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Welcome to Hooked on Walking holidays and our walking holidays in England. This particular hiking vacation is through the heart of the English Lake District and is available as a 5 or 7 night self guided walking tour. The Cumbria Way is a well loved walk starting at Ulverston, at the southern edge of the Lake District, and following right through the heart of the Lake District in a generally northward route via Langdale, Borrowdale, Derwent Water, Coniston, Keswick and Caldbeck, taking in some of the best scenery of the area until you reach your final destination of Carlisle, a distance of some 71 miles away for the full tour. The route mainly keeps to low laying valleys which make it an excellent introduction to the Lake District with only a few parts of the walk on higher exposed ground in particular the section to Caldbeck.
Available daily from May to September
5 or 7 night self guided walking tour
Level 2 ( 5 night tour ), Level 3 ( 7 night tour)
Day 1 Arrival to Ulverston
Depending on accommodation availability, your first night will either be in Ulverston or Coniston.
Day 2 Ulverston to Coniston 15 miles up 350m
This stage features the many becks, stiles, farmyards and field paths between Ulverston and Gawthwaite on the southern boundary of Britain’s largest National Park. There are patches of craggy moorland around Beacon Tarn and the rough but distinct paths along the lovely wooded shoreline of Coniston Water. Look out for dragonflies and adders on the Blawith Fells and enjoy wonderful views across Morecombe Bay towards the Three Peaks area in Yorkshire.
Day 3 Coniston to Langdale 11 miles up 225m
The second day on the Cumbria Way offers marvelous mix of mostly rolling farmland, woodland, fells and becks. The lovely burn running beside the small village of Elterwater marks the entrance to Great Langdale, a large U-shaped glacial valley overlooked by the dramatic rocky summits of the Langdale Pikes – Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle.
Day 4 Langdale to Rosthwaite/Borrowdale 8 miles up 500m
Today’s route gives you a real taste of Lakeland’s rugged and scenic splendour, and the walking is consequently harder for a time. Secluded Mickleden and Langstrath valleys sandwich this stage’s highest point at the top of Stake Pass (about 480 metres). Under the bluff of Eagle Crag, the rough and sometimes wet paths by Langstrath and Stonethwaite Becks converge. The trail follows the crystal clear waters of the river Derwent as it meanders through lovely Borrowdale before you take the public bus to Keswick.
Day 5 Rosthwaite/Borrowdale to Keswick 8 miles up 200m
First you travel by bus back to Rosthwaite. Today you will continue along the wooded western shore of Derwent Water towards Keswick at its northern end.
Day 6 Keswick to Caldbeck 14 miles up 750m
If you booked the 5 night tour today you can depart from Keswick and continue your journey. If you booked our 7 night tour you can continue to Caldbeck. The distinctive character of this stage is rough windswept moorland that opens out below the bulks of Skiddaw and Blencathra mountains. Between Skiddaw House and Nether Row there is an alternative low level route via Whitewater Dash waterfall for poor weather conditions or the less intrepid. You will admire heather-clad slopes and extensive views across to the distant North Pennines via the infant River Caldew, enjoying and ascent of High Pike, the highest point of your journey at 685 metres.
Day 7 Caldbeck to Carlisle 14 miles
You will walk today through Cumbrian countryside rarely seen by visitors and looks deceptively easy compared to other more upland stages. In between the picturesque village of Caldbeck, Dalston and the bustling city of Carlisle is a generous helping of old bridges, stiles and gates. The trail keeps largely to woodland and farmland paths and tracks alongside the winding course of the River Caldew.
Day 8 Departure
Accommodation: 3/4 star hotels , guests houses, country inns and bed and breakfast. In peak times we sometimes need to book 2 nights in Ulverston or 2 nights in Coniston instead of 1 night in each location. In this case we would arrange a private transfer either from Coniston to Ulverston on day 2 if you stayed 2 nights in Coniston or a private transfer from Ulverston to Coniston on day 3 if we book 2 nights in Ulverston.
Difficulty: We have graded this tour as a level 2-3 walking holiday.
Please note not like other operators we do not just provide a map and a guide book from a bookshop , we have walked this trail and provide detailed photographic instructions which are easy to follow.
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What is Included
- 5 or 7 nights bed and breakfast
- 3 & 4 star graded hotels, guest houses, country inns and B&B’s
- Information Pack
- Private transfers as shown above.
- PHOTO Instructions
- Luggage transfer
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Extras
- Transport before and after tour
- Single Rooms
- Flights
- public transport
- Lunches dinners and snacks
- Travel Insurance
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2010 Prices
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Tour Code Cumway1
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Single room ( minimum 2 persons ) 5 / 7 nights
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£525 / £676
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Per Person based on sharing Twin / Double room. 5 nights / 7 nights
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£355/ £455
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How to get there
By Plane to Manchester Airport. There is a direct train service to Ulverston (2 hours 15 minutes). Carlisle is also on the train line from Manchester to Scotland.
To view other walking holidays in England
Click below to view our
Cycling Holidays in UK
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