A Borrowdale Walk: Rosthwaite to Keswick
Description
Click the image to open the Outdoor Active Route Card
Key Details:
Distance: 7.8 miles/12.5km
Elevation gain: 150ft/45m
Terrain: Maintained footpaths and Woodland tracks
Start: Rosthwaite (General Store)
Finish: Keswick (Booths bus station)
Public Transport:
service: 78 bus service from Keswick to Seatoller. Stop at Rosthwaite.
Keswick is a hub that connects to Penrith, the coast, north to Carlisle and south to Kendal.
Route notes:
1. Start: From the bus stop walk towards the village of Rosthwaite, and take the first turning right. Follow this lane past the village hall and the Flock Inn (if open, stop for a famous Herdwick Pie!)
2. 0.1 miles: Bear right after the Flock Inn, and continue on the lane as it narrows into a gravel track.
3. 0.5 miles: The track will arrive at a bridge over the River Derwent. Cross the river and turn right. Follow this footpath until arriving at Hollows Farm Campsite.
4. 1.9 miles: Cross through Hollows Farm campsite, and the footpath will widen into a lane. Follow the lane until meeting the main road in Grange.
Grange, viewed from Hause Gate
5. 3.0 miles: You will pass a gate, with public footpath marked, that leads directly to Derwentwater. Whilst most walkers will head down to Derwentwater on this footpath, this walk assumes that the area may not be accessible as this area regularly floods during the winter! Continue on the tarmac lane.
6. 3.4 miles: Leave the main road at the layby. Enter the woodland through the gate and follow the footpath down to Derwentwater. Stay on this footpath, hugging the shores of Derwentwater for 1.6 miles.
7. 5.0 miles: The path will now start to bend away from Derwentwater. Continue past Cumbria Outdoors activity centre, and briefly re-join the tarmac road.
8. 5.3 miles: Cross through the gate to the north-east, and follow the footpath first through woodland, then through the open field, and continue through the gate back into woodland..
9. 5.9 miles: The footpath will reach the Lingholm Estate. Cross the road and the footpath continues, to the right of the entrance posts.
10. 6.3 miles: The woodland track will now meet the tarmac road into Portinscale. Follow this
11. 6.8 miles: Bear right, following the road with signs for the Derwentwater Hotel and Derwentwater Manor. Continue on this lane until reaching a bridge.
12. 7.0 miles: After crossing the bridge, take the footpath that splits off to the right. Follow this footpath all the way back into Keswick.