The Official Cumbria Way Holiday:
Trip Highlights:
• The English Lake District
• Views across Lake Coniston and Derwentwater
• Langdale and Borrowdale. Two of the prettiest Lakeland Valleys
• Pass the loneliest hostel in England
From £700 | Extra night in Rosthwaite available
Enjoy an excellent introduction to the charms of the English Lake District on the official Cumbria Way Walking Holiday.
Walking is unquestionably the best way to see this celebrated landscape, hailed over the years by the likes of poets, authors and painters. Wordsworth, Tennyson, Arthur Ramson, Beatrix Potter and Wainwright, have all left their mark.
The distances covered each day are fairly short so there is ample time to pause and admire the unsurpassed scenery.
Day One – Arrival in Ulverston
Arrival in Ulverston via train – routes available from all major airports (via Lancaster).
Ulverston is an historic market town close to the shores of Morecambe Bay. There are attractive cobbled streets with cafes and pubs, whilst murals depict the town’s history and that of its famous son John Barrow. Another son was Stan Laurel and you can visit the Laurel and Hardy Museum.
Day One – Ulverston to Coniston
Arrival in Ulverston via train – routes available from all major airports (via Lancaster).
Ulverston is an historic market town close to the shores of Morecambe Bay. There are attractive cobbled streets with cafes and pubs, whilst murals depict the town’s history and that of its famous son John Barrow. Another son was Stan Laurel and you can visit the Laurel and Hardy Museum.
Leaving Ulverston the way follows gently undulating farmland with views towards Morecambe Bay and the Barrow Memorial. Later there are enticing views of the superb mountains to come. There are frequent stiles and ‘kissing gates’ along the footpaths.
The undulations get bigger as you pass hillside farms and ascend over a pass with views ahead to The Coniston Old Man, Wetherlam and other fells.
15 miles | 24 km
Day Two – Coniston to Great Langdale
Leaving Coniston, you head up into the hills and woods passing the exquisite little lake at Tarn Hows and then flirt with the farms around the beautiful Little Langdale Valley, with a visit to a couple of waterfalls.
Eventually you will enter the beautiful Langdale Valley via the stunning walk along Elterwater and then walking through the tiny villages of Elterwater and Chapel stile. There is a final quiet sheep track walk along the side of the valley before dropping down to one of the two iconic hotels cosseted by the famous ‘Plkes’ high above. This is Lake-land scenery at its best.
12 miles | 18 kms
Day Three – Great Langdale to Rosthwaite (Optional)
Hike to the head of Langdale, along the Mickleden Valley – then over the Stake Pass (1600ft / 480m) between Bow Fell and the Pike of Stickle. In good visibility, you could decide to extend the walk by visiting one or more of the Langdale Pikes from the pass. However this will add at least 2 hours onto the walk. Then it’s down steeply into the remote Langstrath and then Greenup Valleys and onto Borrowdale, first passing Stonethwaite and then Rosthwaite.
You have the option to spend a night in Rosthwaite (7 Day Package) or continue onto Keswick (6 Day Package).
Situated at the doorstep of the fells, this picturesque village adds an extra touch of charming respite in the middle of your walking holiday.
7 miles | 11 kms
Day Four – Rosthwaite to Keswick
This walk takes you through the enchanting woodlands of Borrowdale, with an optional detour to the village of Grange for a coffee break. Continue along the picturesque shores of Derwentwater, dotted with islands, leading to Keswick—a vibrant and charming market town in the heart of the Lake District.
Along the route, you may opt for a short but steep climb up the ever-popular Cat Bells (451m / 1,479ft). Alternatively, from Keswick, you could visit the historic Castlerigg Stone Circle.
8 miles | 13 kms
Day Five – Keswick to Caldbeck
Escape the bustling streets of Keswick and venture into the remote fells north of Skiddaw. Along the way, a short detour to the summit of Latrigg offers one of the finest panoramas in the Lake District. After this, you’re unlikely to encounter many people for the rest of the day.
From High Pike (658m / 2,158ft)—the highest point on the Cumbria Way and the final frontier of the Cumbrian mountains—you’ll descend gradually into the charming old mill village of Caldbeck.
15 miles | 23 kms
Day Six – Caldbeck to Carlisle
Enjoy a gentler and more picturesque day as you follow the charming Caldbeck and Caldew Rivers to the village of Dalston. Due to major roadworks on the outskirts of Carlisle, the usual walking route into the city is temporarily closed. From Dalston, you can take an hourly train or an occasional bus to reach Carlisle.
This stretch offers a change of scenery, with woodland paths, gentle pastoral landscapes, and glimpses of historic farms and a castle along the way. Once in Carlisle, a compact and vibrant city, you’ll have the chance to explore both the castle and cathedral. The official endpoint of the Cumbria Way is located in the Market Square.
15 miles | 23 kms
Day Seven – Depart
Arrangements end after breakfast.
Got a question?
Contact our team at Packhorse to make have your questions answered.
