Cumbria Way Ulverston to Keswick, Preperation

In the past few years my mate Andy and I have walked most of the main hiking routes through the Lakes, the Coast to Coast, the Cumberland Way (amended a bit), the Westmorland Way, the Cumbria Way (twice both from Carlisle southwards) and last year our own Lakeland Circle, described in Lakes 2010 .

This year after much discussion and persuasion Mrs G finally agreed that she would go on a long distance hike with me. We choose the Cumbria way as I know it, it gives a good view of the Lakeland hills, it is mainly a valley walk with only one major climb south of Keswick, over Stake Pass from the Langdales into Langstrath. Also from previous holidays and visits, many parts would be familiar to her. There were, however, two cast in stone stipulations, she would not stay at a YHA and she would not carry a rucksack, I had already confirmed I would carry as much of her gear as I could, but she had to carry some of her own stuff. We bought a bum bag.


A number of training walks were planned locally, then in the Derbyshire peaks just to get us back into the level of walking fitness needed, to enjoy a multi-day walk. At the same time I started drawing up the ‘kit spreadsheet’ and ‘kit to buy list’ both essential planning tools.

Over the past few years I have gradually reduced the packed weight of my rucksack, with lighter gear and much less of the extras, those just in case bits and bobs that get stuffed in at every opportunity. Also it was clear that in the past the biggest weight burden was the ‘going down the pub clothes and shoes’. With me having to carry more or less two lots of kit these were clearly the areas to be controlled.


Although we both had previously bought some Paramo and other bits and pieces this year the only kit bought for the walk were RAB Aeon tee shirts for both of us, new Thorlo socks for me and a couple of small dry bags, a second bum bag and then just before we started a Vaude Triset 15 rucksack.

I was to carry, two Paramo Velez AL, two cheap over trousers, my TNF Apex gillet, my hat, gloves and buffs, a small dry bag holding my trousers, t-shirt, underwear, socks and washing gear in a plastic bag and very light shoes for indoor use. Plus maps, thermos, Source water bag, two sit mats and other bits gave me a packed weight of 9.2kg excluding water and food. Mrs G carried her TNF Apex gillet, hat, gloves and buffs and several other items of a vital nature, having ditched the bum bags the Vaude weighed in at 1.4kg.

We were using a wet clothes/dry clothes system. Each night we changed into dry kit washed out socks and underwear and dried them along with any damp day clothes. If the day kit did not dry, the next day they are worn wet, dry clothes must be kept dry.

Then at Easter disaster struck Mrs G smashed her toe on the wardrobe and was unable to do much walking for several weeks and nothing serious until late May. So much training and fitness was lost and her foot was still very tender.


All the B&B’s were booked in March, we had planned to go up and back by train but that proved too expensive for one let alone two.

So on 11 June we drove up to Keswick, the M6 south of Penrith is stunning. We parked the car and a suitcase of clothes in Keswick and caught a bus to Ulverston via Ambleside. We sat upstairs all the way, it was truly wonderful. It was a sunny day and we could see so much more of the hills, lakes, towns and villages than we have ever done in the car particularly for me, the driver.

Having found our way to the B&B via Laural and Hardy we went out for a quick look around Ulverston, making our way up to the official Cumbria Way start point in The Gill before finding somewhere to eat. Thank you, to Lee at the Farmers Arms who kindly booked us a table in the Rose and Crown. Both pubs are in the same ownership, I think. Two very good meals were had and we chatted with some very friendly people.