England's most popular hiking trail - the Coast to Coast Walk

There's probably no more enjoyable way to learn about English history, the landscape, the folklore and its people, than to embark upon the classic English Coast to Coast Walk, first developed by the great British fell-walker, Alfred Wainwright. Join us as we make our way along this classic walk, which starts from St Bees in Cumbria and ends with Robin Hood’s Bay near the North Sea.

What begins as a pleasant ramble across England, becomes an unusual journey through its history and landscape. Events of the Dark Ages combine with Viking myths to make a marvellous walking adventure.

History, walking, food and old Viking tales - in one book!

Over the 17 days of our walk we meet the old Norse gods - Odin, Thor, Freya and we even see where the mischievious Loki is imprisoned in a stone inside the church at Kirkby Stephen.

Three National Parks to explore - Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors

The Coast to Coast Walk takes you through England's most interesting national parks. We follow Alfred Wainwright’s classic hiking trail through the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and across the North Yorkshire Moors. "Early spring seemed the best time of the year to walk the route. It would still be slightly chilly with fewer fellow walkers, making accommodation easier to find. We figured that 18 days on the journey would give us sufficient time to soak up the beauty of the landscape and the history and character of this part of England. Ancient villages, market places, castles and rugged landscape are all part of the experience on this 309 km walking journey through the heart of Northern England". - Odin's Last Rune

Odin's Last Rune Reviews

In Odin's last Rune Almis has skilfully interwoven three strands: the physical walk; the history of the areas crossed - Roman, Angls-Saxon and Norman; and the mythology of the Norse gods. As well, there is a comprehensive "how to do it" section for those who want to do the walk themselves, including suggestions for finding accommodation and transportation for your pack.
Carol Payne, Bookshelf, North Shore Times.

The real stars of the book are the quaint names of villages and towns through which Almis and Carol pass. They meander through the Lake Country and the Yorkshire Moors, and come across unusual memorials, dolmens of strange form, simple rustics with Range Rovers, churches ancient and modern and the everlasting pubs with endless cider on tap after a day's walk. And I hope another book is on its way.
Owen Marks, Sydney Bushwalker.

If you have the original Wainwright book and the Hannon, you might be interested in a new book that has come out about the walk. it is called "Odin's last Rune". Author Almis Simankevicius, creates an interesting variation on a theme from the usual guide books: although a third of the book is a journal about his rather uneventful crossing, another is about English/Norse history (including some of the placenames on the tour) and another third about Norse mythology, and it is in these latter sections where the main interest lies.
Jon, Sherpa Holidays.

Our Personal Account of 309 km on the Coast to Coast Trail

After a substantial breakfast at Stonehouse Farm at St. Bees, we started walking. The first section actually takes you further away from Robin Hood's Bay. However the route soon rights itself and we marched confidently on to Cleator where we experienced our first obstacle.

• Download Chapter 1