A Northern Coast to Coast Walk, by Terry Marsh, Cicerone Press, £12.

THIS book will prove itself to be an invaluable companion to anyone attempting the coast-to-coast walk from St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay.

Writer and photo-grapher Terry Marsh has come up with his own version of the walk originally devised by Lake District guidebook author Alfred Wainwright in 1973.

Marsh's route minimises the amount of road walking and instead keeps to established rights of way or permissive paths as his narrative commentary takes the reader through a wide diversity of terrain from steep-sided moun-tains, flower-decked meadows, leafy lanes, moors and limestone scars.

It is suggested that the 300-mile (178km) trail, which includes 22,825ft of ascent, be covered in two weeks with the walker averaging 12 miles daily.

This guide also includes an accommodation listing, names of doctors and dentists along the way, public conveniences and useful addresses. With additional directions of the route in reverse, OS mapping and the author's colour photographs illus-trating the way, this is a must-have guide to the coast-to-coast trail.

Mike Addison

May 22, 2003 11:00