THE coast to coast walk is well-known to us as the 192-mile long-distance footpath from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire.

This is the route followed by countless walkers after it was devised by Alfred Wainwright and detailed in his 1973 book A Coast to Coast Walk.

Keen walker Peter Stubbs completed the walk in 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite inclement weather.

But, he writes in the preface to his new book Joining the Seas, "as a Yorkshireman I was left with this nagging feeling that Wainwright hadn’t really done justice to God’s own country.”

He goes on "what about the Three Peaks, the ruined abbeys, Brimham Rocks, Malham, the Dales and so on?"

In answer to his own question, the retired civil engineer and transport planner from Sheffield has devised his own route - an "alternative" coast to coast - from Whitby, North Yorkshire, to Morecambe in Lancashire.

Divided into 17 stages varying in length from less than four to around 15 miles, the walk takes in a wealth of historic attractions in Yorkshire, including Rosedale Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey and Fountains Abbey. It passes through some of the county’s most dramatic natural scenery, including Brimham Rocks, Malham Cove, Malham Tarn and the spectacular gorge of Gordale Scar.

The paperback is illustrated throughout with photographs taken by the author and Peter’s hand-drawn maps are clear and appear easy to navigate.

For anyone who has completed Wainwright’s coast to coast and fancies another crack at it, this 150-mile alternative will open up new areas to explore places such as Janet’s Foss near Malham, "a small waterfall that feeds a delightful secluded pool", and ancient Butterton Bridge near Fountain’s Abbey, built by monks in the 13th century.

Quirky points of interest include Devil’s Arrows outside Boroughbridge - giant standing stones thought to have been transported here from the Knaresborough area in about 2,700 BC - and an old lime kiln at the intriguingly named Low Linseed Head in the Yorkshire Dales.

Peter’s narrative is both easy to follow, with interesting facts throughout. Here, he describes the pavement at Malham Cove: "The fissures contain many rare plants such as anemone, geranium, wood sorrel, wood garlic, harts tongue fern, rue and enchanters."

His coverage of the routes are thorough, even down to farm animals that may be present. "Alongside the wall you may encounter some Highland cattle. They’re a lot less fearsome than they look, but be vigilant if they have young calves."

There is no shortage of villages and towns along Peter’s route, offering refreshment and a place to spend the night. The book does carry occasional references to accommodation, but it is wise to carry out additional research in their area.

Joining the Seas A Yorkshireman’s Coast to Coast Walk by Peter Stubbs, published by Sigma Leisure, priced £8.99