Answer

By Country Walking magazine

The 190-mile Coast to Coast is one of Britain’s best long distance paths, starting at St Bees in the west and ending at Robin Hood’s Bay in the east. Devised by Alfred Wainwright it takes in three National Parks – the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors – and there’s something curiously satisfying about being able to say you walked across the nation.

Mr Wainwright himself was no lover of heights or difficult terrain – he famously never topped Helm Crag because of the rocky scrambling and according to his son his favourite method of descent was on his behind - so you can be pretty sure his route won’t leave you hanging off a cliff by your fingernails.

The Lake District is generally considered the toughest section – but in most places, and certainly past the trickier bits - there’s a choice between high and low-level. If it’s good weather and you’re feeling chipper, the high-level options are well worth it for the staggering views - and most of them feel reassuringly sturdy underfoot. The only one you’ll definitely want to skip is the airy Striding Edge, inducing knee-knocking terror in many a vertigo sufferer (including this member of the Country Walking team). 

Once out of the Lakes and heading east - most folk walk west-east to keep the prevailing wind at their backs - the landscape becomes more rolling and friendly, still hilly but not so exposed. And if you’re terrified of heights, you’ll want to steer clear of the cliff edge when you triumphantly hike into Robin Hood’s Bay.

There are stacks of guidebooks to the C2C but we like the latest edition from Trailblazer, which details all the route options – plus accommodation and refreshment. And one thing every guide makes clear is that the Coast to Coast is quite an undertaking – there are some very long, tough days. The upside? Memories to last a lifetime – and calves of steel.