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The Coast to Coast Walk - on horseback!Although unusual, the Coast to Coast has been done on horse back a few times. This is an account submitted by two who did and is reproduced here with their permission. Photographs and article copyright the "mad sisters" (their words!).Another way to do it! Two mad sisters (by their own admission) have decided to do the walk on horseback. And raise money for Daisy Chain, a local charity in the process. This is their account of the lead-up to the venture. Come back in July and hopefully I will have received their report of the journey. Good luck! What? It all just started with a chance comment. Listening to a report of someone doing the Coast to Coast by cycle. I said "I'd love to do that on the horses - it would be great". Maybe it would have stopped there but no, always happy to contribute to my harebrained schemes, little sister pipes up "...so why don't we?" Famous last words...
Why? I've been doing a Professional Marketing course with Image Training who run the marketing for Renew Tees Valley , whom I work for. Jacqui Taylor was telling us one day about Daisy Chain, a charity they have been doing some work with. It was founded by the late Lesley Hanson who sadly died last year, with the aim of providing a fun place for children with autism to be able to spend the day with people who can help. They have a smallholding with animals and gardens and vegetable patches and are currently building a play barn. Their latest plan though, is to build a 10 bed residential wing to provide respite care and give their parents and carers a well earned break for a few days. The main point being it has to be fun. They want a happy atmosphere. Not a cold and unwelcoming institutionalised feel. Speaking to the people who work and volunteer there, you know they are itching to do it. There is just the small matter of about £1 million to do it. They have a Spring Ball at Gisborough Hall on 20 May which we're going to - any excuse to wear a posh frock! But then... Click! The proverbial light bulb lit up in the draughty cavity where my brain should be... "Ooh! We could do the Coast to Coast for them...". Unfortunately Jacqui agreed that it was a really good idea. I knew I should have learned to think before I spoke. Oh well. So I rang Gail - "remember we keep talking about doing the Coast to Coast? Well, we're on!" I got an answered "Really? Brilliant!" from her. Well I think insanity does run in families (Doesn't it Mam?) When? Well despite poor old Dad panicking and thinking we'll end up in a lake or lost on the Pennines , we're The plan! Day 1, St Bees to Keswick. Following the C2C cycle route along the Whinlatter forest trails. At the time of writing, we haven't arranged anywhere to stay yet … Day 2, Keswick to Langwathby and Brampton . Still on the C2C route, but once we reach Langwathby, we will continue on for a few miles to stay with friends (Alan and Julie Todd) who can provide a horsey B&B in Brampton near Appleby Day 3, Brampton to Kirkby Stephen. Need to work on this section, we are staying off the A66 and following some minor roads, cycle routes and bridleways. Nowhere to stay here yet either. Day 4, Kirkby Stephen to Reeth. Cycle route on a very tiny "scenic" road will get us to Reeth where a friend of a friend (handy things those!!) is putting us up. Another B&B so we'll add details later in case others are daft enough to follow us... Day 5, Reeth to Darlington., Some decent bridleways for this bit. We'll stay at home in our own beds after this one, but still need a bit of field for the horses to camp out.
The thank you So far... Jacqui and the Image Group for invaluable help getting things underway. Daisy Chain for risking their good name on a mad plan. Armstrong Richardson - feeding the horses for the trip. ? as yet unconfirmed for taking the horses over there. Ann Jennison for getting us home. The Northern Echo. Evening Gazette and the Darlington & Stockton times for the publicity. Ian McAndrew - St Bees Website Carol Smith - St Bees Riding Stables Val Turpin - she has already been there and done that Highland Studios for the photos - thanks Brian. Also anyone mad enough to put us up on the journey and those who volunteered friends and relatives - all will be added later. Definitely huge thanks to Kevin, my poor fella, for putting up with me and Gail and the horses and the whole idea, and also for agreeing to trailing around after us in the car with our gear. And of course all our sponsors.
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That was a few years ago. There has always been something in the way Asti going to the Pony Club Championships; a holiday; Gail's horse, Byter, going off to stud; the foal being born last year. This year there are no excuses. The "so why don't we?" has always been at the back of our minds although most people think we're out of our minds! Ride from the north west coast back to the north east - what on earth for? The hell of it really! Some people want to climb mountains, some want to swim the channel. We want to ride about 160 miles in 6 days around the mountains and lakes and across a little stretch of hills called the Pennines . 
going ahead. The horses travel to St Bees on the west coast, on Saturday 11 June. We are staying there over night and setting off on Sunday 12 June. We're planning on riding a few hours on the morning, resting tired horse legs and riders bottoms at lunch time, then saddling back up for a few hours in the afternoon. We should be able to cover 20-30 miles per day. We have bought maps a plenty and have been emailing all and sundry to drum up help. Following some good leads from Ian McAndrew who runs the St Bees web site, we went for a visit and met the lady who runs the local riding stables and B&B, Carol Smith, who is housing the horses for us on the first night. She passed us on to another local, Val Turpin, who has ridden it before and was a great help with the start of the route, she's even volunteered to ride some of the way with us on the first day to get us on the right route. 
Day 6, Darlington to Redcar and finally HOME. We'll finish as we started, with the horses feet in the sea. Then hopefully a very kind friend, Ann Jennison, will transport Asti and Byter back to their quiet paddock for a rest, and we'll stagger home to sleep for a week.