Back at Home: Pointers and Ponders for Fellow Coast to Coast Wanderers

Pointers and Ponders

We did the cushier 50+ type of trip where we walked all day and then stayed in a B&B at night with a luggage transport service delivering a suitcase nightly with clean/dry clothing and toiletries in it. We took enough clothes so that we could wash only once along the way and still have sufficient supplies.  We don’t presume that this list is applicable to backpackers/campers and neither should you.

 

WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU

Essential equipment:

Guide book (We used Stedman and  Bardwell—both excellent. Stedman has great maps with many cues to turns, etc. and Bardwell while less detailed,  has the advantage of being waterproof and is better for the “big picture.”)             

Compass

Map (Used rarely, but was a welcome sight when confused)

Hiking poles (Some consider non-essential, but we found them extremely helpful in tough spots)

Waterproof ankle height boots (We used Salomon, Keene and Meindl)

Sunscreen ( We used  SunX30 sunscreen towelettes we ordered off Amazon to eliminate the possibility of  a spill into our backpacks.)

Rain gear (Waterpoof jacket with hood and pants)

Water container  (Paul used an osprey combination MANTA 28 which included the backpack and built-in rain cover and I used a camelback lumbar water pack/carryall.)

Backpack or lumbar pack (see above) with waterproof cover

Sunglasses (yes, seriously!)

Good socks (We used Bridgedale, Wigwam and Smart Wool)  and thin layer sock liners

Flashlight (We used after the hike, but had it available in case we got lost and were out late.)

Hat (we both used outdoor research seattle sombreros and Paul also had a baseball cap.)

Clothing in layers (esp helpful are wicking base and middle layers. We used LL Bean and Body Sensor for the base layers and Ice Breaker 260 merino wool middle layer. WE used LL Bean and Columbia hiking pants and I often wore winter biking or running tights. We used EX OFFICIO underwear which will quick dry overnight. You likely only need two sets for the rare time one set doesn’t dry completely.)

Gaiters (Frankly, we didn’t need them, but had we been in more rain, they would have been essential.)

Whistle (Again, we never used it, but you never know.)

Blister plasters or moleskin

Toilet paper (We used only twice ,but thank heaven we had it!)

Cash (many places you might stop for a sandwich, etc. do not accept credit cards

Credit or debit card

Ziploc bag for trash

Food (about half the time, you can find food along the way. The rest is packed lunches or energy bars. We used Clif Bars, Luna Bars and M&Ms. The owner of The Old Water View Inn told us he survives on Snickers Bars alone. Many of the villages have NO shopping, so be prepared early. You might not get anything for days along your way.)

Small dry bag (for cash and phone…other moisture sensitive items)

 

Desirable Equipment:

GPS with local maps (We used this often but not as our primary tool. We saw people using it religiously. In general, most hikers did NOT have one.)

Camera and extra memory cards and a spare charger or batteries (or film, if you are into that)

Pen and paper (not much, just a few small sheets for exchanging address etc. Frankly, I wish I had brought a few business cards for this purpose.)

Cellular phone (not always able to use it, but can be helpful at times and in emergency)

Gloves (Might go to essential list in winter)

Ear plugs (for 40mph winds blowing into your ear in the moors. I put the hood up on my raingear and managed.)

Small towel (I bought a super absorbency towel at Eddie Bauer and used it to wipe sweat. Paul never even carried his. Could be useful if you get your feet wet.)

Spare socks (we did not carry or need, but we had little rain)

Binoculars (if you want to see birds or wildlife closer. We did NOT take them.)

Small bivvy sack (We brought one and did not carry it after the Lake District, but it affords some layer of safety in mountains or rain.)

Hand sanitizer. (We used small packaged Purell Hand Wipes which took up very little space and eliminated the possibility of squeezing wet stuff out into our pack.)

Small laptop/IPAD (We left ours in the suitcase, but we saw many people on the trail with an IPAD. We also found it useful to write down our thoughts in a blog in real time to keep our memories accurate and to share our experiences with friends. Almost all the B&Bs have wifi, nearly always free.)

Tennis shoes/flipflops- (something to rest your feet when the hike is done. You could just saunter about in socks though)

Pain medication such as ibuprofen, aspirin or Tylenol (for some this may be essential)

 

THINGS WE BROUGHT BUT DIDN’T USE:

Low hiker boots

Duplicate set of rain gear

Insect repellant (bothered only rarely by insects)

Headlights (but you do need either this or a flashlight for safety)

Dress clothing. (Casual appearance expected. Anything else will turn heads.)

 

WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU GO TO GET READY FOR HIKING THE COAST TO COAST

·        Do some mental self-examination. Do you REALLY want to go outside and walk all day for 2-3 weeks regardless of weather, terrain, etc?  Have you ever done anything similar in your life? If not, PLEASE do yourself a favor and at least take a 3-4 day trip to test your mettle.  I cannot imagine anything more miserable than discovering 2-3 days into your hike that you HATE this sort of “vacation.”  We definitely know this happened to other hikers along our way. If you don’t think this will be a challenge, you are wrong.

·        If you feel you are at all overweight and might want to drop a few pounds, DO IT BEFORE you go. When we started planning this trip, we initially aimed for October. After looking at the weather charts, we opted for August. I had lost only 10 of the planned 30 lbs I wanted to lose . I sincerely wished I had been more diligent.

·        Assure your health is good.

·        Anyone in a state of reasonably good fitness can do this. HOWEVER, not without some training.  We began doing long distance hikes (8-16 miles) at least once a week approximately 5 months before our trip.  The last two months, we made sure we did long distance weekend trips covering distances that mimicked the first three days of the hike through the more strenuous lake country: 14, 13 and 11 miles over three consecutive days.

·        Find some strenuous hiking conditions to train in, especially the last 6 weeks before your trip. We thought we had hiked some good sized stuff in Knoxville at the Rich Mountain Loop and House Mountain. In reality, we would probably have been better off walking Chimney Tops at least once a week or a trip to Mount LeConte via Alum Cave Bluffs. Nonetheless, the hill climbing we did was adequate, but we could have been better trained. Find something that makes you walk pretty much straight up for at least an hour or two and then straight down. Due to the conditions of the trails, we often found going DOWN the hardest part.

·        For safety reasons, it is a good idea not to do this alone-- although it certainly is possible and we met solo hikers on occasion.  Whomsoever you might choose to go along, make sure you have personalities well suited to one another, because when the going gets tough, you need an ally, not a future enemy. I would not recommend casual acquaintances attempt this together unless a third party who knows you both can attest that you have similar skills, experience, and drive.

 

TIPS FOR THE ROAD

·       This is a walk. It is not a race. Slow down. Be in the moment. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.

·       A good night’s sleep cures all sorts of aches. For people in our age class, mild to modest pain is a part of the deal.

·       Talk to your fellow hikers and the locals along the way. This hike is not undertaken nor supported by many rude, boring assholes. You’ll find many kind and interesting folks on your path. The locals can clue you in to information not in the guidebook.

·       A rest day or two or three will do you a world of good.  We found both our “rests”-Kirkby Stephen and Richmond absolutely delightful.

·       Know your limits. Don’t overplan your mileage unless you know in advance you can do it. All the luggage handlers will accommodate a trip of 16-21 days instead of 11 or 15 (the guide book suggested number)

·         Make sure you leave your accommodation with enough water and food to get you to the next point. Even when cafes/tea rooms are listed in guidebooks, they aren’t always open or even in business. We found two spots closed on Tuesdays and two spots no longer viable.

·         Learn to use a compass.  Check guidebooks frequently and whenever there is a question.

·         When you do get lost (and you will), we found some strategies that helped and got us to Robin Hood’s Bay without extreme detour:

 

1.       Read your guidebook carefully the night before and/or day of your journey. Keep it handy for reference all day.

2.       If you cannot see due to rain or fog,  stop and wait until you can.

3.       If you don’t have a clue where you are, retrace your steps to the last place you were certain of your location and scan the area for things you might have missed. This is by far your safest strategy. Sometimes the C2C signs (there aren’t any in the Lake District) are small or covered in brush.  Sometimes the map may confuse you, but on a second look, the path will be obvious. Other occasions, getting your compass or GPS out may help you to recognize a cue you missed  the first time around. Also, there are frequently other hikers coming through, especially in the Lake District. They may know the path or carry a large ordinance map and be willing to help.

4.       We were able to reroute once by using our GPS to aim for a known target on the trail. This strategy may not always be effective especially prior to the Moors, where there are many animal enclosures and not always an easy way out or around them.

5.       If you are lost and discover you are a good distance from your desired location (>1mile), you may want to consider re-routing altogether along a road or bike path. This is where a map of the area and the GPS came in handy. We did this only once outside Richmond. It wasn’t as enjoyable as walking along the Swale River, but we rejoined the Coast to Coast easily after about 3 miles and didn’t actually add any time or mileage to our day.

Remember, it’s a  walk Coast to Coast. You don’t have to follow every step of Alfred Wainwright to be a success.