Our walk across England

By Phil Hough
Reader Contributor

A virus outbreak in the rural parts of Great Britain brings the agricultural, travel and tourism industries to their knees. After restrictions by governments from around the world, safety procedures implemented by airlines and voluntary prudence by passengers, we canceled our plans for the United Kingdom. Has this happened to you, too?

Phil Hough walks along the cliff beside the North Sea. Courtesy photo.

It happened to us in the spring of 2001. This was still a “pre-911” world. Security checks at airports were limited. Tourists generally moved about freely. Travel restrictions were rare events and not to be taken lightly. We reluctantly stayed home.

Britain had been suffering from outbreaks of Mad Cow disease, off and on, for a decade. By April 2001 “hoof and mouth” virus took hold in the British countryside, leading the U.K. to slaughter 1 million head of livestock that spring. The rural agricultural economy took a big hit. 

Travelers flying to and from many parts of the world had to undergo special “washing” procedures for their footwear. Hiking gear — unless it was brand new — was harder to take in and out of U.K. countries. Travel to the English countryside all but stopped. The British tourist economy took a huge hit, too. 

Nineteen years later, it’s hard to find news accounts of the impact hoof and mouth disease had on the U.K. The events of 9/11 took their toll and overshadowed everything else. Eventually both the British and world economies recovered.

When our culture and economy are both under duress, we do well to remember that better days lie ahead. Even now, if we can relax for a moment, we can imagine and create a bright and vibrant future. 

Back at the turn of the millennium, our U.K. adventure was delayed a year. In August 2002, Deb and I set off to hike across northern England. We were joined by my mom and dad, one of my sisters and her significant other. We followed a path from St Bees Head on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea. (West to east, for those unfamiliar with the geography of northern England). 

This route was pioneered by Alfred Wainwright in his 1973 book A Coast to Coast Walk. A TV series that Wainwright produced a few years later helped rocket the trail to fame and popularity among hikers in the U.K. 

At about 190 miles, it’s a delightful walk taking in some of England’s most iconic landscapes and best known national parks, including the Lakes District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. 

The route is not an “official” one. Other guidebooks have cropped up and we had three different map sets — each one with slight variations in a number of places. We followed a patchwork of existing trails, rights of way and permitted paths across private land — occasionally having some serious discussion about which trail option looked the best. 

Camping is limited, so we found lodging in bed and breakfasts, hotels and hostels found in the small towns and hamlets along the way. We opted to use one of the services that would move luggage ahead each day, so all we had to carry were our daypacks and umbrellas. 

We would pack a lunch or have one at a pub at midday. We always carried a thermos of tea for the English tradition of “elevens.” (That’s the morning tea time, for those not initiated into this custom.) 

Of course, we also partook of that other most civilized English tradition: an evening meal at the pub along with a pint and a shot (or two) of single malt.

Deb and I are accustomed to long distance hikes. By 2001 we had already completed the Appalachian Trail together and I had hiked all of the Pacific Crest Trail. So our walk across England — during which we averaged 10 miles a day and 10 pub meals a week (we won’t divulge stats on beer or whisky) — felt like a vacation. 

For my parents it was a chance for a journey together; one of the highlights of their many travels. For my sister and her significant other it was a test of sorts. By her own admission, her previous longest hike was from the far end of the parking lot to the mall entrance. Granted, this was likely in a big city and probably at Christmas time when the parking lot was full. 

This walk was more than an athletic accomplishment or endurance contest. It was a cultural experience. We consumed same-day fresh fish and seafood from both coasts. We shared breakfast with other guests and politics with locals over pints in the pub. On one special night, Deb and I played darts (and won) with a team from a local tavern that had played together for more than three decades. For all of us, it was a grand adventure; a shared experience that has bonded us together. 

All three couples extended their stays both before and after to take in more of the recreational and cultural delights of the U.K. Deb and I complimented our coast-to-coast walk by adding in hikes up Snowdon (the highest mountain in Wales) and Ben Nevis (then highest mountain in Scotland). We also did day hikes along Offa’s Dyke and the Pembrokeshire Coast Trail, both in Wales, and Hadrian’s wall not far from the English-Scottish border. We watched Macbeth performed in castle ruins at St David’s. We visited Tintern Abbey, Loch Ness, and many castles and other sights. We mostly avoided the bigger cities. Though we did stop in Edinburgh to visit friends. 

There is so much to do and see in the countryside. If you go, get a rail pass, some good guidebooks and allow some time to take in everything you can. The visits we made both before and after the coast-to-coast walk helped bring the walk to life — to really provide a way to “ground” the experience in the culture and customs of the country.