Lake District

Derwent Water and Cockshot wood accessible loop

People enjoying a ramble through the rainforest on wheelchairs on our accessible paths — Enjoying a ramble through the woods along Derwent Water | © Jessie Binns

A stile-free circular route along the Derwent Water foreshore and back via Cockshot Wood with views over the lake to Cat Bells and Causey Pike. Optional extension to the famous view point at Friar’s Crag. Choice of two routes at Strandshag bay, one with a smooth compact surface and one closer to the lake with some boulders, tree roots and muddy patches.

Near to

Borrowdale and Derwent Water

Start point

Keswick Lakeside Car Park, Grid Ref: NY265229 what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases, Postcode: CA12 5DJ

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 1.25 miles (km: NaN)

Short trail

DistanceMiles: 1 mile (km: NaN)

Duration 30 mins to 45 mins

Dog friendly***

*The route starts and ends with a 7% gradient on tarmac from/to the car park and ends with a 15% gradient. Otherwise all gradients are less than 15%. For further details, please see Terrain section
**This circular walk starts from Keswick Lakeside carpark (what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases), and includes tarmac lakeshore promenade before venturing out on paths with a smooth compact surface across a field grazed by Herdwick sheep and returning via the woodland on paths with some rougher areas, small boulders, tree routes and muddy patches. For further details please see section marked Access.
***Please note this route crosses a field grazed by sheep, please keep dogs under close control, especially at lambing time. For further details please see section marked Facilities.

Steep drops at Friar's Crag

This route includes an optional extension to the viewpoint at Friar’s Crag. Please be aware that there are steep drops from the crag, narrow paths – narrowest point is 2’10” (87cm) – and restricted turning space.

Address
Keswick Lakeside carpark, Lake Road, Keswick, CA12 5DJ, (what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases) 
Directions via Google Maps
By road
Car: Keswick Lakeside carpark, Lake Road, Keswick, CA12 5DJ. (what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases) 
Keswick Lakeside carpark
Bus: Keswick Bus station is 0.6 miles from Keswick Lakeside carpark on step-free routes. The 78 Borrowdale Bus stops at Daleview Hotel which is 0.3 miles from Keswick Lakeside carpark on step-free routes. 
Borrowdale 78 bus
Dogs
This is a popular route with dog walkers, with opportunities for dogs to swim in the lake. Please note that the field at Strandshag Bay is grazed by sheep, please keep dogs under close control, especially at lambing time.
Car park
Keswick Lakeside carpark is not National Trust. It is pay and display. There are 14 disabled parking spaces (charges apply). Coin, contactless card or pay by phone accepted.
Toilet
There are toilets, including an accessible toilet, in the car park, which are pay to enter (coin or contactless card payments accepted)
Café
There is a café and a coffee takeaway at the start/end of the circular route. Theatre by the Lake café has step-free access, automatic door and indoor seating. The coffee takeaway has step-free access and outdoor seating only.
Parking: 14 disabled parking spaces in Keswick Lakeside carpark (parking charges apply) Toilet: One Accessible toilet in Keswick Lakeside Carpark accessed via RADAR key or coins.   Gradients: This route includes a downhill gradient of 7% from the car park to the lake on tarmac and ends with a 15% gradient. The route returns up this gradient to the car park. There are other shallower gradients along the route   Gates: There are two 4ft (1.2m) two-way opening gates on the route. Surfaces: The path surface for most of the walk is smooth compacted surface with one short stretch of cobbles. There are two short sections of wooden boardwalk covered with avian wire. In Cockshot Wood the path includes small boulders and tree roots and short sections with an adverse camber. Optional routes: There’s an optional extension to the viewpoint at Friar’s Crag. The paths there are narrow – narrowest point is 2’10” (87cm) – with vegetation, fence rails and steep drops creating tight turning spaces At Strandshag Bay, there is the option to stick closer to the lakeshore at but the surface on this option includes small boulders, potholes, tree routes, loose gravel and short muddy sections.
Designated parking
There are 14 designated disabled parking spaces at Keswick Lakeside carpark with hatched areas on both sides. They are on a sideways slope. Parking charges apply.
Accessible toilet
One Accessible toilet in Keswick Lakeside carpark accessed via RADAR key or coins
Seating available
There are 28 benches between steps 1 – 6 of the trail. No benches between steps 7-9.
Steps/uneven terrain
There are short stretches of uneven surface. At Step 2 there is a 11yds (10m) stretch of cobbles. At Step 3 there is 16yds (15m) section of uneven surface. Between steps 7-10 the woodland paths are uneven with small boulders and tree roots for 393yds (360m)
There is one steep gradient to/from the car park – 7% on tarmac. Apart from that, this is a lakeshore route with gentle undulations and all on established paths with a minimum width of 1m.  
The route starts on tarmac along the promenade, the moves onto paths with a smooth compact surface with some muddy patches. The paths cross a field grazed by sheep and enter the woods. In the woods the path surface is rougher with small boulders and tree roots. The total altitude gain is less than 20m 
Derwent and Cockshot Wood accessible loop elevation | © National Trust
Total stages: 10
Total stages: 10
Start point
Keswick Lakeside Car Park, Grid Ref: NY265229 what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases, Postcode: CA12 5DJ
Stage 1
Start from Keswick Lakeside carpark (what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases). Exit the carpark onto Lake Road past Theatre by the Lake. Continue down the tarmac for 164yds (150m) to the lake.
The slope from the car park to the lake | © Jessie Binns
Stage 2
At the bottom of the slope on the left, there is a map panel showing this route and others, beside the Moon and Sixpence coffee shop. Carry straight on along the road along the promenade for 273yds (250m), ignoring three entrances to the left into the woods.
Derwent Water foreshore promenade - cobbles outside Moon & Sixpence | © Jessie Binns
Stage 3
There is another downhill gradient 5% towards where the tarmac ends. Continue straight ahead onto the National Trust path and continue for 164yds (150m) until you get to the fork. 
Uneven surface before National Trust path starts | © Jessie Binns
Stage 4
At the fork you have a choice: You can turn right for the optional 273yds (250m) out-and-back to the famous viewpoint of Friar’s Crag. Alternatively you can turn left for the two alternative routes around Strandshag Bay (skip to step 5).
Tight turning area at Friar's Crag | © Jessie Binns
Stage 5
There are two options for Strandshag Bay. The upper path is via the 4ft (1.2m) two-way gate visible immediately as you take the left fork. This path is 4ft (1.2m) wide with a smooth compacted surface, two benches, and a 16yd (15m) stretch of wooden boardwalk covered in avian wire.  The upper and lower paths meet up again after 390yds (360m) on the far side of the bay beside a fallen tree. This field is grazed by sheep.
Rough surface on lower path
The lower path is accessed via the 3’6” (106cm) one-way gate which opens away from you at the bottom of the slope. This path stays closer to the lake but suffers storm damage in winter and has small boulders, tree roots, loose gravel and short muddy sections. There is one bench where the paths meet up again. The lower path can become submerged when lake levels are high.
Uneven path surface on the lower path at Strandshag Bay | © Jessie Binns
Stage 6
Where the paths meet before the fallen tree, turn left and head towards the woods for 300yds (275m). The path has a smooth compacted surface. There is a 13yd (12m) section of wooden boardwalk covered in avian wire. There are no benches on the route now until you get to step 10 (656yds / 600m).
The boardwalk before Cockshot Wood | © Jessie Binns
Stage 7
When you reach Cockshot Wood there is a 4ft (1.2m) two-way gate, go through it and continue 54yds (50m) to the first major path to the left by the large beech tree (ignore the minor path immediately beside the gate). 
Turn left at the big beech tree | © Jessie Binns
Stage 8
When you come to the first major path to the left by the large beach tree, take that left turn. Continue for 273yds (250m) until the next fork in the path.  
A slight sideways camber on short stretches of the path | © Jessie Binns
Stage 9
At the fork in the path, take the left hand fork which heads back down towards the lake for 65yds (60m)
The path to the lake is narrow | © Jessie Binns
Stage 10
When you meet the tarmac promenade at Derwent Water foreshore again, turn right and return to the car park for 218yds (200m), retracing steps 1 and 2, uphill gradient 7%.
Take the foreshore tarmac path back to the car park | © Jessie Binns
End point
Keswick Lakeside Car Park, Grid Ref: NY265229 what3Words ///waltzed.sideburns.cases, Postcode: CA12 5DJ
Trail map
Map of the Derwent Water and Cockshot Wood accessible loop | © Crown copyright and database rights 2024 Ordnance Survey
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