Keswick is picturesque market town with lots of excellent hotels and guest houses, restaurants, pubs, shops and other amenities, making it the ideal place to stay for visitors to the northern Lake District. It is surrounded by some of the area’s finest and most dramatic mountain scenery. Located on the shores of a pretty lake, the town has a great park, quaint antique shops and an interesting museum and art gallery – offering something for every visitor.
History
The town’s buildings are mostly Victorian, however there is evidence of mediaeval settlement, particularly in Crosthwaite church. Mining was an important industry for Keswick and the surrounding area for centuries, and there are various old mines and disused quarries to be discovered on your walks. If history is your thing, the Keswick museum provides some excellent information on the area’s heritage.
Orientation
Keswick lies nestled on the shores of Derwentwater, surrounded by the dramatic Skiddaw range of mountains, and is the largest and most popular town in the northern Lake District. Access to Keswick is straightforward as it is located right off the A66, one of the area’s major roads.
Keswick’s town centre stretches north from Main Street to the River Greta, which weaves its way through the town and pretty Fitz Park. The centre is a great place to wander around, however most of the main tourist attractions fall outside this area: the Cumberland Pencil Museum, Crosthwaite church and Castlerigg Stone Circle are all located a few minutes away from the centre.
There is a helpful Tourist Information Centre in Moot Hall, located on the market square, with information on both Keswick and the entire Lake District National Park.
Walking
The northern Lake District offers some of the area’s most challenging and rewarding hikes, including Skiddaw, Scafell and Helvellyn, all of which are within easy reach of Keswick. The scenery here is the most dramatic and there are some excellent shorter circuit walks for the more casual hiker. If walking or scenery is your main reason for visiting the Lakes, then this town is a great choice as a base: several walks can be started directly from the doorstep of the many hotels in Keswick. There is also a good bus network and many of them will drop you at the starting point for some of the more challenging walks.
Shopping
Keswick is well served by shops. As well as the more practical outlets, including supermarkets, bakeries, butchers and greengrocers, there are numerous outdoor activity shops selling quality clothing and equipment for walkers and climbers. There are also several interesting antique shops and a popular Saturday market which takes place in the town’s pretty market square, selling all manner of items from woolly jumpers to gourmet sausages.
Eating, Drinking and Entertainment
Visitors have a wide choice of places to eat and drink in Keswick. There is a particularly good range of cafes, many of which are aimed at catering for hungry walkers. Some recommendations include Bryson’s at 42 Main Street, and Lakeland Pedlar, located in Henderson’s Yard in Bell Close Car Park.
Good pub grub can be found at Keswick’s watering holes, the best of which include the Dog & Gun and Four in Hand, both on Lake Road.
Many of the Keswick hotels have good restaurants attached. There are also a few interesting options in town, including Luca’s on Greta Bridge, which serves classic Italian food.
If you’re staying in Keswick for a while, you should check out the Theatre by the Lake, which offers a variety of different performances throughout the year.
Read more about things to do in Keswick or find out how to get to Keswick.