Hi, you are right, May usually is a good month fro walking, hence we've decided that last May was a one off(surely) and we've picked May again, fingers crossed. I see you've walked coast to coast many times, that’s great to know and nice to speak to someone with so much experience of the walk. I have done many Lakeland walks, however May2011 was my and Sarah's first long distance walk, I was surprised, firstly by how thought it was, thought being a pretty experienced as a walker I'd be fine (wrong, suffered aches and pains, in particular with my knee)secondly, how much of an adventure & enjoyable it was, meeting people seeing places.
Is it those things which have kept you coming back for more, despite some of the problems you've hit on route yourself?

http://sarahseanscoasttocoast.blogspot.com/

I remember this year in August, when I planned the east to west crossing and I got as far as Reeth and called it a day and came back home. Why, maybe several reason (a) lack of funds, (b) boredom, (c) bad weather forecast for the Lakes.

(a)I could of use the overdraft facility on my card to see me through to St. Bees, so that would not of been a problem.

(b) I must admit doing east to west is not the same as west to east, probably a sense of going against the grain and not socializing with the many c2c'ers, as you would from west to east, to me that is the beauty of the coast to coast. Although, I did the east to west crossing in 1992 and don't think there was the amount of people doing the c2c then, unlike now, so at that time, I would not of been the wiser, just plodding away the miles without regard.

(c) I always take a radio, which is a good thing or not so good thing. The good thing is music, news updates or most important weather forecast. Is it a bad thing, to know that bad weather is on the way, putting you off or do you just battle on. I suppose, if you had booked up and paid up the accommodation, then that is hard luck or if you are camping, you just chicken out like I did. I never used to bother with the radio years ago and it's only on the last three crossing, I've took a radio.

May is generally a good settled month, but remember, April this year and that was a good month for walking coast to coast, but then again, it could of snowed instead. That is the gamble with the British weather, it's fickle. It's funny when I started the coast to coast in August, this year, that it was hot and dry from Robin Hood's Bay to Reeth, in fact too hot for walking. I remember when I was on Glaisdale Rigg, when a group of c2c walkers coming from west to east, saying that their didn't have a single drop of rain from St. Bees, only a hour of rain in Keld.

The key factor to walking long distance, is getting plenty of training done before hand and I'm sure you would of that in the Lakes and that is plenty of up's and down's with a loaded rucksack. I can do that training on the coastal section between Whitby and Saltburn, which I will be doing once the longer days arrive.

Knee pain, I have a few of them over the years and now use a pair of trekking poles. Good for heavy loads and not so good getting over stiles.

I'm sure you will enjoy the c2c next time as much as I have over the past 20 years.

I think it's probably the coast to coast is a such a wonderful varied walk, it's got everything. I suppose most walkers could say, it's a challenge and is a great social factor. I've met some lovely people, however, I met some strange people too.

"I met some strange people too"

Where did we meet?

In reality, you have to take whatever is thrown at you as regards the British weather. Moments I remember include ..

The February floods in Wensleydale/Swaledale that wrecked Reeth.

March 9th when incessant rain peltd down all day turning every footpath into a river.

The St Georges day when snow blocked the Lakes and the Dales requiring walkers to be airlifted off the hills.

The gales of May that blew down vast numbers of trees along the route. The raging fires this May after weeks of dry weather

The storms of June 2005 that devastated the western moors. 57 bridges destroyed, Helmsley under water and a wall of water rushing down Bilsdale

The prolonged dry spell of summer 1976 when the whole of the north of England was closed to walkers. I spent almost every day at access points having to stop walkers crossing the moors. Even the accommodation providers only accepted walkers for the first night after closure then refused to accept those who tried to continue covertly.


The 7 inches of rain on September 17th 1976. The Leven burst its banks causing devastating flooding.

So, You can never rely on the conditions ... except that usually June is warmer than December!!

I remember, me and my mate cycling from Harwich to Middlesbrough via Norwich, King's Lynn, Lincoln and York. That was when we were cycling from Hunstanston to Holbeach and encountered a gentle topical shower, lasting only about hour. Later on, my mate rang his Mum back in Teesside and heard the news, that Teesside had a month's down pour of torrential rain, the same day. It was only, when we got to York, that the River Ouse burst it's banks and the first time, I had seen the flood gates in operation. A sight to see. That was August 2002.

Nearly up to 1800 now.

Passed 1800. One day I will be famous and you will all marvel at me as I pass you on a path somewhere.
You will say to yourselves in whispered voices.
" I knew him when he was just a young Coaster. Look at him now. The full saucer..."

THe blog is approaching the 2000 mark.
I never thought that many people would be interested in my erm...ramblings!!!!
Now who could play me in the movie?????

Oh yes. THe bloke from the pirates of the caribean films.
The one with the beard and the good lines.
Mind you. Dunno how they could make him up to be as good looking as me...but thats cinema for you.

Did you pass many others doing it this early?

2000 reached. 3000 by next week. Tell your mates