The Cumbria Way 2012
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Introduction
I made a quick decision at the end of February to walk the Cumbria Way. I based my choice on the chance of the Azores
high pressure pushing into the UK, giving some settled
weather over the next 5 days or so. Well that’s the plan,
and we’ll see soon enough if it was an inspired choice or
turns out to be a damp squib. However come rain or shine I
shall enjoy it, as I’ve been meaning to walk this way for a
while now – a shimmy here and there.I usually have plans in place long before I set out on a long walk, but this one has involved a lot of fast faffing, trying not to forget the essentials, and trying to forget the frivolous. I’ve had enough experience now in packing to keep the pack weight down to a minimum, with the reminder to myself that there are a few places to stock up on anything I’ve left at home.
I’ve cadged a lift up to the Lakes today which will let me have a relative lie in tomorrow before setting out for Coniston. As sunset is now around 5:30, there are plenty of daylight hours to wander along and enjoy the passing scenery, and hopefully I will be able to blog along the way to let the landscape unfold before me….weather permitting.
The trail is about 75 miles long and fits nicely into 5 days. The longest day will be from Coniston to Rosthwaite at a little shy of 19 miles, but this is tempered by the fact that a) it is glorious scenery, and b) there are several fine hostelries along the route which I will be able to savour as long as I get away to a good start in the morning. My main hope is that it is clear walking below the Langdale Pikes – my favourite part of the landscape in the Lakes.
Post walk thoughts
I came to this walk without any
preconceptions or expectations as it was a last minute
decision. I was lucky with the weather for the most part,
but did miss out on the views of the higher peaks.
What about the walk itself? North to South or South to North
– to be honest I would walk it either way as the start is
farmland as is the finish. A lot has been made of the finish
in Carlisle, but it’s only the last mile through the suburbs
that is truly urban.
It lends itself to good access with a station at either end,
so which direction isn’t really an issue. Walking North you
are liable to have the wind at your back and no sun directly
into your camera lens. Walking South would finish in a
slightly more pleasant surrounding, but you’d have the sun
in your eyes and camera. Finishing at Carlisle would also be
at a mainline station which would help with logistics.
A good map and sense of direction would help as it’s not the
best way marked path, particularly through the farmland. But
generally it’s easy enough to follow, and there are some
small round signs on posts here and there.I deviated from the Cumbria Way between Rosthwaite and
Keswick, deciding that climbing higher was definitely the
way to go.
Having now walked S to N, I intend to return and walk N to
S, adding an extra day to the itinerary. The long day from
Coniston to Rosthwaite was fabulous but hard on the feet
down Langstrath. So I would space it to walk from Coniston
to the New Dungheon Ghyll, NDG to Rosthwaite, and Rosthwaite
to Keswick. The rest of the walk would stay the same. The
advantage of this would be a choice of routes, taking in
higher fells if required. The actual Cumbria Way route is
fine through the lakes, and the only real difference is the
way to Keswick.
That’s what I reckon anyway, and as always it’s horses for
courses
The plan
Day Zero:
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