Hiking through The Lake District on the Cumbria Way

Guest Post By @_thru_hiking
We hiked the Cumbria Way in July this year as a bit of a last-minute adventure. We’d set aside a week for hiking, but hadn’t decided where to go yet, which would double as a nice holiday. So, when we found the Cumbria Way in the Lake District, we knew we had to try it. The trek had everything we wanted: B&Bs each night, beautiful nature, gentle paths, and kind people everywhere.

We started early from Ulverston on the first day. Because Ulverston isn’t in the National Park, you spend most of the day walking there by crossing a lot of farmland. To our amusement, sheep watched us from a distance and cheered us on as we climbed the gates between the different plots. The air was hot, and by the time we reached Beacon Tarn, we were ready to jump straight in. From there, we followed the Coniston Water until we arrived in Coniston, where we had some of the best Indian food of our lives at Sarah’s Indian. While it isn’t traditional British food, we do recommend trying it. Coniston is a cute little town comprised of old stone buildings and outdoor shops. When we arrived, everyone was sitting outside having a pint as the sun went down, which was the best feeling after our first day of walking.

The next morning, we started toward Langdale. The section between Coniston and Elter Water felt tighter and more wooded than the first day, which was a welcome change of pace. We crossed lots of small bridges, passed Colwith Force, and started to feel our hiking legs get stronger. By the time we reached the valley floor, the mountains had gotten significantly closer. We really loved all of the stone walls that led us into Langdale; it felt ancient and epic at the same time!

The third day was the one that stayed with us as the highlight of the trail. We left Langdale and climbed up toward Stake Pass. It’s the biggest climb of the trail, but it is straightforward if you just keep moving. When we finally made it up, the view was of endless peaks and valleys. There were also small hills at the top that felt like another world, something out of a children’s book. Once you make your way through the hills, the descent is pretty easy, albeit steep, as it drops down toward Borrowdale. It was fun to hike on this side of the pass, as we met lots of people swimming in the river and bouldering on the rock faces in the valley.

We decided to add an extra day here and make it a 6-stage itinerary instead of the usual 5 days. So, instead of ending in Keswick, we ended in Rosthwaite, which made it shorter (7.5 miles). The next day’s stretch from Rosthwaite to Keswick was very easy after the climb from the stage before. We walked on paved paths and gravel roads, and enjoyed arriving early at our accommodation. We definitely considered this a half rest-day and enjoyed a big burger at The Round in Keswick when we finished.

From Keswick, we then hiked to Caldbeck. This section was supposed to be more strenuous with a lot of elevation gain, but because it was spread out over a fair few miles, we didn’t feel it very much. There was, of course, a push to the top of High Peak, but otherwise it was fairly straightforward. However, there was one section on the way to High Peak that felt like an adventure as we hiked next to a waterfall and through the bogs. Overall, this day may have been the most beautiful with views of the heather and mountains. From High Peak, the descent into Caldbeck took longer than expected as the trail is soft in places, and we found that it was easy to slip if we lost focus. The town was small, but it had everything we needed: warm showers, a comfortable bed, and delicious food.

The last day walking toward Carlisle felt like coming down from something great. The Cumbria Way had been such a needed respite from city life, we weren’t ready to leave yet. Throughout the day, we followed the River Caldew, which was nice because it was the kind of path where you can switch off your brain and get into a flow state. Finally, we passed through Dalston, and before long, the buildings of Carlisle came into view.

We got lucky with the weather, as it was clear most days, and we had light rain only once. It may be that July is one of the best months to hike the trail, as we had long hours of sunshine and it was drier than we expected from the UK.

We loved our time on the Cumbria Way because it kept a perfect balance for a trek like this. The start and finish were gentle, the middle tested our legs, and the scenery still managed to change every day. It’s a good long-distance trail for anyone wanting to experience the Lake District and get a feel for the charming life of the region, with stretches that work beautifully as a short walking break.

Overall, the Lake District is a beautiful region in England that everyone should have a chance to explore. By offering services like luggage transfer and travel planning arranged ahead, like Celtic Trails does, it opens up doors to groups who may not normally have the opportunity to hike for such long distances. That’s what we’re always looking for: ways to make the trails available for everyone.

Happy Trails!

Guest Post written by: Elmar Teegelbeckers
Elmar spends months of his time on the trail. He’s usually on the lookout for hidden gems in one of his favourite countries, such as Slovenia, Switzerland and Japan. He founded hiking-trails.com and @_thru_hiking on Instagram in search of a European long-distance hiking community where detailed information about the trails is easily available.