Download a free Cumbria Way GPX for the full route from Ulverston to Carlisle (72.6 miles, 116.9 km), for each of the five stages, or for the two halves of Stage 3 used in 6-day itineraries. There's no sign-up. The files follow the main route over High Pike, include elevation, and work in OS Maps, Garmin, Komoot, Outdooractive and most phone apps.
Cumbria Way Route Map
Elevation Profile: Ulverston to Carlisle
Elevation derived from the route GPX sampled against a digital elevation model (Open-Meteo (Copernicus DEM)). Figures are approximate.
Download the Cumbria Way GPX Files
Pick the full route or just the stages you're walking. Distances and ascent are measured from these files.
| File | Route | Distance | Ascent | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full route | Ulverston → Carlisle | 72.6 mi / 116.9 km | 2935 m | GPX 237 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 1 | Ulverston → Coniston | 15.7 mi / 25.3 km | 601 m | GPX 50 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 2 | Coniston → Great Langdale | 11.9 mi / 19.2 km | 541 m | GPX 46 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 3 | Great Langdale → Keswick | 16.2 mi / 26.1 km | 680 m | GPX 66 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 3a6-day itinerary | Great Langdale → Rosthwaite | 7.5 mi / 12 km | 411 m | GPX 38 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 3b6-day itinerary | Rosthwaite → Keswick | 8.7 mi / 14 km | 268 m | GPX 29 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 4 | Keswick → Caldbeck | 13.9 mi / 22.4 km | 945 m | GPX 43 KB GeoJSON |
| Stage 5 | Caldbeck → Carlisle | 14.9 mi / 23.9 km | 171 m | GPX 35 KB GeoJSON |
Free for personal route planning. Please link to this page rather than re-hosting the files, so walkers always get the latest version (see our terms of use).
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
What's in the Files
- The main line of the Cumbria Way, drawn in OS Maps along the published route: Ulverston, Coniston, Tarn Hows, Great Langdale, Stake Pass, Borrowdale, Derwent Water, Keswick, Skiddaw House, High Pike, Caldbeck and the River Caldew to Carlisle.
- High Pike, not Dash Falls. Between Skiddaw House and Caldbeck the files take the main route over High Pike, the highest point of the walk.
- Elevation on every point, so your app can show the climbs ahead. Stake Pass tops out at about 480 m and High Pike at about 655 m.
- Start and finish waypoints in every file, and a separate file for each stage so your phone isn't loading 73 miles at once.
How to Use the Cumbria Way GPX
- Download the fileChoose the full route or a single stage below and tap GPX. The file saves to your phone or computer; there's no sign-up.
- Import it into your mapping appOpen the GPX in your app's import option (OS Maps, Komoot, Outdooractive, Garmin Connect, Our Fells and most others accept GPX), or open the file directly from your downloads.
- Save the map offlineDownload the offline map area for the stage before you set off, because there's little or no mobile signal on Stake Pass, in Skiddaw Forest and on High Pike.
- Follow the line with GPSOn the day, turn on location to see your position against the route line, and carry a paper OS map and compass as a backup in case your battery fails.
App-by-app tips
- OS Maps: import the GPX as a route, then download the 1:25,000 map area offline.
- Garmin: import through Garmin Connect or Explore, or copy the file to the Garmin/NewFiles folder on many handheld devices.
- Komoot and Outdooractive: use "import GPX" on the website or app, then make the route available offline.
- iPhone and Android: open the downloaded file and choose your mapping app from the "open with" menu.
Stage-by-Stage Guides
Each stage page has its own map, elevation profile, GPX, transport notes and places to stay:
- Stage 1: Ulverston to Coniston, 15.7 miles
- Stage 2: Coniston to Great Langdale, 11.9 miles
- Stage 3: Great Langdale to Keswick, 16.2 miles
- Stage 4: Keswick to Caldbeck, 13.9 miles
- Stage 5: Caldbeck to Carlisle, 14.9 miles
Planning your days? See 4, 5, 6 and 7-day Cumbria Way itineraries and where to stay.
Cumbria Way GPX FAQs
On this page, free and without signing up. There's a GPX for the full route, one for each of the five stages, and two half-stage files (Great Langdale–Rosthwaite and Rosthwaite–Keswick) for the popular 6-day itinerary. GeoJSON copies are also available.
It follows the main route over High Pike (658 m, the highest point of the walk) between Skiddaw House and Caldbeck, not the lower Dash Falls alternative. In bad weather, plan to wait or use the Mosedale road as an escape rather than relying on the alternative.
The line was drawn in OS Maps along the published Cumbria Way and checked against the route's towns, passes and landmarks. It measures 72.6 miles (116.9 km), within the 70–73 miles quoted by guidebooks. Paths change after storms and diversions, so always follow signed diversions on the ground.
Yes. Every track point has an elevation taken from a digital elevation model, so apps can draw a height profile. Total ascent comes out at about 2,940 m on our data (OS Maps quotes about 2,860 m), and the high points are Stake Pass (about 480 m) and High Pike (about 655 m).
Yes. Import it through Garmin Connect or Garmin Explore, or on many handheld Garmin devices copy the file into the Garmin/NewFiles folder over USB. Load one stage at a time if your device limits track points.
The route was waymarked in 2007, but many signs have since disappeared. A GPX on your phone or GPS, backed up by OS Explorer maps OL6, OL7, OL4, OL5 and 315, is the most reliable way to stay on route.