Hiking along the long-distance trail of the Cumbria Way provides a wonderful cross-section of scenic lakes, fells and charming villages. First-time visitors to this stunning national park will find plenty to fall in love with, while birdwatchers and photographers will find thrilling opportunities to indulge in their hobby. This scenic route lends itself to extending with a few extra days in Keswick so that you could climb Mount Skiddaw or for visiting the many attractions in neighbouring Caldbeck. 

Poet William Wordsworth described the Lake District as “the loveliest spot that man has ever known” and he was probably gazing out from Dove Cottage in Grasmere when he wrote it! Undoubtedly the best way to enjoy Cumbria’s breathtaking natural beauty and refreshingly clear air is at a leisurely pace walking the Cumbria Way. Leave milling crowds and slow-crawling traffic behind and stride out at your own pace on a self-guided walking holiday in the Lake District. You’ll discover untold scenic delights along the Cumbria Way, which runs north-south through this 880 square-mile national park.  

The Cumbria Way was devised by the local Ramblers’ Association in the 1970s. The waymarked route was completed by volunteers and national park staff and provides some of the most pleasant Lake District walks in this unspoilt area.  

Walking one of the popular routes along the Cumbria Way delivers a succession of visual delights. It connects some of England’s most scenic viewpoints, quintessential English villages, lakes, pastures and fells along moderate, low-level terrain. Whether you choose to trek among spring meadows and summer heather, or enjoy the burnished shades of autumn trees, bracken and berried hedgerows, a Lake District hiking adventure does not come better than this!  

Read More

Find your Cumbria Way trip

Updating...

Cumbria Way highlights

 

Farmlife

Walk through sensational woodlands and forests that provide habitat for native English wildlife and animals, including the red squirrel, one of the UK’s best-loved species.

Derwentwater

Beautiful scenery with its marshes and birdlife.

New Dungeon Ghyll

Enjoy dramatic views across the Langdale Valley.

Why travel with us

Local Knowledge of Cumbria

We place great emphasis on researching, planning and crafting innovative English itineraries to ensure you get the very best experience out of your trip. We believe relationships are important and have been working with many of our hoteliers and local suppliers for years and years. This means that they know exactly what our travellers expect from their active holiday in England.

Great Value & Quality Trips in Cumbria

Our active holidays in England are well priced offering great value for money. Included in your package are comprehensive route notes, maps & guide books along with bag transfers and locally run accommodation. When you book, your trip will be fully organised by a dedicated member of our in-house team, so you will always know who you are dealing with. We take the stress out of organising your trip in England.

Personal Experience of Cumbria

We are passionate about Cumbria and our team have been walking and cycling here for over 4 decades. We are passionate about the UK, active holidays and delivering exceptional service. Combined, we’ve travelled to virtually every corner of England and bring a multi-disciplined, multicultural and whole-hearted love of all things travel.

Responsible travel

 

Reducing Waste

Our Waste Management Policy encourages our travellers to take their own reusable water bottles, coffee cups and reusable stuff sacks to avoid single use plastics.

Supporting Local

In the English regions that we travel through tourism is the main source of income for many local people. We support them by working with local family run accommodations and suppliers so that your money actually assists the community that hosts you.

Paddock to Plate

The paddock to plate concept is one we encourage by choosing to work with accommodations that source produce from local farms. This provides you with fresher meals and ensures your money directly assists local economies.

Accommodation

Country Inns

Enjoy the cosy country setting and convenience of staying in a comfortable place that is attached to a restaurant or pub, usually on the ground floor with the rooms above.

Country Inns

Enjoy the cosy country setting and convenience of staying in a comfortable place that is attached to a restaurant or pub, usually on the ground floor with the rooms above.

Country Inns

Enjoy the cosy country setting and convenience of staying in a comfortable place that is attached to a restaurant or pub, usually on the ground floor with the rooms above.

Country Inns

Enjoy the cosy country setting and convenience of staying in a comfortable place that is attached to a restaurant or pub, usually on the ground floor with the rooms above.

Country Inns

Enjoy the cosy country setting and convenience of staying in a comfortable place that is attached to a restaurant or pub, usually on the ground floor with the rooms above.

Trip reviews

Keswick: Lake District Centre Based Walking

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Keswick is a very busy little town and we booked off Season. If you aren't a fan of dogs I wouldn't recommend it. I was a little disappointed with our package which was just two maps. I expected a couple of printed trail maps. The Gps making system was glitchy so I used All Trails mapping.

T. Clayton | Canada4 Oct 2024

View trip
 
The Cumbria Way: Crossing the Lake District

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

We had so much fun on the Cumbrian Way! All of the accommodations were cozy with excellent breakfast and kind hosts. The directions provided (the printed book, the additional notes, and the GPX tracks) meant we never got lost. We had no worries at all--just woke up, ate breakfast, and walked through beautiful countryside every day.

B. Morling | United States28 Jul 2024

View trip
 

Essential information

Where to Go & Weather
Where to Go
Gate into the Coppermines Valley&#160;-&#160;<i>Photo:&#160;John Millen</i>

The first National Park in the UK to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, inscribed to protect a landscape that has been “greatly appreciated from the 18th century onwards”.

?Follow the shores of quintessentially English lakes and find out why larger bodies of water are generally named as ‘mere’ or ‘water’, whilst smaller ones are denoted by ‘tarn’.

Walk through sensational woodlands and forests that provide habitat for native English wildlife, including the red squirrel, one of the UK’s best-loved species.

Cross typical stiles and ‘kissing gates’ along the footpaths on your way to tiny, centuries old hamlets and traditional lively market towns, such as Ulverston and Keswick.

Visit the traditional fell village of Caldbeck, where many of its old mill buildings are still in use and pass Skiddaw House, England’s remotest youth hostel and a former shooting lodge.

Go over High Pike, the highest point on the Cumbrian Way, and follow the fast-flowing Caldbeck and Caldew rivers all the way to Carlisle.

Weather
Bridge over the River Greta&#160;-&#160;<i>Photo:&#160;John Millen</i>

In central England and the Cotswolds, average temperatures range between 9 and 17 degrees Celsius in European spring, summer and autumn. The weather is rarely too bad for walking or cycling.

The busiest time of year for walking along the Cumbria Way is between June and August, when average daytime highs reach a comfortable 17-19°C. Showers are less frequent, although still ever-present due to the prevailing westerly winds from the Atlantic meeting the Cumbrian hills. However, the shoulder months deliver pleasant conditions for walking in the Lake District with the added advantages of fewer crowds and an abundance of spring flowers or autumnal colour. 

Time
Language
Currency
Currency

Pounds sterling

Dialing Code
International Dialing Code

+44

Electricity
Electricity

Electricity in The United Kingdom is 230 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is G (UK – 3 prong).

Visas
Visas

Nationalities that are visa-exempt, such as Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US Passport holders who are travelling to the UK on or after 8 January 2025, will need to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). For European passport holders this applies from 2 April 2025. The best way to do this is to download the app - UK ETA - from the App Store or Google Play. Ensure you download the correct app - it has a crown as its logo. There is also an option to apply online but this is not the preferred method. It costs £10 to apply. Everyone travelling needs to get an ETA, including babies and children. see https://www.walkersbritain.co.uk/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-uk-eta for further information.

Health & Safety
Safety

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us. Please refer to our Travel Advisory page for updates on recent events, travel warnings and advice. We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration. We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements. Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.