# Catbells from Keswick Without a Car > Walk from Keswick to Catbells by Portinscale and the Lingholm woods, climb the north ridge and come back across Derwentwater on the launch. 10.5 km with a map, times, height profile and GPX. Source: https://catbells.uk/walks/catbells-from-keswick/ ![Passengers on the wooden landing stages at Keswick beside a launch](https://catbells.uk/assets/photos/catbells-keswick-jetty-1600.webp) No Car, No Parking Problem Leave the car where it is. An hour's walk through fields and woods brings you to the foot of the ridge already warmed up, and the boat brings you home. Photo: [Philip Jeffrey](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keswick_Launch_at_the_jetty_-_geograph.org.uk_-_8362059.jpg), [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) - **10 km (6.5 miles)** one way - **420 m** of climbing (1,385 ft) - **About 2 h 45** walking time; relaxed 4 h 15 - **Moderate** a proper hill walk Loading the map… *Map: © [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright) contributors, [OpenFreeMap](https://openfreemap.org). Routes drawn by us from OpenStreetMap. Brown and green dots are car parks (green = free), blue dots are boat jetties and bus stops: tap one for details.* **Terrain:** Pavement and a surfaced field path to Portinscale, a quiet lane and woodland paths to Hawes End, then the stony north ridge with two rocky steps, a pitched path down from Hause Gate and a level path along the lake shore to the jetty. **Start:** [Keswick Bus Station](https://catbells.uk/getting-there/). **Finish:** Hawes End Jetty (Keswick Launch). [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=54.6021,-3.1431) · [Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=Keswick%20Bus%20Station&ll=54.6021,-3.1431) · grid ref NY 262 235 ## The Walk **Keswick to Portinscale.** From the bus station, head out of town along Main Street and cross the River Greta. Just beyond the bridge, take the first left at the "Derwentwater Walk" fingerpost: a wide, level path crosses the fields, then turn left along a minor road and over the suspension footbridge across the River Derwent. On the far side you're in Portinscale: turn left along the lane through the village. **Portinscale to Hawes End.** Follow the lane south past the turning for Nichol End, then take the footpath on the left (it's the Cumbria Way) into the woods of Fawe Park and on through the Lingholm estate. (The Lingholm Kitchen café is a short step off the path.) Beyond Lingholm the path crosses a field with Catbells straight ahead, goes through more woodland and comes out on the lane at Hawes End. This is the National Park's signed route to Catbells: 4 km from Keswick, nearly all of it off the road. **Up the ridge.** From the cattle grid the route is the same as [the classic walk](https://catbells.uk/walks/catbells-from-hawes-end/): the steep path to the first rocky step, the level ridge of Skelgill Bank, the second step and the summit. Allow about an hour from the road. ![Looking down from high on Catbells to the path, the woods of Brandelhow and Derwentwater](https://catbells.uk/assets/photos/catbells-view-derwentwater-960.webp) *Derwentwater from the upper part of Catbells. Photo: [Marathon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Derwent_Water_from_Cat_Bells_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5962449.jpg), [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)* **Down and back to the jetty.** Continue south to Hause Gate, turn left down the stone path, pick up the terrace path and drop to the lake at High Brandelhow. Follow the shore path north through the woods to the Hawes End jetty. **The boat home.** From Hawes End the launch takes 10 minutes to Keswick. Check [today's last boat](https://catbells.uk/getting-there/) before you leave town, and keep an eye on the time at the summit: from the top to the jetty by this route is about 4.5 km, so allow an hour and a quarter. ![A wooden Keswick Launch boat at the Hawes End jetty on Derwentwater](https://catbells.uk/assets/photos/catbells-launch-hawes-end-960.webp) *A Keswick Launch at the Hawes End jetty. Photo: [Gareth James](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keswick_Launch_at_Hawse_End_on_Derwent_Water_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4532678.jpg), [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)* ## Other Ways to Arrange It - **Boat out, walk back.** Take the 09:45 walkers' boat, climb while it's quiet, and walk home through Lingholm with a café stop. This way there's no last boat to catch. - **Walk both ways.** If the boats aren't running (most of the winter), go back the way you came. From the cattle grid it's 4 km and about an hour to Keswick. The whole day is then about 15 km. - **Shorter finish.** The launch also stops at High Brandelhow, which saves the last 2 km along the shore. - **Bus instead.** From spring to early November the 77A covers the Keswick to Hawes End leg in 11 minutes. ## Before You Go Keswick has everything: toilets at the Lakeside car park, shops for a picnic, and outdoor shops. There are no toilets, shops or taps after Lingholm. If you arrive in Keswick by car, the [Lakeside and rugby club car parks](https://catbells.uk/parking/) are both a short walk from this route. **Staying a few days?** Keswick, Portinscale and Borrowdale have cottages within a walk or a boat ride of Catbells. [Cottages around Keswick on Snaptrip →](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10811&awinaffid=3119315&clickref=catbells-cottages&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.snaptrip.com%2Fholiday-cottages%2Fkeswick) Affiliate link: we may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. [More](https://catbells.uk/affiliate-disclosure/) ## How Steep Is It? *Height along the route (from OS Terrain 50).* ## Watch Out For - Two rocky steps on the ridge where you use your hands: slippery when wet or icy - Check the time of the last boat before you set off: if you miss it, it's about 4.5 km (3 miles) back to Keswick on foot [Download the GPX](https://catbells.uk/data/routes/catbells-from-keswick.gpx) For your phone or GPS. Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). ### Before You Go Conditions on hills change quickly. Take a map, warm and waterproof layers and something to eat, check the mountain forecast ([Met Office](https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/mountain), [MWIS](https://www.mwis.org.uk)) and turn back if you need to. In an emergency call **999**, ask for the **police**, then **Mountain Rescue**.