Inn Way to the Lake District

The Inn Way to the Lake District is a 90 mile circular walk starting and finishing in the popular tourist town of Ambleside. This scenic trail explores some of the more remote corners of the region, guiding you through the Lake District’s stunning deep sided valleys, along lake shores and over high mountain passes – as well as past over 40 traditional Lakeland inns. This is a challenging walk in places, and you will need to be proficient in map reading and navigating with a compass.

The trail takes you through the popular tourist towns of Ambleside, Coniston, and Grasmere, the site of Dove Cottage, former home of the Romantic poet Wordsworth, as well as through a few of the Lake District’s most impressive valleys – Borrowdale, Ennerdale, and Great Langdale, linked by high mountain passes with breathtaking views of the surrounding fells. A particular highlight is Wasdale Head, a remote and atmospheric spot in the shadow of Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain.

The Inn Way offers a true cross-section of the Lake District’s diverse landscapes, taking in the busier valleys and towns of the central Lake District, such as Ambleside, Coniston, Langdale, and Borrowdale, as well as the more remote, quieter places of the western Lakes, including Buttermere, Wasdale, and Eskdale.

Why is it called the Inn Way to the Lake District? Because it is carefully devised so that each day the route passes a traditional Lakeland pub at lunchtime, and at each overnight stop, you’ll never be far from a welcoming inn. With log fires, locally brewed ales, and hearty meals made from local produce, the Inn Way to the Lake District offers the perfect blend of spectacular walking and classic Cumbrian hospitality.

‘The Inn Way’ is a Registered Trademark of Mark Reid, author of ‘The Inn Way’ series of guidebooks.

Our Holidays

We have 3 options on the Inn Way to the Lake District. You can walk the whole route over 7 or 8 days, or do either the eastern section over 3 days, or the western section over 4 days.

The eastern section takes you through the more popular tourist hot-spots of the Central Lakes such as Coniston, Ambleside, and Grasmere, as well as the iconic valleys of Great Langdale and Borrowdale.

The western section takes in the quieter, western Lake District, a pleasant walk along the shores of Crummock Water and Buttermere before heading into Ennerdale and Wasdale, two of the more remote valleys of the Lake District.

Please bear in mind that the distances each day are trail distances only. They do not take into account walking to your accommodation. On some days the accommodation might be on or close to the trail but on other days you may need to walk one or two miles to get to your overnight stop.

Our colleague Hayley has walked the Inn Way to the Lake District. Read Hayley’s blog Kofi the Beagle’s Amazing Lake District Adventure