England 2022
In 2015, David and I walked over 200 miles across northern England on what is known as Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. Five of us were led by Tyler Burgess. It was a wonderful experience that led to David and me doing four more self-guided long distance hikes in England and Scotland. Just before the pandemic hit in 2020, four of our original C2C group started talking about wanting to do it again. Now it is down to just two of us. David has decided against this trip since he is looking at getting his other knee replaced. Nancy and I have decided to go for it and in the true spirit of Wainwright, we are really going to make this walk our own! Since we have walked every step of the way already, we have nothing to prove. We are taking a more relaxed approach and pace. We have our maps and GPS device, our guidebooks, our raingear, and of course, our reservations at lovely B&Bs and inns along the way. We are ready for our next adventure to begin!
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- Glasgow
Nancy and I started our journey at 9:30 at the Eugene Airport. 24 1/2 hours later, we arrived at The Z Hotel in Glasgow. We had 14 and some hours of flight time with layovers in Seattle and Amsterdam. We settled in our rooms but then met for a quick walk up to the Glasgow Cathedral. Glasgow, Wednesday, May 11 We… Read more: Glasgow - To St. Bees, Day 1
Miles walked: 8.2 Elevation Gain: 1,352 feet Accommodation: Lu Lu’s Station House Nancy and I both had trouble sleeping last night, so we met before our agreed upon time to leave. That was a good thing because our train for St. Bees was leaving from Central Station, not Queen Street as we had been thinking. Central was only eight minutes walk… Read more: To St. Bees, Day 1 - To Ennerdale Bridge, Day 2
Miles walked today: 10.1 (according to the Garmin…my watch was almost 11 and Nancy’s Fitbit was over 12. I’m going with the Garmin as our official record keeper.) Total trip miles: 18.3 (Of course, this doesn’t include any walking before or after we are on the trail.) Elevation gain: 2,038 feet Total elevation gain for trip: 3,390 Accommodation: The Shepherd Arms… Read more: To Ennerdale Bridge, Day 2 - To Rosthwaite, Day 3
Miles walked today: 18 Total trip miles: 36.3 Elevation gain: A guess…2300 ft. Total elevation gain: 5,690 ft. Accommodation: Yew Craggs B&B Today’s figures are a guesstimate since twice today I accidentally turned off the Garmin tracking and another app that was recording elevation gain! We thought today would be about 15 miles but Nancy recorded 18 miles on both her… Read more: To Rosthwaite, Day 3 - To Grasmere, Day 4
Miles walked today: 6 Total trip miles: 42.3 Elevation gain: 800 ft. Trip total elevation gain: 6,490 ft. Accommodation: Heidi’s Grasmere Lodge Today was another make -it-easier day. After a leisurely morning and saying goodbye to our host at Yew Craggs, we caught the 9:25 bus to Keswick. We had about 45 minutes to kill before catching the bus to Grasmere… Read more: To Grasmere, Day 4 - Rest Day in Grasmere, Day 5
Today was a good day for a rest day since we woke up to rain. It rained most of the morning but settled down in the afternoon. Our morning was spent wandering around Grasmere and a trip to the post office. After lunch at a deli, since it was still raining I stayed in my room for a little while. Mid-afternoon,… Read more: Rest Day in Grasmere, Day 5 - To Patterdale, Day 6
Miles walked today: 10 miles-ish (Gary Garmin, my watch, Nancy’s Fitbit and her phone are all fighting for supremacy in recording the mileage. We split the difference today.) Total trip miles: 52.3 Elevation gain today: 1,823 ft. Trip total elevation gain: 7,313 ft. Accommodation: Old Water View It was perfect timing to have a rest day in Grasmere yesterday—it rained and… Read more: To Patterdale, Day 6 - To Shap, Day 7
Miles walked today: 12.7 Total trip miles: 65 Elevation gain today: 1,212 ft. Trip total elevation gain: 8,515 ft. Today was a diamond day. One little setback resulted in making our day even better. Our plan was to take the ferry to the end of the lake and then walk crosscountry thus avoiding an arduous day going over the highest point… Read more: To Shap, Day 7 - To Orton, Day 8
Miles walked today: 8.8 Total trip miles: 73.8 Elevation gain today: 1,005 ft. Trip total elevation gain: 9,520 ft. As I was walking along today, I was thinking about what a sense of accomplishment I am getting from this trip. I take particular satisfaction when I record my accumulated statistics each evening. When I look at the numbers, I remember how… Read more: To Orton, Day 8 - To Kirkby Stephen, Day 9
Miles walked today: 13.2 Total trip miles: 86 Elevation gain today: 1422 ft. Trip total elevation gain: 19,942 ft. Accommodation: The Fletcher House Before we left today, our host made sure we knew the best way to get back on trail. Today was another day of really studying the maps and guide to make sure we were going the right way… Read more: To Kirkby Stephen, Day 9 - Rest Day in Kirkby Stephen, Day 10
I am so glad to have had a rest day today. Yesterday’s walk wasn’t so strenuous, maybe it was the constant wind, but last night I was extremely tired. I needed today to just do laundry, wander around Kirkby Stephen, and just generally take it easy! We are staying at the loveliest B&B. It is Fletcher House and the photos really… Read more: Rest Day in Kirkby Stephen, Day 10 - To Keld, Day 11
Miles walked today: 13 Total trip miles: 99—We are at the halfway point tonight! Elevation gain today: 2,015 ft. Accommodation: Butt House We left Fletcher House about 8:30 this morning. It was overcast and misty with rain in the forecast so I wore my rain gear from the outset. We left Kirkby Stephen and passed through a little spot called Hartley.… Read more: To Keld, Day 11 - To Reeth, Day 12
Miles walked today: 15 Total trip miles: 114 Elevation gain: 898 ft. Accommodation: The Burgoyne Hotel So today was to be an easy 11 mile trip to Reeth but Nancy and I ended up walking 15 miles which was a bit more than we planned on. We left Butt House at 8:30 and arrived in Reeth at 4:30, ready to be… Read more: To Reeth, Day 12 - To Richmond, Day 13
Miles walked today: 11 Total trip miles: 125 Elevation gain today: 1,217 ft. Accommodation: Nuns Cottage Today the weather was “changeable.” When it wasn’t drizzly and cool, the sun was warm and the sky was blue with puffy white clouds. We started out with rain jackets on, but at our first sit-down break, we also put on our rain pants because… Read more: To Richmond, Day 13 - To Danby Wiske, Day 14
Miles walked today: 15 Total trip miles: 140 Elevation gain today: 447 ft. Accommodation: Ashfield House Last night we told our host at Nuns Cottage that we wanted breakfast at 7:45 so we could get started a little earlier than usual since we had 14 miles to go today. We have been getting on the walk by about 8:30. Despite wanting… Read more: To Danby Wiske, Day 14 - To Ingleby Arncliffe, Day 15
Miles walked today: 10.5 Total trip miles: 150.5 Elevation gain today: 325 ft. Our accommodations: Park House We left Danby Wiske fully prepared for the rain today. It was just slightly misting when we left, but we were glad to be protected against the water on all the foliage we were brushing through. Today was quite a contrast—open fields and long… Read more: To Ingleby Arncliffe, Day 15 - From Nancy—Questions Answered
Nancy has been writing a newsletter home as her journal of the trip. It is always interesting to me to see what she includes and what I forget to put in. Today she has an extra one about how we find our way and how we deal with COVID. I’m copying it because it is so succinct. Intricacies of the Trail… Read more: From Nancy—Questions Answered - To Clay Bank Top, Day 16
Miles walked today: 11.5 Total trip miles: 162.5 Elevation gain: 2,687 feet Accommodation: The Wainstones Hotel in Great Broughton Another hard day is done and we are looking at just four more days until Robin Hood’s Bay—four days that should be easier! Today was the kind of day that in the midst of it made me wonder what a seventy-one year… Read more: To Clay Bank Top, Day 16 - To Blakey Ridge, Day 17
Miles walked today: 9.9 Total trip miles: 173.4 Elevation gain today: 942 ft. Accommodation: The Lion I remember today’s walk in 2015 as being rather boring as we made our way to this almost 500 year old inn. When Nancy and I walked it today, it was anything but boring. Our host from Great Broughton brought us back to where we… Read more: To Blakey Ridge, Day 17 - To Egton Bridge, Day 18
Miles walked today: 12.9 Total trip miles: 186 Elevation gain: 635 ft. Accommodation: The Horseshoe Hotel Today we had the worst weather of our trip! Cold, windy, rain. The forecast for the whole morning was like that so we didn’t wait around. No dawdling, taking a lot of photos, or stopping to watch the birds today—except once when Nancy spotted a… Read more: To Egton Bridge, Day 18 - To Littlebeck—sort of, Day 19
Miles walked today: 7 Total trip miles: 193 Elevation gain today: 1,175 ft. Accommodation: Intake Farm This was just the kind of day I needed! I was tired yesterday from not having slept well and then having the bad weather hustle us up and over the moor. Thankfully, I had a good night’s rest and was ready to go, knowing today… Read more: To Littlebeck—sort of, Day 19 - To Robin Hoods Bay, Day 20
Miles walked today: 12.5 Total trip miles: 205.5 Elevation gain: 1,080 ft. Accommodation: The Victoria Hotel This morning as we left Intake Farm, Judith provided us with a map and instructions for a quick route back to the C2C path. She walked out with us and made sure we were pointed in the right direction. Nancy and I both enjoyed staying… Read more: To Robin Hoods Bay, Day 20 - Reflections from Robin Hood’s Bay
Yesterday as I was walking along, I got to thinking about why I like long distance walking. I realized it is a lot like teaching, which I loved, but then I realized it is also very like life in general. You start with an objective and you make your plan. Our objective was to walk from the Irish Sea to the… Read more: Reflections from Robin Hood’s Bay - To Winchester, April 7-8
We are in England again! This time David and I will be hiking with our friends Nancy, June, and John. We all flew in to Heathrow on different days and took the train to Winchester. David and I left home at 10 AM on Monday, and after about 18 hours of traveling, we arrived in Winchester, tired and ready for a… Read more: To Winchester, April 7-8 - Winchester, April 9
Our day started with a full English breakfast at the restaurant here at our inn. The only time I eat such huge breakfasts is when I am on trips like these—I’m not sure if they are called full English because of the many items you get or because you are definitely full after eating them. I didn’t ask for everything, but… Read more: Winchester, April 9 - Winchester, April 10
April 10 Today was really a rest day as we visited Winchester Cathedral and then Winchester City Museum. The cathedral is overwhelmingly awesome with so much to take in. The City Museum is one of the best small museums I have visited. It is on three floors, and really welcomes children. Interspersed with all the displays, there are stations with hands-on… Read more: Winchester, April 10 - To Meonstoke, April 11
Miles walked: 14.75 Elevation Gain: 1,333 ft. Accomodations: Bucks Head Inn We met for breakfast at 8 am in Winchester and were sitting down for dinner at 6 pm in Meonstoke. In between were 14.75 miles (Not the twelve miles stated by Mickledore and our guidebook!) and many hills, expansive views, birds, butterflies, and blooming flowers! The climbing today actually was… Read more: To Meonstoke, April 11 - To Buriton, April 12
Miles walked: 12 Elevation gain: 1,330 ft. Accomodations: Premier Inn, Petersfield Nancy and I started the day with a quick trip to the village shop for lunch makings. After a night’s rest, we were able to appreciate the charm of this little village more than when we tiredly arrived yesterday! We are having to arrange are own lunches on this trip;… Read more: To Buriton, April 12 - To Cocking, April 13
Miles walked: 11.4 Elevation gain: 1,409 ft. Things looked promising for David this morning as he woke feeling he could do the walk today. His knee felt better, but on the very first climb, within a mile of starting, it started hurting again. He kept going as we debated whether he should go back and call a taxi or go on… Read more: To Cocking, April 13 - To Amberley, April 14
Miles walked: 13 Elevation gain: 1,300 ft. Accommodations: The Sportsman Inn Another day of great hiking weather, many ups and downs, and beautiful green views! Our taxi driver from yesterday picked up the four of us at 9:15 and zipped us along on the 30-minute ride back to where we finished walking yesterday. David stayed at The Sportsman Inn with the… Read more: To Amberley, April 14 - Rest Day in Amberley
For the past two nights, we have stayed at The Sportsman Inn in Amberley. This is truly a neighborhood pub. The place was jumping when we arrived by taxi Sunday afternoon. Then last night, it was quiz night. The place was packed! (But from our room, we couldn’t hear them at all.) At lunchtime, the restaurant was busy, and as we… Read more: Rest Day in Amberley - To Bramber/Upper Beeding, April 16
Miles walked: 14 Elevation gain: 1,660 ft. Accommodations: The Castle Inn Today was an extremely hard day. A strong wind blew constantly and while I didn’t mind it in the morning, by the afternoon I was ready to be done with it! When we stopped at the village shop on our way out of town, the storekeeper told us that as… Read more: To Bramber/Upper Beeding, April 16 - To Poynings, April 17
Miles walked: 6.75 Elevation gain: 1,021 ft. Accomodations: South Downs Way B&B What a difference one day can make. It was a beautiful day again today, but no wind! While our itinerary said seven miles to Poynings, it was even less. (That’s a first!) And best of all, David managed it so very much better than yesterday. He still took it… Read more: To Poynings, April 17 - To Kingston/Lewes, April 18
Miles walked: 15.6 Elevation gained: 2,250 ft. Accommodations: Bramble Barn Our itinerary from Mickledore listed today as eleven miles, but we usually have to add up to 1–1½ miles for going to and from our accommodations; I figured today might be as long as 13½ miles. Sometimes two extra miles can feel sooo long! We left our B&B at the usual… Read more: To Kingston/Lewes, April 18 - To Alfriston, April 19
Miles walked: 8.6 Elevation gained: 1,090 ft. Accommodations: Riverdale House Our taxi driver took us to Southease this morning so that it would be an easier start to our walk. The term easier is relative. It was still a climb back up to the Way, but once on it there was an extremely steep hill to climb. At least we didn’t… Read more: To Alfriston, April 19 - To Eastbourne, April 20
Miles walked: 7.4 Elevation gain: 1,660 ft. Accommodations: The Cherry Tree Guest House Today was a tale of two different walks for me! The morning walk was a delight; the afternoon, not so much. Our day started with a taxi to Exceat in order to shorten the day and have enough energy left to enjoy the Seven Sisters when we got… Read more: To Eastbourne, April 20 - A Rest Day and a Train Trip to Remember, April 21-22
April 21–22 Accomodations: The Cherry Tree Guest House, Eastbourne, and The Redesdale Arms, Moreton-in-Marsh Yesterday was a rest day for us in Eastbourne. The first order of business, though, was a trek to the laundromat. Clean, fresh-smelling clothes are such a relief and often something most people take for granted. After the laundromat, the five of us did our own thing… Read more: A Rest Day and a Train Trip to Remember, April 21-22 - To Stow-on-the-Wold, April 23
Miles walked: 7.2 Elevation gain: 675 ft. Accommodations: The Sheep on Sheep Street As far as I am concerned, today was a perfect day. We are back in the landscape I love best. The great thing about this loop we are doing is that the mileage each day will be low enough that we can take our time on the trails… Read more: To Stow-on-the-Wold, April 23 - To Bourton-on-the-Water, April 24
Miles walked: 4.3 Elevation gain: 52 ft. Accommodations: Broadlands Hotel Today’s walk was just a four-mile stroll. Once again, I took a ton of pictures and thoroughly enjoyed the day! I took many photos of the fields covered in dandelions. Dandelions are such a despised weed in everyone’s yard, but they are really a beautiful flower and just amazing when you… Read more: To Bourton-on-the-Water, April 24 - To Guiting Power, April 25
Miles walked: 7.2 Elevation gain: 713 ft. Accomodations: The Broadlands (Bourton) Another casual day! Nancy and I agreed the Cotswolds part of our trip is like a walk in the park. My day started with a walk around town; morning is the perfect time to get photos without all the tourists in the way. It was misty and cool this morning.… Read more: To Guiting Power, April 25 - To Winchcombe, April 26
Miles walked: 6.7 Elevation gain: 736 ft. Accomodations: The White Hart Inn For much of the day, we walked past some big estates on one side and woodlands that are conservation areas on the other side. Then it was along side the sheep fields and down to Sudeley Castle. David opted to not go in and I was relieved to leave… Read more: To Winchcombe, April 26 - To Stanton, April 27
Miles walked: 6 Elevation gain: 342 ft. Accomodations: Badger Hall Today was a shorter walk, so we took our time leaving Winchcombe. Actually, we took our time the whole day, and had lots of time to spare. Winchcombe is an old town, over 1000 years old! High Street, where the White Hart Inn is, is a very busy street. Many of… Read more: To Stanton, April 27 - To Chipping Camden, April 28
Miles walked: 8.8 Elevation gain: 1,124 ft. Accomodations: Badger Hall Today was the reason I wanted to come back to the Cotswolds. It was an absolutely diamond day! The weather was perfect, the flowers were blooming, and except for the steep trek up to Broadway Tower, the walking was relatively easy. We had a short ice cream break in Broadway and… Read more: To Chipping Camden, April 28
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