Coast to Coast with Wainwright

by Alfred Wainwright, Derry Brabbs (Photographer)

First published in 1973, A. Wainwright's Coast to Coast is the most authoritative and useful guide to one of the world’s most beautiful walks. It covers rights of way and areas of open access between the Irish Sea and the North Sea and passes through three of Great Britain’s National the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and the North Yorkshire Moors, all areas of outstanding beauty. Providing a wide and varied range of scenery with changing landscapes over a distance of 190 miles, it is one of the most challenging and rewarding of long-distance walks. This new edition has been updated to reflect minor changes in the terrain, and many of the original photographs, taken by Derry Brabbs and first published in 1987, have been retaken by the legendary lakeland photographer. The result is the transformation of a superb guidebook into one that is truly sublime.

272 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

Alfred Wainwright was born in Blackburn, Lancashire to Thomas Wainwright and Elizabeth Nixon.[citation needed] His family was relatively poor, mostly due to his stonemason father's alcoholism. He did very well at school (first in nearly every subject)[1] although he left at the age of 13. While most of his classmates were obliged to find employment in the local mills, Wainwright started work as an office boy in Blackburn Borough Engineer's Department. He spent several further years studying at night school, gaining qualifications in accountancy which enabled him to further his career at Blackburn Borough Council. Even when a child Wainwright walked a great deal, up to 20 miles at a time; he also showed a great interest in drawing and cartography, producing his own maps of England and his local area.
In 1930, at the age of 23, Wainwright saved up enough money for a week's walking holiday in the Lake District with his cousin Eric Beardsall. They arrived in Windermere and climbed the nearby hill Orrest Head, where Wainwright saw his first view of the Lakeland fells. This moment marked the start of what he would later describe as his love affair with the Lake District. In 1931 he married his first wife, Ruth Holden, a local mill worker, with whom he had a son Peter. In 1941 Wainwright was able to move closer to the fells when he took a job (and with it a pay cut) at the Borough Treasurer's office in Kendal, Westmorland. He lived and worked in the town for the rest of his life, serving as Borough Treasurer from 1948 until he retired in 1967. His first marriage ended when Ruth walked out three weeks before he retired. They later divorced. In 1970 he married Betty McNally (1922–2008), also a divorcee, who became his walking companion and who eventually carried his ashes to Innominate Tarn at the top of Haystacks.

Reviews

[Liberty Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first introduction to Wainwright’s writing. An ardently opinionated voice, but an entertaining one none-the-less. He captures the beauty and understated pleasure in walking the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. Upon reading the ending I almost felt like crying which took me by surprise as much of the rest of the book didn’t trigger my emotions. The images by Derry Brabbs are beyond stunning.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so want to do this! Mr. Wainwright has put together a fabulous book about walking across the United Kingdom, 190 mile walk! Photos by Derry Brabbs are breath taking. I want to walk the route someday, and many others. I've added it to my bucket list. Lovely book and inspirational!

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring, but obviously one would need more current information to actually do the walk.