48 hours in Keswick – making the most of your weekend in the Lake District
I don’t know about you, but in our house mid-week conversations are logistical at best, snappy at worst, so having a weekend together to get out and properly catch up was well overdue.
Every February we get just under 48 hours entirely childfree, together. We make our annual pilgrimage up to Keswick, the scene of our first ever mini-break, and prime contender for my favourite place in the Lakes.
Keswick manages to achieve what many bigger touristy towns don’t, it keeps its charm despite the need to please. I’ve always felt it has something for everyone.
In the past 15 years I’ve done walks suitable for a pushchair, and walks that I now can’t believe didn’t end in Mountain Rescue. I’ve eaten the heartiest Lakeland fayre, and been for a lovely Thai banquet. Drunk 8% craft Belgian lager, and well pulled Lakeland brewed ale. OK, so that was Chris – but you see where I’m going with this. Whatever you’re after, Keswick has you covered.
This weekend we wanted a few beers and some laidback home-cooked pub food, a big old yomp that would have us out most of the Saturday, and then a leisurely return home via a nosy in a couple of walking shops.
Here’s how we did it…
Our walk was a classic Keswick hike, if not classic Lakes. We did the Cat Bells hike from Portinscale, back down through Brandlehow along the lakeside, and then back into town on the Keswick launch. Despite my research suggesting otherwise, the boats weren’t running, so we headed out straight from our B and B for a 10 mile roundtrip. Armed with a couple of KitKats and two giant butties from Jan’s Lakeland Sandwich Shop in our rucksacks, we were excited to be back out there.
And then we remembered what we’d forgotten time and time again, Cat Bells is not easy!
I always forget how hard that little fell actually is! It’s described as one of the most family friendly hikes you can do, a good starter fell…all statements that lead you to believe you’re going to glide up sweat free. But from the minute to leave the road and start heading up the fell, it’s a tough old slog – and that’s from someone who does this sort of thing reasonably frequently.
It’s got not one, but two false summits. You’re at the top of the second before you realise that the peak you see in the distance is actually where you’re getting your windswept trig point shot. You’ve a way to go yet friend.
Jokes aside, it’s a classic Lakeland walk for a reason. The views you get without needing to climb too high are superb, giving you Derwent Water ahead, the Newlands Horseshoe and valley to your right, and behind you as you climb, the mighty Skiddaw and Blencathra looming over the town. Once you get a bit further along you can start to see down into the Borrowdale Valley, none of which is bad going for a walk that some mountaineers may scoff at.
If you do make the trip with kids (and there were plenty doing so; one who was praised at the top by his Dad for not whinging once…and at the other extreme, one who was lying by the path saying he couldn’t possibly continue), all I’d say to be mindful of is that there are parts where you’ll have to climb/ scramble. There are no sheer drops though, and let’s face it, it’s the grown-ups that worry about that stuff, they’ll no doubt just bounce over it without looking back.
Five hours after we set off, and two sensational butties later (thanks Jan), we landed back in town and tipped immediately into The Wainwright for a pint, where we sat in sleepy silence for a little while before contemplating our next move.
Like I said, whatever you’re after you can find, whether that’s a cocktail, a pint in a comfy pub, a nice wine, or a trendy ale. We managed to fit all of this into two evenings… which is what happens when you only get out once a year.
I’ve controversially said before that the one thing I think lets the Lakes down, can be the places to eat. They’ve got a captive audience so sometimes don’t try that hard, and we’ve historically struggled to find somewhere that’s casual, but still great.
Until we found The Pheasant a few trips back. It’s a proper pub, and by that I mean it’s got an open fire, it’s off the beaten track, a bar if you prefer to eat in more laidback surroundings, and a restaurant area at the back if formal is more your thing.
It’s a tables close together, beer mats and a plethora or cask ales, pub classics like lamb henry and chicken pie…but with an in-house chocolatier and French whites on the menu.
Seems like a juxtaposition, but it’s an absolute winner. It was also Valentines Day, so it was heaving and jolly and the perfect first night of our trip. We’d booked in advance – it’s really popular, and rightly so.
Night two, we made the classic post walk mistake of having a few drinks before going back to get ready for the evening, and as such, went back out half still in our rambling wear and with quite rosy cheeks. A less scripted evening followed; a pint at new craft beer bar, Crooked River Tap, followed by a look in Wetherspoons – don’t judge – it used to be the courthouse and it’s a great, easy pub, then a meal at the Bank Tavern.
The Bank Tavern is another favourite of ours, I think we’ve been every year since we met. It marries decent home cooked well priced food, with friendly staff, and as you can’t book tables to eat, it’s always busy with a quick turnover. Get a drink at the bar, and usually before you’ve finished it, you’ve spotted an emptying table you can jump on.
We ended our evening at the Skiddaw Hotel. We’ve never been before, as it’s conservatory bar fronted exterior was a little off-putting, and felt a bit too fancy for walking leggings. Once inside the main bar, us being the only ones there did give it a bit of The Shining vibe, but the staff were incredibly tolerant of their chatty patrons, and made us some delicious nightcaps to round off our day.
And that was us, despite being childfree, still back at the BnB way before last orders on both evenings. Rock and roll!
On our last morning, thank God we listened to the lovely Kerry who runs the No. 10 Bed and Breakfast. She recommended a 15 minute short walk from the car park of her place, to the Castlehead viewpoint. She promised we wouldn’t regret it.
Stuffed with a giant full English and regretting the nightcap, I’d have easily given it a miss. I’m so glad we didn’t.
15 years plus of visiting and I didn’t even know this place existed – apparently many don’t. It’s a casual amble up to the top of town along the road, you don’t even need your walking stuff on. Cut through a field and a little wood, and you’ve got a view to rival what it took 25,346 steps to find the day before. You must do this walk if you come to Keswick.
And finally, we were in good company when we nipped to the massive toyshop to get a gift to bring home for our little boy. At the counter I overheard the shop assistant telling a couple “Oh yes, we’re very busy on a Sunday morning with people getting their guilt presents!”
And with that, we hit the A66… back to our boy, back to reality, and already thinking about when we will come back again.
We stayed… No. 10 Bed and Breakfast, Southey Street, Keswick
We ate… The Pheasant Inn - there’s two in the area, it’s the one just past the Premier Inn and on the lane out of town, The Bank Tavern, Jan’s Sandwich Shop (yes it was that good)
We drank… particularly good were The Bank Tavern, Crooked River Tap and The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, aka the best ‘Spoons you’re likely to visit
We walked…Cat Bells circular from Keswick
Some images from Unsplash (most are my own)
Enjoy!
Amy
