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Day Three
On day three of the trail you will briefly make your way through the rugged fells of the region before returning once more to the valleys. The walk carries on at the head of Great Langdale, where the valley splits into two directions. You will take the right path along a valley named ‘Mickleden’, at the end of the valley there is a choice of paths to follow; you will take the right hand side path which goes steeply up Stake Pass. At the top of the Pass you will have some splendid views back down the valley, though the views will disappear as you follow the path that passes grassy mounds and a cairn that marks the highest point in the day’s walk. The Cumbria Way then drops into Langstrath valley, which itself runs into another valley, Borrowdale. The path follows on past Stonethwaite and Rosthwaite and along the River Derwent to the banks of Derwent Water. Derwent Water is a pleasant place to waste a few minutes, taking in the breathtaking views. The path continues along to Keswick through some forested land. Keswick is where you will spend the night. The town has plenty of B&B style hotels, prices starting at £14 and a few campsites which charge around £4 per night. There are also a few mid-end hotels at the £40 per night mark. There are plenty of cafes and teashops in Keswick and it is a pretty town to stroll around.
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TRIP FACT FILE
Location: Cumbria, England
Getting to and from the walk: There are plenty of bus and train routes to and from Carlisle, as it is a major transport hub for trains going to Scotland. A train from London will cost £90 and from Manchester £30. Buses and trains to Lancaster, the departure point for buses to Ulverston, are regular from Manchester and London as they are on the rail routes to Carlisle. Trains from Lancaster to Ulverston cost £9.
Getting to England: Flights to London are regular from practically every country you can think of. Although it would be more convenient to catch a flight to Manchester if you can, transport links from London are regular and accessible. Flights from the USA start from US$300 from the east coast and around $400 from the west coast.
Flights from Australia and New Zealand will be around A$2000 and NZ$2500. Flights from Europe are very cheap with the budget airlines dominating the competition. A flight from Paris to Manchester for instance can be as cheap as £25.
Currency: The currency of Great Britain is the Pound Stirling which divides up into 100 pence. At the time of publishing the exchange rate was:
US $1 = £0.54
CA$1 = £0.48
A $1 = £0.40
NZ$1 = £0.33 |
Day Four
This is probably the most difficult stage of the walk with the trail crossing open moorland to Caldbeck. Mist and low cloud are a distinct possibility at this point in the walk and you will need to be adept at using your Map and compass. From Keswick you will pass through a Pine plantation and find yourself at a lane that makes its way from Applethwaite. The Way then makes its way across the open Fells and following a path along the steep side of the Glenderaterra Valley. It is on this part of the route that you will come across the YHA hostel at Skiddaw house, where you will follow the Cumbria Way route north east and takes you by Caldew Beck and Grainsgill Beck, before going up the steep side of the valley to the Mountain shelter at Dingy Hut. Past the shelter the route goes left of the High Pike summit and the path drops from the fells to farmland, almost abruptly. The path follows past Nether Row and you will travel through country lanes into Caldbeck. Caldbeck is a quiet little village with a few B&B’s with rooms at the £20 mark. There are no campsites or hostels in the village.
Day Five
This final section of the Cumbria Way which makes its way to Carlisle is not the most pretty of routes and is though quite flat, tiring. From Caldbeck the way takes a quiet road which makes its way alongside the river and you will come across a track which makes it way into some woodland. The path can get confusing in the woods and if you manage to keep to the right path you will cross some fields before entering some more woodland. The route again follows the river here and you will come across the settlement at Bridge End, around half way between Caldbeck and Carlisle. The path now follows through some meadows and fields to the outskirts of Carlisle. You have now finished the famous Cumbria Way.
There is plenty of accommodation to choose from in Carlisle and it is linked with the rest of England with regular trains to other cities.
Next .....
Morocco - Rif Mountains
Switzerland - Wildstrubel Traverse
Australia - The Lakes of Fraser Island
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