Walk · Cumbria

Maryport to Dearham up the Ellen valley

Maryport · CA15 6BB

4.4MILES

2h 20mON FOOT

90mCLIMB

Out & backSHAPE

Off-road 80% 20% shares tarmac with cars

Field & moor path 55%Lane & track 25%Road with traffic 20%

Our drawing of the route — the shape of the walk, not a navigation aid. Carry OS Explorer on the hill. Off-lead information here is what walkers reported or what signage allows — never our advice. Whether and when a dog is off the lead is the owner’s decision and legal responsibility; keep dogs under control near livestock and follow signs on the day.

Starts at

Ellenfoot Bridge, Maryport town centre CA15 6BB

Parking

Free town-centre parking on Senhouse Street and at the Lower Church Street car park; both are busy on weekday mornings but clear by mid-afternoon

Directions to the start →

Inland from the bridge at Ellenfoot, following the River Ellen east past Netherhall and through the low farmland of the valley to the village of Dearham. It is the sheltered option when the wind is off the Solway and the promenade is unbearable, and the river bank holds trees for most of the way. Field sections are grazed and there are gates rather than stiles on the main line of the path. Turn at Dearham and come back, or catch the bus from the village.

THE SMALL PRINTThe path is unrestricted under Cumberland Council Public Spaces Protection Order (No. 1) 2024, but Dearham Cemetery, Row Brow (CA15 7HX) and St Mary's Church, Maryport (CA15 7HX) at either end are Schedule B dogs-on-lead areas, and the Bowling Green (CA15 7JA) and the play area on Pottery Lane (CA15 7HA) at Dearham are Schedule C dog exclusion areas. The valley fields are grazed.

House rules, decoded

Livestock — leads on

REGION · CUMBRIA

GRID · 54.7130, -3.4930

SOURCE · HTTPS://WWW.CUMBERLAND.GOV.UK/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/2025-05/APPENDIX%201%20PUBLIC%20SPACE%20PROTECTION%20ORDER.PDF

Maryport to Dearham up the Ellen valley

House rules, decoded

Annabell's Tea Room

Butchers Arms

Captain Nelson

Cottages you can book near Maryport

Tell us the pub we have not walked into yet.

Get the new stamps first.

Your patch, watched for you.