Troutbeck Head site to Keswick by foot
I am thinking of visiting the Keswick site. I have never been there or to that particular area before. Approximately how far is it to Keswick on foot and is it a relatively easy walking route as I have 2, not as agile as they once were, dogs? Does the old railway line run near to the site? I am aware that the A66 is closed at weekends at the moment but for future reference, are there any bus stops anywhere near the site? I have tried looking on the internet but seem to come up with numerous sites that purport to give info but are simply sites that make money when you click on them but don't give any info.
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Have visited Troutbeck Head a few times but never thought of walking to Keswick, it's a fair distance. There are no direct-ish paths on the OS map (red dashes) and the old railway is not shown as a right of way.
TBH is the small blue caravan half way down the photo right hand side alongside the A 5091, Keswick is far left. The grid squares are kilometres.
The large forest by the site has been largely cut down and there are many tracks that are good for walking. These are permissive forestry tracks, so not shown on the map.
Hope this helps, the photo seems just about good enough quality if you zoom in. If you are going to the area I would recommend getting a 1:25000 OS map of the area, which will show the tracks in much greater detail than the 1:50,000 in the photo.
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A quick look on google maps, walking directions, states it’s approx. 10 miles an 3 ½ hour walk each way with a 700 foot climb on the way.
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When I stayed at Keswick, I was at a site at Castlerigg. Going to Keswick wouldn't be too bad but walking back would be an extremely good workout. Troutbeck Head by foot would take all day if done in both directions.
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Here's some info about the railway track walk. People do tackle some long walks in the area, the 10 mile walk around Derwentwater is popular. The start for the Keswick track walk is at Threkeld. Looks as though some of it is under repair so follow further links. Maybe a bit hardgoing for older dogs but well within a fit human's capabilities (not mine I'm afraid.) Locally I've seen many take the bus out to places from Keswick etc and then do the return walk on foot so there are various possibilities.
Miles without stiles LINK
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Personally, with a motorhome we prefer being with the other club in Keswick which has two well placed sites in the town close to Derwentwater. Keswick has excellent facilities including a very good bus service in several directions (you can take the dogs) and a big choice of walks, short or long, plus access by boat on the lake. When we stay there, we rarely move the motorhome as there is plenty to do locally.
Here's a view of Buttermere, earlier this year, on the bus route and a good pub nearby.
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vbfg
You obviously haven't looked at a map or understood from The Sites Book where Troutbeck Head site is. You describe it as "the Keswick site". Are you getting confused with the club site at Borrowdale which is described in the book as 3.5 miles from Keswick? That site doesn't have a loo/shower block but is on a bus route to Keswick and it is a pleasant walk to Keswick or to Grange in the other direction or alongside the lake.
You have had 3 other good suggestions for sites in and close to Keswick.
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For anyone interested there was once a station at Troutbeck near the Troutbeck Inn, the station closed in 1972, it was on the Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway. Waimwright mentioned seeing the last train service in one of his books. The current A66 would have been to the right of these pictures.
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I have a motorhome and don't like to move from my pitch once I have reached a site either. I was with the other site for 12 months but left as many of their more popular sites (and Keswick was one of them) have a minimum of 2 or 3 nights stay which I was not aware of prior to joining. Due to work commitments I can't usually stay Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday nights and Friday, Saturday and Sunday were very often fully booked well beforehand, especially at Keswick so it does restrict my choice a lot. I have decided to book for 2 nights at the Borrowdale site and maybe try one night at the Troutbeck site if the weather looks ok for Sunday and Monday but thank you for your input - the boat trip sounds lovely if the weather holds.
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You are correct, I was getting it mixed up with the Borrowdale site (where I have now booked). I read numerous reviews about many different sites and remembered someone mentioning the walk into Keswick and thought that it was from the Troutbeck site reviews page. I must pay more attention next time I am booking a site!
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Thanks yes, I have got them all recorded and will get round to them at some point
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you could also get the boat back most of the way, google Keswick Launches for timetable.
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I'm glad to have helped but I don't know why you didn't look in the Sites book. It would have saved you from being confused and asking the unnecessary questions in your post.
(I never can understand why people don't use the information they already have or which is readily available but choose to ask other people on forums for their ideas or for the information.)
I hope that you enjoy the Borrowdale/Keswick area and that the weather is kind. (There is likely to be some tourist information at the site and there is a good TIC in the middle of Keswick.)
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Weather in the lakes kind? I was in Keswick in July 76. Chucked it down every day.
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that's dry compared to Seathwaite a few miles away
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The last I heard, that pencil factory owned by Derwent, was severly damaged by the floods in 2016 and has since been bought by the Religious conglomerate that has a huge festival in Kexwick in Summer so that they can have somewhere to have a permanent exhibition site. I stand to be corrected.
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If you like walking with your dogs it was a good move to book Borrowdale instead of Troutbeck Head where the opportunities for walking are limited.
I’d recommend a walk from the Borrowdale site through Manesty Woods and along the lake shore to Keswick. You could get the bus or the ferry back with your dogs if necessary. The cafe at Nichol End Marine is particularly good for a mid morning coffee and the home made scones are amazing. Saturday is market day in Keswick.
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You can take the dogs to Lingholm on Derwentwater, reached by ferry and foot, there is a lovely café there and an interesting garden connected with Beatrix Potter, the Potter family used the house as a holiday home.
Have a lovely time, we enjoyed a nice stay at the Borrowdale site, perfect for walking and an attractive little village at Grange close by.
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Thanks Brue.
We were in Keswick a couple of hears ago, the year after the winter flooding, and popped into the shop in the town centre. The assistant was the one who told us that the museum site had been sold as it would cost too much to repair and to whom it had been sold. So my apologies for misinformation. Is it the exact same location?
However, wherever it is by I'm really pleased as Mrs WN adores pencils so she'll be pleased she can continue to go there.
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The factory relocated to more modern premises in Workington a few years ago but the museum has been fully refurbished and is worth a visit. You enter through a mock graphite mine, I found it very interesting, probably more for adults than children but the shop has lots of lovely art equipment for all ages.
Derwent pencils LINK
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Couple of tips for the Borrowdale site.Just follow the details given in the handbook as other roads are narrow and hilly.When we visited a few years ago,whilst the site is wooded there are some open glades so it is best to look at where you want to be sited first.
Do the Borrowdale walk. The start of the walk is by the Hollows farm campsite back towards Grange then you will discover the River Derwent this is at the base of Castle Crag.
Also the small Lakeland ferry and buses do stop running early evening meaning we ended up having to taxi back from Keswick to the Mary Mount hotel one night.
I my admit I absolutely loved this site, and we had glorious weather
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