A runner in a red vest and postie’s cap bounds down a green fellside holding a letter, with a wide valley of farms and woods below.

Lake District · The Far Eastern Fells

The Postman’s Challenge

Take on the loneliest post round, in Shap, Cumbria

Until 1976, the local postman delivered mail to the remote farms and homes around Shap on foot: a tough 24 km, in all weathers, six days a week. Now it’s your turn.

Explore the route Post your round

the round: 24 km
at a steady run: 3–3½ hrs
of climb: 600 m
last walked by post: 1976

The challenge

Tougher than it looks.

Traversing three remote Lake District valleys, the round will leave you with nothing but respect for the village postie.

Until 1976, Shap’s postie walked this round six days a week, in every weather. Then Stuart Lewis, the last man to walk it, was told he’d be given a van.

It broke my heart. I loved the walk and went out in all weathers. There wasn’t a day when we didn’t complete the round even in mist, snow and ice.

Stuart LewisThe last postman to walk the round, 1976

Read the story of the round

Two smiling women hold up a delivered letter at the café’s old wooden post office counter, with the old post office clock on the wall behind. — Special delivery at the old post office counter

Why it starts at Birchwood Cafe

Stacy’s story

Stacy’s family ran Shap’s post office and sorting office for generations. Growing up, the family sorted the post at six every morning, and her father was one of the last postmen to walk the round.

Today Stacy runs Birchwood Cafe on Main Street, and the post office is still part of the furniture: an original post office counter, the old post office clock on the wall and a collection of postal memorabilia. The post always started here. So does the challenge.

About the café

Keeping the round on the go

“Since moving here five years ago it has become a regular running route for me and many local fell runners. It seemed obvious to us to share the opportunity to explore some of the Lake District’s most remote and rarely visited eastern fells, and also keep this historic round on the go.”

“The route can be enjoyed as a leisurely or social run, but if you’re really up for it, you could take on the postman’s challenge and add your name and time to the round book.”

Jude, Shap fell runner

Start at Birchwood CafeFill your bottles over the old post office counter, check your time against the old post office clock, and come back for cake.About the café →

The round

About 14.7 miles with 600 metres of climb, out through Swindale to the shepherd’s cottage at Mosedale and home through Wet Sleddale.

The round in pictures

Frosty abbey mornings, Swindale’s waterfalls, snow on the old tracks and long summer evenings on the fell.

The ruined tower of Shap Abbey on a frosty morning, a red van crossing the bridge. — Shap Abbey on a frosty morning

A runner passes a huge standing stone in a frosty field under a blue sky. — Past the Goggleby Stone

A runner stands on a rocky knoll looking down a long green valley. — Looking into Swindale

A tall waterfall pours into a dark pool between mossy crags. — Waterfalls on the way to Mosedale

Four runners stand outside a small white cottage on the open fell. — Mosedale Cottage, now a bothy

A walker follows a snowy track between stone walls into a white valley. — Snow on the old tracks

Brown autumn fellside falling away to a blue reservoir far below. — Above Wet Sleddale

Two women in postie caps deliver letters at the doorway of a ruined stone building. — Special delivery

Done the round?

Post your round

The posties’ day ended back in Shap with every letter delivered. Yours ends the same way: post your round and it’s delivered straight into the round book.

Do the round, recording it on any free GPS app.
Post it with a short form and your GPX file.
Franked and delivered. We check your route on the spot and your name goes in the book.

The Postman’s Challenge

Tougher than it looks.

Stacy’s story

Keeping the round on the go

The round

The round in pictures

Post your round

Plan your round

The route

Safety & respect

The round book

Follow the café