I walked from Bassenthwaite to Keswick. (I normally aim to end at the better-connected node.) The hamlet of Bassenthwaite is half a mile along a quiet road from Chapel Bridge on the A591, where there’s a bus stop for the hourly X4 between Workington, Keswick and Penrith. When I got to the road at the bottom, my legs felt shaky and weak. A big truck passed me along the quiet road past High Side House, but luckily, I was next to a field gate, so there was room to pass. Sometimes I just had to stop and listen to the silence, and gap at the scenery, and just live in the moment!...

Mary Oz

It mostly follows the Cumbria Way and when it departs at eg Coomb Height, it makes a challenging route all the more so....

John Scott

Walked as part of the National Parks Challenge 2026. Nothing to add to earlier reviews. This is a challenging and stunning route....

John Scott

My last day was from Rosthwaite, along the shore of Derwent Water to Keswick, which was cold but sunny. Overall, a great route through the heart of the Lake District, and the only part where I really met any other walkers was alongside Derwent Water to Keswick....

Paddy Dillon

A more direct route than the original, using the old railway, a long river walk, and then an uneventful road walk to the end. From the centre of Keswick, we make our way out of town along the narrow roads, passing over the bridge over the Greta (which shall be our companion for many miles!), the YHA and the museum, before walking around the outside of Fitz Park on an unpaved road, passing the foreboding and huge old hotel, before heading up some steps and onto the old railway. Eventually we climb up to meet the A66, where we cross when we can, and, down a side road, access the next part of the railway walk. We're on the river for some time, and in places actually do walk alongside the water rather than being penned in as earlier on....

Hiking Historian

We're in Brundholme Wood for a while, but we soon climb up and meet an unpaved road and the way gets a little easier. At Guardhouse, we cross a bridge on an unpaved road, before cutting across some more fields onto the road on the other side. This is the second weird bit of the route: for some reason, from here, Wallthwaite, the route follows the footpaths downhill through marshy fields populated with cattle and sheep, before climbing once more through more marshy fields until it meets the road once more at Flaska House. This diversion, no doubt to keep the route away from the unpaved road, makes no sense, as it travels through very rough terrain, full of livestock, for very little gain....

Hiking Historian

That said, we're soon out of the village centre and along unpaved roads that seldom see traffic other than farm vehicles. We soon escape over a stile into the first of of our fields; dewey and frosty underfoot, we share our way with a few sheep and cows, and once over a little footbridge, we land onto another unpaved rural road. From here, a few footpaths through fields brings us to Applethwaite, and then it's a long walk along a track through the vast fields of sheep until we reach the Cumbrian Way, which takes us down an unpaved roads to a paved residential street....

Hiking Historian

The only major uphill section is Stake Pass and it winds up so not too steep up and the waterfall there is great. Its a long walk but I've routed it make it as straightforward and simple to walk as possible considering the geography between the towns!...

Neil Summersgill

I walked from Bassenthwaite to Keswick - its very steep in places - one short section I need my hands to scramble and coming down I'm glad I had my trekking pole for balance as its even steeper that side!...

Neil Summersgill

A walk with some very pretty bits and lovely stops along the way! From the tarn, the path is a bit more rocky and can get quite wet if there's a lot of rain, but the descent gives you some pretty views of the fells in Borrowdale. The rest of the walk is very pleasant, following rivers, going through woodland, and along Derwentwater....

Ingrina

After you follow the path west, you'll descend along Liza Beck on a path that is slightly trickier underfoot. It's quite rocky and sometimes the path slightly erodes, so, while it's not technically difficult, care is required. Where the route has been mapped here is OK, but you'll be fighting through quite a bit of bracken and narrow path....

Ingrina

This is a magnificent ridge walk and great for a long day's walking in good weather. The views from Grisedale Pike are stunning and from here on it's a relatively easy walk along a narrow ridge. Mostly OK provided you are experienced at walking in the Lakes, but the approach to Grisedale Pike is very steep and rocky. It's a great ridge, but it's narrow in places. The path is usually on the southern side of the ridge but particularly between Hobcarton and Whiteside there's a steep drop down to the left....

Nicholas Davison

After leaving Grasmere and shortly after Lancrigg the official KesCha One route takes you steeply up to Helm Crag and then along the ridge over Gibson Knott and Calf Crag to the head of Far Easedale. While this is a delightful ridge, especially the top of Helm Crag, for a 30km route as this, I would strongly recommend the easier alternative of following the Far Easdale path instead. Photo 1 shows the point where the two routes diverge – right for Helm Crag, left for Far Easdale. Photo 2 shows the two route choices in orange and photo 3 the point at which they rejoin at the head of Far Easedale (the ridge route coming down from the right). It takes about an hour less to walk than the ridge route, and for a walk as long as this one, that's a useful hour to save. From the head of Far Easdale to the highest elevation point of this route at the Greenup Edge pass (610m, photo 4) there's a boggy section of a couple of km to negotiate. The path descends from Greenup Edge down over Lining Crag (photo 6) and past Eagle Crag towards Borrowdale....

Jo Wood

This route is an easy walking route in that there are no gradients. The route is difficult to follow and at one point I ended up walking on the A591 which was very uncomfortable. The route begins walking over fields, crossing each fence requires a style. The route is not hard to follow but often you just head for the next fence crossing point as there is no path. The route from here is very hard to follow the map appears to show the path following the road. The day I walked the route the road was closed passed Millbeck, so I walked a footpath through the fields....

Jonathonr

* some confusion just after Mire House, OS map /permissive path conflict...

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