Self-guided · Lake District
70 kilometres from Ulverston to Keswick — the highlight southern half of the Cumbria Way, through Coniston, Great Langdale and Borrowdale into the most celebrated market town in the Lakes.
Some walks give you the Lake District a little at a time. This one gives you the concentrated version in a single long weekend — Ulverston to Keswick, through the full heart of the fells. Lakeside paths beside Coniston Water, the picture-book beauty spot of Tarn Hows, the iconic Great Langdale valley beneath its jagged Pikes, and the trail's high point at Stake Pass before the descent into what Wainwright called England's prettiest valley.
The Stake Pass climb is the trip's only serious mountain crossing; everything else is on well-trodden valley paths and lakeside tracks. A firm but achievable trip for anyone comfortable with hill walking, and an obvious pick for walkers who want the highlights of the Cumbria Way without the flatter northern miles to Carlisle.
The Experience divides naturally into three stages — the Blawith Fells to Coniston, the Langdale valleys, and the Stake Pass crossing into Borrowdale and Keswick.
Hoad Monument · Beacon Tarn · Coniston Water
Leave Ulverston past the Hoad Monument, climb the Blawith Fells to Beacon Tarn for the first proper Lakeland view, then descend beside Coniston Water into the village beneath the Old Man.
Tarn Hows · Elterwater · Langdale Pikes
Climb through Yewdale to Tarn Hows, drop past Skelwith Force to Elterwater, then follow the River Brathay into Great Langdale beneath the jagged skyline of the Langdale Pikes.
Stake Pass · Langstrath · Borrowdale · Derwentwater
Zigzag up Stake Pass — the route's high point at 481 m — into remote Langstrath, follow the beck through Stonethwaite into Borrowdale, and finish beside Derwentwater into Keswick.
Build your trip
Pick your pace, party size and dates. The itinerary, distances, nightly stops and the price all update live — no commitment until you're happy.
Your day-by-day itinerary updates live in the Your itinerary section below.
This is the itinerary you're building. Change the pace, party size or start date in the planner above and every stage, distance and date updates here.
Where you'll stay
Lakeland coaching inns and farmhouse B&Bs at Coniston, Elterwater and Great Langdale, then a proper choice of hotels in Keswick at the finish. Three nights, three very different characters, all within reach of the fells.
Every trip is planned around your dates and party, so we can't promise you a specific inn — but we can promise the kind of welcome that makes a walking holiday feel like a proper holiday.
Self-guided, but properly supported. You turn up, you walk, you eat well, you sleep well. We handle the logistics.
Walking the Cumbria Way Experience alone doesn't mean being out of touch. We lend you a small GPS tracker for the trail, and a private map link lets the people who care about you follow along from home.
Carry it in your pack and it updates your position as you walk — no phone signal required.
See your own progress on a secure map, with your overnight stops visible at a glance.
Send the private link to family or friends so they know you've arrived safely each day.
We'll start planning your trip right away. Not happy with anything? We'll adjust it or refund you — no questions asked.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Big Trail Adventures (member 5690). Protection is provided for non-flight packages. Full details in our booking conditions.
The Cumbria Way Experience is a firm but achievable long-weekend walk. On the 3-day Hiker pace you'll walk 25, 17 and 27 km, with the Stake Pass climb as the trip's one serious mountain crossing. Fine for anyone comfortable with a full day on the hill and 800 m of ascent; the 4-day Explorer pace breaks the long final day and gives more time in Borrowdale.
May to September is the realistic season. June brings long days and settled weather; September gives clearer air and quieter fells. Book well ahead for July and August, especially in Great Langdale and Keswick. Winter walking is possible but the Stake Pass crossing needs proper conditions — short days, high winds and cloud can make the traverse serious.
Ulverston is on the Cumbrian Coast line from Lancaster (roughly 45 minutes) with connections from Manchester and the West Coast Main Line. Keswick has no railway — but the reliable X4 bus runs to Penrith for the West Coast Main Line, or the 555 heads south to Windermere. We'll route the taxi transfer if you'd prefer a direct hop.
Yes, every day. Your main bag moves between accommodation each morning with a 20 kg allowance; you walk with a daypack containing water, lunch, waterproofs and layers. Note that on the day over Stake Pass your bag reaches Keswick via the road — you walk unencumbered.
A mix of Lakeland inns and family-run B&Bs — the Black Bull or Crown at Coniston, the Britannia at Elterwater, the New or Old Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale, and a wide choice in Keswick. We can also route you through YHA Coniston or the National Trust camping pods at Langdale if you prefer.
The 3-day Hiker package starts from £180 per person — accommodation with breakfast, daily luggage transfer, planning, route notes and our support line while you walk. On top, budget £10–15 a day for a picnic lunch and £20–30 for a pub dinner. Most walkers spend an additional £200–350 across the weekend on food and drinks.
The Experience is what I recommend to people who want proper Lake District walking without the flatter run north from Keswick to Carlisle. Three days from the coast to the heart of the fells, with the Stake Pass day as the memorable one. If it's your first long-distance walk in the mountains, this is a very good place to start.
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