Published 17 April 2011. Last updated 5 February 2012
Cumbria Way
Length: 84 miles, 112 km
Time required: 5-6 days
Region: North England
Start: Ulverston, Cumbria
End: Carlisle, Cumbria
Difficulty: Medium
The Cumbria Way was the first long distance path I walked by myself and all in one go, and its route takes in some of the finest countryside Cumbria has to offer.
Created by the local Ramblers Association in the 1970s, the route starts in Ulverston near Morecombe Bay, the 70 mile route goes through the Lake District before ending in Carlisle city centre. And whilst the Lake District is the jewel in the crown of the Cumbria Way, it is notably more than that. Even if the final afternoon does go along a cycle path.
Still, don't let that put you off doing a fine walk in beautiful scenery. Nor let the thought of the fells of the Lakes put you off. The Cumbria Way takes an easy route for the most part, allowing you to take in the sights without providing endless hills and summits to climb. It is a delight to walk along. So, are you coming then?
Most people tend to split up the Cumbria Way over five days, although it is possible to extend to six. However as, in the main, the route does not go through many villages and towns, it is difficult to walk in sections.
The usual itinerary is listed below, with the five or six day options. All distances are approximate. Locations with railway stations are marked with a *.
| 5 Day Itinerary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | From | To | Distance | Notes | |
| Miles | Km | ||||
| 1 | Ulverston * | Coniston | 14½ | 23½ | |
| 2 | Conistion | Old Dungeon Ghyll | 11 | 18 | [1] |
| 3 | Old Dungeon Ghyll | Keswick | 15 | 24 | |
| 4 | Keswick | Caldbeck | 18/20½ | 30/33 | [2] |
| 5 | Caldbeck | Carlisle * | 15½ | 25 | |
| 6 Day Itinerary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | From | To | Distance | Notes | |
| Miles | Km | ||||
| 1 | Ulverston * | Coniston | 14½ | 23½ | |
| 2 | Conistion | Old Dungeon Ghyll | 11 | 18 | [1] |
| 3 | Old Dungeon Ghyll | Rosthwaite | 7½ | 12 | |
| 4 | Rosthwaite | Skiddaw House YHA | 12½ | 20 | [3] |
| 5 | Skiddaw House YHA | Caldbeck | 13/15½ | 20/25 | [2] |
| 6 | Caldbeck | Carlisle * | 15½ | 25 | |
The low level route, relatively easy navigation and generally good paths mean the Cumbria Way has all year round walking potential. There are few tricky parts, and certainly none that would dangerous in bad weather.
Unlike many walks, there is currently no accommodation guide published for the Cumbria Way. Thankfully though, the Cumbria Way towns and villages well supplied with walkers accommodation which can be found with a quick Google search or from the Cumbria Tourist Board.
The route is also amazingly well served for youth hostels, with YHA hostels at Conniston (Holy How), Elterwater, Borrowdale (near Rosthwaite), Keswick, Skiddaw House and Carlisle.
You may still find references to an independent hostel at Ulverston, however in January 2012 this now only accepts group bookings.
The two places with limited accommodation are Skiddaw House (as noted above) and Dungeon Ghyll. However Dugeon Ghyll is served by Stagecoach's 516 bus which goes to Elterwater and terminates at Ambleside.
Both ends of the trail are well served by public transport. At the top, Carlisle sits on the busy West Coast Mainline with a plethora of train, coach and bus services across the country.
At the bottom, Ulverston station is a little quieter. Its train station sits on the Furness Line, with local services to Lancaster and some services to Preston and Manchester. The X35 National Express coach also serves the town.
More information on train services can be found on the National Rail Enquiries website.
Unfortunately there aren't many guide books for the Cumbria Way. I used Anthony Burton's book published by Aurum Press which is excellent and contains detailed excerpts of Ordnance Survey maps. It is now out of print, however it's well worth a purchase if you can get it second hand.
The most recently published book is Paul Hannon's Cumbria Way: 72 Miles Through the Lake District, published in 2005. Apparently this does not contain maps, just route descriptions.
A bit older, but still in print, is Cicerone's The Cumbria Way and Allerdale Ramble. Published in 1997, this doesn't contain Ordance Survey maps like many Cicerone books, but does include some line drawn maps.
Most likely, you will want to use either of these two guidebooks in conjunction with a proper map. Harveys publish a map for the whole route.
Alternatively Ordance Survey Explorer maps OL4, OL5, OL6, OL7 and 315 cover the route, which is labelled on the maps.
The route is generally well waymarked, however there are a few tricky areas and a good map is highly recommended.
The Cumbria Way is an excellent walk, although admittedly does tail off near the end. The hours spent on a cycle track approaching Carlisle are not its finest, nor is the fact that it seems to end near a bin lorry depot.
Apparently there are plans to move the end to the market square, however one alternative would be to go north to south instead, thus ending on a high in Ulverston which is a town which really appreciates the walker. Indeed many of the pubs sell Hartleys Cumbria Way Ale which would be the perfect way to end the trip.
Whatever way you do it, it's a thoroughly enjoyable walk that deserves to be better known and enjoyed. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
If you've any questions feel free to ask them in the comments box below.
Your Comments
Matthew King (@hillplodder)
Posted on 5 February 2012 at 11:02 AM
I walked the Cumbria Way in March/April 2011 and can thoroughly recommend it. But I wanted to take in more hills along the way so customised my route, eventually ending up with a 7 1/2 day itinerary. Plus I also spent 2 extra nights at Skiddaw House to explore the fells around there.
Another accommodation option to consider is Camping Barns (http://www.lakelandcampingbarns.co.uk/). I used 3 - Fell End between Ulverston and Coniston (because my first day was a half day), Dinah Hoggus barn in Rosthwaite and Hudscales Barn near Caldbeck. They were cheap and solved the problem of where to stay in places where there isn't much on offer. Hudscales Barn is particularly impressive.
An account of my walk is on my website if anyone is interested (http://hillplodder.wordpress.com/long-distance-paths/cumbria-way/).
Andrew Bowden (Editor)
Posted on 5 February 2012 at 2:29 PM
When I walked past Skiddaw House I just knew that one day I'd have to go back there for a good stay. Still yet to do it but it's on the list along with Black Sail! Now if only I had more free time...
Still yet to stay in a camping barn which is probably why I've barely mentioned them on these guides. Maybe it's time to buy that sleeping bag.