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Keswick is both the most northerly of the Lake District’s towns and maybe its best located: at the northern end of beautiful Derwentwater, it’s surrounded by large fells including Skiddaw and Blencathra, two of the most popular among walkers and hikers. It’s also the perfect spot to explore this part of the national park, notably the valleys of Borrowdale and Buttermere.
Right in the heart of the Lake District National Park, Keswick is still only 20 minutes from the M6 – and close enough to some of the Lake District’s best-known lakes, including Bassenthwaite, Thirlmere and Ullswater as well as Derwentwater. Fancy some fell-waking? There’s Skiddaw and Blencathra, but don’t forget Grizedale Pike and Catbells, a fell that is popular with walkers of all ages and abilities.
Culture & Heritage
Little is known about the early history of Keswick, but St Kentigern is known to have preached at Crosthwaite (to the east of the town centre) in AD 556. A Norman church was built on the spot in 1181, followed by a small settlement.
The church apparently attracted unofficial markets following church services. This caused much contention until a market charter was granted in 1276 to a small cheese dairy not far away on the banks of the river Greta. This was the start of Keswick, whose name translates as ‘cheese farm'.
As Keswick grew in size, the original settlement at Crosthwaite declined, leaving the church isolated.
Prosperity came to Keswick in the 16th century with the extraction of minerals from the surrounding fells. With no local mining expertise, skilled German miners were drafted in to work the copper and lead mines in the Newlands Valley, and a large smelting plant was established at Brigham (where the A66 road bridge crosses the river Greta).
The later discovery of wadd (graphite) at Seathwaite in Borrowdale gave rise to around 14 pencil manufacturing businesses in the area, one of which - the Cumberland Pencil Company - was operational in Keswick up to 2007.
Keswick Market
In 1276 Edward I granted the town its market charter, and it continues to this day. Keswick Market is one of the many popular markets around Cumbria and brings many locals and visitors to the town. The general market stands every Saturday and Thursday.
Moot Hall
In the centre of the Market Square is the Moot Hall a prominent, Grade II* listed historic building, which was built in 1813 and has an unusual one-handed clock. A "moot hall" is an Anglo-Saxon name for a meeting place or assembly building. The current building in Keswick replaced older structures dating back to 1571. It has undergone multiple uses over the centuries, functioning as a manorial courtroom, a copper store, a market hall, a local seat of government and prior to Jan 2026, a Tourist Information Centre. It is understood the building is due to be turned into a cafe.
Aerial photo by Simon Ledingham showing the Moot Hall in the centre of the Market Square.
Surrounding Areas
Blencathra - Set near Skiddaw forest overlooking the River Greta in the north of the Lake District, Blencathra is one of the county's most renowned peaks.
Sharp Edge is prized as one of the finest and most challenging of all the ridges rising to the summit, whereas Wainwright claimed that Narrow Edge was the finest way to any mountain top in the district.
Borrowdale - From above the shores of Derwentwater, Borrowdale presents an impressive picture - high peaks reflected in the lovely lake. The valley is a paradise for all walkers with low and high routes to suit all tastes. It's a playground for rock climbers too.
Castlerigg Stone Circles - Castlerigg is perhaps the most atmospheric and dramatically sited of all British stone circles, with panoramic views and the mountains of Helvellyn and High Seat as a backdrop.
Latrigg Fell - Latrigg is Keswick’s premier viewpoint. It sits in a superb position high above the northern edge of town with its back nestled against Skiddaw’s towering flanks and its front and sides open across the whole Vale of Derwent. From its lofty summit you can sit and have a fantastic time spotting almost the whole of the Lake District’s central fells.
Highlights
Part of the Lake District Music Summer Festival Aquarelle Guitar Quartet Rossini Sinfonia from…
Visit our beer shop selling bottled beers and cans, local gins and cider, merchandise and beer…
Does your partner ever ask you for a massage, and after a few minutes your hands start to ache?…
Our cycling holidays are a unique way to discover Cumbria. Designed with the thoughtful traveller…
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection,…
Sally's Cottages is an award-winning, local, family run holiday cottage letting agency in Keswick…
Keswick Film Festival is Cumbria’s premiere cinematic event bringing the best of international and…
Join us at Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa in Borrowdale for a relaxed and stylish brunch club in the…
"Cafe Ambio at Whinlatter Forest is set in the beautiful location of Whinlatter Forest, nestled in…
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection,…
This Christmas, prepare for a festive tale with a ghostly twist. It's midnight on Christmas Eve,…
Contours Holidays designed the Derwentwater Round as a gentle, relaxing two-day meander around the…
We indulge our obsession with swimming around islands on the Derwentwater Island Hop, and there is…
Skiddaw's simple symmetry appeals to the child in us all. Its form needs no explanation; it is a…
Step away from the rush of everyday life and join Hannah for a 3 hour guided forest bathing…
Our country house hotel is the best-kept secret in the Borrowdale Valley, with log fires, wonderful…
Armathwaite Hall has created a timeless, yet contemporary countryside spa within a stunning rural…
Nestled at the gateway to the Jaws of Borrowdale, on the tip of Derwentwater, The Borrowdale Hotel…
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection,…
The romantic ambience and art-deco features of the stunning train carriages make this a truly…
The Buttermere Swimble – The Buttermere Valley is surely one of the most beautiful in the Lake…
Tucked high along a dramatic mountain pass, Honister Slate Mine is one of the Lake District’s…
Raised in circa 3000BC, Castlerigg is perhaps the most atmospheric of all British stone circles…
Based at the head of England's best trail centre, the Altura trail in Whinlatter Forest, Keswick. A…
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Number of results: 274
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Address
St John's Church, Ambleside Road, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4DDTelephone
01539 266 200Keswick
Part of the Lake District Music Summer Festival
Aquarelle Guitar Quartet
Rossini Sinfonia from The Italian Girl in Algiers
Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol (arr. William Kanengiser)
Ariel Ramírez and Félix Luna Alfonsina y el mar
Traditional…
Address
Keswick Brewery Tours, Bar and Shop, The Old Brewery, Brewery Lane, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5BYTelephone
017687 80700Brewery Lane, Keswick
Visit our beer shop selling bottled beers and cans, local gins and cider, merchandise and beer chutney. We have a great beer selection to drink in or take away. Come and visit our brewery to find out more about us and the beers we make. Only a 2…
Tourism For All
Address
Lakeland Wellbeing, 3 The Heads, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5ESTelephone
0800 086 2644Keswick
Does your partner ever ask you for a massage, and after a few minutes your hands start to ache? With this tutorial you learn an easy, effective home treatment, ideal for soothing tense shoulders.
Tourism For All
Address
The Carter Company, Various locations in Cumbria, CA12 4RETelephone
0129663167Various locations in Cumbria
Our cycling holidays are a unique way to discover Cumbria. Designed with the thoughtful traveller in mind, we aim to show you the hidden gems of the Lake District and also offer the option of electric bikes.
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
+447810890528Braithwaite, Keswick
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District
The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection, release, and renewal. At our special forest site in the Lake District, we gather in circle as women to honour the peak of the Moon's cycle and reconnect…
Address
7 St John's Street, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5APTelephone
017687 80571Keswick
Sally's Cottages is an award-winning, local, family run holiday cottage letting agency in Keswick with 500 self-catering holiday cottages in the Lake District and Cumbria, including over 700 dog-friendly cottages.
Address
Keswick Film Festival, The Alhambra Cinema, St John's St, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5AGTelephone
017687 72195St John's St, Keswick
Keswick Film Festival is Cumbria’s premiere cinematic event bringing the best of international and independent cinema from across the world for those who love films and the beautiful setting of the Lake District.
Address
Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa, Derwentwater, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5UXTelephone
017687 77285Keswick
Join us at Lodore Falls Hotel & Spa in Borrowdale for a relaxed and stylish brunch club in the heart of the Lake District, set within the award-winning Mizu Pan-Asian Restaurant.
Your ticket includes:
Welcome drink on arrival
Two-course brunch at…Address
Cafe Ambio Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
01768778410Whinlatter Pass, Keswick
"Cafe Ambio at Whinlatter Forest is set in the beautiful location of Whinlatter Forest, nestled in the treetops. We offer modern cafe food, and brilliant coffee. We use local suppliers to showcase the best food that Cumbria has to offer. Everything…
Tourism For All
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
+447810890528Braithwaite, Keswick
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District
The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection, release, and renewal. At our special forest site in the Lake District, we gather in circle as women to honour the peak of the Moon's cycle and reconnect…
Address
Theatre By The Lake, Lake Rd, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5DJTelephone
+441768206076Keswick
This Christmas, prepare for a festive tale with a ghostly twist.
It's midnight on Christmas Eve, join us for a haunted Carol service as a spooky choir and the spirits of Christmas race to save the soul of Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge is a hard-nosed…
Cumbria
Contours Holidays designed the Derwentwater Round as a gentle, relaxing two-day meander around the fabulous Derwentwater lake, ideal for first timers and young families. Beginning and ending in Keswick, this 12-mile route utilises easy,…
Keswick
We indulge our obsession with swimming around islands on the Derwentwater Island Hop, and there is no better place in the Lake District to do it. This is one of our swim guides' favourite swim; it's a real adventure, has amazing North Lakes views,…
Address
Keswick, CumbriaCumbria
Skiddaw's simple symmetry appeals to the child in us all. Its form needs no explanation; it is a mountain simple as that, with steep slopes and a summit. It might lack the drama of the great crags of its peers, and its open flanks hold no secrets…
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
07904172349Braithwaite, Keswick
Step away from the rush of everyday life and join Hannah for a 3 hour guided forest bathing experience, inspired by 'Shinrin-yoku' the Japanese practice of restoring wellbeing through mindful connection with nature.
Forest bathing is not a hike or…
Address
Borrowdale Gates, The Borrowdale Gates, Grange, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5UQTelephone
017687 77204Grange, Keswick
Our country house hotel is the best-kept secret in the Borrowdale Valley, with log fires, wonderful Lakeland-inspired cooking and warm, comfortable bedrooms updated in classic, modern style - a real home-from-home.
Tourism For All
Address
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa, B5291, Bassenthwaite Lake, Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, CA12 4RETelephone
017687 88900Bassenthwaite Lake, Bassenthwaite
Armathwaite Hall has created a timeless, yet contemporary countryside spa within a stunning rural setting, offering a relaxed, high comfort, luxurious spa facility.
Tourism For All
Address
The Borrowdale Hotel, B5289, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5UYTelephone
017687 77224Keswick
Nestled at the gateway to the Jaws of Borrowdale, on the tip of Derwentwater, The Borrowdale Hotel has been a welcoming presence since 1866. Steeped in history and framed by dramatic crags, it’s the perfect base for lakeside strolls, lush temperate…
Tourism For All
Address
Whinlatter Forest, Whinlatter Pass, Braithwaite, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TWTelephone
+447810890528Braithwaite, Keswick
Full Moon Women's Circle in the Lake District
The Full Moon is a powerful time for reflection, release, and renewal. At our special forest site in the Lake District, we gather in circle as women to honour the peak of the Moon's cycle and reconnect…
Address
Bassenthwaite Lake Station, Bassenthwaite Lake, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9YLTelephone
017687 76599Cockermouth
The romantic ambience and art-deco features of the stunning train carriages make this a truly unique experience that is not to be missed by locomotive lovers, film enthusiasts and foodies alike! Breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas are catered for…
Tourism For All
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