Things to do...
You have the whole Lake District to explore and enjoy. Too many places to mention here and so many things to do. You can tour the Lakes by car or bicycle, or use the local bus services. It’s all there for you to enjoy, here are some ideas to start you off….
The Local Area
Keswick, the Northern centre of the Lake District National Park lies in a beautiful valley between the North shores of Derwent water and the towering grandeur of Skiddaw.
Keswick is recorded in the 13th century as Cese-wic, indicating that it acted as a market for cheese. During the 16th century small-scale mining took place here, and it was the source of the world’s first graphite pencils. The pencil industry still remains today at the Derwent Pencil Museum.
Keswick was granted a charter to be a market town in 1276 by Edward I. The pedestrianised main street is laid in cobblestones and retains an old charm, which people come from miles around to visit. The Market place features the Moot hall, dating back to 1571 when it was used as a courthouse. Since then it has been used as a market, prison and town hall. Markets are held on Thursday (Craft Market) and Saturday (Full Market) with stalls ranging from fruit and veg, fresh fish, local meat and cheeses to art and crafts, pet supplies, sheepskin rugs and woolly hats.
Things to do in Keswick
There are many things to do in Keswick itself. With a wealth of shops including gift shops selling all sorts of local crafts and fine goods. Likewise there are a couple of chocolate shops and an excellent selection of cafés and delis to suit all tastes. Many of the town centre cafés have outdoor seating areas where you can enjoy a coffee and soak up the unique Keswick atmosphere.
Widely recognised as the Outdoor Centre of the Lake District, Keswick has the widest range of outdoor shops in Cumbria. Here you can often pick up some real bargains. However shops such as Go Outdoors, Cotswold and Mountain Warehouse compete with smaller independents such as Rathbones and George Fisher.
Places to eat and entertainment
There are a good range of pubs, restaurants, bistros and takeaways. Evening entertainment may be found at the highly regarded Theatre by the Lake or the Keswick Alhambra Cinema. Likewise many of the pubs and bars provide live music throughout the week.
There are several events and festivals held in Keswick each year, such as Words by the Water, Keswick Mountain Festival, a very popular Beer Festival and a Party In The Park. In addition, the market square hosts events such as an Annual Christmas Fayre for example.
Outdoor activities
Derwent Water, the most picturesque lake in Cumbria is only a 10 minute stroll from the town centre. Here you will find landing stages, where you can jump on board the Keswick launch. Stop off at several locations around the lake where you can take a walk. Try Walla Crag, Catbells or Maiden Moor, or visit Ashness Bridge, Lodore falls or the villages of Borrowdale.
Head North out of Keswick to take in the view from Latrigg, or consider walking up Skiddaw, the mountain that dominates Keswick. On a clear day the views from the 931 m (3,054 ft) summit are outstanding.