View of Derwentwater and Keswick from Latrigg Summit

Latrigg is Keswick’s fell, rising from the suburbs to the northeast of the town. Hikes to Latrigg are also among the most straightforward of all the Wainwright Fells and there are options for wheelchair users too. Backed by the ancient Skiddaw massif, and with magnificent views of Derwent Water and beyond into the heart of the national park, Latrigg is undoubtedly wonderful.

An easily accessible fell above the glorious Vale of Keswick

It’s fair to say that Latrigg is one of the more tamed fells in Lakeland. Its sheep pasture summit is adorned by benches that allow you to relax and drink in the views. Walks to Latrigg don’t get any more straightforward than those that start from the car park at the bottom of Skiddaw’s Jenkin Hill. From here, well-paved paths circle the summit region, allowing for an extremely gradual approach to the very top.

There are plenty of more challenging routes that climb the full extent of the fell from Keswick. Routes into the wooded gorge carved by the River Greta are particularly scenic and one path follows the trackbed of the former railway line from Penrith to Keswick.

Hikes to Latrigg are often bolted on to longer adventures on the Skiddaw massif. Both the usual ways up Lonscale Fell and Skiddaw Little Man begin here too. Latrigg’s summit is notable for glacial erratics, boulders transported and deposited by ancient glaciers. However, the larger boulders were removed from the summit to create today’s smooth sheep pasture.