Coast-to-Coast England

Most hikers walk from west to east, supposedly because it puts the prevailing winds at your back. But this means that you have to tackle the walk's hardest part — the Lakes — first.

Because towns are so close together you can, if you like, sleep in a bed every night — which means that you don't have to carry a sleeping bag, pad, tent, and stove. You don't even have to carry your pack if you don't want to: Two services will transport your packs from town to town for you. Contact the SherpaVan at info@sherpavan.com or the Coast-to-Coast Packhorse at ics@cumbria.net. If you do use the transport services, you'll need to bring a small daypack for your lunch, your rain gear, and an extra layer of clothes.

Accommodations range from hostels to stylish inns to comfortable B&Bs. Reservations are recommended during the summer months. Some establishments require a deposit, but may make an exception for foreigners. You can also use a booking service: You choose the accommodations; they do the bookings. Contact the SherpaVan for information. For bookings into youth hostels, contact the YHA's Coast-to-Coast Booking Bureau, tel +44 (01629) 581061. If you want to do your own bookings, you can get a booklet listing B&Bs and hostels for three pounds (about five dollars). Write to:

Mrs. Doreen Whitehead
Butt House
Keld, Richmond
North Yorkshire DL11 6LJ, England
Tel +44 (01748) 886374.