Borrowdale and Derwent Water
Spectacular and varied lakeland landscape around Derwent Water
Keswick Mountain Festival 2017
Take part in your favourite sport and raise funds to help care for your favouite landscape at the same time
Borrowdale and Derwent Water
Facilities and access
Borrowdale and Derwent Water
Overview
Spectacular and varied lakeland landscape around Derwent Water
Derwent Water is often called the 'Queen of the Lakes', and as you canoe between the islands with your picnic at the ready it's easy to see why. The friendly staff at our shop and information centre on the Keswick Foreshore will help you out with local knowledge about interesting things to see and walks to do.
At the south end of Derwent Water, the boardwalk across the wetlands makes the 9-mile circular waymarked walk around the lake a very pleasant leg stretch, with the chance to see otters and wetland birds if you're lucky. The jewel in the crown is Derwent Island House, open for five special days each year, as does Force Crag Mine - a hidden gem at the foot of a waterfall in Coledale near Braithwaite.
As Borrowdale winds the 7 miles from Keswick to Seathwaite, there are eight National Trust car parks from which you can start your adventure into the fells. Directions for iconic routes like Castle Crag and Cat Bells are in our Rangers' Guide to Borrowdale on sale from our shop and from our membership recruiters with their trusty Landrovers.
- Telephone
- +441768774649
- borrowdale@nationaltrust.org.uk
Borrowdale and Derwent Water
How to get here
- Address
- near Keswick, Cumbria
- By cycle
- NCN71 (C2C) passes through Keswick
- Cycle route information
- By ferry
- Keswick Launch Company service to seven landing stages around Derwent Water. 017687 72263
- By bus
- frequent open-top bus service 78 from Keswick to Seatoller. From April-October Honister Rambler service 77a from Keswick to Honister via Cat Bells. Bus services X5 to Keswick from Penrith and Workington, and 555 to Keswick from Lancaster via Ambleside
- By train
- Penrith station is 18 miles to the east, served by regular trains between Glasgow and London. A regular bus service links Penrith to Keswick
- By road
- B5289 south from Keswick. This is the Borrowdale Road and winds the full length of the valley, climbing the famous Honister Pass to the Buttermere Valley. Minor roads also lead along the west side of the lake, and up the Newlands Pass to Buttermere.
- Parking: at Great Wood (CA12 5UP); Ashness Bridge (CA12 5UN); Surprise View (CA12 5UU); Watendlath (CA12 5UW); Kettlewell (CA12 5UN); Bowder Stone (CA12 5XA); Rosthwaite (CA12 5XB); Seatoller (CA12 5XN), Honister Pass (CA12 5XJ). Coach parking by prior arrangement at Seatoller only. Very limited parking at Catbells Parking for Force Crag Mine at Noble Knott car park on Whinlatter Pass
- SatNav:
- On foot
- We've created a network of easy and moderate waymarked trails starting from the Keswick Lakeside shop and from Great Wood car park, ranging from ½ mile to 1¾ miles
Borrowdale and Derwent Water
Prices
Admission free
What is Gift Aid?
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points. Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
- Gift Aid Admission or
- Standard admission
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you the Gift Aid Admission prices. But it's entirely up to you which ticket you choose. If you want the Standard Admission instead, just let us know when you come to pay.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid* — an extra 25 per cent — potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below: Payment of the additional percentage donation is entirely voluntary, so if you prefer to pay the standard admission please advise our reception staff at the till point.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid donations must be supported by a valid Gift Aid declaration and a Gift Aid declaration can only cover donations made by an individual for him/herself or for him/herself and members of his/her family.
Borrowdale and Derwent Water
Opening times
Friday 26 May
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00
Saturday 27 May
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00
Sunday 28 May
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00
Monday 29 May
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 30 May
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 31 May
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00
Thursday 1 June
- Countryside Open all day
- Information centre 10:00 - 17:00
- Shop 10:00 - 17:00