Guided Walking at Derwentwater

  Easier Walks   Medium Walks       Harder Walks  

Easier Walks are on valley, fell and lakeside paths. Medium Walks on good, but sometimes rocky paths, to lower summits and moorland fells. Harder Walks take us to mountain summits on steep and rough paths.

• Our experienced guides offer the choice of up to three different walks each day
• Choose the option which best suits your interests and fitness; take an Easier Walk one day and switch to a Harder Walk the next, or choose to explore the Lake District independently
• We offer a social activity each evening 

2012 - Itinerary One

7 night holidays
Days 1-7: Fri 6 April; Sat 12, 26 May; Sat 9, 23 June; Sat 7 July; Sat 4, 18 Aug; Sat 1, 15 Sept

6 and 5 night holidays:
Days 2, 4, 6 & 7: Sat 29 Sept; Sun 21 Oct

4 night holidays
Days 1-4: Fri 6 April; Sat 26 May; Sat 7 July; Sat 18 Aug; Sat 1, 15 Sept

3 night holidays
Days 2 & 7: Fri 24 Feb - for Solos; Fri 16 March; Fri 12 Oct; Fri 9, 16, 30 Nov;
Fri 7 Dec - Tinsel & Turkey
Days 5-7: Tues 10 April; Wed 30 May; Wed 11 July; Wed 22 Aug; Wed 5, 19 Sept
Days 2 & 4: Sat 29 Sept
Days 6 & 7: Tues 2 Oct

See below for Itinerary Two

Day 1: Arrival day

Meet your leaders who will tell you more about the walks. 

Day 2: Around Keswick

Easier Walk: We walk around the outskirts of Keswick, following the line of the old Cockermouth-Keswick-Penrith Railway and the River Greta, and then traverse the lower slopes of Latrigg before returning to Portinscale. 8½ miles with 750 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Contouring around the back of Latrigg we approach the summit from the north. We then walk above Brundholme Woods and back through Keswick. 9 miles with 975 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: We walk up to Whinlatter Forest and then ascend the shapely summit of Grisedale Pike. We descend via the ridges of Sleet How and Kinn, and Braithwaite Village. 11½ miles with 2,550 feet of ascent.

Day 3: Buttermere

Easier Walk: Beautiful Crummock Water is the start of a walk which takes us around the slopes of Rannerdale Knotts to Buttermere with an attractive circuit of the lake itself. 6¼ miles with 775 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: After walking the northern shore of Buttermere we ascend Haystacks, a hill of multiple crags and tarns and the scattering place of Alfred Wainwright’s ashes. Our return to Buttermere is via Innominate Tarn, Blackbeck Tarn and Warnscale Bottom. 7½ miles with 1,775 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Today we climb Red Pike from Buttermere. Beyond Red Pike the airy ridge route takes us via High Stile and High Crag before dropping to Scarth Gap; we return to Buttermere via Haystacks and Warnscale Bottom. 9½ miles with 3,225 feet of ascent.  

Day 4: Around Helvellyn

Easier Walk: From Patterdale we follow the glaciated valley between St Sunday Crag and Striding Edge before heading to Glenridding via Lanty’s Tarn. 8½ miles with 825 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: The picturesque waterfalls at Aira Force are a highlight today as we walk to Glencoyne Head and ascend Sheffield Pike. We then head down Glencoyne Valley, past the old miners’ cottages, to Glenridding. 9 miles with 1,900 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Helvellyn via the glacial arête of Striding Edge is today’s iconic mountain walk, and Swirral Edge soon follows, taking us to the pyramid shaped Catstycam and the beautiful and moody Red Tarn. Our gradual descent through the Glenridding valley ends the perfect day. 8¼ miles with 2,850 feet of ascent.

Day 5:  

For 3 night holidays arriving today, this is your chance to meet your leaders.

If you have booked a 7 night holiday, today is a free day with no guided walks organised. This is a great opportunity to explore the Lake District independently - see the Local Area tab for places that you may enjoy visiting.

Day 6: Scafell Pike and Derwent Water

Easier Walk: Deep in the Borrowdale Valley, we begin our walk from the pretty village of Rosthwaite over to Watendlath. Following Watendlath Beck we take a diversion to view Lodore Falls before strolling back along the shores of Derwent Water. 7¼ miles with 1,275 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: We initially take the same paths as the easier walkers but instead of dropping down to the shores of Derwent Water we continue to the beautiful setting of Ashness Bridge, from where we add in an extra ascent up Walla Crag before walking back via Keswick. 9 miles with 1,525 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: The ascent of England’s highest summit, Scafell Pike, is our objective today and we walk from Seatoller to Seathwaite up to Styhead Tarn and then climb via the spectacular Corridor Route to the top. We descend via Esk Hause and Grains Gill back to Seatoller. 11½ miles with 3,100 feet of ascent.

Day 7: A reservoir lake and Castlerigg stone circle

Easier Walk: In the shadow of Castle Rock we wend our way through the Vale of St John below High Rigg. The highlight is Castlerigg Stone Circle (c3000BC) before we return back to Keswick and Portinscale. 9 miles with 825 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: We walk along the shores of the pretty Thirlmere Lake - turned into a reservoir which provides water to Manchester - then climb to traverse the ridge of High Rigg before joining the same route as the easier walkers. 11¼ miles with 1,825 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: From Threlkeld, the steep and airy arête of Hall’s Fell to the top of Blencathra is described by Wainwright as the finest way to any mountain-top and is our challenge today. The route down is on grassy Blease Fell to the Blencathra Field Centre and over Latrigg to Portinscale. 10½ miles with 3,275 feet of ascent.

2012 - Itinerary Two

7 night holidays
Days 1-7: Sun 29 April; Sat 19 May; Sat 2, 16 June; Sat 14, 28 July; Sat 11, 25 Aug; Sat 8, 22 Sept

6 night holiday
Days 2-5 & 7: Sun 6 May

4 night holidays
Days 1-4: Sat 19 May; Sat 14 July; Sat 11, 25 Aug; Sat 8 Sept
Days 2,4 & 7: Mon 27 Feb; Mon 5, 12, 19, 26 March; Mon 2 April; Mon 15, 29 Oct;
Mon 12, 19, 26 Nov; Mon 3, 10 Dec - Tinsel & Turkey

3 night holidays
Days 1-3: Sun 6 May
Days 5-7: Wed 23 May; Wed 18 July; Wed 15, 29 Aug; Wed 12 Sept
Days 4 & 7: Wed 9 May

Day 1: Arrival day

Meet your leaders who will tell you more about the walks. 

Day 2: Around the Newlands Valley

Easier Walk: A circular walk with lovely views, contouring along the Cat Bells ridge by an old mine route before dropping down to the shore of Derwent Water to meander along the lakeshore. 6 miles with 325 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Heading over the popular fell Cat Bells, we drop into Littletown and return along the Newlands Valley and the Goldscope lead mine to Low Braithwaite and Ullock. 9 miles with 1,475 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Contouring along the west side of Cat Bells we head for a steep ascent of Hindscarth via Scope End and to the highest mountain of the day, Dale Head. After a steep descent to Dalehead Tarn we follow the Newlands Beck home. 13 miles with 2,825 feet of ascent.

Day 3: Around Patterdale

Easier Walk: From the foot of Kirkstone Pass we begin a lovely walk around Brothers Water. Following Goldrill Beck we stroll through the village of Patterdale on Ullswater to Glenridding via a loop across low fells and Lanty’s Tarn. 6 miles with 625 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: With amazing views from the top, our route first takes us from Patterdale up Place Fell; then down past becks and waterfalls in the valley of Scalehow to the picturesque lakeside path along Ullswater to Glenridding. 8¼ miles with 2,100 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: A fine mountain walk along the long ridge of Hartsop-above-How to the rough top of Hart Crag and the summit of Fairfield. Then Cofa Pike leads us into Deepdale Hause and up St Sunday Crag before descending into Glenridding. 8½ miles with 3,275 feet of ascent.

Day 4: High Borrowdale

Easier Walk: A lovely walk from Grange along the River Derwent to Stonethwaite village and the glacial valley of Langstrath, past the Galleny Force waterfalls to Rosthwaite. 6¼ miles with 350 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: First from Rosthwaite up the fells to lonely Dock Tarn, from where we make our way to Castle Crag - “the tooth in the jaws of Borrowdale” - and take the Cumbria Way to return to Rosthwaite. 9 miles with 1,850 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Today’s mountain walk is Great Gable with its poignant memorial to the war dead. Starting from Seatoller, via Styhead Tarn and a scramble up Taylor Gill Force we track steeply across scree slopes to pass below the famous Napes Needle and Sphinx Rock on the way to the summit. The descent is via Windy Gap and Green Gable to Honister Pass and Seatoller. 9 miles with 3,300 feet of ascent.

Day 5:

For 3 night holidays arriving today, this is your chance to meet your leaders.

If you have booked a 7 night holiday, today is a free day with no guided walks organised. This is a great opportunity to explore the Lake District independently - see the Local Area tab for places that you may enjoy visiting.

Day 6: Around Buttermere and Newlands Valley

Easier Walk: Crossing fields behind Keswick we reach the hamlet of Applethwaite. Forest tracks and an easy zigzag path take us to the fine viewpoint of Latrigg. The descent route takes us through Keswick. 7½ miles with 1,000 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Starting from Buttermere we follow a valley route to Sail Pass, cross the summit of Barrow and then take a gradual downhill path to Braithwaite and back home. 8 miles with 2,075 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: A high level walk from Buttermere up the steep ridge of Lad Hows to Grasmoor, Eel Crag, Sail and finally the knobbly summit of Causey Pike before dropping down to the shores of Derwent Water. 8½ miles with 3,325 feet of ascent.

Day 7: The Northern Fells

Easier Walk: From the old quarrying village of Threlkeld we follow field paths across the lower slopes of Blencathra before joining the line of the old Cockermouth-Keswick-Penrith Railway. We follow the River Greta through Keswick and back to Portinscale. 5¾ miles with 225 feet of ascent.      

Medium Walk: From Threlkeld we ascend the lonely valley of Glenderaterra Beck before turning south to the summit of Latrigg. Passing Crossthwaite church - with the graves of Robert Southey and Canon Rawnsley - we reach Portinscale. 10½ miles with 1,900 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Starting on the east side of Bassenthwaite Lake we head up Ullock Pike and Carl Side to the summit of Skiddaw, overlooking Keswick. Dropping to Skiddaw House we take the Cumbria Way through the Glenderaterra Valley to Crossthwaite church. 12½ miles with 2,900 feet of ascent.    

Local transport

On some days the walks start and finish at our Country House, Derwent Bank. On other days you’ll be transported to other parts of the Lake District. The cost of all transport to and from the walks is included in the price of your holiday.

Our guests

The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. There is normally a good mix of ages, of new guests and 'regulars' from Britain and overseas, and of people travelling alone, with a partner or with friends.

In the evenings

Your leaders will inform you about the choice of walks for the next day and answer any questions you may have. After a sociable evening meal you could join in an organised activity such as a quiz or a talk about the local area, relax in the bar or use the Country House facilities.