This stage takes you from the A595 road near Cockermouth to Swarthy Hill via Maryport and is approximately 17.5km or 11 miles in length with a total ascent of 142m and total descent of 271m.

From Maryport onwards you are sharing a path with the Cumbria Coastal Way for most of the way.

Alternatives

This section has an alternative route to skip Maryport. In Fred Harper's book this happens quite early at Tallentire and uses footpaths and a bridleway to get you to Crosby and from there on to the coast.

For some reason the Ordnance Survey now show a different route where the diversion only starts at Dearham and uses a road and footpath to get to Crosby.