Aira Force to Glenridding
Above Ullswater
The longest day starts at Aira Force — the beck that falls into a wooded ravine above the lake — and stays high through the northern Eastern Fells all the way to Glenridding.
Eastern Fells Trail Run
Your run from
Ullswater to
Ambleside
You'll run 102 kilometres through the heart of the Eastern Fells — 35 Wainwright summits across three days, 5,400 metres of ascent, from Ullswater's north shore to Windermere. A guided tour that caps at eight runners, transfers your bags between stops, and puts a licensed fell guide with you for every metre of it.
Lake District
North-West England
Trail Essentials
- Start
- Aira ForceCumbria
- End
- AmblesideCumbria
- Distance
- 102 km63 miles
- Total Ascent
- 5,400 m17,717 ft
Difficulty
Demanding
Hilliness
Mountainous
Time to Complete
Hiker
5 days ~20 km/day
When to Walk
Best
Good
Avoid
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
The Eastern Fells Trail Run covers 102 kilometres from Aira Force on the north shore of Ullswater to Ambleside — through 35 of Alfred Wainwright's Eastern Fells summits, via Helvellyn, Striding Edge, St Sunday Crag, and the Fairfield range. Three days, 5,400 metres of ascent, a licensed guide for all of it, and bags transferred between each stop. The route uses established fell paths and open ridge running throughout. You finish with Windermere below you and the whole of the southern Lake District ahead. Most people who run the Eastern Fells do a section at a time. This does all 35 in one push.
Walking the Eastern Fells Trail Run
How The Trail Unfolds
Three days, three distinct territories. The first sweeps the high ground that rings Ullswater. The second is the ground the Eastern Fells are famous for. The third is the hardest climbing of the lot — and ends with Windermere below you.
Glenridding to Patterdale
The Edges
The second day is shorter — 19 kilometres — but it crosses Helvellyn by Striding Edge and Swirral Edge. It's the ground the Eastern Fells are built on.
Patterdale to Ambleside
The Fairfield Ridge
The last day has the most climbing — 2,162 metres — and ends with Windermere below you as you come down from the high ground above Rydal.
Included with every trip
Your personalised
Trail Book
Everything you need for every day of your trail — built around your exact itinerary. Your route, your accommodation, your packing list. Ready before you leave, works offline when you're out there.
Tonight's accommodation
Check-in time, room type, phone number and directions — all in one place
Day-by-day trail description
Route map, elevation profile and written description for each stage
Packing list and pre-trip checklist
Everything you need, nothing you don't. Tick items off as you go
Works offline
Open it once with data and it's yours — no signal needed on the trail
Included with every trip
Your route on every device you use
Your custom GPX file is built around your exact itinerary — day by day, door to door. Load it onto any device or app before you set off and navigate with confidence.
Works with
Talk to a Specialist
Knows the trail. Plans yours.
Craig
Trail Specialist
The Eastern Fells in three days is serious. The logistics need to be sorted before you turn up — accommodation that suits early starts, bag transfers timed right, a guide who knows the ground in all weathers. Get those right and the running looks after itself.
Craig has spent over ten years in adventure travel — planning logistics and accommodation for hundreds of customers across the Lake District and beyond. He knows where the Eastern Fells catch people out, has spoken to runners who've been on this ground the week before, and can talk through the planning with you before you arrive.
Ask Craig about the Eastern Fells Trail Run
If you want to talk through your timing, your fitness, your pace, or anything the planner can't answer — call. Most of our customers do, and Craig's the one who'll answer.
The Practical Side
Before You Book
The things walkers ask us most often — answered plainly, so you don't have to ring to find out.
How fit do I need to be?
102 kilometres over three days with 5,400 metres of ascent is a significant undertaking. You should be comfortable running 35 kilometres in a day on rough fell terrain and confident on exposed ridges — Striding Edge on Day 2 requires a steady head for heights. If you regularly run long days in the hills or have completed something like a mountain marathon, you're in the right territory. Not sure? Call Craig before you book.
When is the best time to run?
May through August gives the longest days and most reliable weather, which matters on ground this exposed. September works well too — quieter on the fells, good visibility, and both our launch departures run then. Avoid winter and early spring: Striding Edge and the high ridges can carry ice into April, and a short day in November or December leaves very little margin on a 45-kilometre stage.
What does the luggage transfer cover?
We transfer bags between all three overnight stops — Aira Force to Glenridding, Glenridding to Patterdale, and Patterdale to Ambleside. You run with a daypack; your kit arrives at the next property before you do. Standard allowance is 20 kg per bag.
What type of accommodation is included?
We book single rooms throughout — there's no single supplement on this tour. All three stops are family-run properties chosen for early starts, drying facilities, and the kind of breakfast you actually want after a long day on the fells. No chains, no shared dorms.
Can I join the tour as a solo runner?
Yes — and the pricing is built for it. The sell price is the same whether you're travelling alone or in a group: no single supplement, ever. Groups run between four and nine people. If you'd like to share a room and bring the cost down, we can try to match you with another solo runner on the same departure.
What's the realistic total cost?
The tour price covers accommodation, bag transfers, and your licensed fell guide for all three days. The 14 September departure is £1,250 per person; the 10 September departure is £1,550. On top of that, budget for meals on the trail — lunches and evening meals, typically £15–30 per day. No additional charges from us.
Still not sure? Ring us on 0131 560 2740 — Craig usually answers.
Still Thinking?
Speak to Craig
If you've scrolled this far, we need to help you get onto this trail. The bit the planner can't help with — "is the pace right for me?", "is August really that busy?", "can we add a rest day in Keswick?" — that's a two-minute phone call. Most people who book the Eastern Fells Trail Run ring first.