| A West, South, East walk around Derwent Water from Keswick | |
| Weather on the Fells can change rapidly ... up-to-date weather on 0870 0550575 | |
| (Distance 9 miles) | |
| Leave Keswick town centre, passing the Pencil Museum,
and over the River Greta. Once across the bridge, turn left down the
access road alongside the river on the Cumbrian Way, then right across the
open ground. (photo: Skiddaw is under there as we head out to Portinscale) |
 |
|
Continue to the next access road, then left over a suspension bridge
across the River Greta, up to the main road through Portinscale. (photo: Skiddaw from Nichol End at Portinscale) |
 |
|
Go left and continue on this road until the left access down to Nichol
End landing stage, then follow the track down to Nichol End. On reaching
the buildings at Nichol End, take the narrow access road right just
before the buildings, which is marked with an almost hidden fingerpost. (photo: Kids being taught the rudiments of canoeing) |
 |
|
Once level with the house, follow the track right into the woods.
Continue on this track for a while, then left onto the Cumbrian Way
footpath. (photo: A view back down Derwent Water to Blencathra) |
 |
|
Follow this path south, exiting onto the lane leading to Lingholm. Go
right after a short distance, then follow this path to the road close to
the activity centre. Go left just at the entrance to the centre,
and follow the path down to Hawes End landing stage. (photo: Heading up the eastern shore in Barrow Bay ... in one of the shower-free spells!) |
 |
|
The path now heads south close to the shores of Derwent Water,
occasionally moving into the woods around small headlands. Close to the
southern end, a path goes right up to the Grange road below Catbells
.... avoid this path! Go left, passing to the left of a cottage, and
through Manesty Wood to the southern end of Derwent water. (photo: And the rain about to hit us again from Keswick) |
 |
| Keep bearing left along here as paths go right down to
Grange and Manesty. Eventually, the path moves onto a
narrow raised wooden path crossing the boggy area of Derwent Water. This
section can become submerged after heavy rain. (photo: ...... as it passes down into Borrowdale) |
 |
|
Once across the River Derwent, go up to join the road running through
Borrowdale from Keswick. Go left along the road for a short distance, taking care as there is
no path, then off right onto a footpath that runs alongside the road in
the woods. Continue on the path until level with the next car park on the shores of Derwent Water. (photo: Dry spell with Catbells from Calf Close Bay) |
 |
| (photo: Zooming in on Catbells from The Ings) |  |
| (photo: Looking back down Derwent Water shore in the direction of Calf Close Bay) |  |
|
Leave the path crossing the road into the car park then going right along the shore. Continue
around Barrow Bay and Calf Close Bay onto a footpath. Follow the path up
past the cottage at The Ings, then left and then back around to the shore path off
Lord's Island (photo: Derwent Water from close to Friar's Crag) |
 |
|
Follow the bay around to the woods at Friar’s Crag, then right through
the woods back to Keswick boat landings. It is a short walk then back up
to Keswick main street. (photo: Plenty of rainy clouds still on Skiddaw from near the Derwent Water boat landing) |
 |