Getting to the Coast to Coast, and getting home
The walk crosses England, so you arrive at one side and leave from the other. Here is how, plus what public transport exists at every stage end in between.
St Bees has its own railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line, about a 20-minute walk from the beach where the walk starts; you reach it by changing at Carlisle, Lancaster or Barrow-in-Furness. Robin Hood's Bay has no station — the X93 bus runs to Whitby and Scarborough, both of which do.
Getting to the start: St Bees
St Bees has a railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line, which runs between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness. There is a roughly hourly service Monday to Saturday, and some trains continue to Lancaster and Preston. From the south, change at Lancaster or Barrow-in-Furness; from the north or from Scotland, change at Carlisle. There is a through service from Manchester Airport via Carlisle taking about four hours.
The station sits on the main street in the village, a few minutes from the pubs, and it is about a 20-minute walk to the beach where the walk begins — the slipway where people dip a boot in the Irish Sea and pick up the pebble they will carry to the North Sea.
Getting home: Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay had a station once, on the Scarborough & Whitby line, but it closed in 1965. The village is served by the Arriva X93, which runs roughly hourly — more frequently in summer — between Middlesbrough, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and Scarborough.
- North to Whitby (about 20 minutes) for the Esk Valley Line to Middlesbrough, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in season.
- South to Scarborough for faster trains to York, and from York to almost anywhere.
The bus stops at the top of the village, on the main road. The finish itself is down at the slipway, a steep walk below.
Transport at every stage end
What exists at each overnight, in the order you reach them. Full detail is on each stage page.
| Stage | Ends at | Public transport |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ennerdale Bridge | St Bees has its own railway station on the scenic Cumbrian Coast Line between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, with a roughly hourly service Monday–Saturday and some trains extending to Lancaster and Preston; St Bees is about 43 miles (70 km) south-west of Carlisle and the beach start is a 20-minute walk from the station. There is parking in St Bees. |
| 2 | Rosthwaite | Getting to the start: Ennerdale Bridge has no railway; the nearest stations are at Whitehaven and Cleator Moor on the Cumbrian Coast Line (reached via Carlisle or Lancaster), with limited local bus or taxi links onward. The trail end at Rosthwaite is well served: the Borrowdale Bus (Stagecoach 78) runs between Keswick and Seatoller via Rosthwaite, and the seasonal Honister Rambler (77/77A, roughly Easter to autumn) loops from Keswick through Rosthwaite, Seatoller, Honister Pass and Buttermere, useful as a bail-out to or from the high pass. |
| 3 | Grasmere | There is no public transport at Rosthwaite or Stonethwaite beyond the seasonal Borrowdale bus (Stagecoach 78) up the valley from Keswick. Grasmere is well served: the Stagecoach 555 runs regularly (roughly hourly in winter, more frequently in summer), linking Grasmere with Ambleside, Windermere (for the railway), Kendal and Lancaster one way and Keswick the other, giving good escape and resupply options. |
| 4 | Patterdale | Patterdale is reached by the seasonal Ullswater bus: Stagecoach 508, which runs Penrith–Patterdale only (it does not continue over Kirkstone Pass to Windermere, as the A592 over the pass is closed), and the 509 (Keswick/Penrith via Aira Force, Glenridding and Patterdale), giving rail connections at Penrith on the West Coast Main Line. Grasmere, at the stage start, is served by the year-round Stagecoach 555 (Keswick–Grasmere–Windermere–Kendal–Lancaster), linking to rail at Windermere, Kendal and Lancaster. |
| 5 | Shap | Patterdale is reached by Stagecoach bus 508 from Penrith (which has a mainline railway station on the West Coast Main Line) via Pooley Bridge, Ullswater and Glenridding - check timetables, as the 508 at times runs only between Penrith and Patterdale when Kirkstone Pass is closed. From Shap, infrequent local buses (such as the 106 towards Penrith and Kendal) provide onward links; Penrith station is the nearest railhead. |
| 6 | Orton | The nearest railway station to the stage start is Penrith on the West Coast Main Line (about 10 miles from Shap, with through trains to London, Manchester, Glasgow and Carlisle); Shap's own station closed in 1968. Stagecoach buses serve Shap and Penrith. |
| 7 | Kirkby Stephen | Kirkby Stephen is one of the better-connected points on the walk. Kirkby Stephen West station, ~1.5 miles (steep walk) south-west of the centre, sits on the scenic Settle-Carlisle line (Northern) with several daily trains each way to Carlisle and Leeds - handy for reaching St Bees (via Carlisle) at the start or for a bail-out. |
| 8 | Keld | Start: Kirkby Stephen is on the scenic Settle–Carlisle railway, though the station is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-west of the town centre (taxi or walk in). End: Keld is remote — bus links are limited and largely seasonal or community-run (the Little White Bus operates Swaledale services including Keld–Richmond and a Richmond–Reeth–Keld run, and the Sunday summer DalesBus 830 reaches Swaledale). |
| 9 | Reeth | Reeth is served by the Little White Bus Service 30 (the 'Swaledale Shuttle'), running Keld-Thwaite-Muker-Gunnerside-Low Row-Reeth-Grinton-Richmond year-round on separate winter and summer timetables; some journeys (marked 'book in advance') must be booked at least 24 hours ahead through the booking office on 01969 667 400. From Richmond there are onward buses towards Darlington and the East Coast Main Line. |
| 10 | Richmond | Richmond has no railway station; the nearest mainline stop is Darlington on the East Coast Main Line, about 13 miles (21 km) north-east, with frequent buses (Arriva) linking Darlington and Richmond. Reeth and the Swaledale villages are served from Richmond by the year-round Swaledale Shuttle (service 30), run by the community Little White Bus, plus the seasonal Northern DalesBus 831 (Darlington/Middlesbrough to Richmond, Reeth and on through Swaledale), which makes this stage easy to do by public transport. |
| 11 | Danby Wiske | Richmond is served by buses to Darlington (for the East Coast Main Line) and toward Northallerton via Catterick and Brompton-on-Swale, though frequencies are limited and some routes do not run on Sundays — check current timetables before relying on them. Danby Wiske is remote with very limited bus service; the nearest railway station is Northallerton (East Coast Main Line), about 4 miles away. |
| 12 | Osmotherley | Nearest railway station is Northallerton (East Coast Main Line, roughly 9 miles), connected to Osmotherley and Ingleby Cross by Hodgsons buses service 80/89 (Northallerton–Stokesley, several times daily, not Sundays). This makes Osmotherley one of the easier C2C points for a bail-out or resupply by public transport. |
| 13 | Clay Bank Top | Public transport is sparse. Osmotherley is reached by bus (Hodgsons services 80/89 link Northallerton-Brompton-Osmotherley-Swainby-Carlton in Cleveland-Great Broughton-Stokesley, Mon-Sat); the nearest railhead is Northallerton. |
| 14 | Blakey Ridge | Clay Bank Top is a road col on the B1257 (Stokesley–Helmsley) with a small layby/parking, but no railway. Seasonal Moorsbus services (running on Sundays and bank holidays, roughly early May to late September) link the area: the M3 runs via Kirkbymoorside and Hutton-le-Hole and right past the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge to Danby. |
| 15 | Grosmont | This is the best-served stage for trains on the whole route: Glaisdale, Egton and Grosmont all have stations on the scenic Esk Valley Line (Middlesbrough–Whitby, operated by Northern), with about five trains a day running the full route to Whitby Monday–Saturday and four on Sundays, so any of the three makes an easy bail-out or rest-day base. At Grosmont the Esk Valley Line meets the North Yorkshire Moors Railway heritage line to Goathland and Pickering. |
| 16 | Robin Hood's Bay | — |
Bus services in the Dales and on the moors change with the season and some are community-run. Check current timetables before you rely on one — this table describes what serves each village, not today's departures.
Common questions
How do I get to St Bees for the Coast to Coast?
By train. St Bees is on the Cumbrian Coast Line between Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, with a roughly hourly Monday-to-Saturday service and some trains running through to Lancaster and Preston. Coming from the south you normally change at Lancaster or Barrow; from the north or from Scotland, at Carlisle. The station is on the main street in the village and the beach start is about a 20-minute walk.
How do I get home from Robin Hood's Bay?
Robin Hood's Bay lost its railway in 1965. The Arriva X93 runs through the village roughly hourly — more often in summer — north to Whitby and south to Scarborough, and both towns have stations. Whitby is on the Esk Valley Line to Middlesbrough; Scarborough has faster services to York and beyond.
Can I leave the walk part-way?
Yes, and four places make it easy. Kirkby Stephen (end of stage 7) is on the Settle-Carlisle line. Richmond (stage 10) has buses to Darlington on the East Coast Main Line. Osmotherley (stage 12) is about nine miles from Northallerton, also on the East Coast Main Line. Grosmont (stage 15) is on the Esk Valley Line and is the best-served stage on the route for trains.
Where is public transport worst on the Coast to Coast?
The middle. Keld is remote, with limited and largely seasonal or community-run links; Clay Bank Top is a road col on the B1257 with a layby and no bus of its own; Blakey Ridge is an isolated inn on the moor. Plan these as places you walk through, not places you can bail out of.
Should I drive to the start?
Most people do not. The walk is one-way across the country, so a car left at St Bees is 190 miles from where you finish. If you drive, park at one end and use the train and the X93 to return to it — or use a baggage transfer company that also does start and finish transfers.
Which airport is closest to the start?
Manchester is the usual choice for international walkers: it has its own railway station and a through service to St Bees via Carlisle taking roughly four hours. Newcastle and Leeds Bradford are better placed for the finish than the start.
