Northern Britain, home to the Pennines mountain range, which form a spine of volcanic rock and slate, offers a gorgeous backdrop to the Lake District. Dressed like an autumn sweater, the deep shades of green (there is a lot of rain), and the now rusting ferns with a rich copper chestnut color the countryside down to the water vacillating from blues to greys. It is the epitome of picture perfect.
Where the Pennines meet the clouds, the land feels endless
There is a history here. On our way from Scotland to Keswick, we planned a hike along one leg of the UNESCO site of Roman ruins. Hadrian’s Wall is now a popular hiking trail, a stone wall stretching for over 73 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Sea (sea to sea, so to speak).
The wall, evidence of Roman occupation from the time of Julius Caesar, is one spot among many throughout the region.
The original ‘Great Wall’… just with more sheep.
Hinting at human inhabitants during the Stone Age, the stone circle of Castlerigg tells of human presence here long before the more famous Stonehenge.
The Castlerigg Stone Circle—evidence of human presence in the Lake District since 3000 BC
As you ramble out of Keswick, the sheep graze on either side of the road and suddenly you see the stones. It begs the question: what did they know so long ago?
Stones that hold the silence of centuries
Beyond the beauty and ruins, water and weather are prominent features of this area. Lake Derwentwater allows recreation—kayak, canoe, water tours—on stately wooden skiffs and touring boats.
High waters and low skies on the lakeshore at Keswick
A lovely walk around the lake and several epic hikes (Catbells in particular) are part of daily life in the Lake District.
Please close gate. Sheep can’t read signs
After a short while in this area, the rain takes the lead in the water/weather race. On day one, the rains fell, the jetties were all under water, and the boat could not launch due to the rough seas.
Keep calm and bring your wellies
Day two, the boat could leave from the main launch, but nowhere else. There is no such thing as bad weather… only bad clothing. We are prepared!
Rain pants, waterproof jackets, and sturdy water-resistant shoes allowed us to enjoy the experience like the locals. Sideways rain be damned! Catbells isn’t going to hike itself!
Hiking… or auditioning for the next Mission Impossible?
When the mountain makes you feel small—in the best way
The hike is well worth it. The steep ascent on the front end slows where the rock scramble begins. The peak of sunshine disappears at the summit as a stiff breeze kicks up and the kiss of rain begins.
When the ferns turn copper and the sky can’t make up its mind—you just keep climbing
The magic is the ever changing landscape as the light in the sky highlights different colors and textures.
From Catbells’ crest, the world is sky and water
After 7 miles in the rain, we have worked off the traditional English breakfast prepared to order by our hosts and are ready for a pint and a bowl of hot soup.
Beetroot soup, crusty bread, and butter—the perfect remedy after a rainy hike
There are several great pubs in Keswick. The Dog and Gun, everything you would picture an English pub to be, is doing a swift business. We standout as tourists as we are perhaps the only ones without a dog or two in tow, but no one holds that against us.
Where every pint comes with a side of wet dog
The town of Keswick is a great hub for the Lake District. It has a charming center, commerce, an active local theater, and lots of options for dining. The surrounding scenery is lush and entertaining as clouds and sun vye for the spotlight on the mountains and lake. Worth the visit( bring your wellies!)
Maureen and David’s Travel Blog 
Ah, our new favorite home! Did you make it to Hope Park to see Max the Miracle Dog? The cafe there is a great spot, too.
We could give you more hiking suggestions that don’t involve scrambles, or you could have gone to see the tree plantings our friend invited us to help out with in Memory Wood on Lonscale Fell.
Or if you are still there, the Wainwright is a great pub, the Kings Arms is a great pub, the Pheasant is a great pub, the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld is a great pub. And the Kingfisher has the best fish and chips.
Enjoy!
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Ah, our new favorite home! Did you make it to Hope Park to see Max the Miracle Dog? The cafe there is a great spot, too.
We could give you more hiking suggestions that don’t involve scrambles, or you could have gone to see the tree plantings our friend invited us to help out with in Memory Wood on Lonscale Fell.
Or if you are still there, the Wainwright is a great pub, the Kings Arms is a great pub, the Pheasant is a great pub, the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld is a great pub. And the Kingfisher has the best fish and chips.
Enjoy!
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We were there only a couple of days. Loved the Pheasant inn. We will go back, it was great. I’ll get your list of good walks !
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Ah, our new favorite home! Did you make it to Hope Park to see Max the Miracle Dog? The cafe there is a great spot, too.
We could give you more hiking suggestions that don’t involve scrambles, or you could have gone to see the tree plantings our friend invited us to help out with in Memory Wood on Lonscale Fell.
Or if you are still there, the Wainwright is a great pub, the Kings Arms is a great pub, the Pheasant is a great pub, the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld is a great pub. And the Kingfisher has the best fish and chips.
Enjoy!
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Oh my you are brave and hardy souls! Years ago when we hiked Hadrian’s Wall in June with the kids we huddled in the shelter of the leeward side of the wall to escape the pelting of the wind and hail..IN JUNE!! As we use to say in Germany if you didn’t get out when it was raining, you’d never get out. Bravo to you for your perseverance! 👍😊🌨️
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So glad youre enjoying the Lake District, which has become our international second home. Your photo of the Dog and Gun reminded me of a previous sign out in front of it when we were there last year.
Kevin
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Had a great time!
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We had a great time. We had honeymooned not too far from Keswick, but it has so much more to offer as a hub. I can see why you love it. Did you make it to Port Rush this year
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We did make it to Portrush for the Wednesday practice round and the Friday Championship round. Those were the only days we got tickets from their new lottery. We went with a couple of close friends for whom the Open and a trip to Ireland were bucket list items for them. We also made our way down the west coast past Galway to the Dingle peninsula for a few days. Our friend still works, so they could only be out a week, so the downside was there was a lot of time in the car moving from place to place. Of course, the scenery while you’re driving is spectacular.
We stopped by the Cliffs of Moher on our way south, and since Robbie and I were there in 2001, they’ve now put up a fence and quite a bit of infrastructure with shops and a visitors’ center. When we were there before, you could walk right up to the edge.
Enjoy the rest of your trip. We’re attending a charity event in Keswick in early December, so we’ll be back over during a quieter time.
Love, Kevin and Robbie
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Oh sounds like fun. Enjoy your early holiday trip back to Keswick!
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