Great Wood National Trust car park Borrowdale

Fly Agaric — You can find colouful autumn wonders in Borrowdale's woodlands

An relaxed car park with plenty of space, this is the ideal start point for walking the circular route round Derwentwater. Calfclose Bay lakeshore is only 250m away, across the road. Pay-by-phone is available here.

How to get here

Postcode: CA12 5UP (please note that in rural locations post codes often cover a wide area - so don't believe the SatNav, look for the signs!)
Grid ref: Grid ref: NY271222
Find us on Google Maps

Great Wood car park is 2 miles outside Keswick on the B5289. As you head down the Borrowdale Road you will be tempted to turn into the first National Trust entrance you see on the left, however if you park here you may find yourself locked in! Just keep going for about another 100m and you'll reach the entrance to the car park which is on the left hand side, marked by a roadside sign.

How much does it cost to park?

National Trust members can scan to park for free, but if you’re not a member don't forget some change as due to our rural location there is very limited mobile signal which means we can't take card or phone payment. Every penny directly funds our work in the valley to care for wildlife, walls, paths, cottages and farms.

Parking at Great Wood is just the beginning...

It's one of the most popular photo opportunities to be had on the shores of Derwent Water. Just across the road from the entrance to Great Wood, you'll find some steps down to a path that leads to the lakeshore at Calfclose Bay, where you can see the well known Centenary Stone sculpture.

Take some snaps, relax on bench and drink in the views, or if you fancy something abit more adventurous, this is a great place to access the 10 miles of easy level walking that makes up the round Derwent Water walk

Step straight from the car into a rainforest

There are also a number of waymarked walks in this area, the longest of which (though still do-able in around 2 hours) starts from Great Wood car park and climbs up to the top of the internationally significant Atlantic Oakwood. People often spot red squirrels and even roe deer in the wood, and from the top of the hill a few 'windows' through the trees give glimpses out over Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite.

Access Statements for Borrowdale

Need more information to help you decide if a car park's the right place to start your day out?

There are shorter strolls to enjoy through the Atlantic Oakwoods, which are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), or you could try a gentle climb to the famous viewpoint of Ashness Bridge.

Read more about the rainforests of Borrowdale.

If you want to visit Keswick, but don't want to negotiate town centre parking, Great Wood car park is just 1.5 miles away, making it a good alternative if you don't mind a scenic walk!

Park up and boost conservation work in Borrowdale

Whether you are a member who scans your card (we get £1 from central funds every time you do) or a non-member who pays for a ticket, every penny you generate in this car park goes to help us take care of this special place, so thank you. We've introduced 'pay-by-phone' here for convenience.

Read about one of the issues we're tackling just a stone's throw away from Great Wood car park: