Cumbrian Lakeland 2 Day Trek Cockermouth to Keswick

Join OutdoorLads  for a moderate to challenging two day hike across the northwest of Cumbria in the Lake District National Park.  The route  starts at Cockermouth with an overnight stop at the pretty village of Buttermere and finishes at the popular resort of Keswick. 

Day one (24km,15 mile approx.) heads south close to the River Cocker before using quiet roads and old lanes on the western side of the Fellbarrow range to approach the southern shore of Loweswater.  Darling Fell's slopes frame the view to the lake and the soaring height of Grasmoor imposes in the mid-distance.  In woodland the path winds over small footbridges passing a boathouse and reaching a track through the pasture at the foot of the lake. The village hall is reached after a short ascent and it is worth a pause to admire the view and make use of the bronze model highlighting all the fells in line of sight.  The lunch stop in the small village is about a mile from the lake.

The route will continue on the lower slopes of Mellbreak above Crummock Water eventually falling to the shoreline at Low Ling Crag.  A climb uphill will reveal the impressive Scale Force in a narrow gorge on the slopes of Red Pike and then a gradual fall to the valley floor will lead to the destination of Buttermere (village) and our overnight stay.  There are several places to stay here to be booked individually with Inns, a few bed and breakfasts and a hostel (recommended) just outside the village.  We will aim to meet for dinner on the evening and to have a few drinks.

Day two (25.5km, 16 mile approx.) starts with a lakeshore walk around Buttermere on the quieter western side away from the road, in woodland briefly and giving good close up views of Alfred Wainwright's favourite fell of Haystacks.  The scenery around the lake is a dramatic picture of steep fells, crags, corries and waterfalls.

At Gatesgarth Farm we will reach the tarmac road that we will follow over Honister Pass, as we steadily ascend the extremely impressive Honister Crag comes into view towering above to the right with huge boulders scattered on the valley floor below. Looking back there is also an interesting perspective of the High Stile Range. 

The summit of the pass offers a chance to stop for refreshments at 1168 feet a little over 350m and is the highest point reached in the two day trek.

Leaving the pass summit the original coach road route back to Borrowdale is used and this briefly coincides with the current tarmac road heading to Seatoller.  The route then turns north before any steep descent and continues towards Grange. There is an option for a visit of the two little fells of High Doat above Seatoller and Castle Crag at the Jaws of Borrowdale. These both are worth the brief climb as they offer impressive views of the great heights at the head of Borrowdale, a glimpse of the Helvellyn range and from Castle Crag a classic prospect of the Northern Fells with Keswick below. 

The stony track leading down from the hause between Goat Crag and Castle Crag to the River Derwent then becomes a road bringing the group to the village of Grange another place to stop for food, tea and cake.

The route largely stays the same as the Cumbrian Way along the shore of Derwent Water. This trail is on good paths through woodland eventually climbing away from the lake and close to the popular start point of the Catbells fell walk. Portinscale is then soon reached and the suspension bridge crosses the River Derwent for the final mile across fields on a level section reaching the town near the Pencil Museum.