Choose your Way · Through the heart of the Lakes

The Cumbria Way
Ulverston to Carlisle

73 miles · 117 km 5 stages · 5–6 days High point 658 m Free GPX · every stage

The Cumbria Way is a 73-mile (117 km) long-distance walk through the heart of the Lake District, from Ulverston near Morecambe Bay to the city of Carlisle. It's usually walked south to north in five stages via Coniston, Great Langdale, Borrowdale, Keswick and Caldbeck. Created by local Ramblers in the 1970s, it's mostly a valley walk, but it crosses Stake Pass (about 480 m) and High Pike (658 m), its highest point.

Cumbria Way at a Glance

Distance72.6 mi (116.9 km)
Stages5 (or 6)
Total ascent≈2,550–2,860 m
Highest point658 m · High Pike
DirectionSouth → North
OS mapsOL6 · OL7 · OL4 · OL5 · 315

Route Map & GPX

The full line of the Cumbria Way from Ulverston to Carlisle, following the main route over High Pike, with the overnight stops marked. It's free to download with no sign-up, and every stage has its own GPX.

Loading route map… download the GPX below to view the full track in your mapping app.
📥 Full Route GPX All stage GPX files →

Free and un-gated, no sign-up. Drawn in OS Maps along the main route (over High Pike, not the Dash Falls alternative).

Pairs perfectly with our GPX files: import this file into Our Fells, save the OS map offline and follow the line with live GPS. 7-day free trial, then 10% off your first year with code . Affiliate link

Elevation Profile: Ulverston to Carlisle

Total ascent 2935 m · Total descent 2896 m · High point 645 m · 116.9 km
645m 15m 0 km 116.9 km

Elevation derived from the route GPX sampled against a digital elevation model (Open-Meteo (Copernicus DEM)). Figures are approximate.

The Five Stages

The classic itinerary takes five days, overnighting at Coniston, Great Langdale, Keswick and Caldbeck. Each stage has its own guide with route notes, transport, places to stay and FAQs.

01
Ulverston to Coniston
Into the Lakes

From the stone marker at The Gill in Ulverston, over rolling farmland into the National Park and along the western shore of Coniston Water.

15.7 miles
Moderate →
02
Coniston to Great Langdale
Tarn Hows & the Langdale Valley

A short, beautiful day through woodland to Tarn Hows, past the waterfalls at Colwith and Skelwith Bridge and up into Great Langdale.

11.9 miles
Easy →
03
Great Langdale to Keswick
Stake Pass & Borrowdale

Over Stake Pass from the head of Great Langdale, down lonely Langstrath into Borrowdale, then along the shore of Derwent Water to Keswick.

16.2 miles
Challenging →
04
Keswick to Caldbeck
Skiddaw Forest & High Pike

The wildest stage: behind Skiddaw to remote Skiddaw House, along the infant River Caldew and over High Pike, the highest point of the walk, to Caldbeck.

13.9 miles
Challenging →
05
Caldbeck to Carlisle
Down the Caldew to Carlisle

An easy finale leaving the National Park and following the River Caldew through Sebergham and Dalston into the historic city of Carlisle.

14.9 miles
Easy →

The Route: From Morecambe Bay to the Border City

The Cumbria Way crosses the Lake District from south to north, mostly by its valleys, linking two historic market towns with some of the most celebrated scenery in England. It was devised by local members of the Ramblers in the 1970s, and volunteers and National Park staff completed waymarking of the whole route in 2007.

Ulverston to Coniston

From The Gill in Ulverston, the Way crosses rolling Furness farmland to Beacon Tarn, then follows the western shore of Coniston Water into Coniston village beneath the Old Man. Stage 1 →

Tarn Hows and Great Langdale

A short, lovely day via Tarn Hows, the waterfalls at Colwith and Skelwith Bridge, and Elterwater into the head of Great Langdale, beneath the Langdale Pikes. Stage 2 →

Stake Pass, Borrowdale and Derwent Water

The mountain day: up Mickleden to Stake Pass, down remote Langstrath into Borrowdale, and along the shore of Derwent Water to Keswick. Stage 3 →

Skiddaw Forest and High Pike

The wildest stretch goes behind Skiddaw to lonely Skiddaw House, along the young River Caldew and over High Pike, the highest point of the walk, to the village of Caldbeck. Stage 4 →

The Caldew to Carlisle

An easy last day out of the National Park, following the River Caldew through Sebergham and Dalston into the centre of Carlisle, with its castle and cathedral. Stage 5 →

5-Day and 6-Day Itineraries

Published stage distances vary by a mile or so between sources. These are typical figures.

Day5-day itineraryApprox. miles6-day itinerary
1Ulverston → Coniston15Ulverston → Coniston
2Coniston → Great Langdale11–12Coniston → Great Langdale
3Great Langdale → Keswick15–16Great Langdale → Rosthwaite
4Keswick → Caldbeck14.5–15Rosthwaite → Keswick
5Caldbeck → Carlisle15–15.5Keswick → Caldbeck
6——Caldbeck → Carlisle

Want a faster 4-day plan or a 7-day walk with a rest day? See our Cumbria Way itineraries, with measured distances for every day and GPX files for the 6-day split. A rest day in Keswick is well worth it: it sits roughly two-thirds of the way along, has the best choice of shops and places to eat, and gives you a buffer if the weather is bad for Stage 4.

When to Walk the Cumbria Way

  • April–June: long days, spring flowers and fresh green valleys. May and June are often the driest months.
  • July–August: the warmest weather and longest evenings, but busier paths and accommodation in Langdale, Borrowdale and Keswick that books up months ahead.
  • September–October: autumn colour in Borrowdale and around Tarn Hows, quieter paths and good light.
  • Winter: possible for experienced, well-equipped walkers, but daylight is short, and Stake Pass and High Pike can be serious in snow and ice.

Whatever the season, check the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) forecast before Stages 3 and 4.

Getting There and Back

  • Start: Ulverston station is on the Furness Line from Lancaster (for the West Coast Main Line) to Barrow-in-Furness, a short walk from The Gill.
  • Finish: Carlisle station is on the West Coast Main Line, with direct trains to London, Glasgow and the North West, plus the Settle–Carlisle and Tyne Valley lines.
  • Along the way: buses link Coniston, Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Keswick with Ambleside, Windermere and Penrith, so you can walk the route in sections. Caldbeck has very limited public transport.

Always check current timetables. Many rural services are reduced in winter and on Sundays.

Where to Stay on the Cumbria Way

Accommodation is plentiful at Coniston and Keswick but limited in Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Caldbeck. See our Cumbria Way accommodation guide for every overnight stop, camping and baggage transfer.

UlverstonStart. Market town with inns, B&Bs and plenty of places to eat; most walkers arrive the night before.
ConistonEnd of Stage 1. Hotels, inns, B&Bs, a youth hostel and campsites beneath the Old Man.
Great Langdale & ElterwaterEnd of Stage 2. Classic walkers' hotels and inns, campsites and a hostel. Limited and popular, so book early.
Rosthwaite & BorrowdaleOptional overnight on Stage 3, for a gentler 6-day walk.
KeswickEnd of Stage 3. The biggest choice on the route, plus outdoor shops; ideal for a rest day.
Caldbeck & Hesket NewmarketEnd of Stage 4. Small villages with a pub, café and a few B&Bs. Book ahead.
CarlisleFinish. Hotels and guesthouses of every kind, and the station for home.
For local businesses

Accommodation, café or transport on the Cumbria Way?

If you're within 1 mile of the route (Ulverston, Coniston, Langdale, Borrowdale, Keswick, Caldbeck or Carlisle) or you serve walkers with gear, baggage transfer or transport, you can advertise free for 6 months, with no obligation to continue.

Become a Trail Partner →

Combining the Cumbria Way with Our Other Walks

The Cumbria Way crosses both of the walks that share the Furness name. Ulverston, where it starts, is also the end of Stage 5 of the Westmorland and Furness Way, and Coniston, the end of its first stage, is also an overnight stop on the original Furness Way. That makes it easy to walk one route and continue on another, or to use Coniston and Ulverston as bases for a mix of stages.

Westmorland & Furness WayOriginal Furness WayCumbria Way
StartAlstonArnsideUlverston
FinishFurness AbbeyRavenglassCarlisle
Distance120 miles70 miles73 miles
Typical time8–17 days4–7 days5–6 days
DirectionNorth → SouthEast → WestSouth → North
LandscapesNorth Pennines, Eden Valley, Howgill Fells, Lake District, Furness coastMorecambe Bay, Cartmel peninsula, Coniston, Duddon Valley, Eskdale, Irish Sea coastConiston Water, Great Langdale, Borrowdale, Derwent Water, Skiddaw Forest, Caldew valley
Walking guide

Walking the Cumbria Way: A Practical Guide from Ulverston to Carlisle

By furnessway.co.uk · Published

The Cumbria Way crosses the Lake District on foot in less than a week, and it does it the old-fashioned way: by valleys, lakeshores and passes rather than summits. That makes it one of the most rewarding first long-distance walks in Britain, but it's easy to underestimate. This guide covers what the walk is really like day to day, the highlights worth slowing down for, and how to plan it without the common mistakes.

Is the Cumbria Way right for you?

If you can walk around 15 miles a day with 500–800 m of climbing, several days in a row, you can walk the Cumbria Way. There is no scrambling and only one real summit, High Pike, which is a rounded grassy fell rather than a rocky peak. What makes it harder than the numbers suggest is the cumulative effect: long days on uneven ground, some boggy moorland, and two stages where you are a long way from a road.

It suits walkers who want to see the Lakes properly without needing mountain experience, and it's ideal if you don't have a car. Ulverston and Carlisle both have railway stations, and the villages in between are linked by buses, so you can walk the whole route in one go or in sections over several trips.

What each day actually feels like

The five stages are similar in length but very different in character, and the hardest day comes late in the walk, when legs are already tired.

  • Stage 1, Ulverston to Coniston (about 615 m of ascent): a longer day than it looks. The first half crosses farmland with many stiles and faint field paths, so navigation is slower than you'd expect. It gets easier once you reach Coniston Water.
  • Stage 2, Coniston to Great Langdale (about 550 m): the shortest and gentlest day, with time to linger at Tarn Hows and the waterfalls. A good day for a late start or a pub lunch in Elterwater.
  • Stage 3, Great Langdale to Keswick (about 650 m): the classic mountain day over Stake Pass. The climb is steady, but the descent down Langstrath is long and rough, and it's still a lakeshore walk to Keswick after that. Splitting it at Rosthwaite makes a relaxed 6-day walk.
  • Stage 4, Keswick to Caldbeck (about 820 m): the toughest and most remote stage. There's the most ascent, the highest point, and no shops, pubs or cafés until Caldbeck. Treat it as a proper hill day.
  • Stage 5, Caldbeck to Carlisle (about 190 m): a flat, easy riverside finish along the Caldew, and a chance to enjoy the walk winding down into the city.

Highlights not to miss

Most of the Cumbria Way's best moments are right on the line of the route, but a few reward a short pause or detour:

  • Beacon Tarn on Stage 1, a quiet upland tarn and the first real taste of Lakeland.
  • Tarn Hows, Colwith Force and Skelwith Force on Stage 2, three classic Lake District views in one easy morning.
  • Mickleden and the Langdale Pikes at the start of Stage 3, followed by the wild, little-visited valley of Langstrath.
  • Castle Crag and Derwent Water in Borrowdale; the short climb up Castle Crag is a worthwhile side trip if you have the legs.
  • Skiddaw House, one of the most remote buildings in the Lake District, and the long views from High Pike across the Solway Firth to Scotland.
  • Caldbeck, a pretty village whose churchyard holds the grave of the huntsman John Peel, remembered in the song D'ye ken John Peel.
  • Carlisle Castle and Cathedral, a fitting finish in England's border city.

How to plan the Cumbria Way, step by step

  1. Choose your itinerary. Five days suits most fit walkers; six days, with a night at Rosthwaite, gives a gentler pace and more time in Borrowdale. Our itineraries page has 4 to 7-day plans with measured distances.
  2. Book the pinch points first. Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Caldbeck have few beds and fill up early, especially from May to September. Book those, then fit the rest around them. See our accommodation guide.
  3. Decide on baggage transfer. Carrying only a day pack makes the long stages far more enjoyable, and several companies move bags between overnight stops on the route.
  4. Book your trains. Advance fares to Ulverston and home from Carlisle are usually much cheaper than buying on the day.
  5. Load the route. Download the free Cumbria Way GPX files to your phone or GPS before you go, as signal is patchy in Langstrath and Skiddaw Forest, and carry the OS maps as backup.
  6. Check the mountain forecast. Look at the MWIS or Met Office mountain forecast before Stages 3 and 4, and have a plan for sitting out a bad day.

What to pack

Pack as you would for a day on the fells, every day: waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, comfortable broken-in boots, a hat and gloves outside midsummer, a first-aid kit, and enough food and water for a full day on Stage 4. Add a map, compass and charged phone or GPS with the route loaded, plus a power bank. Midge repellent is useful in the valleys in summer. Our kit and safety guide has a full checklist for Cumbrian long-distance walks.

Camping, hostels and walking with a dog

You can walk the Cumbria Way on a budget. There are campsites along the route, including at Coniston, Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Keswick, and hostels in several of the overnight stops. Wild camping in the Lake District isn't legally allowed without the landowner's permission, so plan on using campsites unless you have it.

The route is dog-friendly, but much of it crosses farmland with sheep and cattle. Keep your dog on a lead around livestock, especially during lambing in spring, and check that your accommodation takes dogs before you book. If cattle are protective, don't get between cows and calves, and let go of the lead if you are chased.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Trusting the waymarks. Many have disappeared since the route was signed in 2007. Use the GPX and a map.
  • Treating Stage 1 as a warm-up. Fiddly field paths make it slower than its distance suggests. Start early.
  • Setting off on Stage 4 without supplies. There's nowhere to buy food or drink between Keswick and Caldbeck.
  • Pushing on over High Pike in bad weather. The low-level alternative past Whitewater Dash is boggy and unsatisfactory. It's better to wait, or use the Mosedale road as an escape.
  • Booking Great Langdale last. It's the stop most likely to be full, so book it first.

Ready to go? Start with the Stage 1 guide, grab the free GPX, and read the FAQs below for quick answers on distance, direction and maps.

Cumbria Way FAQs

Our GPX of the Cumbria Way measures 72.6 miles (116.9 km) from Ulverston to Carlisle via High Pike. Published figures range from 70 to 73 miles. Total ascent is roughly 2,860–2,940 m, depending on the elevation data used.

Right here, free and with no sign-up. Our Cumbria Way GPX page has the full route, a file for each of the five stages, and the two half-stages for the 6-day itinerary, plus GeoJSON copies. They work in OS Maps, Garmin, Komoot, Outdooractive and most phone mapping apps.

Most walkers take 5 days, with overnight stops at Coniston, Great Langdale, Keswick and Caldbeck. Splitting the Great Langdale to Keswick stage at Rosthwaite in Borrowdale makes a gentler 6-day walk, and fit walkers sometimes finish in 4.

It starts at The Gill in Ulverston, near Morecambe Bay in south Cumbria, and finishes in the city of Carlisle in the north. Both have railway stations, so no car is needed.

High Pike, at 658 m (2,159 ft), on Stage 4 between Keswick and Caldbeck. Stake Pass (about 480 m), between Great Langdale and Borrowdale on Stage 3, is the other significant climb.

It's mostly a low-level valley walk suitable for fit walkers with some experience, but two stages cross exposed high ground: Stake Pass on Stage 3 and Skiddaw Forest and High Pike on Stage 4. On those days you need a map and compass, a mountain forecast and full waterproofs.

Almost everyone walks south to north, from Ulverston to Carlisle. The scenery builds from the gentle Furness Fells to the high central Lakes, the sun is at your back, and guidebooks and waymarks are written that way round.

Partly. Volunteers and National Park staff completed waymarking of the whole route in 2007, but many signs have since gone missing or deteriorated. Don't rely on them: carry OS maps and a GPX track.

OS Explorer OL6 (South Western Lakes), OL7 (South Eastern), OL4 (North Western) and OL5 (North Eastern), plus Explorer 315 for the final approach to Carlisle.

April to June and September to October usually offer the best mix of weather, daylight and quieter paths. Summer is lovely but busier, and accommodation in Great Langdale and Borrowdale books up early. Winter is possible for experienced walkers, but Stake Pass and High Pike can be serious in snow.

No. The Cumbria Way runs north through the central Lakes from Ulverston to Carlisle. The Westmorland and Furness Way runs from Alston to Furness Abbey, and the original Furness Way from Arnside to Ravenglass. The routes meet at Ulverston and Coniston, so they're easy to combine.