On the classic 5-day Cumbria Way you'll stay in Coniston, Great Langdale, Keswick and Caldbeck, with a night in Ulverston before you start and Carlisle at the finish. Add Rosthwaite in Borrowdale for a 6-day walk. Book Great Langdale, Rosthwaite and Caldbeck first: they have the fewest beds.
Overnight Stops, Stage by Stage
Booking Tips
- Book the bottlenecks first. Great Langdale, Rosthwaite and Caldbeck have few beds. Fix those dates, then book Coniston and Keswick.
- Summer and weekends fill early. For July and August, book several months ahead. Spring and autumn midweek are much easier.
- Ask about walkers' extras: drying rooms, packed lunches, early breakfasts and luggage storage.
- Check single-night stays. Some self-catering and busy B&Bs have minimum stays at peak times.
Baggage Transfer and Self-Guided Packages
Several companies offer door-to-door baggage transfer between Cumbria Way overnight stops, and walking-holiday operators sell self-guided packages that book your accommodation and move your bags. Walking with only a daypack makes the longer stages, and the climbs over Stake Pass and High Pike, far more enjoyable.
Camping on the Cumbria Way
Campsites are easy to link up at Coniston, Great Langdale (the National Trust campsite at the valley head), Borrowdale and Keswick. The northern end has fewer options, so plan the Keswick to Caldbeck and Caldbeck to Carlisle stages carefully. Wild camping in the Lake District isn't a legal right and needs the landowner's permission. If you do camp wild with permission, pitch high, late and small, and leave no trace.
Accommodation, café, transport or baggage transfer on the Cumbria Way?
Walkers use this page to decide where to stay. If you're within 1 mile of the route, or you move walkers or their bags, you can advertise free for 6 months with no obligation to continue.
Become a Trail Partner →Cumbria Way Accommodation FAQs
On the classic 5-day walk the overnight stops are Coniston, Great Langdale, Keswick and Caldbeck, with Ulverston the night before and Carlisle at the end. On a 6-day walk, add Rosthwaite (or Stonethwaite) in Borrowdale.
Great Langdale, Rosthwaite (if walking 6 days) and Caldbeck. They have the fewest beds and fill up months ahead in summer. Coniston, Keswick and Carlisle have far more choice.
Yes. There are campsites at or near Coniston, Great Langdale (National Trust), Borrowdale and Keswick. Wild camping in the Lake District isn't a legal right: it needs the landowner's permission, so plan around campsites.
Yes. Several companies offer door-to-door baggage transfer between Cumbria Way overnight stops, and walking-holiday operators sell self-guided packages that include accommodation and bag transfer. Book it alongside your accommodation.
Yes. There are hostels in or near Coniston, Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Keswick, plus the remote, seasonal Skiddaw House hostel in Skiddaw Forest on Stage 4. Check opening dates, as some are seasonal or group-only at times.
Plan the Rest of Your Walk
4, 5, 6 and 7-day itineraries · Free GPX and map · Cumbria Way guide · Stage 1 · Stage 2 · Stage 3 · Stage 4 · Stage 5