The reaction from family and friends when informed my wife, Jane, and I planned to walk more than 300km across the UK ranged from mild surprise to looks of “why on earth would you want to do that?”

While we already had some limited multi-day hikes under our belt, including the Grand Canyon and Tasmania’s Overland Track, spending 16 days tackling the Coast to Coast route across northern England was taking things to a new level. Mapped out as an unofficial trail by legendary rambler Alfred Wainwright in the early ’70s, the “C2C” stretches from the village of St Bees, about five hours by train north of London on the Irish Sea, across to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea.

In between lies some of the most stunning scenery in the UK, from the soaring mountain peaks and clifftop views of the Lake District in Cumbria to the rolling green pastures of the Yorkshire Dales and seemingly endless North York Moors.

With only limited accommodation in the string of small villages (sporting quaint names such as Danby Wiske and Kirkby Stephen) along the C2C’s path, we booked our trip a year in advance. As the time neared to step on a plane, however, we both hoped we hadn’t bitten off more than we could chew.

Though the C2C is described as a “walk”, our guidebook and official advice from Mornington Peninsula-based Raw Travel, which specialises in hiking adventures, left no doubt about the challenges that lay ahead. They proved to be correct.

Walking distances each day ranged from 13km to more than 25km, often on difficult, rock-strewn paths that involved strenuous uphill climbs and steep descents, particularly in the Lake District. Sudden changes in the notoriously fickle English weather (even in summer) meant we were walking in bright sunshine one day and struggling against howling wind and horizontal rain the next.

Much of the route, particularly early on, is not well signposted. As we were doing the C2C self-guided, this meant we had to be on our toes to stay on track, making judicious use of the descriptions and accompanying maps in our guidebook and GPS-enabled app (from Raw Travel) tailored to the route.

When we did finally stumble into town each day and headed towards our accommodation, it was typically as footsore, bone-tired walkers in bad need of a hot shower and hearty meal.

So why do it?

Stunning scenery

More than two-thirds of the C2C traverses the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York national parks. Each area offers amazing landscapes.

Though it’s the most difficult part of the walk, The Lakes – as it’s referred to by locals – is simply stunning. Hikers who suck up the pain and put in the hard yards climbing to great heights are rewarded with panoramic views that simply take your breath away.

As our journey continued east across the country into the Dales, the landscape progressively gave way to postcard-perfect fields of impossibly green grass and rolling hills.

Unlike in Australia, right-of-way laws in the UK ensure that walkers can confidently traverse these privately owned farms without upsetting the landowners – or their countless sheep and cattle. Doing so requires navigating a seemingly endless procession of farm gates, wooden step-overs and narrow fissures in historic low stone walls that are a feature of the area.

The timing of our visit meant that towards the end of our trek, we were fortunate to see the North York Moors covered in distinctive purple heather. It’s a lonely, isolated, yet strangely beautiful landscape that stretches in all directions as far as the eye can see.

History all around

At times, hiking the C2C can feel as though you’re walking through the pages of British history. There are opportunities to explore the crumbling ruins of 12th-century abbeys, stroll down ancient grassed-over Roman roads and ponder the meaning of mysterious Neolithic stone cairns piled atop windswept hilltops. A special note of thanks to the medieval nuns who laboriously laid down the hundreds of stone steps, dubbed the “Nuns’ Causey”, that carve a steep forest path leading to historic Marrick Priory (pictured), which are still in use to this day.

Beer o’clock

When the legs did start to feel a bit weary, the prospect of a pint of real ale hand-pumped in a traditional English pub at the end of the day never failed to put a spring in my step. Enjoying a Black Sheep Ale or pint of Old Peculier at establishments such as the Kings Head Hotel in Richmond (pictured), the 16th-century Lion Inn at isolated Blakey Ridge or the Postgate Pub in picturesque Egton Bridge was deeply satisfying.

Time to think

One of the joys of walking the C2C is the sound of silence. Trekking across one of the most remote and underpopulated areas of the UK, we often went hours without encountering another soul.

It was a liberating experience, with at times only the wind, the occasional bleating sheep and our own footsteps to disturb the silence. This left plenty of time to contemplate the magic of our surroundings and lean into the blissful solitude.

We were often reminded that the Coast to Coast is not a race. Pausing to take it all in brings its own reward.

The people you meet

We stayed in a mix of historic inns and quaint B&Bs in villages and farms run by welcoming locals along the route.

As well as dishing up an amazing charcuterie board, the hosts at Crookabeck Farm in the Lake District (pictured) even offered to do our washing. The genial host at The Old Croft House in Kirkby Stephen offered a slice of chocolate cake and a cup of tea before I had even removed my dirty hiking shoes. At their Park House Country Guest House in North Yorkshire, Aussie ex-chef Brett prepared a magnificent barbecue we shared with him and his partner, Alex.

Without fail, the locals we encountered were warm, friendly and genuinely interested in why a couple from Australia had travelled such a long way to walk across their country. One older gent named Phil started up a conversation with us on a forest track, then reversed direction and walked with us for 30 minutes, ensuring we navigated a tricky section of the trail, regaling us with local anecdotes along the way.

A sense of achievement

It is traditional for C2C walkers to pick up a pebble from the beach at St Bees at the start of the walk and cast it into the sea at Robin Hood’s Bay (pictured) to signify the end of their journey. Doing so was a remarkably emotional moment as we contemplated our efforts of the previous couple of weeks before heading to the nearby Bay Hotel to celebrate with a well-earned beer in the appropriately named Wainwright’s Bar (another tradition).

While it would take just a few hours to drive the distance we had walked across the UK, that’s not the point. As tired and satisfied as we both were, we could just as easily have turned around and walked back the way we had come.

Pictures: Greg Thom, Alamy, iStock

Top tips for the UK Coast to Coast Walk

1. Get the package

Raw Travel’s self-guided Coast to Coast package is from $4595 a person, including accommodation and breakfast, guidebook, and personalised Raw Travel app with GPS navigation tailored to the walk. Luggage is forwarded each day to the next destination, and there’s the option of a local guide for one day.

2. Ensure you are reasonably fit

Doing the Coast to Coast is a fantastic experience, but it does have some challenges that should not be dismissed lightly. Hiking poles are a must. Get match-fit before you go by doing some walks of a similar distance to those you will do on the C2C (complete with daypack).

3. Be prepared

With English weather being so unpredictable, even in summer, it pays to be prepared for anything. Comfortable hiking shoes, rainproof over-pants and a lightweight fleece to keep you warm when the temperature dips are just some of the items you should have in your daypack.

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