Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Derwentwater
CRUISE/NATURAL ATTRACTION Just half a mile
from Keswick's town center, Derwentwater is popular with walkers and other leisure
seekers. The
Keswick Launch Company
operate a hop-on, hop-off circular service.
You can board at Keswick and get off at Hawes End, then follow the paths leading to
the summit of
Catbells,
a small fell suitable for younger and less-fit walkers. Your
efforts will be rewarded with one of the most spectacular vistas in the Lake District.
Either return by the same route or walk along the lake shore and then hop on boats
from Low Brandlehow, High Brandlehow, Nichol End, Lodore, and Ashness. The
circular route operates in both directions, but don't miss the last boat if you don't
want a long hike back to town.
Keswick Launch Co., Lake Rd., Keswick.
&
01768/772263.
www.keswick-launch.co.uk. £9 adults, £4.50
children 5-16, £21 family ticket for hop-on, hop-off circular route (50 min.); single tickets also available.
First/last boats from Keswick: Mid-late Mar and mid-late Nov clockwise daily 10am, 3pm (4pm late
Mar-June and Sept-Oct; 5pm Easter holiday, July-Aug); counter-clockwise 9:45am, 3:30pm (4:30pm
late Mar-June and Sept-Oct; 5:30pm July-Aug).
Honister Slate Mine
HISTORIC SITE There are several reasons to
stop at this slate mine on Honister Pass, not least being the dramatic views into the
steep-sided valley below. Mine tours take visitors underground to hear about the
centuries-old process of mining and splitting slate. If you're really brave, you can try
the Via Ferrata, a system of cables and metal rails that allow nonclimbers a taste of
traversing a rock face. The hardiest will want to opt for the zip wire, which whizzes
you across a crevasse. Back at base, there's a cafe and a shop selling hand-crafted
slate gifts.
Honister Pass, Borrowdale.
&
01768/777230.
www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk. Mine tours £9.95-£20
adults, £4.95-£20 children 15 and under, depending on tour; Via Ferrata Classic £30 adults, £20 children
10-15, £95 family ticket (2 adults and 2 children); Via Ferrata and zip wire £35 adults, £25 children 10-15,
£115 family ticket; all-day pass packages available. Daily 9am-5pm; tours/Via Ferrata dependent on
weather conditions.
Entertainment & Nightlife
Keswick's
Theatre by the Lake
(
&
01768/774411;
www.theatrebythelake.co.uk)
is a 400-seat theatre that produces a year-round program of drama productions. It is
best to buy tickets in advance, particularly in the summer months when visitor num-
bers are high.
You'll find several pubs in the town center, including the
Oddfellows Arms
on
Main Street (
&
0871/2238000
) and
The Dog and Gun
on Lake Road
(
&
01768/773463
), both of which serve real ales such as Jennings and Coniston
Bluebird. Farther out, try
Twa Dogs Inn
(
&
01768/772599;
www.twadogs.co.uk),
at the foot of Skiddaw mountain, a good place for a post-hike pint and a bite.
Where to Eat & Stay
At the Lakeland Pedlar
, Bell Close, Keswick (
&
01768/774492;
www.lake
landpedlar), there's a bicycle shop (for rentals, parts, and repairs) upstairs and a veg-
etarian, reasonably priced and very tasty cafe downstairs (main courses £5.50-£7.90).
Options include breakfasts with vegan bacon-style rashers, homemade soups, Moroc-
can chickpea tagine, Greek spinach pie, and a substantial children's menu with
names they'll like (“pirate” and “musketeer”). There's a pay parking lot in front of the
restaurant.
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