This is the first of a series of walks following the 73-mile Cumbria Way (CW) between Ulverston and Carlisle.

Catch the X12 (Coniston – Ulverston) bus from Water Yeat. Walk the first 9 miles of the CW from Ulverston then return to Water Yeat along a quiet path and lane. Gently undulating farmland offers great views that open out spectacularly as the walk progresses.

Description

1. Walk along Mill Street and Stanley Street to The Gill. Cross the car park to a sculpture marking the start of the CW. Walk alongside the Gill, turn left across a footbridge and ascend a steep path. Where the path meets a road turn sharp right and follow the CW waymarkers along field paths to Old Hall Farm.

2. Walk through the farmyard, then turn left across fields and up beside woodland to Windy Ash hilltop with panoramic views over Ulverston and Morecambe Bay. Turn right, go down the road for 200 yards then left through a metal gate (easily missed). After the first field take the gate on the right, cross the top of a second field then descend diagonally to the opposite corner of the third. Turn left beside a pylon, cross a small beck and head to the left of Stony Crag Farm.

3. After the farm cross a stile and footbridge then continue to Hollowmire, crossing to the opposite side of the hedge. Walk along the farm lane and turn left onto a road. Where the road bends left turn right onto the path signed CW Broughton Beck. Turn right onto the lane past St Johns Church, left onto the main road for 150 yards and right to Broughton Beck. Keep left in the village and stay left of the beck past a ford. Follow a fence on the left, go through a gate, over a wall stile and footbridge then upstream to a fence stile. Walk ahead on the road and fork right past Knapperthaw farm. At a triangular junction, keep left, cross a road and follow the gravel farm track towards Keldray Farm. At the farm entrance turn left (easily missed) up the wooded slope. Ignore a stile on the left and cross the stile at the top of the woodland. Turn right to a gated stile 60 yards above the bottom of the field and enter Gawthwaite village.

4. Cross the A5092 and the green, go through Gawthwaite, then turn left up the lane signed Gawthwaite Land. Spectacular views of the fells and a glimpse of Coniston Water appear ahead. After 0.6mile bear right at a fingerpost and continue down the track to High Stennerley. Go around the house and along a lane leading to a road at Kendall Ground. Turn right then left and follow a faint path to the left of rushes and through woodland to meet a lane. Turn left and keep ahead past the end of Raisthwaite Lane to Kiln Bank. Follow the grassy track leading to a road and turn left towards Tottlebank.

5. Shortly before Tottlebank turn right and ascend The Low, with great views to the right and ahead. Descend, go through a gate ahead and alongside a wall on the left. Leave the CW here and turn right past Cockenskell. Go through the gateway and stay alongside the wall on the left. Cross a stile then drop down to follow Greenholme Beck until the path rises to a track before Greenholme Farm. Turn right and follow the lane to Water Yeat.