Overview
A centre-based adventure walking in the Lake District National Park, staying in Keswick in the heart of the national park. With a wide array of walks on the doorstep, each day brings another lakeland landscape, ranging from the heights of Skiddaw (931m) or Honister Pass to the iconic and idyllic circuit of Derwentwater. The finale is a trek across Walla Crag, with superb views across Derwentwater and the fells beyond. This holiday is particularly popular with hikers who love to walk with their dogs. It is also reachable by rail, making this one of the UK’s most sustainable and stunning walking holidays.
- Castlerigg stone circle
- Honister Pass
- Derwentwater
- Skiddaw
- Walla Crag
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Keswick
Arrive in the market town of Keswick in the Lake District National Park. Depending on arrival time, we recommend a visit to Puzzling Place, Keswick Museum and Art Gallery or even relax with a slice of cake at one of the many local cafes.
- Accommodation: Number 10 Bed and Breakfast or similar in Keswick
Day 2: 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 to the summit of Castlehead overlooking Keswick. The summit also offers views over Derwentwater and, from the cairn topped with a brass sighting dial, try to spot the thirty fells that can be seen from this viewpoint. Descend back to Keswick for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 8.7km, 2-3h, ↑223m ↓224m
Day 3: Honister Pass | 14.5/19.5km
There are two options for today’s walk. Both start with a short transfer to Honister Pass, which links Borrowdale with Buttermere and is one of England’s highest road passes.
- Option one (moderate): from the top of the pass, the original mine road descends into Borrowdale, skirting around the edge of High Spy. From here, there is an optional detour to make the short but steep ascent to Castle Crag. Stop for refreshments at one of the cafes at Grange in Borrowdale, before continuing along the Cumbria Way back to Keswick.
- Walking for the day: 19.5km, 4-5h, ↑238m ↓512m
- Option two (moderate to strenuous): from the top of the pass, ascend Dale Head to reach its prominent cairn. The summit offers views over Newlands Valley, as well as the fells of Buttermere and the Scafell group. After descending, the route climbs to the summit of High Spy, before following an undulating ridge, crossing Maiden Moor and Catbells. Descend to Derwent Bay and continue along the Cumbria Way back into Keswick.
- Walking for the day: 14.5km, 3-4h, ↑594m ↓870m
Day 4: 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 admire sculptures and ancient stones.
- Walking for the day: 14.6km, 3-4h, ↑150m ↓152m
Day 5: Skiddaw | 14.5/20.4km
The mountain that dominates Keswick’s skyline is Skiddaw (931m). Its relative isolation from other fells also provides an excellent viewpoint for the north, east and western peaks. Choose from two walking options, which can both be shortened by taking a taxi (payable locally) to the car park on Latrigg, reducing the distance by approximately 3.8km and the total ascent by 250m.
- Option one (moderate): the most popular route to Skiddaw’s long summit ridge is via Jenkin Hill Path, first established as a pony route for Victorian tourists. The path is easy to follow with an option to detour to the summit of Skiddaw Little Man.
- Walking for the day: 14.5km, 5-6h, ↑750m ↓750m
- Option two (moderate to strenuous): a quieter route to Skiddaw’s summit follows Glenderaterra Beck to Skiddaw House, once a gamekeeper’s cottage, and now one of England’s most remote hostels. From the back of the hostel, ascend Sale How to reach the long summit ridge of Skiddaw. After reaching the summit, follow Jenkin Hill Path back into Keswick.
- Walking for the day: 20.4km, 7-8h, ↑845m ↓840m
Day 6: 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 7: 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
- Number 10 Bed and Breakfast
- Glendale Guest House
- The Edwardene
- Craglands Guest House (preference for twin rooms)
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 tour is rated moderate and is suitable for regular walkers. Daily distances range from 8.5-20.4km, around 4-6h of walking, however, all walks are circular so can be shortened. The routes cover a variety of terrain including some rocky or boggy sections as well as lakeside and woodland paths. Some days will involve a couple of (optional) steep ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to 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 info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from mid-March until mid-October.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
For seasoned and well-equipped hikers, off-season dates are bookable upon request only. 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
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Detailed tour materials, including practical information, personalised trip notes and maps (digital copy only)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
- Transfer to Honister Pass
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 items 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
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights available upon request
