Keswick - Borrowdale - Buttermere drive A drive of many natural wonders starting from Keswick visiting some of the most beautiful lakes, valleys and mountain passes in the Lake District. Highlights include Derwent Water, Borrowdale, Honister Pass, Buttermere, Crummock Water and Whinlatter. Derwent Water from Crow Park Route Map Summary of main attractions on route (click on name for detail) Distance Attraction Car Park Coordinates 0 miles Keswick N 54.59936, W 3.13758 1.4 miles Calfclose Bay N 54.58325, W 3.12902 2.7 miles Ashness Bridge N 54.56663, W 3.13059 3.2 miles Surprise View N 54.56102, W 3.13284 5.1 miles Watendlath N 54.53684, W 3.12033 8.6 miles Kettlewell / Lodore Falls N 54.56537, W 3.13476 10.2 miles Grange in Borrowdale N 54.54705, W 3.15544 10.9 miles The Bowder Stone N 54.54158, W 3.15620 12.4 miles Rosthwaite N 54.52358, W 3.14818 15.2 miles Honister Pass N 54.51165, W 3.19697 17.6 miles Gatesgarthdale N 54.52381, W 3.24607 19.6 miles Buttermere Village N 54.54097, W 3.27756 21.1 miles Crummock Water, Rannerdale N 54.55376, W 3.29549 30.0 miles Whinlatter Forest N 54.60939, W 3.23012 34.8 miles Keswick N 54.59936, W 3.13758 The Drive Distance: 0 miles Location: Keswick, Central car park Coordinates: N 54.59936, W 3.13758 Keswick is a popular and pretty tourist town nestled between Derwent Water and Skiddaw mountain. There are plenty of attractions for visitors including the Pencil Museum, Keswick Museum and The Puzzling Place. The town has some lovely public park areas which provide peace and quiet away from the often bustling town centre. The main feature of the pedestrianised town centre is the old Keswick town centre Moot Hall which now houses the Tourist Information Centre. There are abundant shops, outdoor specialists, cafes, pubs and restaurants. A little way out of the town centre, the lakeside area on Derwent Water is always popular and you can explore the lake either by boat or the fabulous 10 mile footpath which circuits the lake. The Keswick launch cruise is a wonderful way to take in the lake and its surroundings. There are regular boats (less in winter) which stop here and at several beauty spots around the lake. It is definitely worth walking the short distance to Friar’s Crag which offers beautiful Derwent Water from Friar’s Crag views up the lake. Crow Park, opposite Lakeside car park, has a lovely open setting next to the lake where you can watch the boats come and go, again with great views. Between Crow Park and the town centre is Hope Park which has attractive landscaped grounds and miniature golf. There is a cafe, toilet facilities and the popular Theatre by the Lake is also here which has its own facilities. Central and Lakeside car parks are pay and display. Travelling: Leave the car park and turn left on the B5289 Borrowdale Road towards Borrowdale. Soon meet a mini- roundabout, taking the second exit leads a short distance to Keswick lakeside and parking. Otherwise the drive takes the first exit then the second exit at the following mini-roundabout towards Borrowdale. Continue for approx 1 mile to Great Wood car park on the left. Distance: 1.4 miles Location: Calfclose Bay, Great Wood car park Coordinates: N 54.58325, W 3.12902 Great Wood car park gives access to some wonderful local walks and scenery. Across the road a short footpath leads to the picturesque Calfclose Bay with shingle beaches and attractive views across the lake towards Catbells hill. At the northern side of the bay is the unusual Centenary Stone sculpture on the shore which was placed there in 1995 to commemorate 100 years of the National Trust in the Lake Centenary Stone, Calfclose Bay District. Just beyond that is a small headland with a well placed seat to appreciate the views. From there the lakeshore footpath leads on towards Keswick. There are also good footpaths around Great Wood itself from the car park and they lead on up to Walla Crag high above if you are feeling fit. The large car park is National Trust pay and display with a couple of picnic tables but no toilet facilities. Travelling: Continue along the B5289 towards Borrowdale. The road follows the wooded lakeshore and after approx 0.5 miles there is a left turn signposted to Ashness Bridge and Watendlath. If you take this left, the dead end road is single track with passing places, steep and tight in places and can be busy in season. However, the attractions along this road are well worth visiting. There is a small free car park immediately after the junction on the left giving access to the adjacent lakeshore and Ashness Gate jetty. Continue up hill for approx 0.5 miles to Ashness Bridge. Take care driving over the bridge which is very narrow. The car park is just beyond the bridge on the right. Distance: 2.7 miles Location: Ashness Bridge Coordinates: N 54.56663, W 3.13059 Ashness Bridge is a famous old packhorse bridge in a picturesque location. There is open access to the rough riverbank upstream from where you can admire one of the most photographed views in the Lake District with the beautiful backdrop of Derwent Water and Skiddaw mountain. The car park is National Trust pay and display with no facilities nearby. Ashness Bridge Travelling: Continue up the minor road towards Watendlath. After approx 0.5 miles there is a car park on the left for Surprise View. Distance: 3.2 miles Location: Surprise View Coordinates: N 54.56102, W 3.13284 A wonderful viewpoint from which to appreciate Derwent Water and its surroundings. The surprise might be that Derwent Water is hidden from the road by trees until you reach this point so the view is quite unexpected. Beware of steep drops from viewpoint. The car park is National Trust pay and display with no facilities nearby. Derwent Water from Surprise View Travelling: The minor road continues to wind up through the trees but shortly becomes more level and leaves the trees behind to pass along the scenic valley floor. At peak times the road can be quite busy and difficult. Eventually, the hamlet of Watendlath is reached and there is a small car park to the left. Distance: 5.1 miles Location: Watendlath Coordinates: N 54.53684, W 3.12033 A picturesque hamlet and tarn owned by the National Trust and located at the head of a remote high valley. The pretty Watendlath Beck that leads out of the tarn is spanned by a lovely old packhorse bridge. There are some well placed benches to appreciate the surroundings and a cafe. The car park is National Trust pay and display with adjacent toilet facilities. Watendlath Travelling: Retrace your steps all the way back down the Watendlath road to the B5289 Borrowdale road and turn left towards Borrowdale. After approx 0.5 miles, Kettlewell car park is on the right. Distance: 8.6 miles Location: Kettlewell car park and Lodore Falls Coordinates: N 54.56537, W 3.13476 This often busy National Trust pay and display car park gives direct access to the shingle shore with good views across the lake. Unless you are visiting the nearby Lodore Falls Hotel, this is also the best place to park if you want to see the well known but well hidden Lodore Falls waterfall. The falls are where Watendlath Beck cascades down to the lake from the high valley above. A footpath opposite the car Lodore Falls park follows the road southwards and then up through the woods to the falls which are behind the hotel. The walk is just over half a mile each way. No facilities at the car park. Travelling: Back on the Borrowdale road, shortly pass the Lodore Falls Hotel on the left and just beyond are seasonal public toilets on the right with a convenient layby. A little further on, the Borrowdale Hotel is another elegant hotel, also on the left. Continue along the road for a short distance before it comes alongside the River Derwent on the right and you see a double arched bridge over the river. Cross this bridge to enter the village of Grange in Borrowdale. Distance: 10.2 miles Location: Grange in Borrowdale Coordinates: N 54.54705, W 3.15544 Pretty little village at the 'Jaws of Borrowdale' where the valley starts to become very narrow. An impressive double arched ancient bridge over the River Derwent leads to the village and the river is normally clear and shallow with vast areas of shingle making it ideal for a paddle. There are a couple of cafes in the village, one overlooking the river. There is some free parking just over the bridge on the right with a National Trust donation box. Otherwise parking in the Grange in Borrowdale village is quite limited. Toilet facilities in the village. Travelling: Travel back over the river and turn right to continue along the B5289. In approx 0.5 miles on the left is the Bowder Stone car park. Distance: 10.9 miles Location: The Bowder Stone car park Coordinates: N 54.54158, W 3.15620 The Bowder Stone is a very impressive and famous boulder which has somehow come to rest in a gravity defying position perched on its edge. The stone is about 30 feet high and estimated to be 2000 tons in weight.