North West England – Mountains, Lakes, and Quiet Moorland Edges

Upland terrain shaped by stone, water, and long-established paths

North West England is defined by its walking routes, varied upland landscapes, and the settlements linked by them. Trails cross mountain passes, follow valley floors, and trace lakeshores, creating one of England’s most distinctive environments for self-guided travel and steady movement through high ground and quiet countryside.

The geography rises quickly from coast and plain into hills and mountains. In Cumbria, steep-sided fells surround long ribbon lakes and narrow valleys, while to the east the land softens into limestone dales and pasture. Further south, broader moorland and wooded valleys form quieter terrain. Routes move naturally between these environments, allowing days on foot that shift from exposed ridgelines to sheltered farmland and riverside paths within a single journey.

Much of the region is protected. The Lake District National Park forms the mountainous heart of the North West and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural landscape of fell farming, drystone walls, and stone-built villages. To the east, the Yorkshire Dales National Park extends into limestone country of scars, pavements, and green valleys, while the Forest of Bowland National Landscape protects open moorland, wooded cloughs, and some of England’s most lightly travelled uplands. These areas preserve both wildlife habitats and long-established patterns of rural life, with footpaths passing easily between field, fell, and village.

Movement through the North West often follows historic lines. Packhorse routes, mining tracks, and valley paths still guide modern trails between settlements. The Cumbria Way crosses the Lake District from Ulverston to Carlisle through Coniston, Langdale, Grasmere, and Keswick, while the Coast to Coast Path threads west to east across fells and dales. In the limestone country, routes such as the Dales High Way link market towns and small communities through open upland and pasture.

Walking here is shaped by contrast and scale. High ridges feel expansive and exposed, with wide views across multiple valleys, while lower routes pass through woodland, fields, and stone-built villages that provide regular places to pause. Progress is defined as much by descent and valley travel as by ascent, creating a rhythm that balances effort with quieter stretches of level ground.

This is a region best understood step by step: across passes, beside lakes, and between long-settled places where landscape and everyday life remain closely intertwined.

Routes & Landscapes Across the Region

The Lake District National Park provides mountain and valley walking around Keswick, Grasmere, Ambleside, and Coniston, with long-distance routes including the Cumbria Way and the Lakeland section of the Coast to Coast Path.

To the east, the Yorkshire Dales offer limestone valleys, riverside paths, and upland ridges around Sedbergh, Dent, and Settle, linked by village-to-village walking and higher routes such as the Dales High Way.

South of the Lakes, the Forest of Bowland National Landscape provides broader, quieter terrain, with moorland tracks and wooded valleys between small rural settlements.

Counties of North West England

Cumbria and Lancashire form the core of the region, with the western edges of the Yorkshire Dales extending into the uplands. Each offers distinct variations of mountain, dale, and moorland landscapes that support both long-distance crossings and shorter local journeys.

Beginning to explore North West England

North West England’s trails, protected landscapes, and historic routes form a connected network rather than a single destination. Following its valleys, passes, and lakeshores reveals how stone, water, and settlement continue to shape movement through one of England’s most varied upland environments.