Patterdale to Shap
Stage 5 of 16 and the toughest day in the Lake District: roughly 15.5 miles (about 25 km) from Patterdale to Shap, walked west-to-east. From Patterdale a sharp climb gains Boredale Hause (c.400 m), then the path eases past Angle Tarn and Satura Crag before rounding The Knott and joining the old Roman road of High Street. A short spur reaches Kidsty Pike (780 m / 2,560 ft), the highest point on the entire Coast to Coast, with views back over Lakeland and ahead to the Eden Valley and Pennines. A steep, rough descent drops to Haweswater, whose shore is followed on a long rocky path to Burnbanks, where the fells are left behind. Rolling Eden farmland and the riverside ruins of Shap Abbey lead to Shap village. Difficulty is Very Hard on three counts: stamina (the route's biggest single-day climb, around 1,100 m / 3,600 ft), terrain (rough, rocky, boggy fell and a steep descent), and navigation/exposure (a high, open ridge). Crucially there is no pub, cafe or shop between Patterdale and Shap, so carry food and water, start early, and allow 8 to 9 hours. The Coast to Coast Path was designated a fully waymarked National Trail in 2026.

Patterdale to Shap