Most walkers complete the Cumbria Way in 5 days (Ulverston, Coniston, Great Langdale, Keswick, Caldbeck, Carlisle), averaging about 14.5 miles a day. For a gentler walk, take 6 days by stopping in Rosthwaite, or 7 with a rest day in Keswick. Fit walkers can do it in 4 days. Every daily distance below is measured from our free GPX.
5 days: the classic Cumbria Way
Most walkers. Around 12 to 16 miles a day, with a big day over Stake Pass and another over High Pike.
| Day | Route | Distance | Ascent | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulverston → Coniston | 15.7 mi / 25.3 km | 601 m | Stage 1 |
| 2 | Coniston → Great Langdale | 11.9 mi / 19.2 km | 541 m | Stage 2 |
| 3 | Great Langdale → Keswick | 16.2 mi / 26.1 km | 680 m | Stage 3 |
| 4 | Keswick → Caldbeck | 13.9 mi / 22.4 km | 945 m | Stage 4 |
| 5 | Caldbeck → Carlisle | 14.9 mi / 23.9 km | 171 m | Stage 5 |
| Total | 72.6 mi / 116.9 km | 2938 m | ||
6 days: relaxed, via Rosthwaite
First long-distance walks, or anyone who wants time in Borrowdale. Splitting the longest stage at Rosthwaite keeps every day under 16 miles and makes Stake Pass a half-day.
| Day | Route | Distance | Ascent | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulverston → Coniston | 15.7 mi / 25.3 km | 601 m | Stage 1 |
| 2 | Coniston → Great Langdale | 11.9 mi / 19.2 km | 541 m | Stage 2 |
| 3 | Great Langdale → Rosthwaite | 7.5 mi / 12 km | 411 m | Stage 3a |
| 4 | Rosthwaite → Keswick | 8.7 mi / 14 km | 268 m | Stage 3b |
| 5 | Keswick → Caldbeck | 13.9 mi / 22.4 km | 945 m | Stage 4 |
| 6 | Caldbeck → Carlisle | 14.9 mi / 23.9 km | 171 m | Stage 5 |
| Total | 72.6 mi / 116.8 km | 2937 m | ||
7 days: with a Keswick rest day
A holiday pace. The 6-day plan plus a free day in Keswick, which also gives you a weather buffer before the exposed crossing of High Pike.
| Day | Route | Distance | Ascent | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulverston → Coniston | 15.7 mi / 25.3 km | 601 m | Stage 1 |
| 2 | Coniston → Great Langdale | 11.9 mi / 19.2 km | 541 m | Stage 2 |
| 3 | Great Langdale → Rosthwaite | 7.5 mi / 12 km | 411 m | Stage 3a |
| 4 | Rosthwaite → Keswick | 8.7 mi / 14 km | 268 m | Stage 3b |
| 5 | Rest day in Keswick. Rest day: boat trip on Derwent Water, Castlerigg Stone Circle, or restock at the outdoor shops. | |||
| 6 | Keswick → Caldbeck | 13.9 mi / 22.4 km | 945 m | Stage 4 |
| 7 | Caldbeck → Carlisle | 14.9 mi / 23.9 km | 171 m | Stage 5 |
| Total | 72.6 mi / 116.8 km | 2937 m | ||
4 days: fast and fit
Strong, experienced walkers only. Two very long days (over 19 and 22 miles) with both big climbs, so there's little margin for bad weather.
The Cumbria Way over Three Weekends
No week off? Rail at each end and buses in between mean you can walk it in three two-day sections without a car.
Weekend 1: Ulverston → Great Langdale
27.7 miles over two days. Train to Ulverston; bus home from Great Langdale via Ambleside.
Weekend 2: Great Langdale → Keswick
16.2 miles over two days. Overnight in Rosthwaite; the Borrowdale bus links Rosthwaite and Keswick.
Weekend 3: Keswick → Carlisle
28.8 miles over two days. Overnight in Caldbeck; finish at Carlisle station on the West Coast Main Line.
Choosing Your Plan
- Book Great Langdale, Rosthwaite and Caldbeck first. They have the fewest beds, so fix those nights and build the rest around them. See where to stay.
- Keep a spare day if you can. Stake Pass and High Pike are the two places where bad weather might make you wait.
- Consider baggage transfer. Carrying only a daypack makes the longer 5-day stages much more enjoyable.
- Load the right GPX. Each day links to its file above, or grab everything from the Cumbria Way GPX page.
Cumbria Way Itinerary FAQs
Most walkers take 5 days, averaging about 14.5 miles a day. A 6-day plan that overnights in Rosthwaite is gentler, 7 days adds a rest day in Keswick, and very fit walkers can finish in 4 days.
Yes, if you're fit and experienced. It means two very long days: Coniston to Rosthwaite over 19 miles, and Rosthwaite to Caldbeck over 22 miles including High Pike. That leaves little margin for bad weather, so most people are better on the 5 or 6-day plan.
Keswick is the natural rest-day stop. It's roughly 60% of the way along, has the best choice of accommodation, food and outdoor shops, and a day there gives you a weather buffer before the remote crossing of Skiddaw Forest and High Pike.
Yes. It splits neatly into three weekends: Ulverston to Great Langdale, Great Langdale to Keswick via Rosthwaite, and Keswick to Carlisle via Caldbeck. Rail at Ulverston and Carlisle plus buses at Great Langdale, Rosthwaite and Keswick make each section work without a car.
South to north, from Ulverston to Carlisle. The scenery builds towards the high central Lakes, the sun is behind you, and guidebooks and waymarks assume that direction.