Lakeland Round

A self-guided walk circling the lakes, mountains and villages of the Lake District National Park.

7 nights
74 miles
Moderate / Demanding

From £670 per person

Discover the available tours

About this route

The Lake District National Park is a magical mix of rocky mountains, tumbling waterfalls, lush valleys, shimmering lakes, tranquil woodland, sturdy stone-built villages and dry-stone walls. This delightful circular walk explores the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Lake District, following ancient tracks and taking in all of the major valleys in the Lake District.

Along the way, the trail crosses eight mountain passes, visits twelve lakes and explores several attractive Lakeland villages and towns. This is an ideal walk for first time visitors to the Lake District, as it visits many of the most famous beauty-spots as well as a few little-known gems.

Dog friendly tours available

Dog friendly itineraries are available for this route. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your itinerary. Please note that dog friendly walks may require more transfers than standard tours.

Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Lakeland Round map
Circular trail beginning at Ambleside
74 miles (118 km)
24th March to 31st October

Holiday Highlights

Experiencing the highlights of the Lake District, including its dramatic mountain scenery and beautiful villages, including Coniston, Buttermere and Keswick.

Visiting twelve of Lakeland’s iconic lakes, including Ullswater, Derwentwater, Coniston Water and Windermere.

Discovering a landscape that has inspired literary greats, from Wordsworth’s ‘Daffodils’ to Arthur Ransome’s ‘Swallows and Amazons.’

Available tours

CodeTourDurationDifficultyPrice per person
LAKR A circular trail beginning at Ambleside 7 nights, 6 days walking Moderate / Demanding£670

Lakeland Round 7 nights, 6 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
Start

Travel to Ambleside where your first night's accommodation has been booked

Day 1

Ambleside to Coniston. 10.5 miles (17km)

Day 2

Coniston to Boot. 12.5 miles (20km)

Day 3

Boot to Buttermere. 12.5 miles (20km)

Day 4

Buttermere to Keswick. 14 miles (22.5km)

Day 5

Keswick to Glenridding. 12 miles (19.5km)

Day 6

Glenridding to Ambleside. 11.5 miles (18.5km)

Finish

Depart from Ambleside after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to walk more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are walking on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Walker or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Walker Supplement
£50.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£30.00 per person / per night

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£50.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Boot)
£55.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Buttermere)
£70.00 per person / per night

What's included?

  • 7 nights accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

Taking an extra night is a wonderful way to extend your holiday and to give yourself time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Lake District.

There is plenty to see and do around Coniston including a walk to the summit of Coniston Old Man, boat trips on Coniston Water on the elegant Victorian steam yacht 'Gondola', the Ruskin Museum in the village and the home of John Ruskin, the author, critic, artist and philanthropist who lived at Brantwood on the eastern side of the lake.

If you fancy somewhere quieter, consider Buttermere. It is a lovely little village in a beautiful valley.

The lively little market town of Keswick is an ideal choice for a rest day. It has plenty of interesting shops, a couple of award-winning museums and a lovely theatre by the lake. There are boat trips on Derwentwater, or you could walk to the mystical Castlerigg Stone Circle, the fine viewpoint of Friar's Crag or climb Skiddaw, the fourth highest mountain in England. There are many of good walks from the town and it is possible to explore Borrowdale by taking a boat trip on the lake.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£50.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Boot)
£55.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Buttermere)
£70.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 73.5 miles (117.5 km)
Duration: 7 nights, 6 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 10.5 miles (17 km)
Maximum daily distance: 14 miles (22.5 km)
Code: LAKR Grade: Moderate / Demanding
Season: 24th March - 31st October
Start of holiday: Ambleside
End of holiday: Ambleside

Route Profile

Lakeland Round Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds.

By Rail - The nearest rail station to Ambleside is at Windermere (about 5 miles away).

By Bus - Various bus services run to and from Ambleside.

From London - Trains run from London Euston station to Windermere. From there a bus/taxi will be required to Ambleside.

Return To The Start - The Lakeland Round is a circular tour beginning and ending in Ambleside.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.

Routes on this trail

North Lakes Short Break

4 nights
29 miles
Moderate / Demanding+
Dog friendly
From £365 per person
A scenic walking holiday along the old tourist route, starting and ending in the market town of Keswick.Find Out More

South Lakes Short Break

4 to 7 nights
36 miles
Easy / Moderate+
Dog friendly
From £380 per person
A walk from Windermere through the landscapes that inspired William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.Find Out More

East Lakes Short Break

4 nights
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Moderate / Demanding+
Dog friendly
From £365 per person
A circular route from Pooley Bridge visiting some of the Lake District's most famous lakes and fells.Find Out More

West Lakes Short Break

4 nights
30 miles
Moderate / Demanding+
Dog friendly
From £365 per person
A wonderful short walking break around the diverse west side of the Lake District National Park.Find Out More

Bob Graham Round

6 to 7 nights
74 miles
Strenuous
From £615 per person
A challenging self-guided walking holiday traversing 42 of the Lake District's mighty fells.Find Out More

Lakeland Three Passes Walk

4 nights
25 miles
Moderate
From £420 per person
A circular walk through Borrowdale, Langdale and Wasdale in the Lake District National Park.Find Out More
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