Welcome To Keswick
Introduction To Keswick
Keswick town is located in the north of the Lake District and is the most northern town, it is situated between the sixth highest wainwright, Skiddaw and the vast Derwentwater lake.
Keswick is surrounded by fells and has easy access to many areas within the Lake District from Ambleside and Buttermere. Keswick is home to many outdoor activity companies. Keswick is a market town with lots of shops, cafes and restaurants, if your after adventure activities Keswick is the place to stay for you!
Things To Do In Keswick
Cat Bells
Cat Bells is a small wainwright located just outside Keswick. The fell stands at 451 metres and is one of the most popular Lakeland fells in the area. Cat bells is located on the western shore of Derwent water.
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The Theatre by Lake is located by on the Northern shore of Derwent water within the town of Keswick.​ The Theatre offers many entertaining shows in a stunning location on Lake Derwent.
Castlerigg Stone Circle
Castlerigg Stone Circle is located on a hill to the east of Keswick in the Lake District National Park. The stone circle holds ancient history dating back to when it was formed in approximately 3200 to 2500 BC in the early Bronze age.
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The Derwent pencil museum in Located in Keswick town centre. The surrounding fells around Keswick were once used as lead mines this industry was big in Keswick and Keswick was home to the first pencil. The museum gives detail on the rich history of Keswick and lead mining.
Skiddaw is a wainwright in the north of the Lake District National Park located just above Keswick. Skiddaw is the 6th highest mountain in at 931m. This peak dominates the sky in the north of the Lakes and gives Keswick a stunning backdrop.
Derwent Water
Derwentwater, is a vast lake located in the North of The lake District just underneath Keswick. There are many things you are about to enjoy on Derwent Water such as, paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming and even boat trips. There are plenty of walks around Derwent Water aswell.
Places To Stay In Keswick
Keswick is a small town located in the north of the Lake District National Park. Keswick is surrounded by Lakeland fells in all directions. The town of Keswick has many different types of accommodation in many different areas around the town such as lakeside properties of stunning fell views properties.
Visit the link to find your desired property and your desired location in Keswick for your wonderful stay in one of the Lake Districts greatest locations.
Walks In Keswick
Keswick is a very popular area in the North Lake District with plenty of people passing by and staying every day. The Lake District is one of the best places in the UK for adventurous activities hiking being one of them. Keswick is surrounded by rolling hills and fells with dramatic scenery. There is a variety of walks around Keswick varying in difficulty and length to suit beginner hikers and more experienced hikers. Below are some of the breathtaking walks within the Keswick area that the Lake District has to offer.
Keswick Hiking Trails
1. Cat Bells
Distance - 5.8 km
Time - 2 .45 h
Elevation - 401 m
Difficulty - Easy
This walk up the iconic cat bells is a very popular walk as it is great for all kinds of hikers, this fairly short walk starts off with quite a steep climb which eventually levels out. There is a bit of a scramble just underneath the summit. The cat bells walk taking in all views from the surrounding areas. Find this route here
2. Derwent Water Circular
Distance - 15 km
Time - 3.30h
Elevation - 275 m
Difficulty - Easy
This long low level walk is perfect for a nice easy day of hiking. The walk starts at the Lakeside car park in Keswick and does a clockwise circuit of Lake Derwent along this walk you will get an abundance of different views of all the Lakeland fells nearby and different perspectives of Keswick nestled within the Mountains. Find this route here
3. Skiddaw Circular
Distance - 11.4 km
Time - 6 h
Elevation - 872 m
Difficulty - Hard
This long circular walk covers 5 wainwrights including the 6th highest mountain in the Lake District and England. The walk starts fairly flat and crosses some fields as you then make the steep ascent up Bakestall. The walk then heads onto the highest mountain of the walk, Skiddaw. The walk then heads down towards the last three wainwrights and back to the starts. Find this route here
4. Blencathra Via Sharp Edge
Distance - 14.6 km
Time - 6.30 h
Elevation - 699 m
Difficulty - Hard
The route up Blencathra sharp edge is one of the most popular scrambles in the Lake Distirct National. This walk starts off in Mungrisdale and steadly ascends towards Blencathra. Once you reach scales tarn you take the route to the right hand side and up the exciting sharp edge of Blencathra. Once you reach the summit you head back the same way you came up making sure you stay to the right hand side of Scales tarn avoiding Sharp edge of the way down. Find this route here
5. Walla Crag Circular
Distance - 8.2 km
Time - 2. 40 h
Elevation - 345 m
Difficulty - Easy
This small walk up to the summit of Walla crag. The route starts off flat when heading towards the wooded area underneath Walla Crag. the incline to reach the top of Walla Crag is short but steep. you will quite suddenly be at the top of Walla Crag and have stunning views over Keswick. Find this route here
Keswick History
Keswick in more recent times is known for its industrial trade, Keswick was first used for mining copper until Graphite started to get mined for the surrounding area many uses were quickly discovered for the graphite, it reduced friction in machinery, made a heat-resistant glaze for crucibles, and was used to line moulds for cannonballs. In the late 18th century, it was used to make pencils, for which Keswick became famous and has a pencil museum located in the town centre.
The copper mines were vastly used for about seventy years, but by the 17th century the industry started to slow. Demand for copper fell and the cost of obtaining it was high. Graphite mining continued, and quarrying for slate began to grow soon after.
The land surrounding Keswick was formed in the Ice age due to the erosion of the vast glaciers in which created all the mountains valleys and lakes in the Lake District. The Castlerigg stone circle is evidence of the first settlements which date back to the stone ages. Three axes have been found inside Castlerigg Stone Circle which would have been used for the early farming communities around the area. The is no evidence of what the stone circle could have been used for, there are some speculations of what it could have been you for all those years ago when it was formed.
How To Get To Keswick
There is a vast amount of people who visit Keswick every year and there are multiple transport options on how to get to Keswick. Keswick is one of the most easily accessible location of the Lake District connected to the M6 by just a short 20 minute drive.
1. Train To Keswick
The closest train stations to Keswick are Windermere train station and Penrith train station. From these points you will have to either get a taxi or bus to Keswick. Which is 40 minutes from Windermere and 20 minutes form Penrith. If travelling by coaches from these points you will catch the (555) from Windermere and the X5 ORX4 from Penrith.
2. Car To Keswick
Keswick is fairly accessible by car from the north in comparison to many other areas in the Lake District, most likely tourists would be taking the m6 north or south bound to the Lake District. If coming from the north you would then join the A66 to Keswick. If coming from then south then you can go straight to the north of the Lake District via the motor way then join the A66 or you can join the A590 then follow onto the A591 until you reach Keswick, this route will take a bit longer but will be a scenic route through the heart of the Lake District. The time it will take will vary depending on your Location.
3. Bus To Keswick
The buses in the Lake District are fairly efficient and priced. There are a few bus stops at Keswick. once you get within the Lake District area the 555 connects to all major locations on the A591 which runs through the heart of the Lakes. If travelling from the north you would catch the X4 or X5 bus which connects Cockermouth to Penrith going through Keswick.
4. Ferry To Keswick
If travelling to Keswick by ferry you will most likely be coming from Isle Of Man, Northern Ireland or Ireland. From Isle of Man you would arrive in Heysham port and drive from Heysham to Keswick which is approximately a 1 hour 9 minute long journey. If travelling from Northern Ireland or Ireland you would catch a ferry to Liverpool which is then approximately a 2 hour 10 minute drive.
5. Flight To Keswick
The nearest airport to Keswick is Manchester airport, from Manchester airport you can get a direct train straight to Windermere then a bus to Keswick or drive from Manchester airport which is approximately a 2 hour 10 minute drive.