Lake District

Castle Crag from Seatoller trail: the scenic route

View looking over the cairn on Castle Crag down to the farm fields of Rosthwaite in Borrowdale — Looking down to Rosthwaite from Castle Crag | © Liz Kelly

Scaling Castle Crag from Seatoller starts with a bit of a climb, then follows a rolling contour route giving you great views right across the valley. This is definitely the civilized way to climb Castle Crag.

Near to

Borrowdale and Derwent Water

Start point

Seatoller National Trust car park, CA12 5XN. If you are starting from the Rosthwaite National Trust car park, use the tip above to bring you to step 7 and continue around the loop.

Starting from the National Trust Rosthwaite car park

If you are starting from Rosthwaite, leave the car park and take a right to follow the track and continue straight through the village. Keep straight following the gravel track through a gate (please keep open if open or close behind you if closed). Continue along the path all the way to the stone bridge which is mentioned in step 7. Go over the bridge and turn left, you can now continue with step 7 and 8 before going back to step 1 and around back to the stone bridge on step 7 before re-tracing your steps back to Rosthwaite car park.

Address
Seatoller National Trust car park, Seatoller, Borrowdale, Keswick, CA12 5XN
Directions via Google Maps
By bus
From Keswick bus station, take either the 78 Borrowdale Rambler to Seatoller (runs all year round), or take the 77A Honister Rambler to Seatoller (runs April-October).
By road
From Keswick, follow the Borrowdale Road (B5289) for 5 miles to the hamlet of Seatoller. The National Trust car park is on the left as you enter the hamlet.
After a short climb at the start, the path follows rolling paths along the contours, and returns on the riverside path. The route follows well-established bridleways and public footpaths. The surface is either rough stone or pitched stone on some steep sections. The final ascent to Castle Crag includes a zig-zag path across the loose spoil tip from the 19th-century quarry. Path material can move beneath your boots, but don't worry, the spoil tip itself is stable. There's a single very short rocky 'scramble' on the return path beside the river, where a chain has been fixed to the rock to help walkers negotiate this trickier bit.
Total stages: 8
Total stages: 8
Start point
Seatoller National Trust car park, CA12 5XN. If you are starting from the Rosthwaite National Trust car park, use the tip above to bring you to step 7 and continue around the loop.
Stage 1
Leave the car park, turning right onto the road. Follow the road through the hamlet . Take your first right through the gate onto a wide track. Follow the track as it goes up and turns to the left up towards a gate. Go through the gate and continue following the wide track with the wall to your left.
Stage 2
After going through a coppice of trees, the path crosses a small stream. Once past the stream, take the middle path to the right and walk straight up the hill towards a gate in the wall above you. Go through the gate and turn right along the wall. This path hugs the contours high up on the flank of the fell. You'll stay on this track now all the way to Castle Crag.
Stage 3
The footbridge across Tongue Gill is a big landmark on the way – this is the biggest gill the path crosses before Castle Crag. If you need to, there is an option just before and just after the gill to take a shortcut down to the hamlet of Rosthwaite (the huddle of white houses round a small green hill). However, if you're keen to carry on to Castle Crag, simply continue along the track until at the cusp of the brow you get your first glimpse of the lake of Derwent Water.
Juniper bushes
In the steep crags on the uphill side of the track you can see juniper bushes growing. The juniper and the gnarled trees can successfully grow here because the terrain is too steep, even for Herdwick sheep, so the saplings don't get grazed off before they can get started. The scrub vegetation provides a vital habitat for native upland birds and insects, many of which are rare or threatened.
Stage 4
Just over the brow when you get your first sight of Derwent Water, take a little 'sheep track' path that forks off to the right. It skirts round the base of a crag then follows the fence to a ladder stile. Climb the ladder stile and turn right to join the main path up to the top of Castle Crag. You don't have to use the 'sheep track' path, but it avoids losing height.
Stage 5
Retrace your steps to descend Castle Crag, but don't go back over the ladder stile. Instead, follow the main path down the hill. Once you're into the woods, take the right-hand fork over the footbridge. Where the path reaches the river, follow the path signposted 'Rosthwaite 1¾ miles'. You're now on the return leg of the walk, heading back towards the car park.
River Derwent
We're working with the people who live and work in Borrowdale to help protect the River Derwent. Healthy rivers have gravels for fish to spawn, clean water that supports populations of insects that in turn feed the local populations of fish and birds. Rivers also need the ability to meander naturally if they are to stay healthy. Without this, our natural rivers can become sterile, artificially straightened canals that don't support our native wildlife species and can even exacerbate flooding downstream in towns and villages by speeding up the water.
River Derwent in Cumbria | © Simon Fraser
Stage 6
As the path meanders away from the river and into the woodland, you'll come across a fork in the path heading up to the right. This will take you up to to Millican Dalton's Cave. You can add this in and return to this point (it's not far and it's well worth a look), or you can continue straight on, following the signpost to Rosthwaite.
Stage 7
When you get to the packhorse bridge over the river, ignore the stone bridge (unless your feet have had enough and you want to catch the bus back to the car from Rosthwaite, if you started your adventure at Rosthwaite, this is where you will be joining the loop). Continue straight ahead over the wooden footbridge, and keep on the path beside the river, past the stepping stones until you get to the YHA hostel at Longthwaite.
Stage 8
From the hostel at Longthwaite, follow the path along the river back towards Seatoller. There's a scrambly bit where a chain's been attached to the rock to give you a helping hand, but if you take it steady it's less daunting than it looks. The path then leads you round the bottom of Johnny Wood, along the wall and all the way back to the car park at Seatoller.
An English rainforest
The woodland at Johnny Wood gets so much rain each year it's classified as a temperate rainforest. If you look up into the trees, you'll see ferns growing in the crooks of branches where little pools of water naturally gather. In fact the oak woods in Borrowdale have one of the most important assemblages of mosses, lichens, ferns and liverworts in northern Europe. That's why we work so hard to keep them special for future generations.
End point
Seatoller National Trust car park, CA12 5XN
Trail map
Map of the Castle Crag from Seatoller trail | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
You made it
Share your experience

The commemorative plaque at the 4 oak trees at Brandelhow with views of Derwent Water

Trail

Octavia Hill walk at Brandelhow Park, Derwent Water

Enjoy a relaxing amble through parkland at Brandelhow and along the quiet side of Derwent Water, following in the footsteps of National Trust co-founder Octavia Hill.

A couple take coffee break on some rocks with Ashness bridge in the background on a sunny day.

Trail

Walla Crag to Ashness Bridge walk

This walk takes you through the timeless beauty of the Borrowdale landscape and up to magnificent viewpoints which are spectacular in every season.

Two children look out from Castle Crag to the valley below on a cloudy spring day

Trail

Borger Dalr geology walk

Discover more about the origins of Borrowdale on the Borger Dalr geology walk. If you are lucky, you may even see a red squirrel too.

Two visitors wearing outdoor clothing enjoy a hike in nature at Seatoller in the Lake District.

Trail

Seatoller, Styhead Tarn and Grains Gill walk

An invigorating circular walk takes you from Seathwaite into the heart of the Lakeland fells, with peaceful tarns to picnic by and views of Great End and Great Gable.

near Keswick, Cumbria

01768774649

NorthandWestLakes@nationaltrust.org.uk

We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.

Visit website

A group of walkers enjoying views over the valleys at Great Langdale

Walking in the Lake District

From gentle ambles to more challenging hikes, these are some of the best walks to explore the heart of the Lake District.

Walking

Explore some of the finest landscapes in our care on coastal paths, accessible trails, woodland walks and everything in between. Find the best places to walk near you.

Article

Top tips for hill and mountain walking

Learn about the essential clothing and equipment to take with you, keeping your energy levels up, staying safe and leaving the environment as you found it.

Two female visitors standing on the rocks at Giant's Causeway, County Antrim

Article

Staying safe at National Trust places

The special places in National Trust care sometimes come with a few risks for visitors, be it coastline or countryside. Find out how to keep safe throughout your visits.

Article

Cotswold Outdoor: our exclusive walking partner

Learn about the National Trust’s ongoing partnership with Cotswold Outdoor. Find out how they help us care for precious places and the exclusive discount available for National Trust supporters.

Two visitors sitting on a bench in Friar's Crag enjoying the view of Derwent Water and surrounding fells, Borrowdale, Lake District

Article

Things to see at Derwent Water and Keswick

Take in the views from Friar’s Crag and visit historic sculptures on a lakeside walk around Derwent Water or set off from Keswick to explore the surrounding woodlands and fells.

View of boats on Derwent Water on a sunny day

Activity

Activities on Derwent Water

Take to the water for a spot of canoeing, paddleboarding or paddling. The islands of Derwent Water are waiting to be discovered

Near to

Start point

Trail information

Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

Starting from the National Trust Rosthwaite car park

Getting here

Facilities

Accessibility

Terrain and elevation

Trail route

Total stages: 8

Total stages: 8

Start point

Stage 1

Stage 2

Point of interest

Stage 3

Point of interest

Stage 4

Point of interest

Stage 5

Point of interest

Stage 6

Point of interest

Stage 7

Point of interest

Stage 8

Point of interest

End point

Trail map

Sign up to hear more from the National Trust