Cumbria Way

Cumbria Way

A walk from the shores of Morecambe Bay to the Scottish Border through the Lake District.

3 to 9 nights
16-78 miles
Easy / Moderate to Demanding

From £370 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

The Cumbria Way enjoys the Lake District’s mountain vistas with none of its strenuous mountain climbs. This low-level walk follows old packhorse tracks along valleys and over passes to provide breath-taking views without ascending to the summits.

Beneath towering peaks and thundering cascades, the route follows the shores of glittering tarns. It visits charming Lake District villages, and enjoys a finale of remote, rolling hills that descend through rich farmland to the historic border town of Carlisle.

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • Cumbria Way
  • Cumbria Way via Bassenthwaite
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Cumbria Way Highlights
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Cumbria Way Short Break

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

Trail running tours available

We also organise trail running holidays along this route. Find out more.

About this route

6 to 7 nights
73 miles
Moderate / Demanding to Demanding
27th March to 31st October

From £715 per person

Cumbria Way

The complete Cumbria Way explores the Lake District from Ulverston to Carlisle through 73 miles of impeccable scenery. This approachable trail winds its way through the imposingly beautiful landscapes for which the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Lake District National Park is known worldwide.

Whether you wish to gaze out from incredible mountain viewpoints, admire rushing waterfalls or visit quintessentially English villages, a walking holiday along the Cumbria Way is an enticing way to discover this stunning corner of the United Kingdom.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
CUMW1 From Ulverston to Carlisle 6 nights, 5 days walking Demanding £715
CUMW2 From Ulverston to Carlisle 7 nights, 6 days walking Moderate / Demanding £830

Short breaks

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
CUMWSB From Great Langdale/Dungeon Ghyll to Keswick 3 nights, 2 days walking Easy / Moderate £370
"Over Beacon Tarn" by James O'Brien (2023) "Over Beacon Tarn" by James O'Brien (2023)
"Great Langdale" by Andrew Eastwood (2022) "Great Langdale" by Andrew Eastwood (2022)
"View of Windermere Lake" by Manuela Perez (2018) "View of Windermere Lake" by Manuela Perez (2018)
"Old Church in Carlisle" by Manuela Perez (2018) "Old Church in Carlisle" by Manuela Perez (2018)
"Derwentwater" by Else Carriere (2017 Photo Competition Winner) "Derwentwater" by Else Carriere (2017 Photo Competition Winner)
"Great Langdale" by Else Carriere (2017) "Great Langdale" by Else Carriere (2017)
"Tarn Hows" by Else Carriere (2017) "Tarn Hows" by Else Carriere (2017)
"View on Coniston Old Man" by Else Carriere (2017) "View on Coniston Old Man" by Else Carriere (2017)

Customer reviews from the Cumbria Way

“Very well organised with good communication with us customers. Pre-holiday info pack excellent.”
Mrs Beveridge, UK
“All in all, the four of us were very satisfied with the whole arrangement. We had a very nice holiday.”
Ms Alming, UK
“Cumbria is a beautiful area and the holiday was organised spotless.”
Mr Severens, Netherlands
“Beautiful landscapes, meeting nice people, good accommodations. We will definitely come back!”
Mrs Petersen, Denmark
“The Cumbria Way offers a stunning variety of scenery to hold ones interest over a week of walking. We greatly appreciated the time and effort Contours staff put into planning our customized itinerary for the Cumbria Way to accommodate our 4-month-old baby. The personal attention made us feel so much more comfortable with undertaking a walking holiday with an infant.”
Ms Ristau, USA
“Guidebook was great, suitcases arrived on time. Route was beautful, especially langdale pikes. Great way to walk through gorgeous countryside. Well organized and all logistics taken cade of. This was our third and we are about to start our fourth.”
Mr Litsky, USA
“Magical scenery and wondrously peaceful, except round Constion and Derwentwater of course and near car parks! Compensation - coffee and ice cream!! Thanks!”
Mrs Douglas, UK
“My group and I had a wonderful experience hiking the Cumbria Way.”
Mr Greisberger, USA
“Wonderful area, Contour-package without failures and good support from our initial planning days, lots of nice and friendly people.”
Mr Hove, Denmark
Find your holiday