Scotland
Affric Kintail Way
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What is this 10-day itinerary?
Ten days is a fast Coast to Coast for walkers who already do long days in the hills. No operator sells it; the nights come from a walker's own ten-day crossing. After the Lakes you walk five long days in a row, through Grinton and Danby Wiske, and one of them ends by climbing the Cleveland Hills.
Read the Coast to Coast guide for the whole trail.
Will this 10-day split work for you?
- Very fit, experienced hill walkers: every day after the Lakes is over 18 miles.
- Not sold by operators: this list comes from a walker who crossed in ten days.
- Not a first long walk. Start from 15 days if you are unsure.
Fitness & effort
This plan asks a lot. The four Lakeland days are full fell days, and after Shap every day is long: through Swaledale, across the Vale, over the Cleveland Hills and the moors to the sea. You need to be able to walk 20 miles or more over hill ground day after day, and to navigate where waymarks stop above the fell wall.
Your 10-day route on the map
Most people walk this way
St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay in 10 days
West to east, from the Irish Sea at St Bees. On-trail distances from our geometry. The walk from the path to the door is not included.
| Day | Stage | Distance | Overnight / destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | St Bees → Ennerdale Bridge | 14.9 mi (24.0 km) | The Shepherds Arms Hotel |
| Day 2 | Ennerdale Bridge → Rosthwaite | 15.2 mi (24.4 km) | Royal Oak Hotel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 3 | Rosthwaite → Patterdale | 14.5 mi (23.3 km) | Patterdale Hotel |
| Day 4 | Patterdale → Shap | 15.9 mi (25.6 km) | Kings Arms Hotel |
| Day 5 | Shap → Kirkby Stephen | 19.3 mi (31.1 km) | The Kings Arms Hotel |
| Day 6 | Kirkby Stephen → Grinton | 23.4 mi (37.7 km) | The Bridge Inn |
| Day 7 | Grinton → Danby Wiske | 23.7 mi (38.1 km) | Inglenook B&B (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 8 Longest | Danby Wiske → Great Broughton | 23.8 mi (38.3 km) | Wainstones Hotel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 9 | Great Broughton → Glaisdale | 18.7 mi (30.1 km) | Arncliffe Arms (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 10 | Glaisdale → Robin Hood's Bay | 19.5 mi (31.4 km) | Coast to Coast Finish |
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Day 1
St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge
14.9 mi (24.0 km) ↑ 1,030 m (3,400 ft) ↓ 930 m (3,050 ft)
A coast start and a hill at the end: the cliffs of St Bees Head, farmland through Cleator, then Dent and a steep forest descent to Nannycatch Beck. It is one of the shorter days on this plan, so treat it as the warm-up. Ennerdale Bridge is the first village with beds past the hill.
Example stay The Shepherds Arms Hotel
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Day 2
Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite
15.2 mi (24.4 km) ↑ 860 m (2,800 ft) ↓ 880 m (2,900 ft)
The first full fell day. The lake shore and forest track up Ennerdale are long but easy; the work is Loft Beck after Black Sail Hut, then rough ground to Honister. Fill up at Black Sail or the Honister café. On this plan there is no short day to follow, so do not linger on the fell.
Example stay Royal Oak Hotel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 3
Rosthwaite to Patterdale
14.5 mi (23.3 km) ↑ 1,240 m (4,050 ft) ↓ 1,140 m (3,750 ft)
Both Lakeland passes in one day: Greenup Edge, down to Grasmere for lunch, then Grisedale Tarn and down Grisedale to Ullswater. The descent past Lining Crag is rocky steps, so take them slowly. Grasmere is lunch, not the night; leave Helvellyn for another trip.
Example stay Patterdale Hotel
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Day 4
Patterdale to Shap
15.9 mi (25.6 km) ↑ 1,140 m (3,750 ft) ↓ 1,080 m (3,550 ft)
The hardest day of the walk: Kidsty Pike, the high point, a steep descent and the long rocky Haweswater shore, then farmland into Shap. Start early, carry the day's food and water, and check the forecast before committing to the tops. After today the climbing eases, but the miles grow.
Example stay Kings Arms Hotel
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Day 5
Shap to Kirkby Stephen
19.3 mi (31.1 km) ↑ 610 m (2,000 ft) ↓ 690 m (2,250 ft)
Long but easy underfoot after the Lakes: the limestone plateau past glacial boulders, Sunbiggin Tarn and Smardale Bridge, with Orton a short detour for lunch. On this plan it is the first of five long days, so keep a steady pace rather than a fast one.
Example stay The Kings Arms Hotel
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Day 6
Kirkby Stephen to Grinton
23.4 mi (37.7 km) ↑ 1,250 m (4,100 ft) ↓ 1,250 m (4,100 ft)
Nine Standards Rigg and the whole of upper Swaledale in one day. The moor over the top is boggy, with seasonal routes, and the road route is the choice in low cloud. After Keld take the low route along the Swale to keep the day manageable. Grinton is just past Reeth and shortens tomorrow.
Example stay The Bridge Inn
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Day 7
Grinton to Danby Wiske
23.7 mi (38.1 km) ↑ 570 m (1,850 ft) ↓ 710 m (2,350 ft)
The easy farmland stretch to Richmond for lunch, then flat fields and lanes into the Vale of Mowbray and Danby Wiske, the only village with beds in the Vale. The ground is easy, but this is a long day straight after another one, and the next is longer still.
Example stay Inglenook B&B (opens in a new tab)
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Day 8 Longest
Danby Wiske to Great Broughton
23.8 mi (38.3 km) ↑ 1,000 m (3,300 ft) ↓ 650 m (2,150 ft)
The longest day on this plan; the walker whose crossing it follows took a lift from Clay Bank at the end of it. The official A19 diversion north to the Black Swan Bridge comes first; do not cross the dual carriageway on foot. Then the Cleveland Hills switchback to Clay Bank Top, with Lord Stones café partway. There are no beds at Clay Bank Top: book the lift to Great Broughton.
Example stay Wainstones Hotel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 9
Great Broughton to Glaisdale
18.7 mi (30.1 km) ↑ 510 m (1,650 ft) ↓ 710 m (2,350 ft)
Lift back to Clay Bank Top, a steep climb onto Urra Moor, then the old railway bed to the Lion Inn, the only stop. A moor road and Glaisdale Rigg lead down to Glaisdale. There is nothing between the inn and Glaisdale, so fill up at the Lion Inn. A shorter day than the three before it.
Example stay Arncliffe Arms (opens in a new tab)
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Day 10
Glaisdale to Robin Hood's Bay
19.5 mi (31.4 km) ↑ 850 m (2,800 ft) ↓ 1,030 m (3,400 ft)
A long last day: Esk woods to Egton Bridge, the estate road to Grosmont, the steep road over Sleights Moor, Falling Foss in the woods by Littlebeck, a last moor, then the cliff path south into Robin Hood's Bay. Finish on the foreshore and drop the pebble you carried from St Bees.
Finish Coast to Coast Finish
Cross-check: a walker's 10-day crossing (Walkhighlands, 2019) . We used this report for the nights. Distances on this page are from our line, not from the report.
Opposite direction
Robin Hood's Bay to St Bees in 10 days
Same nights, starting at Robin Hood's Bay. Coast to Coast Packhorse moves bags west to east only. The last walking day ends at St Bees.
| Day | Stage | Distance | Overnight / destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Robin Hood's Bay → Glaisdale | 19.5 mi (31.4 km) | Arncliffe Arms (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 2 | Glaisdale → Great Broughton | 18.7 mi (30.1 km) | Wainstones Hotel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 3 Longest | Great Broughton → Danby Wiske | 23.8 mi (38.3 km) | Inglenook B&B (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 4 | Danby Wiske → Grinton | 23.7 mi (38.1 km) | The Bridge Inn |
| Day 5 | Grinton → Kirkby Stephen | 23.4 mi (37.7 km) | The Kings Arms Hotel |
| Day 6 | Kirkby Stephen → Shap | 19.3 mi (31.1 km) | Kings Arms Hotel |
| Day 7 | Shap → Patterdale | 15.9 mi (25.6 km) | Patterdale Hotel |
| Day 8 | Patterdale → Rosthwaite | 14.5 mi (23.3 km) | Royal Oak Hotel (opens in a new tab) |
| Day 9 | Rosthwaite → Ennerdale Bridge | 15.2 mi (24.4 km) | The Shepherds Arms Hotel |
| Day 10 | Ennerdale Bridge → St Bees | 14.9 mi (24.0 km) | St Bees |
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Day 1
Robin Hood's Bay to Glaisdale
19.5 mi (31.4 km) ↑ 1,030 m (3,400 ft) ↓ 850 m (2,800 ft)
Cliff path north from Robin Hood's Bay, then inland over moor to Falling Foss and Littlebeck, up Sleights Moor and down the steep road into Grosmont. The estate road and the Esk lead to Glaisdale. Long, with the climbs in the middle.
Example stay Arncliffe Arms (opens in a new tab)
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Day 2
Glaisdale to Great Broughton
18.7 mi (30.1 km) ↑ 710 m (2,350 ft) ↓ 510 m (1,650 ft)
Up Glaisdale Rigg onto the moor and along the road to the Lion Inn for lunch, then the old railway bed west and over Urra Moor to Clay Bank Top. Nothing between Glaisdale and the inn.
Example stay Wainstones Hotel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 3 Longest
Great Broughton to Danby Wiske
23.8 mi (38.3 km) ↑ 650 m (2,150 ft) ↓ 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Lift up to Clay Bank Top, then the escarpment westward over the Wainstones, Cringle Moor and Carlton Moor, down through the woods to Ingleby Cross and the A19 diversion. The Vale lanes to Danby Wiske end a hard day.
Example stay Inglenook B&B (opens in a new tab)
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Day 4
Danby Wiske to Grinton
23.7 mi (38.1 km) ↑ 710 m (2,350 ft) ↓ 570 m (1,850 ft)
Flat lanes and fields from Danby Wiske to the Swale and Richmond for lunch, then the valley side past Marske and Marrick into Swaledale. A long day that ends with the only real climbing.
Example stay The Bridge Inn
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Day 5
Grinton to Kirkby Stephen
23.4 mi (37.7 km) ↑ 1,250 m (4,100 ft) ↓ 1,250 m (4,100 ft)
Up Swaledale past Reeth and Keld, then Nine Standards Rigg at the end of a long day. Low cloud on the top is worse late; know the road route before you start.
Example stay The Kings Arms Hotel
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Day 6
Kirkby Stephen to Shap
19.3 mi (31.1 km) ↑ 690 m (2,250 ft) ↓ 610 m (2,000 ft)
Smardale Fell and Smardale Bridge out of Kirkby Stephen, then moor past Sunbiggin Tarn and the long limestone plateau to Shap. Orton is still the lunch stop. The motorway crossing marks the end.
Example stay Kings Arms Hotel
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Day 7
Shap to Patterdale
15.9 mi (25.6 km) ↑ 1,080 m (3,550 ft) ↓ 1,140 m (3,750 ft)
Farmland past Shap Abbey, then the long Haweswater shore before the steep climb to Kidsty Pike, so the hardest ground comes after lunch. High Street, Angle Tarn and Boredale Hause lead down to Ullswater. Start early.
Example stay Patterdale Hotel
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Day 8
Patterdale to Rosthwaite
14.5 mi (23.3 km) ↑ 1,140 m (3,750 ft) ↓ 1,240 m (4,050 ft)
Up Grisedale to the tarn, down Tongue Gill to Grasmere for lunch, then up Far Easedale to Greenup Edge. The descent past Lining Crag is rocky steps; take them slowly when wet. Two passes either way, so start early.
Example stay Royal Oak Hotel (opens in a new tab)
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Day 9
Rosthwaite to Ennerdale Bridge
15.2 mi (24.4 km) ↑ 880 m (2,900 ft) ↓ 860 m (2,800 ft)
Climb out of Borrowdale to Honister, cross the fell, then go down Loft Beck: steep, loose in places, and hard on the knees. The forest track to Ennerdale Water is long and easy after it; the lake-shore path is rockier than it looks.
Example stay The Shepherds Arms Hotel
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Day 10
Ennerdale Bridge to St Bees
14.9 mi (24.0 km) ↑ 930 m (3,050 ft) ↓ 1,030 m (3,400 ft)
Nannycatch Beck and the steep forest climb onto Dent come first, then the long drop to Cleator and farm lanes to the coast. The last miles run along the St Bees Head cliffs with the sea ahead. Finish on the beach where most walkers start.
Finish St Bees
10-day itinerary FAQ
Is ten days realistic?
For a very fit walker, yes; it is the pace of a walker's own crossing, not an operator's plan. Five days after the Lakes are long, and day eight ends by climbing the Cleveland Hills. If you have not walked several long hill days in a row before, choose a longer plan.
What is the hardest day?
Kidsty Pike on day four is the hardest ground. Day eight, Danby Wiske over the Cleveland Hills to Clay Bank Top, is the longest, and the hills come at the end of it.
Can I download a GPX for the 10-day Coast to Coast?
Yes. Open this itinerary in the planner (free, no account). Download a full-route GPX or per-day files for Garmin, Komoot, or your phone. You can export the preset unchanged or edit overnight stops first.
Personalise this itinerary
This 10-day itinerary is ready as it stands. Open it in the planner to keep these stops, or change where you sleep, then download the GPX for your watch or phone.
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Full-trip and per-day GPX files. Free, no account.
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