Yorkshire Walks

The car park at Great Wood

Path up the hill from the car park

A flower of Herb Robert by the path

The weather was fine and sunny and the temperature was already around 20deg.C when we arrived. From the car park we followed a path up the hillside forabout 200m to join a stony track. We continued to climb for about a kilometer to the edge of the wood at map ref. NY279222.

Last night my wife and I were babysitting our grandchildren in Bedale. This morning we drove across the A66 to Keswick for some lunch. After lunch we took the road out of Keswick (B5289) along the eastern shore of Derwent Water to a National Trust car park in Great Wood at map ref. NY271211 about 2km from Keswick.

The car park at Great Wood

One of many violets by the path

The path climbing up through Great Wood

The path climbing up through Great Wood

A glimps of the Skiddaw range from Great Wood

Path from Great wood towards Brockle Beck

At the end of the field we came to a wooden signpost where we turned left to walk down a path between the fields and the steep wooded valley of Brockle Beck.

Here we followed a fenced path along the edge of a field with a radio transmitter tower over to our left. From here there was a lovely view over Derwent Water.

Signpost near the radio mast

Path following Brockle Beck down to Keswick

Greedy Angora goats

We walked along the road on the edge of Keswick for about 400m to map ref. NY268226 where we turned left off the road to follow a fenced path across a field to the woods surrounding Castle Head.

At the bottom of the slope we came to a gate onto a road and as we approached a little yard area before the gate there were three angora goats who had obviously gained the impression that everyone passing through the yard would feed them.

Path following Brockle Beck down to Keswick

Approaching Castle Head woods

Castle Head woods

Almost at the Castle Head view point

Fresh flowers on Castle Head

A tree creeper was darting about picking insects from the bark of a Scots Pine only a few metres from us. I have almost a dozen photos of parts of this tree trunk but no tree creeper. It was just too fast for me to click the camera before it had moved on.

We climbed to the crag at the top of Castle Head and emerged to amazing views over Derwent Water and the surrounding hills. Near the bench at the top were some fresh flowers, presumably left to remember someone who loved this wonderful place. It was very hot and we sat in the shade of the trees with a view over Keswick and the lake.

Climbing up to Castle Head

Looking towards Borrowdale from Castle Head

Following the path down from Castle Head

Path around the shore of Derwent Water

Water Aven by the path

More cute lambs

At the woods we turned left and followed the path to the edge of the woods at map ref. NY266224. From here we followed a permissive path across the fields to the edge of the lake at map ref. NY266222 where we joined the public footpath around the lake.

Eventually we had to move on and we descended to the road (B5289) along the path through the woods. We crossed the road and took the path opposite across a field to the edge of some more woods.

Approaching the access road to Stable Hills

A sculpture on the lake shore

Rock Roses by the lakeside path

Path around the shore of Derwent Water

It had taken us almost 3 hours including a long stop at the view point on Castle Head. What a lovely start to our weekend in the Lake District. After our walk we drove to Knipe Fold near Hawkshead where we had hired a large holiday cottage with a group of friends. It promised to be a great weekend.

We followed this path to Stable Hills where we were able to continue around the lake on a permissive path to the road opposite the car park at map ref. NY269211. We turned left at the road to walk about 150m to the car park entrance. It had been a beautiful walk of about 6km in the hot sunshine.

Path around the shore of Derwent Water

Exposed tree roots on the shore of Derwent Water