The Cumbria Way | 7 Days

The Cumbrian Way provides a chance to escape to one of the most beautiful areas of England. Enjoy picture perfect Lakeland landscapes and revel in the poetic romance of the Lakes. Well marked walking and gentle terrain make for an inspiring and relaxing week.

Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way, Tour Du Mont Blanc and the Passau to Vienna Danube Cycle Path, to name but a few!

Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.

Solo Travellers, Families with Teens

The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years

Even though you are in the hilly Lake District this route tends to stick to the low-level trails. This means you get to enjoy stunning views from the valley floors, without having to climb endless hills and summits.

The route starts among farms and fields and then runs through Lake District National Park. The first real climb is to the top of Stake Pass between Great Langdale and Borrowdale, apart from that there is little elevation gain in the first section just north of Ulverston.

IMPORTANT the Keswick to Caldbeck section goes over the summit of High Pike (part of the Northern Fells), which does feel more exposed. There is an alternative lower-level route we offer in your routes note that we recommend if you would rather not do this section.  If you are walking in bad weather or poor visibility, we recommend also opting for the low-level route.

One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of the accommodation. You will stay in carefully selected 3 or 4-star B&B's, Guest Houses, country pubs and small hotels. Your room will always have an ensuite or private bathroom. A delicious breakfast is always included.

Accommodation Location

We will always try and accommodate you at the locations detailed in your itinerary. Occasionally, because of limited availability, there is the option to be accommodated at an alternative location. In the unlikely event that we have to accommodate you elsewhere, we will advise you of this before confirming your booking.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within your party we will always try and accommodate you subject to availability. A single supplement is payable. This trip is also available to solo walkers, although a supplement will apply again.

Additional Nights

You may wish to take extra nights along the route, either to rest or for those with plenty of energy to explore some other walking opportunities nearby. We recommend an additional night at:

Keswick - Around the halfway point of the Cumbria Way lies Keswick, a buzzing town that is a hub of activity and home of adventure in the Lake District! It has plenty of traditional pubs, interesting museums, restaurants and local walks to keep a weary traveller intrigued and occupied!

There are small arrows or plastic discs with small writing indicating ‘Cumbria Way’ throughout the trail, that said, "The Cumbria Way" is not an official National trail and was created by the Ramblers Association therefore signage is not always as frequent as you'd necessarily expect for high profile walking trail in the Lake District. Navigation is still relatively straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure App which has maps, GPS tracks and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation on this tour will be made simple. You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Recommended Reading

If you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:

• Guidebook - Cumbria Way: Rucksack Reader
• Map - Cumbria Way: Harvey Map*

*A copy will be posted to you if the tour is confirmed within postage cut-off dates.

The Cumbria Way is available to start daily between April and October.

We also offer this tour in the quieter shoulder months of March and mid-to-late October. During these times, the local towns and villages will be more peaceful, and the trails less crowded. However, the weather and trail conditions have the potential to be more challenging. Be prepared for colder temperatures, wind, rain, and muddy paths!

There is never a bad time to be walking the Cumbria Way, but our personal favourites are spring and autumn.

Please note that as there are some restrictions in Great Langdale and Rosthwaite with 1 night bookings at the weekend, we may have to book you for 2 nights in either Coniston or Keswick with return transfers which we will include in the cost. 

By Train: Ulverston is easily reached by train from Manchester Airport (2h20) or London Euston (3h20). 

Please check the Traveline website for bus and linking train timetables.

The Trainline website is our recommended choice for train timetables and bookings. Please note train timetables and tickets are usually only available within 12 weeks of travel.

By Car: Long term parking is difficult in Ulverston. You would be better parking your car in Carlisle and taking the train to the start point.

By Train: Carlisle is on the West Coast mainline and there are regular direct trains to Glasgow (1hr), London Euston (3hr30) and Manchester Airport (2hr15).

The Trainline website is our recommended choice for train timetables and bookings. Please note train timetables and tickets are usually only available within 12 weeks of travel.

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. 

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.