Westmorland Way
90 mile exploration of this lost Lake District county

The Westmorland Way is a walk of 90 miles in length, commencing in the ancient county town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, and traversing the eastern Lake District in a generally north to south direction, to its termination in Arnside, on the shores of Morecambe Bay, and usually requires a period of seven days to complete.

Download file for GPS

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.

Day 1: Appleby to Shap (16m)
Day 2: Shap to Pooley Bridge (12.9m)
Day 3: Pooley Bridge to Patterdale (10.3m)
Day 4: Patterdale to Grasmere (7.5m)
Day 5: Grasmere to Troutbeck (9.7m)
Day 6: Troutbeck to Kendal (13.7m)
Day 7: Kendal to Arnside (16m)

 

£1,070 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£925 per person (based on two sharing)
£880 per person (based on group of 3)
£855 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Get a Personal Quote

Day 1: Appleby to Shap (16m)
Day 2: Shap to Patterdale (23.2m)
Day 3: Patterdale to Ambleside (14.3m)
Day 4: Ambleside to Kendal (16.6m)
Day 5: Kendal to Arnside (16m)

 

£815 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£705 per person (based on two sharing)
£670 per person (based on group of 3)
£650 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Get a Personal Quote

Day 1: Appleby to Shap (16m)
Day 2: Shap to Pooley Bridge (12.9m)
Day 3: Pooley Bridge to Grasmere (17.8m)
Day 4: Grasmere to Windermere (12.7m)
Day 5: Windermere to Kendal (10.7m)
Day 6: Kendal to Arnside (16m)

 

£940 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£815 per person (based on two sharing)
£775 per person (based on group of 3)
£755 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Get a Personal Quote

Day 1. Appleby to Crosby Ravensworth (11.5 m), taxi to Appleby*
Day 2. Taxi to Crosby Ravensworth, walk to Bampton Grange (8.7m) taxi to Penrith/Great Strickland*
Day 3. Taxi to Bampton Grange, walk to Pooley Bridge (8.7m)
Day 4. Pooley Bridge to Patterdale (10.3m)
Day 5. Patterdale to Ambleside (14.3m)
Day 6. Ambleside to Kendal (16.6m)
Day 7. Kendal to Crooklands (7.9m)
Day 8. Crooklands to Arnside (8.1m)

 

£1,375 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£1,125 per person (based on two sharing)
£1,075 per person (based on group of 3)
£1,055 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

*price includes taxis

 

Get a Personal Quote

Day 1. Appleby to Crosby Ravensworth (11.5m) taxi to Appleby*
Day 2. Taxi to Crosby Ravensworth, walk to Bampton Grange (8.7m), taxi to Penrith/Great Strickland*
Day 3. Taxi to Bampton Grange, walk to Pooley Bridge (8.7m)
Day 4. Pooley Bridge to Patterdale (10.3m)
Day 5. Patterdale to Elterwater (10.1m)
Day 6. Elterwater to Windermere (10.1m)
Day 7. Windermere to Kendal (10.7m)
Day 8. Kendal to Crooklands (7.9m)
Day 9. Crooklands to Arnside (8.1m)

 

£1,485 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£1,235 per person (based on two sharing)
£1,185 per person (based on group of 3)
£1,160 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

*price includes taxis

 

Get a Personal Quote

Day 1. Appleby to Crosby Ravensworth (11.5m) taxi to Appleby*
Day 2. Taxi to Crosby Ravensworth to Bampton Grange (8.7m) taxi to Penrith/Great Strickland*
Day 3. Taxi to Bampton Grange to Pooley Bridge (8.7m)
Day 4. Pooley Bridge to Patterdale (10.3m)
Day 5. Patterdale to Grasmere (7.5m)
Day 6. Grasmere to Ambleside (6.8m)
Day 7. Ambleside to Windermere (6m)
Day 8. Windermere to Kendal (10.7m)
Day 9. Kendal to Crooklands (7.9m)
Day 10.Crooklands to Arnside (8.1m)

 

£1,600 solo walkers (plus single supplements)
£1,335 per person (based on two sharing)
£1,280 per person (based on group of 3)
£1,270 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

*price includes taxis

 

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.

£290 (single)
£145 per person (based on two people)
£100 per person (based on group of 3)
£75 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

£225 (single)
£115 per person (based on two people)
£80 per person (based on group of 3)
£60 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

£250 (single)
£125 per person (based on two people)
£85 per person (based on group of 3)
£65 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

£300 (single)
£150 per person (based on two people)
£105 per person (based on group of 3)
£80 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

£310 (single)
£160 per person (based on two people)
£110 per person (based on group of 3)
£85 per person (based on group of 4 or more)

 

Max 17kg per bag

£320 (single)
£170 per person (based on two people)
£115 per person (based on group of 3)
£90 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

  • Holiday Options
  • Walk Info
  • Maps & Guide Books

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. For walks outside those dates, please contact us. We provide a reduced out of season service, but still manage to meet the needs of most customers who contact us during this period.

Walk Information

The Westmorland Way is a walk of 95 miles in length, commencing in the ancient county town of Appleby-in-Westmorland, and traversing the eastern Lake District in a generally north to south direction, to its termination in Arnside, on the shores of Morecambe Bay, and usually requires a period of seven days to complete.

Leaving the old town of Appleby at the foot of the northern Pennines, the path crosses the Eden valley, and westwards via several pretty red sandstone villages and across open countryside to the village of Shap.

After visiting the ruins of Shap Abbey, the trail follows the River Lowther to the village of Askham, then crosses Heughscar Hill to Pooley Bridge, at the northern end of Ullswater. From here, the lakeside path follows the eastern bank of England’s second largest lake and leads to the village of Patterdale, at the southern end of the lake.

The next stage, from Patterdale to Grasmere is 9 miles in length, and follows the old pack-horse track over the hills via Grisedale Hause, involving some stiff climbing, but rewarded with some stunning views of the Vale of Grasmere, and the western fells and mountains.

From Grasmere, the walk passes into the Langdale valley and through the village of Elterwater, then follows the River Brathay downstream into the busy Lake District town of Ambleside. This days walk ends in the village of Troutbeck, which involves a further short walk and climb eastwards over Wansfell.

From Troutbeck, an easier journey of 15 miles via School Knott Fell, and the less visited villages of Staveley, Crook, and Underbarrow ends this stage of the walk with a night in the market town of Kendal, with its castle, and wealth of interesting yards and ginnels.

The walk continues by leaving Kendal southwards beside the banks of the River Kent until it joins the path alongside the Lancaster canal to the village of Holme. From here, woodland steps climb up and over Arnside Knott, eventually leading down to the small town of Arnside – the terminus of this walk.

OS Explorer Maps
OL5 - English Lakes - North-eastern area
OL7 - English Lakes - South-eastern area
OL19 - Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley

Guide Books
"The Westmorland Way" by Paul Hannon is now out of print

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.

Walks you may also like...

Hadrian's High Way

Hadrian's High Way

The splendid 102 mile Hadrian's High Way walk takes a dynamic, new look at the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire
Click Here

Eden Way

Eden Way

The Eden Way is an 80 mile walk following the beautiful River Eden from the sea to its source high in the Yorkshire Dales
Click Here

Cumberland Way

Cumberland Way

The Cumberland Way runs for 73 miles, through the beautiful valleys and over the high passes of this old Lakeland county
Click Here

Walkers' Testimonials

Have you walked this route? Please leave a review and let others know what you think.

Use the comments form below to submit your testimonial for this walk. Rest assured, we won’t display or disclose your email address! It is only required to prevent spam – and to enable you to receive notifications of any responses to your review should you select the option to do so.

Please leave your comments