A guidebook to walking the Cumbria Way, a 117km (73 mile) route between Ulverston and Carlisle. Suitable for walkers with some experience, this long-distance route through the heart of the Lake District can be walked in 5 days, but there is plenty of opportunity to plan your itinerary for a more easy-going 7 to 8 days.

This largely low-level route is described here in five stages of between 19 and 26 kms (12 – 16 miles). Alternative mountain days can be added to include the Coniston Fells, Glaramara and Skiddaw.

• Route described from south to north with 1:50,000 OS mapping for each stage
• Detailed information on accommodation, facilities and public transport along the route
• Variations to the itinerary suggested depending on required difficulty and time frame 
• Route summary tables and accommodation listings help you plan your itinerary
• GPX files available to download 

Map key

Introduction

The main route
The mountain routes
Wildlife and plants
Geology (Ronald Turnbull)
When to go
Getting there
Accommodation
Safety
Planning your itinerary
What to take
Maps
Using GPS
Using this guide

The Cumbria Way

Stage 1    Ulverston to Coniston (or Torver)
Stage 2    Coniston to Great Langdale
Stage 2A    Torver to Great Langdale – mountain route
Stage 3    Great Langdale to Keswick
Stage 3A    Great Langdale to Keswick – mountain route
Stage 4    Keswick to Caldbeck
Stage 4A    Keswick to Caldbeck – mountain route
Stage 4B    Keswick to Caldbeck – foul weather route
Stage 5    Caldbeck to Carlisle

Appendix A    Route summary table
Appendix B    Facilities summary table
Appendix C    Accommodation stage by stage
Appendix D    Useful contacts

Seasons

official way can be done year-round using B&Bs or Easter to October using campsites. The mountain route is best saved for spring, summer and autumn

Centres

Ulverston, Torver, Coniston, Elterwater, Great Langdale, Rosthwaite, Keswick, Bassenthwaite, Caldbeck, Dalston and Carlisle

Difficulty

official Cumbria Way is easy with only two places where the inexperienced walker can go wrong (in mist) - Stake Pass and High Pike. The mountain routes require mountain experience and the knowledge of how to use a map and compass

Must See

official route visits Coniston, Tarn Hows, Great Langdale, Stake Pass, Derwentwater, Back o' Skiddaw and Caldbeck, while the mountain route adds the Coniston Fells, Glaramara, Skiddaw and Knott

July 2023

Closure

August 2022

Alternative route between Dalston and Cummersdale

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