Explore By Boat and Ride The Waves

The Keswick Launch Company operates the Keswick Launch on Derwentwater. It is a fantastic way to sightsee and access various areas around the lake. Use it to get to the start of a walk, return to Keswick at the end of your walk, visit the businesses surrounding the lake, or simply take in the view.

There are several different types of tickets, depending on what you plan to do:

The Round trip/Day ticket - enjoy the full 50-minute cruise of the lake, or use it to hop on and off as much as you like until you return to your point of departure.

Single Fares - use these is you are heading to a specific jetty and returning by other means. Included in this is the Hawse End Walkers special, perfect for anyone planning to walk Catbells.

Weekly Pass - unlimited travel for 1 week from date of purchase.

Current fares can be found on the Keswick Launch website.

Keswick Launch

Keswick Launch has 6 Jetties where the lake cruises stop to hop on and off.

1. Keswick Boat Landings - Lake Cruises around Derwentwater start and end here

2. Ashness Gate - stop for Ashness Bridge, Surprise View, Watendlath or wander through Great wood

3. Lodore - Stop for Lodore Falls, Chinese Bridge, Borrowdale Valley, Grange and Seatoller

4. High Brandelhow - Stop for National Trust woodland and routes up Catbells and Maiden Moor

5. Hawes End - Stop for the main walk up Catbells

6. Low Brandelhow - Stop for Brandelhow wood and parkland, and the 'Entrust' Hand Sculpture

Park and Sail

If you are arriving in Keswick by car for the day, then why not take advantage of the fantastic Park and Sail offer.

Park at Keswick Rugby Club, Crow Park Road where you will find 200 parking spaces. Park for the day for £5 and receive a Keswick Launch discount voucher. The voucher when presented at the Launch ticket office gives a 15% discount off the launch services that day for the driver and up to a maximum of 4 of their passengers.

Walks by Boat

There are lots of walks that you can access by boat, saving the stress of having to find a parking space and the hassle of having to go back for you car later. Below are just a few suggestions.

The Derwentwater Walk

The Derwentwater Walk is a waymarked path which will take you on a 10 mile scenic walk around Derwentwater, Queen of the Lakes. On flat and easy paths, the walk passes through ancient woodlands and along the shores of the lake. The scenery is stunning, with perfect picnic stops and cafés and restaurants en-route. If the full 10 miles is too much, then you can make use of the Keswick Launch, hopping on and off to suit you.

View The Walk

Catbells

From the moment you step on the fell you can start to enjoy sensational panoramic views over Keswick, Derwent Water and Borrowdale. Add to this to the West the views of Newlands Valley and the Western Fells making this walk unrivalled in spectacular views.

Hop on the Keswick Launch and get off at the Hawse End jetty to start your walk-up Catbells. Don't forget, that if you have travelled to Keswick for the day by car to do this walk, you can take advantage of the Park and Sail offer highlighted above.

View The Walk

Ashness Bridge and Surprise View

The image of Ashness Bridge is often seen to be adorning biscuit tins and tea towels. This fine small packhorse bridge, striding over a fast-running beck, is a perfect foreground for the view north over Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite with the mass of Skiddaw rising steeply above Keswick. From Ashness Bridge a short stroll a little further up the hill is Surprise View, a magnificent panorama overlooking Keswick and Derwentwater.

This walk is accessible from the Ashness Jetty.