The Corpse Roads of Cumbria: A Journey Through Lake District History

There are plenty of old tracks winding through the Lake District, many of which have been used for hundreds of years. Some were created for farming, others for transporting goods between isolated communities. But a few have a rather more sombre history.

They're known as corpse roads, or coffin roads, and their original purpose was exactly what the name suggests.

What were corpse roads?

In centuries gone by, not every village had its own burial ground. Although smaller communities might have a chapel for worship, the right to bury the dead often belonged to a larger parish church, sometimes many miles away.

When somebody died, their body had to be transported to that church for burial.

In a landscape like Cumbria, that could mean a difficult journey across valleys, over mountain passes and along rough tracks, often with little shelter from the weather.

The coffin might be carried by friends and relatives or transported using a horse. Either way, it was a considerable undertaking, particularly in winter.

Some routes had resting places where those carrying a coffin could stop before continuing their journey.

These tracks weren't necessarily used exclusively for funerals. Many were important routes between communities, serving everyday travellers as well.

The Old Coffin Road at Loweswater

One of the best known examples in the western Lake District is the Old Coffin Road near Loweswater.

It's a popular way to begin a walk or cycle ride from Fangs Brow, with lovely views across Loweswater and the surrounding fells.

It's a beautiful stretch of countryside, but there's an interesting history behind the name.

For centuries, the people of Loweswater are believed to have transported their dead to St Bees Priory for burial. That's quite a journey by today's standards, never mind when the only available transport was on foot or horseback.

Research suggests Loweswater gained its own parochial status around 1403, bringing an end to the need for these long funeral journeys.

But there's another twist to the story.

Is it actually the original coffin road?

The track high above Loweswater is widely known as the Old Coffin Road. However, research by local historian Dr Roger Asquith suggests that it isn't the medieval route at all.

By comparing nineteenth century maps, he found that the higher track doesn't appear on the Ordnance Survey mapping of 1863 and 1864, but does appear on an enclosure map from 1865 and 1866.

That would make it several centuries too recent to have been used for the medieval funeral journeys.

The original route is thought to have followed lower ground, passing through what is now Holme Wood and continuing towards Fangs Brow.

The findings were subsequently published by local author Alan Cleaver, who had previously identified the higher track as the corpse road in the first edition of his book.

It's an interesting reminder that even well established local names and stories aren't always quite what they seem.

And it certainly doesn't make the higher track any less worth exploring. The views across Loweswater are some of the best in this part of the Lakes.

A suggested route around Loweswater

For anyone wanting to explore the area, the map below shows a suggested circular route taking in tracks around Fangs Brow, Burnbank Fell and Loweswater. It includes the higher fellside track commonly known as the Old Coffin Road, with some lovely views of the lake and surrounding fells.

The map is an overview rather than turn-by-turn navigation. Check an up-to-date map, current path conditions and access rights before setting off, particularly if cycling.

Other corpse roads in Cumbria

Loweswater is far from the only place with this history.

One of the better known routes crosses Burnmoor between Wasdale Head and Eskdale, where the dead were once taken for burial.

Another connected the former village of Mardale Green, now beneath Haweswater, with Shap.

These routes give some idea of the distances people were prepared, or required, to travel to bury their loved ones.

Today they're enjoyed by walkers exploring some of the quieter parts of the Lake District, often without realising what those paths were originally used for.

More than just a footpath

It's easy to think of the Lake District as a largely untouched landscape, but people have been living, farming and travelling through these valleys for thousands of years.

Many of the paths we use today have stories stretching back long before recreational walking or mountain biking became popular.

I think that's part of what makes exploring the Lakes so interesting. You can walk or cycle a familiar track dozens of times, then discover something about its history that makes you see it completely differently.

Next time you're following an old track through the fells, it's worth wondering who might have travelled that same route centuries before you.

Further reading

For anyone interested in exploring these historic routes, The Corpse Roads of Cumbria by Alan Cleaver and Lesley Park is well worth looking up.

First published in 2018, the book explores the county's ancient burial routes, including the history, folklore and traditions associated with them. It also includes walks following many of these old paths.

The book won the 2019 Lakeland Book of the Year award.

Alan has also written about the research into the original Loweswater route on his blog, Letters from the Lake District.

Read Alan Cleaver's article: The True Loweswater Corpse Road

Another route to explore

For a longer valley outing, read about the journey through Ennerdale to Black Sail Hut, on foot or by bike.