Which way out of town
Discover at your leisure the many traditional Lakeland villages in the valleys neighbouring Keswick. You can leave the car behind and make a day of it on the local buses, the Honister and Borrowdale Ramblers among them.
To the east are woods and lakeside paths around Thirlmere and the peaceful St John’s in the Vale. Threlkeld sits at the foot of Blencathra, looking across to Clough Head at the northern end of the Helvellyn range, while the quiet villages of Applethwaite and Millbeck are tucked below Skiddaw.
To the north are the fellside villages of Caldbeck and Hesket Newmarket and the hamlets of Ireby, Mosedale and Mungrisdale — the country known as Back o’ Skidda.
South, the Borrowdale valley has been called the loveliest in England. Watendlath, one of the hidden corners of the area, was left behind as the glaciers scoured out the main valley. Grange in Borrowdale is very picturesque, and Rosthwaite, Stonethwaite and Seatoller are attractive villages at the head of the valley.
West, the Newlands valley is separated from Derwentwater by a single range of hills and is easily reached from town. Portinscale and Braithwaite both make excellent bases, and Buttermere sits at the foot of the Newlands Pass between Buttermere and Crummock Water.
Map
A mile outPortinscale
The closest village to Keswick, a mile out on the shore of Derwentwater — and where Beatrix Potter spent her summers.
2 miles outBraithwaite
At the foot of the Whinlatter Pass with the Coledale fells from the door, and Force Crag Mine above.
3 miles outThornthwaite
Bypassed by the A66, on the edge of Whinlatter Forest, with a gallery of 140 local artists and the Bishop on the fell.
7 miles outButtermere and Lorton
A hamlet between two lakes at the foot of the Newlands Pass, and a village split in two since 1158.
6 miles outBassenthwaite
A village green with swings and a stream full of ducks, six miles north, with the ospreys and St Bega’s across the fields.
10 miles outIreby and Caldbeck
A former market town and a mill village in the quiet fells north of Skiddaw, with John Peel in the churchyard.
7 miles outMosedale, Mungrisdale and Hesket Newmarket
Three small places under Carrock Fell, with a summer shop in a Quaker meeting house and a pub owned by its village.
4 miles outThrelkeld
A working village below Blencathra with a quarry museum, and the far end of the traffic-free railway path into Keswick.
1 miles outApplethwaite and Millbeck
Two hamlets on the slope of Skiddaw with a mill-working past — and the classic start up the mountain.
4 miles outGrange in Borrowdale
A monastic farm that became a village, over a bridge of 1675, where the valley narrows into the Jaws of Borrowdale.
5 miles outRosthwaite
A walking base ringed with mountains: stepping stones, Castle Crag, and the cave where Millican Dalton spent fifty summers.
6 miles outSeatoller, Seathwaite and Stonethwaite
The head of Borrowdale, under the Honister Pass, where the world’s first pencils are said to have begun.
Walk from the door
There is an excellent choice of walking routes around Keswick — low-level valley walks, ridge walks and fell walks. From many of these villages it would be quite possible to leave the car at your accommodation and walk from the door for a week without retracing your steps.
There is a wide range of attractions and activities too, with good instructors if you would like to take something up or improve your technique.
Most of the villages are reachable without a car. Bus times and routes are on the getting here page.