A beautiful and varied walk to a stunning viewpoint - OS Explorer Map OL4. A longer, circular route back to the car park, through Cockshott Wood, is also available.
The stunning view looking out over Derwentwater towards Cat Bells and the impressive Jaws of Borrowdale backdrop is accessible to all. There’s even a bench perfectly positioned at the headland allowing you to get your flask out and enjoy the view for even longer.
This relatively level route takes you into some fabulous locations with stunning lake and mountain views
Follow the road from the theatre down to Derwentwater foreshore. The wooded islands and the Jaws of Borrowdale will soon come into view. When the tarmac ends, continue along a good stone track, keeping right, parallel to the lake shore.
You will see a finger post at a junction which points right to Friar’s Crag and left to Strandshag Bay, keep right.
Just before reaching the view point, a stone pillar can be seen just up to the left, if you go to view it then return back to the main path and continue to the headland viewpoint.
Return to the finger post at the path junction and turn right. Directly ahead there is a gate into a field with a good stone surfaced path, (the path to the right goes down to the foreshore, this is suitable "for some”). The upper ("for all") path continues across the field before dropping to join the lower path near the lake shore.
A bridge takes you into a small wood. From here, join the road to Stable Hills. Turn left to the B5289.
The “Route for All” finishes here, so those following that route will need to turn around here and retrace your route back to the start..
Retrace the route back, or follow the “Route for Many”: This proceeds along the narrow roadside path north. This is undulating and, although not steep, is uneven in places. (N.B. there is nowhere along this approximately 700m section for two mobility scooters, wheelchairs or children’s buggies to pass).
Take the track to the left (grid reference NY 26842266), running between a fence and hedge (N.B. again there are no passing places along this approximately 180m section).
At the end, head straight on through Cockshott Woods then right once returned to the 'for all' section of the path on the lakeshore or turn right when entering Cockshott Woods and return to the car park. The route through Cockshott Woods has tree roots near the top of the slope which are difficult to pass in a wheelchair. Please note that the alternative route by turning right when entering Cockshott Woods has steps down into the car park at the end.
Theatre by the Lake car park
Postcode: CA12 5DJ
Grid reference: NY 265229
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Grid reference: NY 271220
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Disabled car parking and accessible toilets (access with Radar key or 40p). There is a café at the Theatre by the Lake and refreshments at the Lakeside tearooms.
Bus: services run from all over Cumbria. You will need to walk from Keswick town centre on pavements and paths. Car: B5289 Borrowdale Road from Keswick and turn right at the roundabout
