Friars Crag and Calfclose Bay
 Distance:
3.5 miles
Total Feet of Climbing: Negligible
Suggested Time: 1.5 hours
Starting Point: Moot Hall, Keswick (NY 266 234)
There are few residents of Keswick who will not have sauntered
around this course. Even on the bleakest of days it provides residents
with a reminder of what a wonderful location they live in.
1. From Moot Hall, walk into Lake Road - the road which runs
between the Old Keswickian Chip Shop and Barclay's Bank. You soon
come to George Fisher's outdoor shop. Here turn right on to a
brick surfaced roadway (which is actually part of Lake Road).
From the end of this roadway, follow a distinctive pedestrian
sign to the left bearing the words 'Subway to the Lake'. Leading
out of this subway is a broad surfaced walkway which leads past
the new theatre to the Northern end of Derwentwater. (0.5 mile)
2. On reaching the lake continue along the road which follows
the shoreline. The road soon terminates but continues as a broad
pathway which continues to follow the lake shore. Within 100 yards
the path branches in two. Bear right. The path leads to a popular
viewpoint called Friar's Crag on which a bench is situated. (0.4
mile)
3. Retrace your steps for 25 yards, where a small path branches
off to the right through a young copse of conifers. (In the midst
of these trees is a memorial to John Ruskin). The small path soon
joins a broader path. Turn right. Passing through a small gate
the path leads around the edge of the lake and enters a small
wood by the way of another gate. Emerging from the wood the path
joins an access road leading to Stable Hills Cottage. ( 0.5 mile)
4. Turn right to follow this access road. Just before reaching
the cottage a National Trust sign indicates a footpath leading
off to the left following the lake shore. The path soon comes
to a small copse which occupies a short headland (with a seat).
Emerging from this copse is a memorial plaque and an unusual sculpture.
From the plaque the path continues to follow the water's edge
around Calfclose Bay. About 300 yards from the copse the path
comes to a mortared cairn of stones which contains a National
trust collection box. (0.75 mile)
5. At this point the path branches in two. Follow the left hand
branch which curves back towards Keswick parallelling Borrowdale
Road (B5289). At the end of this pathway it is necessary to cross
to cross the road to join a pathway on the other side. Follow
this pathway past St.Johns churchyard back to the centre of Keswick.
(1.5 miles)
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