After joining my friend last year for a few days hiking in England, this summer we planned to do a full route together. Steve picked The Cumbria Way, a 5 day 70 mile/ 112km route. Walking from the south to the north of Cumbria across the Lake District, starting in Ulverston and finishing in Carlisle.
After travelling up to Ulverston on monday morning, it was after midday when we started stage 1 of the route, some 26km north, to the village of Coniston. The walk took all afternoon, with the weather being good and the landscape already scenic as we crossed rolling hills, then walked alongside Coniston Water.
Day 2 was the easiest and shortest stage, at 17.6km, from Coniston to Great Langdale. So the pace was more relaxed, with a good lunchtime stop off for coffee and cake. We reached the guesthouse in good time to rest and relax before a tougher stage 3 the next day.
Stage 3 started with a significant climb for a couple hours of the morning, climbing up from the end of the Langdale valley, crossing Langdale Comb. Then descending and walking along the next valley, to a much needed rest stop and drink at a local country pub at Stonewaite.
The views and scenery were fantastic, after the climb and walking up the valley, the afternoon section ran alongside Derwent Water, to finish our 26.8km day.
Keswick was a good overnight stop, with a nice friendly airbnb, and a good thai meal out in the town. Stage 4 started climbing out of Keswick, and was soon quite remote as we walked up Lonscale valley, with Lonscale Pike to our west. We had a rest stop at YHA Skiddaw, it would be a cool hostel to stay at, with the photo below is looking north from the hostel.
Stage 4 included the highest point of the Cumbria way, we climbed over Coomb Height, before reaching High Pike (658m high), from then it was downhill all the way. We did deviate from the Cumbria Way route a little, as our overnight accomodation was in the village of Hesketh Newmarket, as opposed to Caldback where the route would have taken us. Stage 4 was 23km.
Stage 5 is a pretty easy run all the way to Carlisle, continuing to descend and follow alongside the River Caldew for most of the day. We reached Carlisle after 24.2km.
So here is me and Steve and the finishing point of Carlisle Cross, after completing some 118km (73miles) over 5 days. The photos just gave a few snapshots of the brilliant scenery was witnessed as we crossed all of Cumbria and the Lake District.
Steve also put together some video highlights of each days hike on his youtube channel, and they can be found here; Nomad Steve – Cumbria Way
