THE NEXT STEP.......

Saturday 17 May 2003 to Thursday 29 May 2003

The brainchild of Alfred Wainwright, the well-known writer and hill-walker, the Coast to Coast Walk crosses three National Parks, undoubtedly some of England's finest scenery. Starting beside the Irish Sea, you have wonderful walking through the mountains of the Lake District, across the Pennines and down Swaledale. The North York Moors await you and beyond them the east coast.

Nottingham IVC club are organising the walk and everyone is welcome to join in this 190 mile coast 2 coast walk. I am very keen to do this walk and would like to hear from anyone that is interested. You will have to book your own accomodation and make your own travel arrangements, but it would be great if we could get a group together. This walk has been made available to Single File and Social Friends, but everyone is welcome. Below is the full route, dates and miles walked each day.

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Decisions have been made...The IVC walk (is this the longest event in IVC history?) will take place from St Bees on Saturday 17 May 2003 and will end (all being well) at Robin Hood’s Bay on Thursday 29 May. That includes the Bank Holiday and so there is no excuse for IVC members not to spend some time walking with us on this route. We plan to book accommodation at the end of December, using Youth Hostels wherever possible and B&B otherwise. Average YH price is about £10 and B&B about £17. You should be a YHA member to stay at their hostels (see www.yha.org.uk) Let one of us know, or see the green book, if you want accommodation booked.

The full itinerary is

Fri 16 May Travel by train to Kirkby Stephen YH

Sat 17 May Bus to St Bees (8.30 dep)

Walk 8.5 miles to Cleator B&B

Sun 18 May Walk 16.6 miles to Honister Pass YH

Mon 19 May Walk 12.5 miles to Grasmere YH

Tues 20 May Walk 7 miles to Patterdale B&B

Wed 21 May Walk 15 miles to Shap Bunkhouse or B&B

Thur 22 May Walk 19.8 miles to Kirkby Stephen YH

Fri 23 May Walk 11 miles to Keld YH

Sat 24 May Walk 12.4 miles to Grinton YH (2 mile detour)

Sun 25 May Walk 23.8 miles to Danby Wiske B&B

Mon 26 May Walk 17 miles to Carlton Bank B&B

Tues 27 May Walk 12.8 miles to Lion Blakey B&B

Wed 28 May Walk 17.3 miles to Littlebeck B&B

Thurs 29 May Walk 12 miles to Robin Hood’s Bay YH

Bus to Kirkby Stephen(3.30 pm dep)

Fri 30 May Train to Nottingham

We would be particularly pleased if anybody plans to do the first or last stages and we can organise travel to eliminate the train journeys. We intend (i.e. Serrat has told Bob) to carry everything we need with us (i.e. not much!). If anyone wants to do a few stages and not be bent double under their essential belongings for a civilised life, there is a service to transport bags along the route.

The more that join in the better – it will make the burden of carrying one of us (not Serrat) all the easier! Do get in touch and book your place on the hills and dales. Unlike most IVC events, there is no limit to the numbers who can join in. We welcome opinions and advice (except that which says be sensible, don’t do it)

Bob Murray

Serrat Vilardell

Coast 2 Coast Summary

Photo highlights in the Photo Album

Coast 2 Coast Hayward House

If I had known certain things at the outset of this venture, I am not at all sure that I would have even started it. I didn’t know

· that on the first day we would be walking over the top at Dent in 20 yard visibility

· that we would be climbing up scree in a near gale

· that we would actually have to rock climb up a gully to stay on the route

· that water oozing up between my toes is not as wet as you can get – the next day I had little tidal waves in my boots with each step

· that we would be lost on the top of Nine Standards with the rain horizontal, penetrating all our waterproofs, leaving us shivering in a mountain hut eating our sandwiches

· that I would find myself knee deep in a black bog

· that pathways would be rivers 4” deep in water and stepping stones would be beneath the water level

· that I would have a puddle in the bottom of my rucksack

· that we would have to grind out 20 miles in a day when fine rain driven by a strong wind would keep visibility down to a few hundred yards

· that sight seeing and photography would be forgotten on several days, when survival and our target mileage would be so much more important.

There were fleeting periods of sunshine that allowed us to enjoy glorious views out of Patterdale, the magnificence of Kidsty Pike, the peacefulness of Swaledale, arriving at Great Fryup Dale after the interminable moors and wooded walks around Falling Foss waterfall.

Despite the conditions, nine of us started at St Bees and nine dipped our boots into the North Sea at Robin Hood’s Bay. We all had a wonderful feeling of satisfaction at our personal achievements; we have become close and strong friends and there were mountains, hills and dales that we shall always remember.

I am very grateful for your sponsorship of my walk and, together with several other groups of friends, I will have raised about £1000.

Bob Murray