Working for Macs Adventure has its perks and leaving the office for the week to walk the Cumbria Way was one of them for sure. I had never been to the Lakes before, so I started planning, invited my dad to come along with me, and off we went in the middle of July. Here are my top 5 reasons why I absolutely loved this trip.

Mountain scenery

Being Dutch and having lived in a country that is as flat as a pancake for most of my life, the mountains have always excited me. Being relatively new to long-distance walking it was great to find that the Cumbria Way allows you to enjoy incredible views from the valley without having to climb endless hills and summits. It is a predominantly low-level walk, but with some significant climbs such as Stake Pass (between Great Langdale and Borrowdale) and the summit of High Pike (the highest point).

Uncrowded trails

Living in a big city is great and it makes it such a treat when you escape to the quiet fells of the Lake District. It made me appreciate the tranquillity and more remote landscapes of the Northern Fells even more, just ‘to get away from it all’. We walked this trail during the summer, and I was expecting the trails to be more crowded. We had the trail to ourselves for most of the days and it was a refreshing experience.

Picnics with a view!

I am the type of person that is already thinking about lunch having just finished my breakfast. One of the things I love about walking long distances is having snack breaks and picnics out in the open! It feels like a sport to me to find the most beautiful locations to sit down, have a sandwich, breathe in the fresh air and just take in the natural beauty. Safe to say, lunchtime on the Cumbria Way did not disappoint!

Variety of landscape

The Cumbria Way is a National Trail of variety, including lakeside paths, tracks through quiet woods and trails across fields in the rolling countryside. Looking back on the photographs that we took during the trip there is a great variety of landscapes that we crossed, and it really showcases how diverse this part of England is.

People

Finally, one of my highlights must also be the small accommodations that we use along the route. Often these were family-run guesthouses and small B&Bs where you get treated as if you are family. A warm welcome was always guaranteed, as well as a homecooked full English breakfast in the morning to set us up for the walk ahead.

I have fond memories of my adventure and I highly recommend experiencing this beautiful long-distance trail, or any of our Lake District walks in this beautiful part of the world. If you would like to ask our team any questions, please don't hesitate to contact one of our Destination Specialists, who will be more than happy to help!