Friar’s Crag, Keswick is a nice easy walk, offering stunning views of Derwentwater and the surrounding fells, including Catbells.

We parked in Keswick Town Centre, and walked down to Hope Park.  There is pay and display parking right next to the park at GR 266229, but you can park anywhere in Keswick.

Walk through Hope Park (enjoy the remote control boats!) down to the lake shore, past the Theatre by the lake to where the boats launch.  Magnificent views and plenty of duck feeding opportunities!

Continue to walk along the lake shore, either taking the higher road/path or along the waters edge itself.  You’ll join a path all the way to the end, signed Friar’s Crag.  When you can walk no further you’ve made it!  Catbells is to the right, and on a clear day you can see many more mountains from here too.

You can take a pushchair (on the road/path, not the lake shore) all the way down to this point.  Today we did an out and back route, but if you fancied a circular loop, you can continue following the footpath up towards the Ings, eventually popping out onto the Borrowdale Road.  The loop walk isn’t suitable for puschairs.  Turn left and walk along the road for a few hundred metres, then take the footpath on the left, back towards the lake.  Take either the left or right path, as they both end up back at the landing stages.

The out and back is just over a mile, depending on which car park you start in.  The loop is about 2 miles.

After our walk we headed to the Puzzling Place, and marvelled at the fascinating optical illusions.  A little more suited to older children, but fun none the less.

For more walks like this, stay up to date and “like” our facebook page Family Walks and Pubs in the Lake District