FOOTPATHS

Part Two

England Coast to Coast 2005A Walk from the Irish Sea to the North Sea

Link to part one

Crossing the fields from Reeth to Richmond.

Ron relaxing at trailÕs end.

Robin Hoods Bay; with map atop Carlton Moor Summit.

By Ron Friedman

Map Gear
But having the right maps and books is not enough — how would we carry them? If this were California, we might just put them in our pockets and pull them out to consult as needed. But this was England. The only hiking we had previously done in the UK was the West Highland Way in Scotland several years before. On the first day of that hike, we quickly realized that with the rain, hail, and wind, our maps/books would be rendered useless rather quickly unless they were suitably protected from the elements. So we purchased a cheap map case, which worked fine. But this was to be the C to C, a trip roughly twice as long and for such a trip I thought I would splurge and buy a really good map case. I found one online from Ortlieb and, after plunking down what seemed like an exorbitant amount of money for a glorified clear plastic folder, duly received it in the post in a week or so. Now, we were ready — we had the old map case for the Hannon book and the new one for the OS maps.

Navigation Skills
We were ready…..at least until we thought about it a little further. This trip required us to be able to read a map and to find our way each day. We did not believe we could count on way marks or a clearly trodden path, or someone else to ask. We felt we had to be self-sufficient. This meant we had to be able to read/use the maps we had dutifully acquired. So, as is my wont, I went to my old friend the Internet and located a course in orienteering and map and compass use given periodically in our area www.orienteer.com. We signed up for a half-day class and then a second one a month or so later. The classes were very helpful. I also went out and bought a compass with what I deemed the necessary features, including declination adjustment. A useful site regarding using a map and compass is www.learn-orienteering.org/old/GPS.

I thought a lot about GPS and whether we should use this as well. I read everything that I could on the Walker’s Chat Room on this subject and even posted a question or two myself, “Is GPS necessary/ desired for this walk?” To make a long story short, we did not take GPS — it was just one further tool with which I was not familiar and which I eventually decided we did not need. Having said that, we were lucky in that we didn’t get lost too badly, nor did we have fog or whiteout conditions on the fell tops. If we had experienced these conditions, it would have been nice to have GPS because GPS tells you exactly where you are. If you know where you are, you can figure out in which direction to walk. But if you don’t know where you are and you can’t see 5 feet in front of your face, you’re in trouble. Anyway, we didn’t have GPS and (luckily!) we didn’t need it. Having said that, however, next time I do a walk like this, I will have GPS with me — belt and suspenders never hurt.

So, we were getting our act ready to take it on the road. We grew excited as the date of our departure approached and we were really looking forward to our adventure.

Ground Transport
For this trip, we could have flown into one of the London airports or Manchester International. We chose Manchester because it is closer to St. Bees, the village where the walk begins. Rail transport from Manchester Airport to St. Bees is acceptable (except on Sundays). Note: the British train fare system is complicated. Suffice it to say, that a few hours spent online in advance of the scheduled trip can save you a lot of money. Try the Trainline site www.thetrainline.com.

The Walk
In a word, this walk was fantastic. It was one of the finest adventures of any kind we have experienced. Yes, the scenery was spectacula — inspiring, invigorating, at times painfully bucolic. However, I am convinced that one of the main reasons we enjoyed it so much is that each day we were in charge. We had no schedule to keep except our own. Our only requirement was to get to our next accommodation by dinner. We got up when we wanted, we started when we were ready, and we could linger over lunch (whether a picnic by the trailside or in a pub) for as long as we wanted. Mind you, there was not a lot of lingering going on — we averaged about 13 miles per day, with the shortest day around 10 miles and the longest at 22.

We (okay, I) got a lot of pleasure from figuring out where we were on the map at any given instant and in making sure we stayed on course. We were clearly motivated to navigate successfully as the consequence of failing to do so — extra mileage was something we wanted to avoid — we were getting enough exercise as it was. I am pleased to report that British mapmaking skill is unsurpassed and that, generally speaking, we were successful at following them. Joe, our map reading/compass course instructor, would have been proud of us.

The first day of the walk begins along the Cumbrian coast and by tea time that day you are knocking on the door of the Lake District — reputedly the most scenic and beautiful walking area in Britain. We were in the Lakes for five days and then moved into the splendid Yorkshire Dales followed by the remote beauty of the North York Moors. We ended the walk on the bluffs above the North Sea, virtually the mirror image of the path on which we began. Can it be over? Is it possible that this best of all possible walks has come to an end? Yes, sadly, it has. We are already planning our next one. We invite you to follow our day-by-day adventure in more detail at http://ronfriedman.sitesled.com/.