The Coast to Coast Walk (Recreational Path Guides) [Paperback]

A very thoughtful guide to the coast-to-coast walk. With detailed maps of the routes, alternative routes and good descriptions.

The walks are broken down into manageable "days", but written in a way that you could equally break the walks down differently should you think you could manage more (or less) a day. I especially like the anecdotal tales in each day's walk - and there are little hints that are very useful. You can't beat knowing that you're just passing the last cashpoint for a couple of days!

I completed the C2C walk a few weeks ago, relying on Martin Wainwright's book, and strip maps as guides. Before setting off, I read most of the book, finding it engagingly written and containing interesting facts about the wildlife and history a walker would encounter along the way. The descriptions were accompanied by OS maps.

Once underway, I started cursing the book on day one, and eventually stopped relying on the written descriptions entirely, focusing instead on the map reproductions only, which are helpful.

Repeatedly, instead of steering his reader past waymarks and tricky junctions, Wainwright rambles on about wildlife (hedges full of birds and butterflies, although large parts of his walk were apparently still covered in ice and snow). Several passages of the book are entirely misleading: "the Promised Land of the Lord Stones Café" on the way to Clay Bank Top, which he describes in over half a page, must have been eaten by the swallows which apparently nested in its lavatories. There was no trace of it. I was relying on it as the only place to purchase food and drink before the Lion Inn on the other side of the moors, on a day when horizontal rain and strong winds turned the landscape into a large grey cloud. Shortly before Clay Bank Top I encountered a chap and his dog going the other way with the same book, tramping on exhaustedly towards the café for much needed shelter. He was not amused when he learnt he would have to walk on a bit further.

Not all of the book's misdescriptions are as dangerous as this, but all are highly annoying and add up to an impression that Wainwright is mainly cashing in on accidentally sharing a surname with the real Wainwright, instead of wanting to produce a truly safe, helpful and up-to-date walking guide.

The book is also printed on very thick paper, which makes it unduly heavy and bulky (but not particularly weather resistant). This I overcame by tearing out the relevant pages for each day's walk, carrying the rest in my backpack.

Having spoken to several walkers along the way, I am not sure there is a perfect alternative, although the real Wainwright's book seemed the general favourite, if you can get used to its font and sketched maps.

Buy Martin Wainwright's book if you want to know what the C2C is like from your armchair, but choose an alternative if you want a trusted guide lending you a hand actually walking it.

excellant guide book, precise in detail, well written, good graphics very well laid out and easy to follow. Good value for money.