England’s Coast to Coast trail is an unofficial long-distance footpath conceived by renowned fellwalker Alfred Wainwright in 1973. Stretching roughly 200 miles from St Bees Head in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, the route was first detailed in Wainwright’s guidebook A Coast to Coast Walk, which popularized its dramatic variety of landscapes—from rugged Lake District fells to the gently rolling North York Moors. Despite becoming one of Britain’s most famous walks, it has never been an “official” National Trail, though plans are now in motion to grant it that status by 2026. This recognition will help protect and maintain the path for future generations of hikers, ensuring Wainwright’s vision endures.