Cumbria Way - Keswick to Caldbeck

From the clock tower end of the town hall and tourist information centre pass alongside the left side of the building. Keeping left go up to the road opposite the Keswick Boot Company on the corner and turn left into Station Road. Follow the road up to the main road and cross using the pedestrian crossing. Continue along Station road, passing Fitz Park on the left and right. Where the road swings right at a junction, bear left up to the Leisure Centre. Go around the right hand side, then continue slightly left to a mini-roundabout. Take the first exit, Brundholme Road. There is an off road path on the right hand side of the road. Keep left and swing left to Briar Rigg. Turn right into Spooneygreen Lane, signposted bridleway to Latrigg.

Follow the bridleway, over the A66 bridge, and through the gate beside Spooney Green cottage. Sometimes there are escaped chickens in the lane. Pass the information board and continue the steep climb along the edge of the woods. Keep to the track, which as you climb gradually becomes more like a wide path. Bear left to the viewpoint below Mallen Dodd where there are excellent views to Bassenthwaite and back to Derwent Water.

Keep to the track, ignore the bridleway turning off to the left, continue up to the car park at the end of Gale Gill Lane.

Turn right through the car park at the top of Gale Gill Lane and exit at the top gate. Turn left following the path through a couple of gates along the field edge, turn left at the wall end to go through another gate. Immediately bear right gradually away from the wall and fence to join a track and descend to the ford crossing Whit Beck.

Climb around the southern slopes of Lonscale Fell with excellent views over the Vale of St John to the Helvellyn range. The view includes delights as Cat Bells, Grisedale Pike and many, many others.

Continue on the track gradually swinging left to go through a gateway and into the Glenderaterra valley between Lonscale Fell and Blencathra. The track becomes a sensational terraced path high above the beck. Further along the valley gradually flattens out.

Keep to the path, past the ruins and the guide stone, and go through the gate at the bottom of Burnt Horse ridge. Now through heather the path climbs to Skiddaw House.

At the far end of the Skiddaw House enclosure, turn right at the post to head north east. Follow the path alongside the fence down to the River Caldew and cross at the footbridge. Bear right to continue on the path.

Keep heading north east with the Caldew to your right meandering around the valley floor. The path becomes a track, and then crosses the bridge at the end of the Mosedale road. Turn right and follow the road for only a few metres then turn sharp left through a gateway onto an old track.

Follow it up to the Carrock Wolfram Mine where there is an information board.

Bear right from the signboard along the track which climbs gently. Very shortly another small track crosses. Here a choice can be made: the official route follows Grainsgill Beck which many people not used to rough and ready wet scrambling find tricky and very slow. The route we recommend is to cross the track and in a few metres bear left picking up a path through bracken as it materialises from the rough ground.

At the sheepfold in Arm o' Grain continue directly ahead for only 10m (11 yards) or so and bear left to pick up the path again which turns left around the shoulder and heads for the beck. Approaching the beck - this is where you meet people giving up on the direct beck ascent shown on OS maps, bear right up boggy ground. Now follow the line of the beck, but to its right, amongst the rock and bracken. The path is intermittent but traces will be found. A large stepped stone near the top of the climb is a good place to stop for lunch or a bite to eat. Just after the stepped stone turn right along the path to Lingy Hut (a bothy) which can be seen 300m (330 yards) away.

An alternative which avoids Grainsgill Beck completely is to bear right from the sheepfold in Arm o' Grain gill following a feint path along the beck for a couple of hundred metres crossing 2 small becks before bearing left to pick up a path directly to the hut.

From the hut, heading NNW keep on the path, pass below the sheepfold on the eastern slopes of Great Lingy Hill, and Hare Stones. High Pike can now be seen slightly left, northwards. Bear left onto the first path, cross a small boggy patch and climb to the large cairn, memorial seat, and trig point of High Pike.

Leave High Pike heading NNE past the windshelter standing a little way off and descend on the path. Do not follow the path blindly as it bears right, NE, along the ridge. Instead, bear left along one of the paths heading north - in clear weather aim for the right most of two tall television masts visible in the distance.

Drop down grass slopes aiming to be alongside the beck at the mine workings. Keep left at the first set of workings and fenced off shaft. Follow the track descending to another set of workings and below the mines keep to the track as it bears right and then sharp left.

Stay on the track as it turns right again to Hollows Farm and cottages. Go through the gateway and bear left through the buildings. Exit onto the road to Nether Row.

At Nether Row keep ahead, the alternative route from Skiddaw house joins in from the left so don't confuse the routes!

Leave Nether Row by the minor road, follow this to a cross-roads. Go ahead into the overgrown lane marked access only, for 200m (220 yards).

Bear right on the footpath and almost immediately bear left over a stile into a field. Cross the field and bear left to go through a gate near new buildings. Cross the lane, and follow the path along the edge of the field and on into Caldbeck. At the road turn right into the village centre.