Keswick Mountain Festival — wonderful walks from the town

Keswick is the UK’s premier mountain festival, with live music, a buzzing festival village and outdoor activities galore. Situated in the heart of the Lake District, this family friendly festival has gone from strength to strength since first welcoming adventurous folk to the town in 2007.

Today, Keswick Mountain Festival boasts a huge menu of activities and attractions for the whole family. In the day, trail runners, hikers, triathletes, wild swimmers and cyclists will take part in a range of organised events; world class speakers will share inspirational tales; and at night, live music will light up Crow Park.

The festival takes places in the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the UK: Keswick. Surrounded by iconic Lakeland fells and nestled on the banks of beautiful Derwent Water, it’s the perfect venue for outdoor lovers. Myriad trails splay out from the town into the surrounding fells, offering a huge range of adventure potential.

This hiking Collection showcases seven of the region’s best walks, starting and finishing at the festival site. There are explorations of the modest fells immediately around the town, a full loop of Derwent Water and longer expeditions onto Keswick’s most iconic summits, including mighty Skiddaw.

You’ll discover beguiling ancient history at sites like Castlerigg Stone Circle; beloved viewpoints, such as from Latrigg’s splendid perch above the town; and even approach one of Lakeland’s favourite fells, Catbells, by boat. Wildlife lovers will be in their element, with bird species like sparrowhawks and peregrines to watch out for. Of course, we can almost guarantee an encounter with the resident Herdwick sheep too.

The routes here are suitable for all reasonably fit walkers, with each taking at least a couple of hours to complete and featuring elevation gain. The route to Skiddaw is particularly strenuous and some level of hillwalking experience is recommended. Hiking shoes or boots are essential, along with waterproof layers for if the weather turns. The festival site is the ideal place to stock up on food and drink for your walks and you should carry plenty of water with you.

You can consider the environment when planning your route to Kendal Mountain Festival by using public transport. If travelling by train, Penrith, Carlisle and Kendal (via Oxenholme) are all on the West Coast Mainline. The Lakeslink bus services link Carlisle and Kendal to Keswick, while the X4 and X5 services can be taken from Penrith, which is the quickest option.

Keswick is on the A66 from Penrith to Cockermouth. Motorists on the M6 should take Junction 40 at Penrith. Parking can be booked in advance on the festival website (see below).

For more information about Keswick Mountain Festival, visit: keswickmountainfestival.co.uk

See you on the fells!