KESWICK AND THE NORTH LAKE DISTRICT
Getting Around the Lake District
William Wordsworth’s poems still shiver in trees and ripple on ponds in the pristine playgrounds of the Lake District. Nature rules this land, and people keep a wide-eyed but low profile. It’s a place to relax, recharge, and renew your poetic license.
There’s a walking-stick charm about the way nature and culture mix here. Cruising a lake, walking along a windblown ridge, or climbing over a rock fence to look into the eyes of a ragamuffin sheep, even tenderfeet get a chance to feel outdoorsy.
The tradition of staying close to the land remains true—albeit in an updated form—in the 21st century; restaurants serve organic food and windows host stickers advocating environmental causes.
Expect rain mixed with brilliant “bright spells.” Drizzly days can be followed by sunny evenings, so dress in layers. Pubs offer atmospheric shelter at every turn. Enjoy the long days. At this latitude it’s light until 22:00 in midsummer.
Plan to spend the majority of your time in the unspoiled North Lake District. Make your home base in Keswick, near the lake called Derwentwater. The North Lake District works great by car or by bus (with easy train access via Penrith), delights nature lovers, and has good accommodations to boot. The South Lake District—slightly closer to London—is famous primarily for its Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter sights, and gets the promotion, the tour crowds, and the tackiness that comes with them. Buck the trend and focus on the north.
A visit here is only worthwhile if you make time to head up into the hills or out on the water at least once. And if great scenery is commonplace in your life, the Lake District can be more soothing (and rainy) than exciting.
Nearly all the activities on Day 1 can be enjoyed without a car.
Day 1: Spend the morning (3-4 hours) combining a Derwentwater lake cruise with a hike: take the boat partway around the lake, get off at one of the stops to do either the Catbells high-ridge hike or the easier lakeside walk, then hop back on the boat at a later stop to finish the cruise.
For the afternoon, choose among hiking to Castlerigg Stone Circle (one-mile hike from Keswick, or three-mile drive), taking the Walla Crag hike (allow two hours), and visiting the Pencil Museum. Drivers could take the Latrigg Peak hike (trailhead is just outside Keswick).
On any evening: Enjoy a pub dinner and stroll through Keswick. Take a hike or evening cruise (or rent a rowboat), play pitch-and-putt golf, or see a play. Hike to the ancient stone circle—if you haven’t yet—to toast the sunset (BYOT).
Day 2: Drivers have these options:
• Take the scenic loop drive from Keswick through the Newlands Valley, Buttermere, Honister Pass, and Borrowdale. Allow two hours for the drive; by adding stops for the Buttermere hike (an easy four miles) and the slate-mine tour at Honister Pass (last tour at 15:30), you’ll have a full, fun day.
• Drive to Glenridding for a cruise and seven-mile hike along Ullswater (allow a day). For a shorter Ullswater experience, hike up to the Aira Force waterfall (1 hour) or up and around Lanty’s Tarn (2-2.5 hours).
• You could day-trip into the South Lake District, though it only makes sense if you’re interested in the Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter sights. Visiting the sights also works well en route if you’re driving between Keswick and points south.
Nondrivers have these options:
• Take bus #77 or #77A, the Honister Rambler, which makes a lovely loop from Keswick around Derwentwater, over Honister Pass, through Buttermere, and down the Whinlatter Valley. You could get out at Buttermere to take the four-mile hike. Another good bus option is taking #78, the Borrowdale Rambler, which does another scenic loop from Keswick. See here for bus specifics.
The Lake District is arguably the most scenic district in all of England.
▲▲Theatre by the Lake Top-notch theater, a pleasant stroll from Keswick’s main square. Hours: Shows generally at 20:00 in summer, possibly earlier fall through spring; box office open daily 9:30-20:00. See here.
▲Derwentwater Lake immediately south of Keswick, with good boat service and trails. See here.
▲Pencil Museum Paean to graphite-filled wooden sticks. Hours: Daily 9:30-17:00. See here.
▲Pitch and Putt Golf Cheap, easygoing course in Hope Park. Hours: Daily from 10:00, last start at 18:00, but possibly later in summer, closed Nov-Feb. See here.
▲▲▲Scenic Loop Drive South of Keswick Two-hour drive through the best of the Lake District’s scenery, with plenty of fun stops (including the fascinating Honister Slate Mine) and short side-trip options. See here.
▲▲Castlerigg Stone Circle Evocative ring of Neolithic stones. See here.
▲▲Catbells High Ridge Hike Two-hour hike along dramatic ridge southwest of Keswick. See here.
▲▲Buttermere Hike Four-mile, low-impact lakeside loop in a gorgeous setting. See here.
▲Honister Slate Mine A 1.5-hour guided hike through a 19th-century mine at the top of Honister Pass. Hours: Daily at 10:30, 12:30, and 15:30; also at 14:00 in summer; Dec-Jan 12:30 tour only. See here.
▲▲Ullswater Hike and Boat Ride Long lake best enjoyed via steamer boat and seven-mile walk. Hours: Boats generally depart daily 9:45-16:45, 6-9/day April-Oct, fewer off-season. See here.
▲▲Lanty’s Tarn and Keldas Hill Moderately challenging 2.5-mile loop hike from Glenridding with sweeping views of Ullswater. See here.
▲Aira Force Waterfall Easy, short uphill hike to thundering waterfall. See here.
▲▲Dove Cottage and Wordsworth Museum The poet’s humble home, with a museum that tells the story of his remarkable life. Hours: Daily March-Oct 9:30-17:30, Nov-Feb 9:30-16:30 except closed Jan. See here.
▲Rydal Mount Wordsworth’s later, more upscale home. Hours: March-Oct daily 9:30-17:00; Nov-Dec and Feb Wed-Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Mon-Tue; closed Jan. See here.
▲Hill Top Farm Beatrix Potter’s painstakingly preserved cottage. Hours: June-Aug Sat-Thu 10:00-17:30, April-May and Sept-Oct Sat-Thu 10:30-16:30, mid-Feb-March Sat-Thu 10:30-15:30, closed Nov-mid-Feb and Fri year-round. See here.
▲Beatrix Potter Gallery Collection of artwork by and background on the creator of Peter Rabbit. Hours: April-Oct Sat-Thu 10:30-17:00, mid-Feb-March Sat-Thu 10:30-15:30, closed Fri (except possibly in summer) and Nov-mid-Feb. See here.
• Take a minibus tour (see “Tours,” later).
• Rent a bike in Keswick and make a three-hour loop along the old railway track (now a bike path) and return via the stone circle. See here.
Rainy Day Activities: Take a hike anyway and wear rain gear; the weather could improve (or not). Visit the Pencil Museum, go swimming at the indoor pool, take a lake cruise (boats have a covered section), tour the slate mine, or relax at a pub or your B&B.
Keswick (KEZ-ick, population 5,000) is far more enjoyable than other touristy Lake District towns. An important mining center for slate, copper, and lead through the Middle Ages, Keswick became a resort in the 19th century. Its fine Victorian buildings recall those Romantic days when city slickers first learned about “communing with nature.”
Today, the compact town is lined with tearooms, pubs, gift shops, and hiking-gear shops. The lake called Derwentwater is a pleasant 10-minute walk from the town center.
Keswick is an ideal home base, with plenty of good B&Bs, an easy bus connection to the nearest train station at Penrith, and a prime location near the best lake in the area, Derwentwater. In Keswick, everything is within a 10-minute walk of everything else: the pedestrian-only town square, the TI, recommended B&Bs, grocery stores, the main bus stop, a lakeside boat dock, and a central parking lot.
Located on the main square is the town centerpiece, Moot Hall (meaning “meeting hall”), which once had a 16th-century copper warehouse upstairs with an arcade below. The square is lively every day throughout the summer, especially on market days—Thursdays and Saturdays.
Keswick is popular with English holidaymakers who prefer to bring their dogs with them on vacation. The town square in Keswick can look like the Westminster Dog Show.
Tourist Information: The National Park Visitors Centre/TI is in Moot Hall on the town square. Staffers are pros at advising you about hiking routes. They can also help you figure out public transportation to outlying sights and tell you about the region’s various adventure activities (daily Easter-Oct 9:30-17:30, Nov-Easter 9:30-16:30, tel. 017687/72645, www.lakedistrict.gov.uk and www.keswick.org).
The TI sells theater tickets, Keswick Launch tickets (at a £1 discount), fishing licenses, and brochures and maps that outline nearby hikes (£1-2, including a simple and driver-friendly Lap Map featuring sights, walks, and a mileage chart). The TI also has books and maps for hikers, cyclists, and drivers (more books are sold at shops all over town).
Check the boards inside the TI’s foyer for information about walks, talks, and entertainment. You can also pick up the Events and Guided Walks guide. The daily weather forecast is posted just outside the front door (weather tel. 0844-846-2444).
KR Guided Walks offers private guided hikes of varying levels of difficulty. The guides also provide transportation from Keswick to the trailhead (£80/day, Easter-Oct, wear suitable clothing and footwear, bring lunch and water, must book in advance, tel. 017687/71302, mobile 0709-176-5860, www.keswickrambles.org.uk, booking@keswickrambles.org.uk).
Free walks are offered several times a month in summer by TIs throughout the region. They’re led by “Voluntary Rangers” (depart from Keswick TI; check schedule in the Events and Guided Walks guide, optional contribution welcome at end of walk).
Bus tours are great for people with bucks who’d like to wring maximum experience out of their limited time and see the area without lots of hiking or messing with public transport. (For a cheaper alternative, take public buses.) Mountain Goat Tours is the region’s dominant tour company. Unfortunately, they run their minibus tours out of Windermere, though a few of their tours offer pickups on certain days in Keswick. If you head to Windermere to join a tour, add about an extra hour round-trip for the drive or bus ride (tours run daily, £28/half-day, £40-50/day, year-round if there are sufficient sign-ups, minimum 4 people to a maximum of 16 per bus, book in advance by calling 015394/45161, www.mountain-goat.com, enquiries@mountain-goat.com). Show Me Cumbria Private Tours runs personalized tours all around the Lake District, and can pick you up in Keswick and other locations. Andy charges per hour, not per person, so his tours are a fine value for small groups (£30/hour, 1-6 people per tour, room for 2 small children in built-in child seats, based in Penrith, tel. 01768/864-825, mobile 0780-902-6357, www.showmecumbria.co.uk, andy@showmecumbria.co.uk).
Map: Derwentwater & Newlands Valley
One of Cumbria’s most photographed and popular lakes, Derwentwater has four islands, good circular boat service, and plenty of trails. The pleasant town of Keswick is a short stroll from the shore, near the lake’s north end. The roadside views aren’t much, and while you can walk around the lake (fine trail, floods in heavy rains, 9 miles, 4 hours), much of the walk is boring. You’re better off mixing a hike and boat ride, or simply enjoying the circular boat tour of the lake.
Derwentwater is just a 10-minute walk from the ideal home-base town of Keswick.
Boating on Derwentwater: Keswick Launch runs two cruises an hour, alternating clockwise and “anticlockwise” (boats depart on the half-hour, daily 10:00-16:30, July-Aug until 17:30, in winter 5-6/day generally weekends and holidays only, at end of Lake Road, tel. 017687/72263, www.keswick-launch.co.uk). Boats make seven stops on each 50-minute round-trip (may skip some stops or not run at all if the water level is high—such as after a heavy rain). The boat trip costs about £2 per segment (cheaper the more segments you buy) or £10 per circle (£1 less if you book through TI) with free stopovers; you can get on and off all you want, but tickets are collected on the boat’s last leg to Keswick, marking the end of your ride. If you want to hop on a #77/#77A bus and also cruise Derwentwater, the £13 Derwentwater Bus & Boat all-day pass covers both. To be picked up at a certain stop, stand at the end of the pier, or the boat may not stop. See the map for an overview of all the boat stops.
Keswick Launch also has a delightful evening cruise (see here) and rents rowboats for up to three people (£8/30 minutes, £12/hour, open Easter-Oct, larger rowboats and motor boats available).
Combining Boating and Hiking: You have two great options for taking the boat to reach a trail, hiking scenically to another dock, then getting back on a later boat to finish the cruise. I like the two-hour Catbells High Ridge Hike (get off the boat at Hawes End, hike up and along the ridge, then catch a later boat at High Brandelhow; see next page for specifics). An easier option, using the same stops, is the Derwentwater Lakeside Walk. The trail runs all along the lake, but you can stroll just the best stretch—a 1.5-mile level trail through peaceful trees—between the docks at High Brandelhow and Hawes End (start from either dock).
Graphite was first discovered centuries ago in Keswick. A hunk of the stuff proved great for marking sheep in the 15th century. In 1832, the first crude Keswick pencil factory opened, and the rest is history (which is what you’ll learn about here). While you can’t actually tour the 150-year-old factory where the famous Derwent pencils were made, you can enjoy the smell of thousands of pencils getting sharpened for the first time. The adjacent charming and kid-friendly museum is a good way to pass a rainy hour; you may even catch an artist’s demonstration. Take a look at the exhibit on “war pencils,” which were made for WWII bomber crews (filled with tiny maps and compasses). Relax in the theater with a 10-minute video on the pencil-manufacturing process, followed by a sleepy animated-snowman short (drawn with Rexel Cumberland pencils).
Cost and Hours: £4.75, daily 9:30-17:00, last entry one hour before closing, humble café, 3-minute walk from town center, signposted off Main Street, tel. 017687/73626, www.pencilmuseum.co.uk.
For some reason, 70 percent of England’s stone circles are here in Cumbria. Castlerigg is one of the best and oldest in Britain, and an easy stop for drivers. The circle—90 feet across and 5,000 years old—has 38 stones mysteriously laid out on a line between the two tallest peaks on the horizon. They served as a celestial calendar for ritual celebrations. Imagine the ambience here, as ancient people filled this clearing in spring to celebrate fertility, in late summer to commemorate the harvest, and in the winter to celebrate the winter solstice and the coming renewal of light. Festival dates were dictated by how the sun rose and set in relation to the stones. The more that modern academics study this circle, the more meaning they find in the placement of the stones. The two front stones face due north, toward a cut in the mountains. The rare-for-stone-circles “sanctuary” lines up with its center stone to mark where the sun rises on May Day. (Party!) For maximum “goose pimples” (as they say here), show up at sunset (free, open all the time, 1-mile hike from town; by car it’s a 3-mile drive east of Keswick—follow brown signs, 3 minutes off the A-66, easy parking; see map on here).
Castlerigg Stone Circle
For an easy, flat stroll, consider the trail that runs alongside Derwentwater (see “Derwentwater Lakeside Walk,” earlier). Longer options are described below. For tips on hiking, see “Getting Around the Lake District—By Foot” on here.
Rick’s Tip: Tiny biting insects called midges—similar to no-see-ums—might bug you in this region from late May through September, particularly at dawn and dusk. Insect repellant fends them off: Ask the locals what works if you’ll be hiking.
Catbells is probably the most dramatic family walk in the area. From Keswick and the lake, you’ll see silhouetted hikers—looking like stick figures—on the ridge. If you go, wear sturdy shoes, bring a raincoat, and watch your footing. You’ll be rewarded with a great “king of the mountain” feeling, 360-degree views, and a close-up look at the weather blowing over the ridge.
You’ll hike above Derwentwater about two hours from Hawes End up along the ridge to Catbells (1,480 feet) and down to High Brandelhow. Because the mountaintop is basically treeless, you’re treated to striking panoramas the entire way up. From High Brandelhow, you can catch the boat back to Keswick or take the easy path along the shore of Derwentwater to your Hawes End starting point. (Extending the hike farther around the lake to Lodore takes you to a waterfall, a fine café, and another boat dock for a convenient return to Keswick.) Note: When the water level is high (for example, after a heavy rain), boats can’t stop at Hawes End—ask at the TI or boat dock before setting out.
Getting There: To reach the trailhead from Keswick, catch the “anticlockwise” boat (see “Boating on Derwentwater,” earlier) and ride for 10 minutes to the second stop, Hawes End. (You can also ride to High Brandelhow and take this walk in the other direction, but I don’t recommend it—two rocky scrambles along the way are easier and safer to navigate going uphill from Hawes End.) Note the schedule for your return boat ride. Drivers can park free at Hawes End, but parking is limited and the road can be hard to find—get clear directions in town before heading out. (Hardcore hikers can walk to the foot of Catbells from Keswick via Portinscale, which takes about 40 minutes—ask your B&B or the TI for directions.) The Keswick TI sells a Catbells brochure about the hike (£1).
The Route: The path is not signposted, but it’s easy to follow, and you’ll see plenty of other walkers. From Hawes End, walk away from the lake through a kissing gate to the turn just before the parking lot. Then turn left and go up, up, up. After about 20 minutes, you’ll hit the first of two short scrambles (where the trail vanishes into a cluster of steep rocks), which leads to a bluff. From the first little summit (great for a picnic break), and then along the ridge, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of the lake on one side and of Newlands Valley on the other. The bald peak in the distance is Catbells. Broken stones crunch under each step, wind buffets your ears, clouds prowl overhead, and the sheep baa comically. Just below the summit, the trail disintegrates into another short, steep scramble. Your reward is just beyond: a magnificent hilltop perch.
Catbells High Ridge
After the Catbells summit, descend along the ridge to a saddle ahead. The ridge continues much higher, and while it may look like your only option, at its base a small unmarked lane with comfortable steps leads left. Take this path down to the lake. To get to High Brandelhow Pier, take the first left fork you come across down through a forest to the lake. When you reach Abbot’s Bay, go left through a swinging gate, following a lakeside trail around a gravelly bluff, to the idyllic High Brandelhow Pier, a peaceful place to wait for your boat back to Keswick. (You can pay your fare when you board.)
Outside Keswick, this ideal little lake with a lovely circular four-mile stroll offers nonstop, no-sweat Lake District beauty. If you’re not a hiker (but kind of wish you were), take this walk. If you’re short on time, at least stop here and get your shoes dirty.
Buttermere is connected with Borrowdale and Derwentwater by a great road that runs over the rugged Honister Pass. Buses #77/#77A make a 1.5-hour round-trip loop between Keswick and Buttermere that includes a trip over this pass. The two-pub hamlet of Buttermere has a pay-and-display parking lot, but many drivers park for free along the side of the road. The Syke Farm in Buttermere is popular for its homemade ice cream (tel. 017687/70277).
Buttermere hike
Another pay parking lot is at the Honister Pass end of the lake (at Gatesgarth Farm).
This two-hour-long drive south of Keswick, which includes Newlands Valley, Buttermere, Honister Pass, and Borrowdale, gives you the best scenery you’ll find in the North Lake District. (To do a similar route without a car from Keswick, take loop bus #77/#77A.) Distances are short, roads are quite narrow but have turnouts, and views are rewarding. Get a good map and ask your B&B host for advice. (For an overview of the route, see the map on here.)
From Keswick, leave town on Crosthwaite Road, then, at the roundabout, head west on Cockermouth Road (A-66, following Cockermouth and Workington signs). Don’t take the first Newlands Valley exit, but do take the second one (through Braithwaite), and follow signs up the majestic Newlands Valley (also signed for Buttermere).
If the Newlands Valley had a lake, it would be packed with tourists. But it doesn’t—and it isn’t. The valley is dotted with 500-year-old family-owned farms. Shearing day is a reason to rush home from school. Sons get school out of the way ASAP and follow their dads into the family business. Neighbor girls marry those sons and move in.
Grandparents retire to the cottage next door. With the price of wool depressed, most of the wives supplement the family income by running B&Bs (virtually every farm in the valley rents rooms). The road has one lane, with turnouts for passing. From the Newlands Pass summit, notice the glacial-shaped wilds, once forested, now not.
From the parking lot at Newlands Pass, at the top of Newlands Valley (unmarked, but you’ll see a waterfall on the left), an easy 300-yard hike leads to a little waterfall. On the other side of the road, an easy one-mile hike climbs up to Knott Rigg, which probably offers more TPCB (thrills per calorie burned) than any walk in the region.
After Newlands Pass, descend to Buttermere (scenic lake, tiny hamlet with pubs and an ice-cream store—see “Buttermere Hike,” earlier), turn left, drive the length of the lake, and climb over rugged Honister Pass—strewn with glacial debris, remnants from the old slate mines, and curious shaggy Swaledale sheep (looking more like goats with their curly horns). The U-shaped valleys you’ll see are textbook examples of those carved out by glaciers. Look high on the hillsides for “hanging valleys”—small glacial-shaped scoops cut off by the huge flow of the biggest glacier, which swept down the main valley.
The Honister Slate Mine, England’s last still-functioning slate mine (and worth ▲), stands at the summit of Honister Pass. The hostel next to it was originally built to house miners in the 1920s. The mine offers worthwhile tours (perfect for when it’s pouring outside): You’ll put on a hard hat, load onto a bus for a short climb, then hike into a shaft to learn about the region’s slate industry. It’s a long, stooped hike into the mountain, made interesting by the guide and punctuated by the sound of your helmet scraping against low bits of the shaft. Standing deep in the mountain, surrounded by slate scrap and the beams of 30 headlamps fluttering around like fireflies, you’ll learn of the hardships of miners’ lives and how “green gold” is trendy once again, making the mine viable. Even if you don’t have time to take the tour, stop here for its slate-filled shop (£12.50, 1.5-hour tour; departs daily at 10:30, 12:30, and 15:30; additional tour at 14:00 in summer; Dec-Jan 12:30 tour only; call ahead to confirm times and to book a spot, helmets and lamps provided, wear good walking shoes and bring warm clothing even in summer, café and nice WCs, tel. 017687/77230, www.honister.com).
You’ll find scenic vistas everywhere you venture in the Lake District.
After stark and lonely Honister Pass, drop into sweet and homey Borrowdale, with a few lonely hamlets and fine hikes from Seathwaite. Circling back to Keswick past Borrowdale, the B-5289 (a.k.a. the Borrowdale Valley Road) takes you past the following popular attractions.
A set of stairs leads to the top of the house-size Bowder Stone (signposted, a few minutes’ walk off the main road). For a great lunch or snack, including tea and homemade quiche and cakes, drop into the much-loved High Lodore Farm Café (Easter-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, closed Nov-Easter, short drive uphill from the main road and over a tiny bridge, tel. 017687/77221). Farther along, Lodore Falls is a short walk from the road, behind Lodore Hotel (a nice place to stop for tea and beautiful views). Shepherds Crag, a cliff overlooking Lodore, was made famous by pioneer rock climbers. This is risky climbing, with several fatalities a year.
A very hard right off the B-5289 (signposted Ashness Bridge, Watendlath) and a steep half-mile climb on a narrow lane takes you to the postcard-pretty Ashness Packhorse Bridge, a quintessential Lake District scene (parking lot just above on right). A half-mile farther up, park the car and hop out (parking lot on left, no sign). You’ll be startled by the “surprise view” of Derwentwater—great for a lakes photo op. Continuing from here, the road gets extremely narrow en route to the hamlet of Watendlath, which has a tiny lake and lazy farm animals.
Return to the B-5289 and head back to Keswick. If you have yet to see it, cap your drive with a short detour from Keswick to the Castlerigg Stone Circle.
For the easiest mountain-climbing sensation around, take the short drive to the Latrigg Peak parking lot just north of Keswick, and hike 15 minutes to the top of the 1,200-foot-high hill, where you’ll be rewarded with a commanding view of the town, lake, and valley, all the way to the next lake over (Bassenthwaite). At the traffic circle just outside Keswick, take the A-591 Carlisle exit, then an immediate right (direction: Ormathwaite/Underscar). Take the next right, a hard right, at the Skiddaw sign, where a long, steep, one-lane road leads to the Latrigg parking lot at the end of the lane. With more time, you can walk all the way from your Keswick B&B to Latrigg and back (it’s a popular evening walk for locals).
Watendlath’s little lake
From your Keswick B&B, a fine two-hour walk to Walla Crag offers great fell (mountain) walking and a ridge-walk experience without the necessity of a bus or car. Start by strolling along the lake to the Great Wood parking lot (or drive to this lot), and head up Cat Ghyl (where “fell runners”—trail-running enthusiasts—practice) to Walla Crag. You’ll be treated to great panoramic views over Derwentwater and surrounding peaks.
Right from downtown Keswick, this flat, easy, four-mile trail follows an old train track and the river to the village of Threlkeld (with two pubs). You can either walk back along the same path, or loop back via the Castlerigg Stone Circle (described earlier, roughly seven miles total). The Railway Path starts behind the leisure center (as you face the center, head right and around back; pick up £1 map/guide from TI).
A lush nine-hole pitch-and-putt golf course near the gardens in Hope Park separates the town from the lake and offers a classy, cheap, and convenient chance to golf near the birthplace of the sport. This is a fun, inexpensive experience—just right after a day of touring and before dinner (choose pitch-and-putt, putting, or 18 tame holes of “obstacle golf,” daily from 10:00, last round starts around 18:00, possibly later in summer, closed Nov-Feb, café, tel. 017687/73445).
While the leisure center doesn’t have a serious adult pool, it does have an indoor pool kids love, with a huge waterslide and wave machine (swim times vary by day and by season—call or check website, no towels or suits for rent, lockers-£1 deposit, 10-minute walk from town center, follow Station Road past Fitz Park and veer left, tel. 017687/72760, www.carlisleleisure.com).
Rick’s Tip: Keswick Street Theatre, a walk through the town and its history, takes place on Tuesday evenings in summer (£3, 1.5 hours, usually starts at 19:30, weekly late May-early July, details at TI).
Keswickians brag that they enjoy “London theater quality at Keswick prices.” Their theater offers events year-round and a wonderful rotation of six plays from late May through October (plays vary throughout the week, with music concerts on Sun in summer). There are two stages: The main one seats 400, and the smaller “studio” theater seats 100 (and features edgier plays that may involve rough language and/or nudity). Attending a play here is a fine opportunity to enjoy a classy night out.
Cost and Hours: £10-32, discounts for old and young, shows generally at 20:00, possibly earlier fall through spring, café, restaurant (pre-theater dinners start at 17:30 and must be booked 24 hours ahead by calling 017687/81102), parking at the adjacent lot is free after 19:00. It’s smart to buy tickets in advance—book at box office (daily 9:30-20:00), by phone (tel. 017687/74411), at TI, or at www.theatrebythelake.com.
In Hope Park, Keswick Launch’s evening lake cruise comes with a glass of wine and a mid-lake stop for a short commentary. You’re welcome to bring a picnic dinner and munch scenically as you cruise (£10.50, £24 family ticket, 1 hour, daily mid-July-Aug at 18:30 and 19:30—weather permitting and if enough people show up).
Keswick has a huge variety of eateries catering to visitors, but I’ve found nothing enticing at the top end. The places listed here are just good, basic values. Most stop serving by 21:00.
The Dog and Gun has good pub food and great pub ambience. Muscle up to the bar to order; then snag a table. Mind your head and tread carefully: Low ceilings and wooden beams loom overhead, while paws poke out from under tables below, as canines wait patiently for their masters (£6-10 meals, food served daily 12:00-21:00, famous goulash, dog treats, 2 Lake Road, tel. 017687/73463). To socialize with locals, drop by on quiz night, where tourists are welcomed (£1, proceeds go to Keswick’s Mountain Rescue team, 21:30 on most Thu).
The Pheasant is a walk outside town, but the food is worth the trek. The menu offers pub standards (fish pie, Cumbrian sausage, guinea fowl), as well as more inventive choices (£10-15 meals, kitchen open daily 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:00, bar open until 23:00, Crosthwaite Road, tel. 017687/72219). From the town square, walk past the Pencil Museum, hang a right onto Crosthwaite Road, and walk 10 minutes. For a more scenic route, cross the river into Fitz Park, go left along the riverside path until it ends at the gate to Crosthwaite Road, turn right, and walk five minutes.
Star of Siam serves authentic Thai dishes in a tasteful dining room (£8-11 plates, £10 lunch specials, daily 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-22:30, 89 Main Street, tel. 017687/71444).
Abraham’s Tea Room, tucked away on the upper floor of the giant George Fisher outdoor store, is a fine value for lunch (£5-9 soups, salads, and sandwiches, gluten-free options; Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 10:30-16:30, on the corner where Lake Road turns right, tel. 017687/71811).
Maxwell’s Café serves burgers, tapas, and sandwiches during the day and cocktails in the evening. Outside tables face a big parking lot (£8 meals, Hendersons Yard, find the narrow walkway off Market Street between pink Johnson’s sweet shop and The Golden Lion, tel. 017687/74492).
Bryson’s Bakery and Tea Room has an inviting ground-floor bakery, serving light lunches and sandwiches (a bit cheaper if you get it to go). Upstairs is a popular tearoom. Their £22.50 two-person Cumberland Cream Tea is like afternoon tea in London, but less expensive and made with local products (£4-8 meals, daily 9:00-17:00, 42 Main Street, tel. 017687/72257).
Pumpkin has a small café space but a huge following. Stop by for homemade muffins, espresso, or a hot salmon salad (prices higher if you eat in, daily 9:00-16:30, 19 Lake Road, tel. 017687/75973).
Casa Bella is family-friendly, Italian, and popular—reserve ahead (£8-11 pizzas and pastas, daily 12:00-15:30 & 17:00-21:00, 24 Station Street, tel. 017687/75575, www.casabellakeswick.co.uk).
Lakes Bar & Bistro, across the street, offers burgers, meat pies, and good fixed-price meal deals (£4-7 starters, £10-13 main dishes, £14 two-course and £17 three-course meals, daily 10:00-23:00, 25 Station Street, tel. 017687/74088).
The Old Keswickian, on the town square, serves up old-fashioned fish-and-chips to go (Sun-Thu 11:00-22:30, Fri-Sat 11:00-23:30, closes earlier in winter).
The Cornish Pasty, just off the town square, offers an appealing variety of fresh meat pies to go (£3-4 pies, daily 9:00-17:00 or until the pasties are all gone, across from The Dog and Gun on Borrowdale Road, tel. 017687/72205).
For picnic supplies, try Booths supermarket, right where all the buses arrive (Mon-Sat 8:00-21:00, Sun 9:30-16:00, The Headlands).
Rick’s Tip: Advertised throughout this area, Kendal mint cakes are a local candy—big, flat, mint-flavored sugar cubes worth a try.
Reserve your room in advance in high season. From November through March, you should have no trouble finding a room. But to get a particular place (especially on Saturdays), call ahead. Also book ahead for the summer, when festivals and conventions draw crowds and accommodations fill up. Please honor your bookings—the B&B proprietors lose out on much-needed business if you don’t show up.
Many of these listings charge extra for a one-night stay. Most won’t book one-night stays on weekends (but if you show up and they have a bed free, it’s yours). None of these listings have elevators and all have lots of stairs—ask for a ground-floor room if steps are a problem. Most listings don’t welcome young children (generally under ages 8-12). If you have trouble finding a room that accepts small children, try searching online at www.keswick.org.
Most accommodations have inviting lounges with libraries of books on the region and loaner maps. Take advantage of these lounges to transform your tight B&B room into a suite. Expect huge breakfasts and shower systems that might need to be switched on to get hot water. Parking is easy (each place has a line on parking).
This street, quiet but just a block from Keswick’s town center, is lined with moderate B&Bs situated in Victorian slate townhouses. Each of these places is small and family-run. They all offer comfortably sized rooms, free parking, and a friendly welcome.
$$ Ellergill Guest House has four spic-and-span rooms with an airy, contemporary feel—several with views (Db-£70-90 depending on room size, 2 percent surcharge for credit cards, 2-night minimum, no children under age 10, 22 Stanger Street, tel. 017687/73347, www.ellergill.co.uk, stay@ellergill.co.uk).
$$ Badgers Wood B&B, at the top of the street, has six modern, bright, unfrilly view rooms (Db-£78-83, 3 percent surcharge for credit cards, 2-night minimum, no children under age 10, special diets accommodated, 30 Stanger Street, tel. 017687/72621, www.badgers-wood.co.uk, enquiries@badgers-wood.co.uk).
$$ Abacourt House, with a daisy-fresh breakfast room, has five pleasant doubles (Db-£76-84, 3 percent surcharge for credit cards, no children, £5 sack lunches available, 26 Stanger Street, tel. 017687/72967, www.abacourt.co.uk, abacourt.keswick@btinternet.com).
$$ Dunsford Guest House rents four recently updated rooms at bargain prices. Stained glass and wooden pews give the breakfast room a country-chapel vibe (Db-£70, cash only, mention this book when reserving, 16 Stanger Street, tel. 017687/75059, www.dunsford.net, enquiries@dunsford.net).
The Heads is a classy area lined with grand Victorian homes, close to the lake and theater, with great views overlooking the golf course and out into the hilly distance. A single yellow line on the curb means you’re allowed to park there for free, but only overnight (16:00-10:00).
$$$ Howe Keld has the polished feel of a boutique hotel with all the friendliness of a B&B. Its 12 posh rooms are spacious and tastefully decked out. The breakfast is one of the best I’ve had in England (standard Db-£100-110, superior Db-£110-120, cash and 2-night minimum preferred, discount for 2 or more nights, family deals, tel. 017687/72417 or toll-free 0800-783-0212, www.howekeld.co.uk, david@howekeld.co.uk).
$$$ Parkfield House is a big, thoughtfully run Victorian house with a homey lounge. Its six rooms, some with fine views, are bright and attractive (Db-£85, superior king Db-£115, ask for discount with this book but you must reserve direct, 2-night minimum, no children under age 16, free parking, tel. 017687/72328, www.parkfield-keswick.co.uk, parkfieldkeswick@hotmail.co.uk).
$$$ Burleigh Mead B&B offers seven lovely rooms and a friendly welcome in a slate mansion from 1892 (north-facing Db with lesser views-£80-90, south-facing Db with grander views-£84-94, Db suite-£100-110, cash only, no children under age 8, tel. 017687/75935, www.burleighmead.co.uk, info@burleighmead.co.uk).
$$$ Hazeldene Hotel, on the corner of The Heads, rents 10 spacious rooms, many with commanding views (Db-£75-100 depending on view, one ground-floor unit available, free parking, tel. 017687/72106, www.hazeldene-hotel.co.uk, info@hazeldene-hotel.co.uk).
$$ Brundholme Guest House has four bright and comfy rooms, most with sweeping views at no extra charge (Db-£80, mini fridge, free parking, tel. 017687/73305, mobile 0773-943-5401, www.brundholme.co.uk, bazaly@hotmail.co.uk).
$$ Allerdale House, a classy stone mansion just southeast of the town center, holds six rooms. It’s within easy walking distance of downtown and the lake (standard Db-£80, superior Db-£94, mention this book when reserving, 3 percent surcharge for credit cards, free parking, 1 Eskin Street, tel. 017687/73891, www.allerdale-house.co.uk, reception@allerdale-house.co.uk).
These inexpensive hostels are handy sources of information and social fun.
$ Keswick Youth Hostel, with 85 beds in a converted old mill overlooking the river, has a big lounge and great riverside balcony. Travelers of all ages feel at home here, but book ahead for July through September—especially for family rooms (dorm bed-£13-30, members pay £3 less, breakfast extra, includes sheets, pay guest computer, free Wi-Fi, kitchen, laundry, café, bar, office open 7:00-23:00, center of town just off Station Road before river, tel. 017687/72484, www.yha.org.uk, keswick@yha.org.uk).
$ Derwentwater Hostel is a 220-year-old mansion on the shore of Derwentwater, two miles south of Keswick. It has 88 beds (dorm bed-£19-22, family rooms, breakfast extra, kitchen, laundry, 23:00 curfew; follow the B-5289 from Keswick—entrance is 2 miles along the Borrowdale Valley Road about 150 yards after Ashness exit—look for cottage and bus stop at bottom of the drive; tel. 017687/77246, www.derwentwater.org, contact@derwentwater.org).
For advice on the Ullswater area, visit the TI at the pay parking lot in the heart of the lakefront village of Glenridding (daily 9:30-17:30, tel. 017684/82414, www.visiteden.co.uk). This stop is easy for drivers. If busing from Keswick, you’d transfer in Penrith to bus #508 for Glenridding.
Long, narrow Ullswater, which some consider the loveliest lake in the area, offers diverse and grand Lake District scenery. While you can drive or cruise its nine-mile length, I’d ride the steamer boat from Glenridding halfway up the lake to Howtown (which is nothing more than a dock) and hike back. Or walk first, then enjoy an easy ride back.
The old-fashioned steamer boat (actually diesel-powered) leaves Glenridding regularly for Howtown (departs daily generally 9:45-16:45, 6-9/day April-Oct, fewer off-season, 40-minute trip, £6.40 one-way, £10.20 round-trip, £13.60 round-the-lake ticket lets you hop on and off, covered by £15 Ullswater Bus & Boat day pass, family rates, café at dock, £4 walking route map, tel. 017684/82229, www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk).
From Howtown, spend three to four hours hiking and dawdling along the well-marked path by the lake south to Patterdale, and then along the road back to Glenridding. This is a serious seven-mile walk with good views, varied terrain, and a few bridges and farms along the way. For a shorter hike from Howtown Pier, consider a three-mile loop around Hallin Fell. A rainy-day plan is to ride the covered boat up the lake to Pooley Bridge at the northern tip of the lake, then back to Glenridding (£13.60, 2 hours). Boats don’t run in really bad weather—call ahead if it looks iffy.
If you like the idea of an Ullswater-area hike, but aren’t up for the long huff from Howtown, consider this shorter loop that starts at the TI’s pay parking lot in Glenridding. It’s 2.5 miles, moderately challenging, and plenty scenic; before embarking, buy the TI’s well-described leaflet for this walk (allow 2-2.5 hours).
From the parking lot, head to the main road, turn right to cross the river, then turn right again immediately and follow the river up into the hills. After passing a row of cottages, turn left, cross the wooden bridge, and proceed up the hill through the swing gate. Just before the next swing gate, turn left (following Grisedale signs) and head to yet another gate. From here you can see the small lake called Lanty’s Tarn.
While you’ll eventually go through this gate and walk along the lake to finish the loop, first you can detour to the top of the adjacent hill, called Keldas, for sweeping views over the near side of Ullswater (to reach the summit, climb over the step gate and follow the faint path up the hill). Returning to—and passing through—the swing gate, you’ll walk along Lanty’s Tarn, then begin your slow, steep, and scenic descent into the Grisedale Valley. Reaching the valley floor (and passing a noisy dog breeder’s farm), cross the stone bridge, then turn left and follow the road all the way back to the lakefront, where a left turn returns you to Glenridding.
Wordsworth was inspired to write three poems at this powerful 60-foot-tall waterfall...and after taking this short walk, you’ll know why.
Park at the pay-and-display lot, just where the Troutbeck road from the A-66 hits the lake, on the A-592 between Pooley Bridge and Glenridding. There’s a delightful little park, a ranger trailer, and easy trails leading a half-mile uphill to the waterfall.
The South Lake District has a cheesiness that’s similar to other popular English resort destinations. Here, piles of low-end vacationers suffer through terrible traffic, slurp ice cream, and get candy floss caught in their hair.
The area around Windermere is worth a drive-through if you’re a fan of Wordsworth or Beatrix Potter, but you’ll still want to spend the majority of your Lake District time (and book your accommodations) up north.
Without a car, I’d skip the South Lake District entirely. But diehard Wordsworth fans could take bus #555 from Keswick to Windermere, then catch the hop-on, hop-off Lakeland Experience bus #599, which stops at the Wordsworth sights (3/hour Easter-late Sept, 2/hour late Sept-Oct, 50 minutes each way, £8 Central Lakes Dayrider all-day pass).
▲▲DOVE COTTAGE AND WORDSWORTH MUSEUM
William Wordsworth was one of the first writers to reject fast-paced city life. During England’s Industrial Age, hearts were muzzled and brains ruled. Science was in, machines were taming nature, and factory hours were taming humans. In reaction to these brainy ideals, a rare few—dubbed Romantics—began to embrace untamed nature and undomesticated emotions.
Back then, nobody climbed a mountain just because it was there—but Wordsworth did. He’d “wander lonely as a cloud” through the countryside, finding inspiration in “plain living and high thinking.” He soon attracted a circle of like-minded creative friends.
The emotional highs the Romantics felt weren’t all natural. Wordsworth and his poet friends Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Thomas de Quincey got stoned on opium and wrote poetry (Coleridge’s opium scale is on view in Dove Cottage). Today, opium is out of vogue, but the Romantic movement thrives as visitors continue to inundate the region.
For poets, this two-part visit is the top sight of the Lake District. Take a short tour of William Wordsworth’s humble cottage, and get inspired in its excellent museum, which displays original writings, sketches, personal items, and fine paintings.
The poet whose appreciation of nature and back-to-basics lifestyle put this area on the map spent his most productive years (1799-1808) in this well-preserved stone cottage on the edge of Grasmere. After functioning as the Dove and Olive Bow pub for almost 200 years, it was bought by his family. This is where Wordsworth got married, had kids, and wrote much of his best poetry. Still owned by the Wordsworth family, the furniture was his, and the place comes with some amazing artifacts, including the poet’s passport and suitcase (he packed light). Even during his lifetime, Wordsworth was famous, and Dove Cottage was turned into a museum in 1891—it’s now protected by the Wordsworth Trust.
Dove Cottage
Cost and Hours: £7.75, daily March-Oct 9:30-17:30, Nov-Feb 9:30-16:30 except closed Jan, café, bus #555 from Keswick, bus #555 or #599 from Windermere, tel. 015394/35544, www.wordsworth.org.uk. Parking costs £1 in the Dove Cottage lot off the main road (A-591), 50 yards from the site.
Visiting the Cottage and Museum: Even if you’re not a fan, Wordsworth’s appreciation of nature, his Romanticism, and the ways his friends unleashed their creative talents with such abandon are appealing. The 25-minute cottage tour (which departs regularly—you shouldn’t have to wait more than 30 minutes) and adjoining museum, with lots of actual manuscripts handwritten by Wordsworth and his illustrious friends, are both terrific. In dry weather, the garden where the poet was much inspired is worth a wander. (Visit this after leaving the cottage tour and pick up the description at the back door. The garden is closed when wet.) Allow 1.5 hours for this visit.
At the Wordsworth Museum
Located just down the road from Dove Cottage, this sight is worthwhile for Wordsworth fans. The poet’s final, higher-class home, with a lovely garden and view, lacks the humble charm of Dove Cottage, but still evokes the time and creative spirit of the literary giant who lived here for 37 years. His family repurchased it in 1969 (after a 100-year gap), and his great-great-great-granddaughter still calls it home on occasion, as shown by recent family photos sprinkled throughout the house. After a short intro by the attendant, you’ll be given an explanatory flier and are welcome to roam. Wander through the garden William himself designed, which has changed little since then. Surrounded by his nature, you can imagine the poet enjoying it with you. “O happy garden! Whose seclusion deep hath been so friendly to industrious hours; and to soft slumbers, that did gently steep our spirits, carrying with them dreams of flowers, and wild notes warbled among leafy bowers.”
Cost and Hours: £7.25; March-Oct daily 9:30-17:00; Nov-Dec and Feb Wed-Sun 11:00-16:00, closed Mon-Tue; closed Jan, occasionally closed for private functions—check website, tearoom, 1.5 miles north of Ambleside, well-signed, free and easy parking, bus #555 from Keswick, tel. 015394/33002, www.rydalmount.co.uk.
Of the many Beatrix Potter commercial ventures in the Lake District, there are two serious sights: her home at Hill Top Farm and her husband’s former office, which is now the Beatrix Potter Gallery, filled with her sketches and paintings. The sights are two miles apart, in or near Hawkshead, a 20-minute drive south of Ambleside. The Hawkshead TI is inside the Ooh-La-La gift shop across from the parking lot (tel. 015394/36946). Note that both of the major sights are closed on Friday (though the Beatrix Potter Gallery may be open on Fridays in summer—call ahead).
On busy summer days, the wait to get into Hill Top Farm can last several hours (only 8 people are allowed in every 5 minutes, and the timed-entry tickets must be bought in person). If you like cutesy tourist towns (Hawkshead), this can be a blessing. Otherwise, you’ll wish you were wandering in the woods with Wordsworth.
A hit with Beatrix Potter fans (and skippable for others), this dark and intimate cottage, swallowed up in the inspirational and rough nature around it, provides an enjoyable if quick experience. The six-room farm was left just as it was when she died in 1943. At her request, the house is set as if she had just stepped out—flowers on the tables, fire on, low lights. While there’s no printed information here, guides in each room are eager to explain things. Fans of her classic The Tale of Samuel Whiskers will recognize the home’s rooms, furniture, and views—the book and its illustrations were inspired by an invasion of rats when she bought this place.
Cost and Hours: Farmhouse-£9.50, tickets often sell out by 14:00 or even earlier during busy times; gardens-free; June-Aug Sat-Thu 10:00-17:30, April-May and Sept-Oct Sat-Thu 10:30-16:30, mid-Feb-March Sat-Thu 10:30-15:30, closed Nov-mid-Feb and Fri year-round, tel. 015394/36269, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top.
Hill Top Farm, Beatrix Potter’s home
Avoiding Crowds: You must buy tickets in person. To beat the lines, get to the ticket office when it opens—15 minutes before Hill Top starts its first tour. If you can’t make it early, call the farm for the current wait times (if no one answers, leave a message for the administrator; someone will call you back).
Getting There: The farm is located in Near Sawrey, a village two miles south of Hawkshead. Drivers can take the B-5286 and B-5285 from Ambleside or the B-5285 from Coniston—be prepared for extremely narrow roads with no shoulders that are often lined with stone walls. Park and buy tickets 150 yards down the road, and walk back to tour the place.
Located in the cute but extremely touristy town of Hawkshead, this gallery fills Beatrix’s husband’s former law office with the wonderful, intimate drawings and watercolors that she did to illustrate her books. Each year, the museum highlights a new theme and brings out a different set of her paintings, drawings, and other items. Unlike Hill Top, the gallery has plenty of explanation about her life and work, including touchscreen displays and information panels. Even non-Potter fans will find this museum rather charming and her art surprisingly interesting.
Cost and Hours: £5.50, April-Oct Sat-Thu 10:30-17:00, mid-Feb-March Sat-Thu 10:30-15:30, closed Fri except possibly in summer (June-Aug; call or check online), closed Nov-mid-Feb, Main Street, drivers use the nearby pay-and-display lot and walk 200 yards to the town center, tel. 015394/36355, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatrix-potter-gallery.
Beatrix Potter Gallery
Nothing is very far from Keswick and Derwentwater. Pick up a good map (any hotel can loan you one), get off the big roads, and leave the car, at least occasionally, for some walking. In summer, the Keswick-Ambleside-Windermere-Bowness corridor (A-591, connecting the North and South Lake District) suffers from congestion. Back lanes are far less trampled and lead you through forgotten villages, where sheep outnumber people and stone churchyards are filled with happily permanent residents.
To rent a car here, try Enterprise in Penrith, and reserve at least a day in advance. You can pick up the car in Penrith upon arrival in the Lake District. But they’ll even pick you up in Keswick and drive you back to their office to get the car, and also drive you back to Keswick after you’ve dropped it off (Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat 9:00-12:00, closed Sun, requires driver’s license and second form of ID, located at David Hayton Peugeot dealer, Haweswater Road, tel. 01768/893-840). Larger outfits are more likely to have a branch in Carlisle, which is a bit to the north but well-served by train (on the same Glasgow-Birmingham line as Penrith) and only a few minutes farther from the Keswick area.
Parking is tight throughout the region. It’s easiest to park in the pay-and-display lots (generally about £3/2-3 hours, £5/4-5 hours, and £7/12 hours; have coins on hand, as most machines don’t make change or won’t take credit cards without a chip). If you’re parking for free on the roadside, never park on double yellow lines.
If you want a break from driving, consider parking your car at your B&B and using buses to get to sights and trailheads.
Those based in Keswick without a car manage fine. Because of the region’s efforts to “green up” travel and cut down on car traffic, the bus service is efficient for hiking and sightseeing.
Keswick has no real bus station; buses stop at a turnout in front of the Booths supermarket. Local buses take you quickly and easily (if not always frequently) to all nearby points of interest. Check the schedule carefully to make sure you can catch the last bus home. Most bus routes run less frequently on Sundays.
The Lakes Connection booklet explains the schedules (available at TIs or on any bus; another resource is www.traveline.org.uk). On board, you can purchase an Explorer pass that lets you ride any Stagecoach bus throughout the area (£10.80/1 day, £24.70/3 days), or you can get one-day passes for certain routes (described below). The £13 Derwentwater Bus & Boat all-day pass covers the #77/#77A bus and a boat cruise on Derwentwater.
Buses #X4 and #X5 connect the Penrith train station to Keswick (hourly Mon-Sat, every 2 hours Sun, 45 minutes).
Bus #77/#77A, the Honister Rambler, makes the gorgeous circle from Keswick around Derwentwater, over Honister Pass, through Buttermere, and down the Whinlatter Valley (6/day clockwise, 5/day “anticlockwise,” daily Easter-Oct, 1.5-hour loop). Bus #78, the Borrowdale Rambler, goes topless in the summer, affording a wonderful sightseeing experience in and of itself, heading from Keswick to Lodore Hotel, Grange, Rosthwaite, and Seatoller at the base of Honister Pass (nearly hourly, daily Easter-Oct, more frequent late July-Aug, 30 minutes each way). Both of these routes are covered by the £8 Keswick and Honister Dayrider all-day pass.
Bus #508, the Kirkstone Rambler, runs between Penrith and Glenridding (near the bottom of Ullswater), stopping in Pooley Bridge (5/day, 45 minutes). The £15 Ullswater Bus & Boat all-day pass covers bus #508 as well as steamers on Ullswater.
Bus #505, the Coniston Rambler, connects Windermere with Hawkshead (about hourly, daily Easter-Oct, 35 minutes).
Bus #555 connects Keswick with the south (hourly, more frequent in summer, one hour to Windermere).
Bus #599, the open-top Lakeland Experience, runs along the main Windermere corridor, connecting the big tourist attractions in the south: Grasmere and Dove Cottage, Rydal Mount, Ambleside, Brockhole, Windermere, and Bowness Pier (3/hour Easter-late Sept, 2/hour late Sept-Oct, 50 minutes each way, £8 Central Lakes Dayrider all-day pass).
Boats cruise the larger lakes, stopping at docks along the way, allowing hikers to easily put together a fun cruise-hike-cruise combination. For example, a circular boat service glides you around Derwentwater (see here) and a steamer boat takes you up and down Ullswater (see here).
Hiking information is available everywhere. Don’t hike without a good, detailed map; there’s a wide selection at the Keswick TI and the many outdoor gear stores, or you can borrow one from your B&B. Helpful fliers at TIs and B&Bs describe the most popular routes. For an up-to-date weather report, ask at a TI or call 0844-846-2444. Wear suitable clothing and footwear (you can rent boots in town; B&Bs can likely loan you a good coat or an umbrella if weather looks threatening). Plan for rain. Watch your footing; injuries are common. Every year, several people die while hiking in the area (some from overexertion; others are blown off ridges).
Keswick works well as a springboard for bike rides; consider a three-hour loop trip up Newlands Valley, following the Railway Path along a former train track (now a biking path), and returning via the Castlerigg Stone Circle.
Several shops in Keswick rent road bikes and mountain bikes. Bikes come with helmets and advice for good trips. Try Whinlatter Bikes (£15/half-day, £20/day, Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun until 16:00, free touring maps, 82 Main Street, tel. 017687/73940, www.whinlatterbikes.com) or Keswick Bikes (£20/half-day, £25/day, daily 9:00-17:30, 133 Main Street, tel. 017687/73355, www.keswickbikes.co.uk).
If you’re relying on public transportation to get to Keswick (which lacks a train station), you’ll take the train to Penrith, then a bus to Keswick (see specifics later). For train and bus info, check at a TI, visit www.traveline.org.uk, or call 0345-748-4950 (train only).
The nearest train station to Keswick is in Penrith (no lockers).
Train Connections from Penrith to: Liverpool (nearly hourly, 2.5 hours, change in Wigan or Preston), Durham (hourly, 3 hours, change in Carlisle and Newcastle), York (2/hour, 3.5 hours, 1-2 transfers), London’s Euston Station (hourly, 4 hours), Edinburgh (9/day direct, 2 hours).
Buses link Penrith and Keswick (Stagecoach bus #X4 or #X5, hourly Mon-Sat, every 2 hours Sun, 45 minutes). Penrith’s bus stop is just outside the train station (bus schedules posted inside and outside station). Keswick doesn’t have an actual bus station either; buses stop at a turnout in front of the Booths supermarket.
Leave the M-6 at Penrith and take the A-66 motorway for 16 miles to Keswick.
