Where fells rise from ancient valleys, and still waters reflect a sky full of change.
Cumbria is England’s great walking country — home to the wild drama of the Lake District, the quiet uplands of the North Pennines, and the wave-battered edges of the Cumbrian coast. It’s one of the most iconic destinations for walking holidays and outdoor adventures, with trails like the Cumbria Way, Coast to Coast Path, and Hadrian’s Wall Path weaving through landscapes shaped by water, weather, and time. From walking towns like Keswick, Coniston, and Grasmere to the remote Eden Valley and Solway Coast, this is a place where every route feels part of a bigger story.
The county is steeped in long-distance routes — the Cumbria Way runs through the heart of the Lake District, the Coast to Coast Path begins on its western shore at St Bees, and Hadrian’s Wall Path traces the line of a Roman frontier. But walking in Cumbria is as much about stillness as it is about distance — a climb to a high tarn, a woodland path beside a rushing beck, or a ridge walk with fells rolling away in every direction.
This is where England keeps its wildness. And walkers keep coming back.
A 70-mile route through the heart of the Lake District, from Ulverston to Carlisle, taking in quiet valleys, famous peaks, and iconic walking towns like Coniston and Keswick.
Starting at St Bees on the Irish Sea, this section crosses the Lake District from west to east. Highlights include Ennerdale, Borrowdale, Grasmere, and the climb over Helm Crag.
From Bowness-on-Solway inland toward Carlisle and beyond — a Roman frontier rich in views, ruins, and solitude.
The untamed Cumbrian coastline from Walney Island and the Duddon Estuary north to the Solway Firth, with saltmarshes, cliffs, and distant fells as your backdrop.
Much of what walkers think of as “Cumbria” now falls under the new local authority of Westmorland and Furness, covering areas like Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal, Penrith, and the Eden Valley. On Self-Guided Travel, we continue to group these places under “Cumbria” — reflecting how most travellers and walking holidays still refer to the region. If you’re exploring these places, you’re in the right spot.
