Things to Do
active activities
Keswick is well known for being the adventure capital of the Lake District. For adrenaline fuelled adventures like ghyll scrambling, white water tubing, rock climbing, abseiling, via-ferrata try keswickextreme.com or keswickadventures.co.uk
Glaramara.co.uk also offer similar adventures but also do guided fell walks into the Central Fells, archery and navigation skills days.
Honister.com – try the Infinity Bridge, the longest high-wire bridge in Europe, the Via Ferrata Xtreme for a stunning climbing experience or discover the working slate mines beneath the surface.
Whinlatter Forest has dedicated walking, mountain biking and running trails, play areas, Go Ape high wire experience, Segway hire, visitor centre and café. You can hire mountain bikes and e-bikes and book mountain biking lessons – these are great for learning some technical mountain biking skills.
Bike hire in Keswick is available through whinlatterbikes.com. Alternatively, electric bikes can be hired e-venturebikes.co.uk
For indoor climbing try kongadventure.com, just along the road from Howe Keld, with an indoor climbing wall, a kids play area and an escape room.
If you are keen to get out on the water then derwentwatermarina.co.uk, based in Portinscale, has paddle boards, canoes, rowing boats, kayaks and pedalos to hire.
If you are keen on golf then keswickgolfclub.com is a beautiful course just a few miles from Keswick. There is also a course at Cockermouth and an excellent links course at Silloth. For more light hearted golf, try the pitch & putt or crazy golf in Hope Park next door to the apartments.
There are so many walks to choose from and the area is renowned for its excellent fell walking, we hope you will explore. A simple low level walk suitable for all abilities, is to walk down the western side of Derwent Water to one of the stops of the kewsick-launch.co.uk and take the boat back to Keswick. The path on the eastern side of Derwent Water crosses the main road and is sometimes covered by the lake if water levels are high and so we prefer the western side.
The old railway line from Keswick to Threlkeld is an accessible wide path on good terrain with plenty of refreshment options in Threlkeld including the Coffee Shop in the village hall and the Horse & Farrier pub.
If what you want is a good walk ending with a fine pub (or just a fine pub without a walk), we love The Swinside (near Portinscale) and, a little further afield, The Kirkstile Inn (Loweswater).
If you are venturing into the higher fells remember that the weather can be changeable, please ensure you have warm and waterproof clothing as well as snacks and water and a map and compass!
For runners, Keswick is known for its excellent trails. Enjoy lung busting runs up Latrigg and Skiddaw, undulating trails through Whinlatter or something flatter down the west of Derwent Water or to Threlkeld on the old railway cutting path. Road cyclists have much to choose from, including the iconic passes of Whinlatter, Newlands and Honister as well as the quiet lanes around Mungrisedale Common or Crummock Water.
Other Activities
theatrebythelake.com, with plays, musicals, operas, talks and much more, the theatre has something for everyone and a year-round offering.
Keswick has a lovely, recently refurbished independent cinema, keswickalhambra.co.uk
Keswick Pencil Museum charts the history of Derwent Pencils and combines it with activities for kids.
Keswick has beautiful parks. Hope Park is across the road from the Howe Keld apartments and has beautiful flower beds to wander through and a pitch & putt golf course and crazy golf. On the other side of town, Fitz Park has an excellent outdoor play area and tennis courts.
Ospreys have been returning to nest above Bassenthwaite Lake for many years and their nests can often be viewed from Dodd Wood. See ospreywatch.co.uk for more details.
If you are a keen angler or would like to give it a try then contact Watendlath Trout Fishery at Watendlath, Keswick, CA12 5UY, 017687 77362.
The Lakes Distillery at Dubwath offers excellent tours which can be rounded off with a meal in their bistro, lakesdistillery.com
The Lake District Wildlife Park is a great day out for kids (and adults). With an array of birds, mammals and reptiles, educational talks, animal experiences and bird of prey displays there is plenty to do. See lakedistrictwildlifepark.co.uk for more information.
If a day of pampering is what you need then the spas at Armathwaite Hall or the Lodore Falls will have just the thing for you.
A trip around Derwent Water on the Keswick Launch is a wonderful way to view the area. To get to the lakes from Howe Keld apartments walk south around the pitch & putt golf and crazy golf and follow the road towards the lake where the steamers are waiting, keswick-launch.co.uk
