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Thirlmere Way

Cumbria, Gtr Manchester, Lancashire

209 km / 130 miles
A walk along the route of one source of Manchester's water supply leading from the flooded valleys of Thirlmere in the Lake District that provide it, that originally comprised two smaller lakes. The two-metre wide aqueduct, always running near to this walk, was completed in 1894 to supplement supplies from Londendale and Haweswater. Ingeniously routed, gravity alone provides the aqueduct's power and there are no pumps.

The Way provides a meandering link from the Greater Manchester conurbation through Lancashire to Cumbria visiting Hulton, Abbey Village, Longridge, Dolphinholme, Caton, Kirkby Lonsdale, Kendal, Windermere and Grasmere.

An outline of the route and details of the history of the aqueduct appear on the websites below.

Update 9th November 2022:
The Thirlmere Way is diverted due a closed footbridge near Red Scar, east of Preston. The footbridge in question is on Tun Brook, at SD 5908 3247, and the diversion (reportedly well signposted) is via the upstream footbridge at SD 5922 3343.


Details:

Path Type: Other Paths
Attributes: Challenging
Lake/Reservoir/Loch
Start: SD834044 - Heaton Park, Gtr Manchester View on StreetMap
Finish: NY310190 - Thirlmere, Cumbria View on StreetMap
Web Sites: Thirlmere Way Hodder and Thirlmere Aqueduct Access Gates

Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook Thirlmere Way: long distance walk from Manchester to the Lake District  (Sigma Press  - 1992 )

Maps:

You can use the interactive controls to zoom in and out and to move around the map, or click on a path or a marker for more info.(interactive map help)

Show Connected Path Outlines
National Trails (England & Wales)
Paths Marked on OS mapping
Other Paths
Anytime Challenges
Kanters

Show Accommodation
Hostel Accommodation
Camping Barn
Bunk House

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2016.
© OpenStreetMap contributors under Open Database Licence.
Rights of way data from selected Local Authorities.
Large scale digital mapping is provided by John Thorn.
At high zoom levels the route is indicative only.
Purchase Ordnance Survey Maps:
OS Landranger 90, 96, 97, 102, 103, 109
OS Landranger Active 90, 96, 97, 102, 103, 109
OS Explorer 2, 5, 7, 41, 276, 277, 285, 286, 287
OS Explorer Active 2, 5, 7, 41, 276, 277, 285, 286, 287

Accommodation within 5 km of this Path:

 
 
From
Path
Along
Path
Hostel Accommodation
5 km
133 km
Hostel Accommodation
< 1 km
161 km
Hostel Accommodation
< 1 km
184 km
Hostel Accommodation
< 1 km
187 km
Hostel Accommodation
2 km
193 km
Hostel Accommodation
3 km
193 km
Hostel Accommodation
< 1 km
194 km
Bunk House
4 km
194 km
Bunk House
< 1 km
201 km
Camping Barn
< 1 km
208 km
Hostel Accommodation
4 km
209 km

Click to show 10 more Accommodations


Connected Paths:

Other Paths
Alternative Coast to Coast Ambleside Ale Trail Anglezarke Loop Blackpool to Bridlington (Aerospace Way) Bolton Rotary Way Footpath Borrowdale Ale Trail Bowland-Dales Traverse Coast to Coast (Wainwright) Eastern Hadrianic Way Fairtrade Way Forest of Bowland Walk Friends Way 2: Margaret Fell's Journey GM Ringway Grasmere Ale Trail Great Lakes Connection Hadrian's High Way Hadrian's High Way - Ambleside to The Cockpit Alternative Head to Head Helvellyn Ale Trail High Street Stroll Historical Walks through Lancashire and Yorkshire Inn Way ... to the Lake District Joining The Seas Kendal Limestone Way Kendal to Lancaster Canal Walk Lake District Boundary Walk Lake to Lake Walk Lakeland Haute Route Lakeland to Lindisfarne Lakeland Tour Lakeland Way Lakes and Tarns - Eastern Lakeland Lancashire Figure of Eight Lancashire Monastic Way Upholland to Sawley Abbey Lancashire Trail Lancashire Way - Central Loop Lancashire Way - Northern Loop Lancashire Way - Southern Loop Lancashire Witches Walk Lancashire-Lakeland Link Lancaster Canal Leeds and Liverpool Canal Walk Limestone Link (Cumbria) Lunesdale Walk Miller's Way North of England Way North West Way Northern Crossway Palatine Plod Pendle Witches Way Pilgrim's Way Whalley to Manchester Preston Guild Wheel Rail To Trail Walk - The Bentham Line Ravenber Way Red Rose Trail Richmond Way Round Manchester Hiking Trail Rydal Ale Trail Salford Trail Tidewater Way Tops of the North (Three Shire Heads to Carlisle) Tour of the Lake District Tour of the Lake District - Prologue Traditional Hostels Lakes Walk Trans Pennine Way Wainwright Memorial Walk Wainwright's Remote Lakeland Wainwrights Way Walking Round the Lakes Way of the Roses West Pennine Moors Bridleway Loop (under construction) West Pennine Way Westmorland Heritage Walk Westmorland Way Whippet Way Along the River Yarrow William Wordsworth Way Windermere - Walking Around the Lake Windermere Way Click to show 75 more Other Paths

Downloads:

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Route Profile:

225.8 km (140.3 miles)
4,569 m (14,990 ft) ascent
584 m (1,916 ft)  maximum height

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