Recreational Route:
Cumbria
Cumbria Way
Ulverston to Carlisle 112km/70 miles
A well-loved route through the heart of
the Lake District National Park, linking two historic Cumbrian towns via Langdale and Borrowdale, Coniston,
Derwent Water and Caldbeck with plenty of scope for high-level detours.
There are a few sections of high, exposed ground but mainly the route
keeps to the valleys, providing an excellent introduction to the area.
The Way was originally devised by local
Ramblers' Association members in the mid-1970s. It is now signed with
named posts, although the waymarking may not be as comprehensive as on
some other routes.
The Allerdale Ramble is a connecting
87km/54-mile signed route starting at Seathwaite in central Lakeland. It
shares the route of the Cumbria Way from Seatoller to near Keswick, then
offers alternative high and low level options in the area of Skiddaw,
before reaching the coast on the Solway Firth and joining the Cumbria
Coastal Way as far as Grune Point.
Connects with
Cistercian Way, Coast to Coast Walk,
Cumbria Coastal Way,
Eden Way, Hadrian's Wall Path,
Inn Way to the English Lake
District
Highway Authority Cumbria
Parks and countryside
Lake
District National Park,
Solway Coast AONB (on Allerdale
Ramble)
Tourist Information Centres at
Ulverston, Coniston, Hawkshead, Waterhead, Grasmere,
Ambleside, Keswick, Southwaite and Carlisle. For details
click here.
Click here to find bed & breakfast
accommodation on this path.
Accommodation Booking/Luggage Carrier
Holiday providers
include Ramblers
Holidays, Contours, Discovery,
Explore Britain,
Freedom,
Mickledore,
Sherpa,
Walking Women, YHA
Public transport.
First NorthWestern trains connect Ulverston with Barrow-in-Furness, and with
Lancaster on the West Coast main line for trains to Manchester,
Birmingham, London, Carlisle, Scotland and other parts of the country.
There is also a direct service to Manchester Airport. Carlisle is also on
the West Coast main line. The Allerdale Ramble joins the coast at Maryport
where there are rail services to Carlisle. There are National Express
coaches serving Ulverston, Carlisle and Keswick.
For more on finding out about national
rail and coach services, click
here.
For more on public
transport in Cumbria, including buses to other points of the route, click
here.
Explorer maps
OL4,
OL5,
OL6,
OL7,
315 and
314 for Allerdale Ramble
Landranger maps
85,
90,
97 and
89 for Allerdale Ramble
The Cumbria Way and Allerdale Ramble are marked on recent editions of
these maps.
Strip map of Cumbria Way, ISBN 1 85137 334 9.
Harvey £9.95.
Order here!
Publications
- The Cumbria Way by
John Trevelyan, ISBN 1 855681 97 8.
Dalesman £2.99 + p&p.
Order here!,
Lake District Ramblers' official guide, revised
2002, with clear route descriptions, background information and sketch maps. - The Cumbria Way by Anthony Burton, ISBN 1 85410 615 5. Aurum
Press £12.99
Recreational Route Guide including OS 1:25,000 map extracts.
- The Cumbria Way and Allerdale Ramble: a walking guide by Jim Watson,
ISBN 1 85284 242 3. Cicerone
£6.99.
Combined guide to both paths, with sketch maps. - The Cumbria Way information leaflet. Notes on highlights, practical
information and so on. Not a complete guide but could be used in conjunction
with OS or Harvey map. Free from Ulverston TIC (see above).
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