The Wainwrights
Introduction

This scenic circular walk begins and ends at Moot Hall in Keswick, the traditional start and finish point of the famous Bob Graham Round fell-running challenge. From the hall, the route leads through the town and Hope Park, offering the first stunning views of Derwentwater and its surrounding fells. Following the lakeshore, walkers reach Friars Crag, home to the John Ruskin Memorial, before continuing to Calfclose Bay to see the Centenary Stone, celebrating 100 years of the National Trust.

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The path continues through wooded lakeside trails to Kettlewell and Lodore Wood, where the impressive Lodore Falls cascade down the rocks—a site once immortalised by poet Robert Southey. Nearby, steamboats from Lodore Jetty offer the option to return to Keswick across the lake.

Those continuing on foot cross Derwent Bridge, with spectacular views into Borrowdale and towards Skiddaw, before joining the Cumbria Way through Brandelhow Wood, the birthplace of the National Trust. Wildlife abounds here, from red squirrels to herons.

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The trail then reaches Hawse End and the picturesque St Herbert’s Island, linked to Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons. Passing through Lingholm Estate, once Potter’s holiday home, the route heads toward Portinscale, offering fine views of Blencathra. A final stretch across the River Greta and through Keswick’s Main Street leads back to Moot Hall, completing a richly scenic and culturally significant walk around Derwentwater.