Coast to Coast in 16 days
One stage a day. The gentlest way to walk it, and the only schedule with no long day at all.
A 16-day Coast to Coast walk covers 186.9 miles (301.0 km) and about 8813 m of ascent, averaging 11.7 miles a day. The longest day is 17.1 miles (St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge). No day passes 18 miles.
- 186.9 mi301.0 km total
- 16walking days
- 11.7 miaverage day
- 8813 mtotal ascent
- 17.1 milongest day
The 16 days
Distances and ascent are the figures published on each stage page; a day that joins two stages is the sum of the two. Every overnight below is a village that ends a stage, so each one has its own guide.
| Day | Walk | Distance | Ascent | Time | Grade | Cumulative | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Bees → Ennerdale Bridge Stage 1 | 17.1 mi | 27.5 km | 885 m | 8.6 h | Hard | 17.1 mi |
| 2 | Ennerdale Bridge → Rosthwaite Stage 2 | 13.2 mi | 21.3 km | 671 m | 6.6 h | Hard | 30.3 mi |
| 3 | Rosthwaite → Grasmere Stage 3 | 6.7 mi | 10.8 km | 601 m | 3.9 h | Moderate | 37.0 mi |
| 4 | Grasmere → Patterdale Stage 4 | 7.2 mi | 11.6 km | 594 m | 4.1 h | Moderate | 44.2 mi |
| 5 | Patterdale → Shap Stage 5 | 15.3 mi | 24.6 km | 1128 m | 8.2 h | Very Hard | 59.5 mi |
| 6 | Shap → Orton Stage 6 | 5.4 mi | 8.7 km | 237 m | 2.8 h | Easy | 64.9 mi |
| 7 | Orton → Kirkby Stephen Stage 7 | 14.0 mi | 22.6 km | 438 m | 6.6 h | Moderate | 78.9 mi |
| 8 | Kirkby Stephen → Keld Stage 8 | 10.9 mi | 17.5 km | 654 m | 5.7 h | Moderate | 89.8 mi |
| 9 | Keld → Reeth Stage 9 | 11.2 mi | 18.1 km | 611 m | 5.7 h | Moderate | 101.0 mi |
| 10 | Reeth → Richmond Stage 10 | 10.3 mi | 16.6 km | 377 m | 5 h | Easy | 111.3 mi |
| 11 | Richmond → Danby Wiske Stage 11 | 15.5 mi | 25.0 km | 244 m | 6.9 h | Easy | 126.8 mi |
| 12 | Danby Wiske → Osmotherley Stage 12 | 14.0 mi | 22.6 km | 305 m | 6.3 h | Moderate | 140.8 mi |
| 13 | Osmotherley → Clay Bank Top Stage 13 | 10.9 mi | 17.5 km | 898 m | 6.1 h | Hard | 151.7 mi |
| 14 | Clay Bank Top → Blakey Ridge Stage 14 | 10.1 mi | 16.3 km | 219 m | 4.6 h | Moderate | 161.8 mi |
| 15 | Blakey Ridge → Grosmont Stage 15 | 10.1 mi | 16.2 km | 167 m | 4.5 h | Moderate | 171.9 mi |
| 16 | Grosmont → Robin Hood's Bay Stage 16 | 15.0 mi | 24.1 km | 784 m | 7.5 h | Hard | 186.9 mi |
| Total | 16 walking days | 186.9 mi | 301.0 km | 8813 m |
Grade is the harder of the stages a day covers. Walking times are moving time at a steady pace and exclude stops.
The Coast to Coast is traditionally quoted as 190 miles (306 km), and that is the figure used across this site. Adding up the 16 stage lines we publish gives 186.9 miles (301.0 km). Both are here on purpose: the totals in the tables are the sum of the stages, so they always match the days above them, while the headline figure is the one the route is known by. Exact distance depends on which variants you walk — the Nine Standards Rigg seasonal routes alone differ by over a mile.
Who this schedule suits
First long-distance walk, walking with children, carrying a full pack, or simply wanting time to look at things.
The day that costs the most
Day 5, Patterdale to Shap, carries 1128 m of ascent — more climbing than any other day on this plan, over 15.3 miles. It is graded very hard.
Where to sleep
Each overnight in the table is a village or town on the route. Beds are the binding constraint on this walk, not fitness: Keld, Blakey Ridge and Clay Bank Top have very few, and in June to September they go months ahead. Book the whole line before you commit to dates — see Coast to Coast accommodation, or tell us your dates once on the trip request form and let local providers come back to you.
Other schedules
Common questions
Can you walk the Coast to Coast in 16 days?
Yes. This is a 16-day schedule for the Coast to Coast Path: 186.9 miles (301.0 km) and about 8813 m of ascent, split into 16 walking days that each finish in a village on the route. The longest day is 17.1 miles, St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge.
How long is the longest day on a 16-day Coast to Coast?
17.1 miles (27.5 km), St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge, with 885 m of ascent. No day on this schedule passes 18 miles, which is what makes it the gentlest of the three.
How much walking is that per day on average?
About 11.7 miles (18.8 km) a day, with roughly 551 m of ascent. Averages hide a lot on this route: the Lakeland days at the start carry most of the climbing, and the Vale of Mowbray in the middle is nearly flat.
Does this include rest days?
No — 16 is the number of walking days. Kirkby Stephen and Richmond are the usual places to add a rest day, because both are proper towns with shops, banks, food and onward transport.
Which direction does this itinerary walk?
West to east, St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay, which is the direction Wainwright set out and the way the great majority walk it. It puts the prevailing south-westerly weather behind you and saves the Lake District fells for legs that are still fresh.
