Coast to Coast

[SaladFingers]

I'll be going on a Coast to Coast walk this Spring, which should take about 12 days to complete. Along the way we'll be having to eat in pubs or B&Bs or cafes, I'm not familiar with and judging by reports, we'll do well to eat anywhere better than average pub fare.

Just wondering if anyone, based on this map is able to suggest somewhere decent to eat at any of the marked locations OR suggest a slight detour at any point for something a bit more special than sandwiches.

[Harters]

Jumble Room at Grasmere - although it's a couple of years since I've been.

Write-up in the current Good Food Guide mentions Mansergh Hall lamb - which would be recommendation enough. I buy most of my meat over the internet from them. Organic and damn tasty!

[BertieWooster]

The Endeavour at Staithes was wonderful when we went there a couple of years ago, just a short walk from Robin Hood's Bay in terms of what you're doing.

[CalumC]

I would absolutely love to do that walk, the yorkshire dales and north york moors are pretty much my favourite place in the world. Theres a brilliant little pub in Reeth, Black Bull i think it was. Great ales (Theakston I think, Old Peculiar on tap made me very happy) and a very good steak and ale pie from what i remember. Its possible that i'm seeing it as so good based on my age on first visit and the family holiday aspect, but I'm fairly sure it was as good as i remember.

I believe from your map that you're going to be passing just above a village called Barningham, I don't know whether it would still be open, but there used to be a pub there run by an old man, it was basically his house, everyone sat in his living room, drinks down in what would normally be a coat room. This is a good 5 or 6 years ago that we last went.

Enjoy the walk, incredible scenery around there.

[PS]

The Highwayman is in Burrow, two miles or so south of Kirkby Stephen. Those two miles probably aren't ideal if you're on foot though. There must be some decent old coaching inns in Kirkby Stephen itself.

[battleofthebulge]

If you're doing the whole of the C2C in just 12 days, you won't have any time for foodie detours. Quite a few of your stages will be 20 miles or more, and the path isn't waymarked. Even with maps and a GPS be prepared for some wrong turnings and potentially very long days.

We did the middle section of the Pennine Way (74 miles in 4.5 days) in September, and I recommend Keld Lodge, in Keld, obviously, where the PW meets the C2C. Very good food, genial hosts and a very large drying room. We also started off with the aim of doing 15-16 mile days, but found 12 was more than enough, as those 74 miles included 24,000 feet of ascent and many many miles of squidgy bog with no proper path.

In Richmond, try the Frenchgate. I haven't been but have heard good things.

Here's hoping it doesn't rain!

Sarah

[SaladFingers]

Thanks for the replies, I'm taking note.

Regarding the detour, what I meant was taking a slightly different route rather than walking three miles off-course. We'll be averaging 15 miles a day, which after the Lake District should be reasonably straight forward.

[Gary Marshall]

if you are anywhere near goldsborough at the end of your trip (it's near runswick bay) then try the fox and hounds , check the opening hours as they are limited but i doubt you'll be disappointed there.

[trimble]

The Highwayman is in Burrow, two miles or so south of Kirkby Stephen. Those two miles probably aren't ideal if you're on foot though. There must be some decent old coaching inns in Kirkby Stephen itself.

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The Highwayman is south of Kirkby Lonsdale

[citylunch]

I did the coast to coast walk in June 2006, took 12 days so you'll probably be staying in a lot of the same villages. It was one of the best holidays I've had but not for the food. I had plans to detour to the odd decent restaurant but at the end of a long days walking, generally in strong wind and rain, it was quite an effort to walk to the nearest pub for whatever they were serving.

From the diary I kept here are the very brief notes on the food (and distances walked before eating it);

St. Bees - Queen's Hotel - Tasteless beef casserole

Ennerdale Bridge (16 miles) - Shepherd’s Arms - average lasagne

Stonehtwaite (16m) - Langstrath Arms - huge portion of tasty 'Lamb Henry'

Patterdale (18m in 50mph wind and torrential rain) - White Lion Hotel - average cheeseburger and chips (Eng v Sweden footy on tv)

Shap (17m) - Greyhound Inn - grotty pub, good food, great breakfast

Kirkby Stephen (21m) - ? pub in high st - chilli beef w. rice, average

Keld (?m) - YHA - veggie pasta, OK

Reeth (?m) - no details

Richmond (11m) - thai restaurant - OK - all 15 diners were on C2C walk!

Osmotherley (26m) - Queen's Head - decent steak

Clay Bank Top (?m) - pub in Chop Gate - very good lasagne

Glaisdale (19m) - Arnecliffe Arms - good grub

Robin's Hood Bay - Bay Hotel - average sandwich

There was often nowhere to stop for lunch, or buy it the night before, so we sometimes had some very odd lunches cobbled together from what we could find (dry long-life rolls with primula spread in a downpour was a low point). So not a foody trip, but the first pint of bitter each night was superb.

[PS]

The Highwayman is in Burrow, two miles or so south of Kirkby Stephen. Those two miles probably aren't ideal if you're on foot though. There must be some decent old coaching inns in Kirkby Stephen itself.

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The Highwayman is south of Kirkby Lonsdale

←

You're quite right - it's nowhere near the suggested route. Apologies for my confusion

[Mrs Woman]

Don't know if you've done your walk yet but the Mardale Inn (http://www.mardaleinn.co.uk/food.htm) in Bampton just outside Shap does really nice food - really good pub grub (Tamworth pork belly rolls dish a standout) with local ingredients. We stayed in January a week before the owner bought Uncle Monty's cottage!