to cover with only 100m of height gain.
We will leave Bolton-on-Swale by saying goodbye to St Mary’s Church, an exquisitely built sandstone structure from the 14th century, constructed by Brothers of the Abbey of St Mary’s in York. After crossing some farmland, we will soon arrive at Kiplin Hall, initially built as a hunting lodge in 1620.
Once again we will follow small lanes and fields until we reach the village of Danby Wiske. From Danby Wiske the walking remains rural, over farm fields and along narrow country lanes with views of The Cleveland Hills as they get ever nearer. The day ends at Ingleby Cross, which also marks the start of the North York Moors National Park.
Distance: 17 miles/27.5 km
Total ascent: 100m
Time: 7-8 hours
Accommodation in Great Ayton/North Allerton.
This is the most challenging day of The Coast to Coast (East) but is also perhaps the most rewarding. The effort is well worth it as this day contains many highlights.
We begin by ascending to Arncliffe Wood where the route of The Coast to Coast follows a section of The Cleveland Way. Our next milestone is the summit of Gold Hill at 315 metres, followed by Carlton Moor at 408 metres. Once here we will descend to Green Bank but our ascent isn’t over yet. This undulating day continues by going over Cringle Moor and then to Hasty Bank before descending to the road at Clay Bank Top.
We will likely have lunch somewhere around this area and continue up Carr Ridge followed by a gentle rise to the summit of Round Hill. Standing at 454 metres, Round Hill is the highest point on the North York Moors. From here we will descend to Bloworth Crossing, where The Coast to Coast diverges from the Cleveland Way and continues on a disused railway line through Farndale Moor to Blakey Ridge.
Distance: 20 miles (32 km)
Total ascent: 970m
Time: 8.5 – 9.5 hours
Accommodation in Great Ayton/Blakey Ridge.
Today is a much easier day than yesterday, and it should only take us around 6 hours to complete. While 15 miles long, there is very little height gain, making it much easier for our tired legs!
We begin on the high moorland road but soon gain a path through the beautiful heather that the North York Moors are so famous for. We will pass White Cross, quickly followed by Botton Cross. Moorland crosses are a frequent feature on this part of the Moors and there is perhaps a larger collection here than anywhere else in the UK. These crosses, symbols of Christ’s death, began appearing in this region during the 7th century. They were largely used to guide people across the moors, marking ancient tracks and routes.
After another short road section, we will gain a large track to Glaisdale Moor, leading us into Glaisdale village. From the village, we will head through East Arnecliff Wood before joining a road into Grosmont.
Distance: 15 miles/24 km
Total ascent: 100m
Time: 6-6.5 hours
Accommodation in Robin Hoods Bay.
The last day of our journey will take us from Grosmont to Robin Hood’s Bay and we would expect our final day to take approximately 7 hours.
We will begin by ascending out of the village to the tumulus (ancient burial mound) of Flat Howes. A gradual descent will lead us down to the hamlet of Littlebeck. We will continue alongside the beck through Little Beck Wood and soon reach a huge boulder. This boulder, known as The Hermitage, was constructed from one piece of rock by George Chubb in 1790 for reasons unknown.
As we continue on we will reach Falling Foss, a delightful waterfall, before coming to Old May Beck. After two short road sections we will contour around the hillside before descending into Hawsker and then to the coast.
Our final section of this world-famous trail takes us along the beautiful coastal path before reaching Robin Hood’s Bay itself. Once here we will of course follow tradition by dipping your boots into the sea and celebrating your accomplishment.
Distance: 15 miles/24 km
Total ascent: 450m
Time: 7-7.5 hours
Accommodation in Robin Hoods Bay.
Today we will pick you up from your accommodation in Robin Hoods Bay and drive you back to Kirkby Stephen. However, you may prefer to make use of the bus from Robin Hoods Bay, which can take you to Scarborough train station for your onward travel. From here, it is time to say goodbye and make your way home.
What's Included?
The cost includes
- Accommodation for 8 nights (breakfast included)
- 7 days guided walking
- Qualified UK Mountain Leader as your guide
- Luggage transfers
- Support vehicle
- Full Information Pack
- Training advice
- Maximum group size of 8
- Free transfer back to Kirkby Stephen if required
Not included in our packages
- Lunches, snacks and dinners
- Arrival and departure transport
Accommodation Options
Bed & Breakfast
The Bed and Breakfast option provides you with good standard Bed and Breakfast accommodation, with breakfast included within the price of the holiday.
The B&Bs we use are located within small towns or villages and so you will have access to local shops as well as a choice of pubs to make sure you have plenty of opportunity to have an evening meal.
In areas where there are no B&Bs or there are no facilities such as shops or pubs we will instead drive you out to another nearby village where a better overall experience can be achieved.
FAQs
This trek is graded 3/5 on our trekking scale.
A good, challenging trek for the average walker. The terrain will include hills and rougher paths, and there will be some challenging longer days. It should be achievable for a person of good general fitness and determination.
Although the daily mileage is higher than some other treks of this grade the going is generally good. The route is walked mainly on good paths but there are some hilly and rougher sections of trail too. This trek is towards the upper end of the grade.
To help you decide if this trip is right for you, please also refer to the itinerary, which includes daily distances, ascent, and detailed descriptions of the terrain.
You can read more about our grading system in our Trip Difficulty Guide.
Please note: all long-distance walking is challenging, particularly if you are not used to walking/exercising on consecutive days. What makes a trek challenging is personal and depends on your fitness, strengths, and preferences.
You can expect a contrast to the Lakeland Fells of the western section. From Kirkby Stephen the landscapes change to rolling moor and farmland. You can expect to wander over moor and dale making good and steady progress towards the eastern coast.
This trek isn’t short on miles and is in the upper end of our grade 3 treks. You will want to be able to keep a steady pace to get through the miles each day, but the trail underfoot is usually helpful in this regard.
This can be walked as a trek in its own right or as the completion of a full Coast-to-Coast.
We begin this trek in Kirkby Stephen between the Yorkshire Dales and the Pennines. Kirkby Stephen is served by rail and local bus services linking to Settle to the south and Carlisle to the north.
On our Coast to Coast treks we make use of accommodation in a combination of Kirby Stephen, Keld, Richmond, North Allerton, Great Ayton, Blakey Ridge and Robin Hood’s Bay.
While we cannot guarantee this will be the same for all our customers as availability does dictate our choices. We will have 2 or even 3 night stays in some places and that way you do not need to repack pack each day. You will also have the opportunity to explore the local places along the route.
Some villages are small with limited facilities, such as Keld or Blakey Ridge, but these are mixed with larger towns/villages such as Kirkby Stephen and Richmond, which have a variety of places to eat and supermarkets. Your trek manager will be on hand to help ensure you always have an opportunity to purchase packed lunches and get an evening meal.
You will be provided with a full kit list, but as a guide the basics you will need are:
A small rucksack (around 25 litres), walking boots, waterproof trousers, waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, a spare warm layer and walking trousers (not jeans or denim), a water bottle, sun and midge protection.
With Thistle Trekking you get a personal service. We are happy to answer any questions and queries and help where we can with all aspects of your trip.
Your point of contact will be the same person from the first enquiry to the final communication before your Coast to Coast trek.
Our guides are all qualified, experienced, and fun companions on the trail.
What our walkers said about their Coast to Coast (East) trek
I greatly enjoyed this trek (and my previous three treks with Thistle) and I look forward to trekking with Thistle again.
Robin I
From initially booking the trip the communication has been outstanding, nothing was ever too much trouble. Had so much information & training tips before the trip it all helped to make you feel well prepared & ready for the trip.
Harry was sooooo good, very calm, you could tell he had done this walk before & what to expect. Dean was just so much fun & full of energy. As it was very hot during the walk the ice & pop were a very nice & welcome surprise as the afternoon stop.
Keep doing what you are doing as it is just FAB – thank you.
Kate W
Very well organised with all aspects of the trek covered from first night meet up to farewell dinner. Felt in safe hands. Our group of walkers had nothing to worry about apart from enjoying the views each day.
Eileen H
