Marnie is a 38-year-old freelance copyeditor living an isolated life in her London apartment. Following a disastrous marriage and the pandemic, she rarely ventures out. She hides her vulnerability behind a quick wit and self-deprecating humor. Despite her reclusive tendencies, she craves human connection and tentatively agrees to join a group walking holiday in northern England.

Michael is a 42-year-old geography teacher from York who spends his weekends hiking alone to cope with the pain of his recent separation. He hides a physical scar beneath a beard and carries deep emotional wounds from an unprovoked street attack. Unpretentious and passionate about the natural world, he intends to walk the 190-mile Coast to Coast route as a solitary exercise.

Cleo is the Deputy Head at the school where Michael teaches. Happily married with a teenage son, she recognizes the loneliness in both Michael and Marnie. She orchestrates the Easter walking trip as a socializing endeavor to help her friends heal from their respective romantic disappointments.

Conrad is a London pharmacist residing in the affluent Barons Court neighborhood. Extraordinarily handsome but somewhat superficial, he joins the walking party despite his distinct lack of appropriate outdoor gear and a general disdain for the countryside.

Tess is a dentist and triathlete who belongs to Cleo's social circle. Known for her active lifestyle and love of the outdoors, she is the woman Cleo originally intends to set up with Michael before work commitments force her to miss the hike.

Natasha is Michael's estranged wife. Her departure, prompted by the emotional distance following Michael's assault and their struggles with involuntary childlessness, serves as the catalyst for Michael's current loneliness. She now lives in Richmond and is expecting a baby with her new partner.

Brian is an older Scottish man walking the Coast to Coast route with his wife, Barbara. Having been married for over four decades, he represents enduring romantic commitment and frequently crosses paths with the main walking party.

Barbara is an older Scottish woman undertaking the walking route with her husband, Brian. She is friendly, observant, and quick to playfully question Michael's assertion that he and Marnie are strictly platonic friends.

Neil is Marnie's ex-husband, an older man she met on a team-building trip while working as a receptionist. His controlling behavior, infidelity, and financial withholding heavily damaged Marnie's trust in romantic relationships.

Anthony is Cleo and Sam's teenage son. Sullen and unenthusiastic about the outdoors, he is dragged onto the walking holiday against his will by his mother.

Sam is Cleo's husband and Anthony's father. He is unable to attend the Easter walking holiday due to work commitments, leaving Cleo to manage their sullen teenage son on the trail.

Frank is a fellow English teacher who is currently dating Natasha following her separation from Michael. He lives with Natasha and is the father of her expected baby.

Graham is a middle-aged B&B host who rents out his son's bedroom to walkers. Lonely with his wife away in Scarborough and his son serving in the Royal Navy, he shares an unappetizing microwaved dinner and quiet companionship with Michael.