Overview
This Lake District family adventure holiday is a great way to explore the national park, staying in a small, locally-owned hotel or traditional guesthouse in Keswick. This pretty national park town, on the shores of Derwentwater, is the perfect base to take on some of the natural world of adventures all around, such as a gorgeous hike around Derwentwater, then walking up to Castlerigg Stone Circle and Catbells. And if you tire of dry land, paddleboarding, canyoning or tree-top swinging may tick the right adventure box. This eight day holiday is available from the beginning of April until end September and please note that minimum ages apply to some activities.
- Castlerigg stone circle
- Catbells
- Hike around Derwentwater
- Go Ape treetop experience
- Paddleboarding on Derwentwater
- Canyoning
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Keswick
Arrive in Keswick, a market town in the Lake District National Park in the north-east of England. Depending on arrival time, we recommend a visit to Puzzling Place, Keswick Museum and Art Gallery or just chill with coffee, hot chocolate and a slice of cake at one of the many local foodie hangouts.
- Accommodation: Hillcrest 22 or similar in Keswick
Day 2: Derwentwater circuit | 14.6km
No visit to Keswick is complete without a circuit of Derwentwater. This varied route leads through mixed woodland, across beaches and over marshland, via a series of raised boardwalks. Along the way, there are opportunities to stop for refreshments and seek out sculptures and ancient stones.
- Walking for the day: 14.6km, 3-4h, ↑150m ↓152m
Day 3: Treetop challenge | 2-3h
The morning begins with a transfer to Go Ape in Whinlatter Forest, to take on the Treetop Challenge. Spend a few hours suspended in the trees, trying out platform-to-platform challenges, Tarzan swings and super-fast zip wires. After completing the course, take advantage of the other activities the forest has to offer including Segway or bike hire (payable locally). There are also several walking trails through the forest as well as a café.
Please note minimum requirements for Go Ape’s Treetop Challenge: minimum age 10, minimum height 1.4m, maximum weight 130kg.
Day 4: Castlerigg and Castlehead | 8.7km
Today’s hike begins by ascending a hill to the east of Keswick to visit Castlerigg Stone Circle, which is thought to have been constructed around 3,000BC. From here, the route follows quiet country lanes and farm tracks, through Springs Wood and to the summit of Castlehead which overlooks Keswick. The summit also offers views over Derwentwater, and a cairn topped with a brass sighting dial gives the names of thirty fells that can be seen from this viewpoint. Finish the day with a quick descent from the summit before arriving back to Keswick for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 8.7km, 2-3h, ↑223m ↓224m
Day 5: Catbells or rest day | 12.5km
Today’s walk up Catbells is relatively short, but can be steep in places. The walk can be shortened by 3.3km each way by catching the Keswick Launch (payable locally) across the lake either one or both ways. Alternatively, today can be used as a rest day to enjoy the many activities on offer in Keswick. Visit the Derwent Pencil Museum or Puzzling Place, or take a walk through Hope Park for a round of crazy golf.
- Walking for the day: 12.5km, 4-5h, ↑409m ↓408m
Day 6: Activity day: paddleboarding or canyoning | 2-4h
There are two options for today’s activity, either a paddleboarding lesson or a canyoning session.
Canyoning involves navigating your way down a gorge using a variety of techniques including abseiling, climbing, sliding and jumping. Your guide will show you how to navigate each section, so you don’t need to have experience in any of the techniques, although a reasonable level of fitness is recommended.
If choosing to paddleboard, the session covers the basics needed to get paddling, before having time to relax out on the water and take in the scenery from a different angle. After your lesson there is also the option to hire a paddleboard or kayak to explore the lake at your leisure.
Please note: paddleboarding minimum age is seven years old. Canyoning minimum age is 12. Equipment and wetsuits provided, you will need tour own towel and swimwear.
Day 7: Walla Crag | 11.2km
Today’s walk follows a route across Walla Crag, which forms the eastern ridge above Derwentwater. Walk through Ashness Bridge before returning to Keswick on the trail below Great Wood, passing Calfclose Bay, Friars Crag and the Theatre by the Lake.
- Walking for the day: 11.2km, 3-4h, ↑317m ↓319m
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
This tour is centre-based, and accommodation is in a small, locally-owned hotel, B&B or traditional guesthouse. All of our accommodation is carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. There are options for upgrades, as listed below, and if all standard accommodation is booked up, you may be charged a supplement if the only availability is in a higher grade hotel or guesthouse.
Click to view default hotels
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available at your accommodation or from restaurants and pubs in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This itinerary is rated easy to moderate and is suitable for regular walkers. Daily distances range from 8.5-14.6km, around 3-4h of walking, however, all walks are circular so can be shortened. The route covers various terrain, including some rocky and boggy sections as well as woodland paths. Some days will involve a couple of steep ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April until September.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season. For more information, see our blog, Best time to visit England.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens).
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Newcastle International Airport (NCL), Manchester Airport (MAN) and Glasgow Airport (GLA).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to the UK without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with the nearest railway station to Keswick being Penrith (27km). From Penrith, you can also take a taxi or use the regular bus service (X5 or X4) to Keswick. For more details, see the booking platform Trainline. There are also excellent bus services in the Lake District. Check the Omio planner above for details.
- Manchester Airport: there is a direct train service from Manchester Airport to Penrith.
- Newcastle Airport: take a train or taxi from the airport to Carlisle railway station, then take a direct train to Penrith.
- Glasgow Airport: take the bus (line 500) to Glasgow Central railway station. From Glasgow Central, take a direct train to Penrith.
UK Visa and entry requirements:
IMPORTANT: From 2025, the UK is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world. Up until 08 January, the ETA requirement only applied to nationals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
On 08 January 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to visitors from eligible non-European countries, including Australian, Canadian and US nationals. Then, on 02 April 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to eligible European countries, referring to most of Europe.
You can view the full list of countries that this applies to here and apply for your ETA here, or on the UK ETA app. The ETA usually takes up to three working days to be processed, although we advise applying as early as possible, in advance of your travel dates. People travelling with an Irish passport don’t need an ETA.
You can read more about the UK entry requirements on our blog.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation
- 7 breakfasts
- Paddle-boarding lesson (2h) or guided canyoning session (4h). Equipment included
- Go Ape Whinlatter Treetop Challenge
- Transfers as indicated in the itinerary
- Detailed tour materials, including practical information, personalised trip notes and maps (digital copy only)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any iems not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- We regret that this tour is not available to solo travellers
- Extra nights available upon request
