Cost of C2C

My wife and I just spent four days booking  ten  nights in B&B's along the C2C from St Bees to Richmond. We were somewhat surprised at the price may of these places  are asking. Many want as much as $110 American Dollars per night. Blame it on the week American dollar, or the popularity of the walk, but it is costly. Part of the problem was that  many of the places, although wonderful, offered things we were hardly interested in like a welcoming a glass of wine and scones, frilly comforters on beds, wi-fi, or imported teas, and the like. Maybe we should have gone with hostels but they're relatively expensive too. Anyway, were looking forward to the walk and let the price be damned! Leaving St Bees on April 7.

Ric in New Mexico, USA

Ric, a comfortable night and a hearty breakfast will make the walk that much more enjoyable.

It isn't a cheap holiday but how many times are you going to do it?

Have a great time

I'm not sure how you managed to find so many places offering so many frills, but if it was down to me to book a load of bednights along the route, I'm sure I could have found cheaper places, without the frills. Of course, it's always nice to find a complimentary chocolate on your pillow, but it can taste a bit sour when you realise it's probably bumped the bill up by £5!

As for 'imported teas'... I'm not aware of any tea plantations in Britain, so my guess is that it's all imported!

 One factor may be that we did all the booking online, not on the phone. I got the feeling that the less expensive places do not have internet, but only take reservations by phone. Really weren't sure that we actually needed to book ahead for every desitnation, but didn't want to take a chance of being left out in the cold. Anyway, we're looking forward to walking in Alfred Wainwright's footsteps. Thanks for the comments.

Rics in New Mexico

Hotel accommodation in the UK is expensive compared to most of the rest of the world, in my experience.  The bigger chains are probably the worst; there's a bog-standard Holiday Inn near my work that charges about £130 a night for a room (goes off to check: oh, it looks like it's only £90 now...).

Looking at the first few entries in this accommodation guide, bed&breakfast prices seem to be around £25 to £50.  They all look to be 'traditional guest houses', rather than bigger hotels.

A similar guide at Sherpa Vans looks a bit pricier, and larger establishments.

Here's the actual prices we are paying for my wife and myself in pounds. Most places were found using the above "accomodation guide" (Coast to Coast Guides.co.uk)

Queen's Hotel, St Bees - 44. Low Cockhow, Ennerdale - 56. Nook Farm, Rosthwaite - 68.   Town Head Farm, Grasmere - 64.  Noran Bank Farm, Patterdale - 58.  Hermitage, Shap- 58.  George Hotel, Orton - 70!. Fletcher House, Kirkby Stephen -70!.  Keld Bunk House -47.  Walpardo, Reeth -60. Enjoy. Rics 

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I'm with CP - hotels (and BandBs) in the UK are somewhat more expensive than the rest of the world and especially the USA. 

Its a mixture of what we are used to paying (thinks about when vacuum cleaners were about £15, then Mr Dyson came along and suddenly we think £100 is fine), exchange rates especially against the dollar, and, to echo Bedders (but not to support some of his comments) what the market will take.

Add in our relatively expensive labour costs,  and costs such as licences, inspections, fees etc and accomodation will cost. 

Those prices being for two and including a proper breakfast (unlike the serve-yourself muck I have experienced in USA) doesnt, on the whole seem excessive...which takes me back to the start of my post.

Yep it's not a cheap place for accomodation , the UK .

In a pub/small hotel (a decent setup with bath and and good quality food) then £70 for B & B for a double  is at least what they charge around my part of the UK.

£44 is a bargain when you consider most Hostels charge £15 per head these days (-probably  a bunk in a room with strangers - usually without a breakfast...)

I have a friend who owns a moderately successful B&B - his prices are on a par with other similar establishments - he works hard and has far from an extravagant lifestyle.

I would agree that there are some expensive things in the UK, I would certainly not agree that "everything in the UK is expensive". I appreciate, however, that "expensive" is a relative term and means different things to different people.

Incidentally one of the least expensive and more enjoyable holidays I had was cycling the C2C using B&Bs.