Cumberland Way
73 miles through the valleys of this old Lakeland county

The ancient county of Cumberland may have been lost to the county boundary changes of 1974 but this 73 mile trail explores and celebrates its delights, meandering from the coast at Ravenglass, across the Lake District, to Eamont Bridge on the old eastern boundary of Cumberland, now the edge of the National Park, and can continue to Appleby-in-Westmorland.

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Holiday Packages

All our Standard Itineraries include:

  • Hand-picked accommodation in B&Bs / guest houses / inns / small hotels
  • En-suite facilities where available
  • Breakfast
  • Daily baggage transfers from our own team of local drivers
  • All booking fees

We will also endeavour to include all these in any custom itinerary you wish to build for this walk.

Itin A:   7D / 8N       £980 pp *

Day 1: Ravenglass to Nether Wasdale (8.5m)
Day 2: Nether Wasdale to Buttermere (12.9m)
Day 3: Buttermere to Keswick (8.9m)
Day 4: Keswick to Dockray (11.5m)
Day 5: Dockray to Stainton (11.3m)
Day 6: Stainton to Cliburn, transport to Great Strickland (9.6m)
Day 7: taxi to Cliburn, walk to Appleby (9.5m)

 

£1,175 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£980 per person (based on two sharing)
£920 per person (based on group of 3)
£905 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

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Itin B:   4D / 5N       £625 pp *

Day 1: Ravenglass to Wasdale Head (14.6m)
Day 2: Wasdale Head to Keswick (15.7m)
Day 3: Keswick to Stainton (22.8m)
Day 4: Stainton to Appleby (19.1m)

 

£760 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£625 per person (based on two sharing)
£580 per person (based on group of 3)
£560 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Get a Personal Quote

Itin C:   5D / 6N       £760 pp *

Day 1: Ravenglass to Wasdale Head (14.5m)
Day 2: Wasdale Head to Keswick (15.7m)
Day 3: Keswick to Dockray (11.5m)
Day 4: Dockray to Eamont Bridge (14.4m)
Day 5: Eamont Bridge to Appleby (16m)

 

£925 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£760 per person (based on two sharing)
£710 per person (based on group of 3)
£685 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Get a Personal Quote

Itin D:   8D / 9N       £1100 pp *

Day 1: Ravenglass to Nether Wasdale (8.5m)
Day 2: Nether Wasdale to Wasdale Head (6.3m)
Day 3: Wasdale Head to Buttermere (6.8m)
Day 4: Buttermere to Keswick (8.9m)
Day 5: Keswick to Dockray (11.5m)
Day 6: Dockray to Stainton (11.3m)
Day 7: Stainton to Cliburn, transport to Great Strickland (9.6m)
Day 8: transport to Cliburn, walk to Appleby (9.5m)

 

£1,325 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£1,100 per person (based on two sharing)
£1,035 per person (based on group of 3)
£1,000 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Get a Personal Quote

* All headline holiday prices are shown per person, based on two people sharing.

Baggage Transfer

Baggage Transfer is automatically included in the price of all our Walking Holiday packages.

These prices are for anyone planning their own holiday and just need bags moving from one stop to the next.

Itin A

£335 per person (single)
£180 per person (based on two sharing)
£120 per person (based on group of 3)
£15 per person per day (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

Itin B

£270 per person (single)
£135 per person (based on two sharing)
£90 per person (based on group of 3)
£70 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

Itin C

£305 per person (single)
£155 per person (based on two sharing)
£105 per person (based on group of 3)
£80 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

Itin D

£410 per person (single)
£205 per person (based on two sharing)
£140 per person (based on group of 3)
£105 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

Note: If you are booking accommodation in an Airbnb, you must ensure that there will either be someone available to take collection/delivery of your bags or that they have appropriate, secure storage in the event that the proprietor is absent.

Walk Information

Rest Days
Rest days can be incorporated into any walking holiday package at an additional £70.00 per person per night

Solo Travellers
Solo travellers please contact us or use the booking form to send your proposed itinerary including dates, and we will price accordingly. Where possible, we take advantage of existing bookings from other clients to ensure you receive a cost effective service.

Alternative Itineraries
For alternative itineraries to those provided for this route, please contact us, or use the Booking Form to submit your proposed itinerary and number of participants and we will quote accordingly.

Walking Season Dates
Prices are based on the walk starting after 1st April and ending before 30th September.

Walk Information
The ancient county of Cumberland may have been lost to the county boundary changes of 1974 but this trail explores and celebrates its delights, meandering from the coast at Ravenglass, across the Lake District, to Eamont Bridge on the old eastern boundary of Cumberland, now the edge of the National Park, and can continue to Appleby-in-Westmorland.

Ravenglass, on the Irish Sea, is the western terminus of L’aal Ratty, the Ravenglass and Eskdale steam railway line. From there the first day’s walk to Nether Wasdale passes Roman remains by the coast, the 13th century (haunted!) Muncaster Castle, and a working water mill, Muncaster Mill. The route onward to Buttermere includes views across Wastwater to the spectacular 2000ft screes and ahead to peaks which include Great Gable and Scafell Pike – some of the most impressive scenery in the Lake District – before threading its way via the packhorse trail over Black Sail Pass to upper Ennerdale and Scarth Gap to the lake shore at Buttermere.

The next day’s walk passes through the Derwent Fells, emerging into the Newlands Valley, immortalised by Beatrix Potter in The Tale of Mrs Tiggywinkle, and on via lakeside and woodland paths to the attractive market town of Keswick with its outdoor shops and little lakeside theatre. Leaving Keswick the route includes the Castlehead viewpoint and passes the atmospheric Castlerigg stone circle before joining the old “coach road” around the lower slopes of the Helvellyn range across to the enchanting Aira Force, close to Ullswater and the hamlet of Dockray. From Dockray the walk meanders around Gowbarrow Fell, enjoying breathtaking views over Ullswater, via the village of Dacre, to Stainton.

The next leg,to Morland, passes Yanwath Hall with its ancient pele tower, Eamont Bridge ( where you could finish your walk), the imposing ruins of Brougham Castle and continues into the Eden District, skirting Whinfell Forest, home of Centre Parks, and continues via Wetheriggs and Clinton to Morland. On a path which begins with panoramic views of the Pennines, Appleby, burial place of Lady Anne Clifford, whose influence on the town still remains, is the final day’s destination.

OS Explorer Maps
OL4 - English Lakes - North-western area
OL5 - English Lakes - North-eastern area
OL6 - English Lakes - South-western area
OL19 - Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley

Guide Books
"The Cumberland Way" by Paul Hannon - is now very difficult to obtain, even second hand.

Mobile Digital Mapping
Digital maps can be viewed on most modern smartphones using an appropriate app, downloaded from the app store associated with your device. Brigantes recommend that whichever app you use, it should support Ordnance Survey 1:25k or 1:50k scale maps. There are many apps to choose from, but the two main providers are Ordnance Survey and Memory Map.

Each provider’s app has its own benefits, but both provide all-important offline navigation, meaning your device does not need a mobile signal to work effectively on the trail.

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