Wow! Thank you all for these suggestions and info! My plan is west to east with a service that moves my luggage. It will be a trip organized with Macs Adventure, a trip that only leaves the walking to me.
Happy Holidays and 73,
Alan
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Hi,
Thank you for responding. I neglected to respond that I’m staying hotels the whole way. This adventure will be quite the civilized trip! I’ll try a few summits right on the way, then maybe a few more after the walk.
Alan
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Hi Scott,
I will bring HF and maybe a HT too.
Alan
When you come over, give us a shout and the local sota-ists will give you a send off. Abbey farmhouse in St Bees (My QTH) is pretty popular, or at least I see loads of C2C walkers leave there with massive rucksacks from spring onwards. 
Btw St Bees has a train station
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Matthew,
I’ve got a couple of more questions as I plan some details of this trip.
I’ll arrive in the early morning Sunday, August 27. I’ll find a hotel somewhat south of the Manchester airport for that night. (The following day, the 28th, I’ll travel to St. Bees then start my walk on the 29th.)
I thought to try to activate two very popular summits south of Manchester: Gun and The Cloud on that Sunday the 27th. Do you think I could hire a driver to drop me at those rural spots for those short hikes? Are Uber or Lyft or other similar services common there? Maybe even hire a guide for the day?
73,
Alan
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Hello Alan
I would suggest calling a couple of taxi firms to check. I have previously used Davies Taxis in Keswick for long distance rides…I know from chatting to the driver that they often pick up tourists from the US so they will be familiar with requests for giving tours.
This particular taxi firm seem very reliable.
Tom M1EYP is the guy to speak with. He’s the expert in that area of England he may be able to help you out. I live 100+ miles from there so its too far. Tom is a professional musician though, so he may have work on over the period you are near Manchester, but he’s sure to give you some helpful advice either way.
73 Phil G4OBK
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If that plan does not work Kinder Scout (SP-001) is close to Manchester and is accessible by public transport. It is also quite a historic hill being the site of the Kinder Trespass which changed access to the land in the UK. It’s also a great hill……
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Also an alternative, if you are just looking for a couple of quick one pointers on the way to St Bees, Watch Hill and Binsey could be good options.
You will be crossing SOTA summit Dent on your first Coast to Coast day, which is a public holiday here…I might meet you on the summit with some HF gear if that would be okay.
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As it stands, I’m free that day. If that’s still the case by then (my job means I could be working at a few days’ notice), I’d be happy to collect you and do a day of activating on G/SP-004, G/SP-013 and G/SP-015. Jimmy @M0HGY (G AM) will likely join too as it’s the bank holiday weekend.
If I do get work and have to pull out, then your possible backup plan is Kinder Scout G/SP-001 via public transport as suggested above. Fraser @MM0EFI can maybe advise further as he did a similar such expedition earlier this year.
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I took two buses from Manchester airport. The first was an express bus to Stockport. I then walked 200m up the hill and caught a bus to Hayfield and walked from there. Great fun and a lovely walk.
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Hi Alan,
I can’t see in the thread any mention of how you intend to get from Manchester to St. Bees. The 130 mile / 2hrs 45mins road journey (from the airport) by taxi could be expensive.
The train company ‘Northern’ runs a regular train service from Manchester airport (via Lancaster) up the Cumbrian west coast including a stop at St. Bees. Glancing at the weekday timetable I see a early-afternoon train takes just under 4 hours (lots of stops but with pretty views) and cheaper.
I have family and relatives who use it to get to and from Manchester airport from our local station.
Andy
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Last time I looked for a taxi from MCR to St Bees it was about £300. It was a few years ago mind you.
There’s an enterprise car rental place in Whitehaven so a one way rental might be worth looking into.
Also I’m pretty sure you can get a train from the airport to Barrow in Furness then another to St Bees. Takes about the same time as it does to go that way as it does to go to Carlisle and down. I did the trip to the city centre a couple of months ago and I’m 99% the final stop was the airport.
BTW… As its a bank holiday it’s almost guaranteed to be snowing/hail/typhoon and busy
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The train is a good option, you need to change trains ay Barrow in Furness, but its a simple change (its a small station) and is a well used connection.
Departures from Manchester Airport at 0936 and 1033 arrive st bees at 1324 and 1416 respectively. There are several trains later in the day also via Barrow.
This is a very scenic rail line after the first 50 miles, so quite enjoyable.
Using this route you can hop off the train at Arnside Station and activate Arnside Knott, or perhaps try Black Combe by alighting at Silecroft.
Black Combe would be my choice as the adjacent station of Silecroft comes after the connection in Barrow, so the onward journey to St Bees will be easier.
There is a pub in Silecroft that may well look after you luggage while you walk up the hill, if you buy a pint.
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An easy 40-minute stroll - about a mile - from the station to the summit of G/LD-058, the smallest SOTA summit in England at 159m ASL. Afterwards, lots of good cafes and pubs - and very popular fish & chip shop - in Arnside if catching a later train to St. Bees.
(c) 2023 Crown Copyright - Ordnance Survey
There are many local chasers on 2m FM if you alert ahead of time and despite being fairly wooded, there’s room for a HF wire antenna. I’ve worked N. America on CW from there.
During the final covid lockdown I walked there (from home in a nearby village) to activate it.
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Andy, thank you! This is certainly a detail I hadn’t thought through, just assumed a train trip. Those details are great!
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Cumbria (which contains the Lake District) is a magical county. Once the train crosses the county line the trip turns into an adventure.
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In the smallest of trains Andy. 
2 carriages maximum please. Windows open whatever the weather.
Its going to be a reasonable walk from the station to Black Coombe @m0mzb could even use L’al ratty to get to Boot and do Harter Fell but that might be pushing it
Its 6.4km (4 miles) and 656m of ascent (presumably including some downhills as Black Combe is 600m elevation)…so yes, perhaps a bit of a lengthy walk for someone embarking on the coast to coast the following day.
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I chased Alan on his last summit G/TW-001 and met him for a drink when he arrived in Robin Hood’s Bay on Wednesday.
We’d previously corresponded regarding onward travel from the village - I live there - so it was a pleasure meeting up. Not often you get a chance to give some one a QSL card in person.
He’s been a ham since 1964 so like me he’s no spring chicken and still hill fit.