Keswick Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Keswick showing markets and street scenes as well as a large group of people
Keswick showing signage, street scenes and café scenes
Keswick
Keswick featuring markets and street scenes as well as a large group of people
Keswick featuring a small town or village, signage and café scenes

Peruse quaint shops and cafés, learn about the Lake Poets and rent a boat in this quaint market town.

Amid mountains and a lake, Keswick is a popular village in the Lake District. Browse the 700-year-old market and learn about the commune’s association with poets Samuel Coleridge and Robert Southey.

Experience the region’s creative scene at the Keswick Museum and Art Gallery. Its collections tell the story of the village’s social and industrial progression. Browse through galleries showcasing works by local artists and writers. Learn about the area’s history via exhibits of pre-historic tools, Roman ceramics and medieval relics.

See a 26-foot-long (8-metre) colored pencil at the Cumberland Pencil Museum. It is the former site of a large pencil manufacturing industry and has exhibits including gadget pencils from World War II. Participate in a workshop to draw with fine art pencils.

See the ornate interior and large organ of the medieval Crosthwaite Church. Look for the memorial to poet Robert Southey. Twelve consecration crosses are hung inside and outside the church.

Walk east for 1.6 mile (2.6 kilometres) from the village centre to find the Castlerigg Stone Circle. The ceremonial site dating back to 3,000 B.C. is from the Neolithic period. Snap photos of the stones with a dramatic mountain backdrop.

Aside from cultural highlights, the village is a common base for exploring spectacular terrain. Prepare for your ascent of Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain. Start climbing from Borrowdale for the most scenic route.

Between the mountain and Keswick lies the vast lake of Derwent Water. Enjoy views of the woodland surrounding the lake and the islands that decorate it. Rent a boat from the small marina near Keswick for an adventure on the water.

The village is north of Derwent Water in the northern section of the Lake District National ParkOpens in a new window. Take a bus or drive northwest for 30 miles (48 kilometres) from WindermereOpens in a new window to reach the village. LondonOpens in a new window is a bit more than 300 miles (500 kilometres) south.

Relish the diverse scenery and historic sites in Keswick, where natural beauty inspired some of England’s greatest poetry.

Keswick Country House Hotel

Keswick Country House Hotel

3 out of 5
Station Road Keswick On Derwentwater, Keswick, England
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Keswick. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in our ...
Keswick Country House Hotel
Lake District Castle Inn

Lake District Castle Inn

4 out of 5
Bassenthwaite, Keswick, England
The price is AU$277 per night from 28 Sept to 29 Sept
AU$277
28 Sept - 29 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Keswick. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in our ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (634 reviews)
"Amazing stay with great facilities. Good breakfast and location."

Reviewed on 23 Aug. 2025

Lake District Castle Inn
The Derwentwater Hotel

The Derwentwater Hotel

3 out of 5
The Derwentwater Hotel, Portinscale, Keswick, England
The price is AU$164 per night from 29 Sept to 30 Sept
AU$164
29 Sept - 30 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Keswick. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
The Derwentwater Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Luxury lodge, Bassenthwaite,Nr Keswick, at the foot of Skiddaw.

Luxury lodge, Bassenthwaite,Nr Keswick, at the foot of Skiddaw.

Keswick
Stay at this cabin in Keswick. Enjoy laundry facilities, balconies, and cable/satellite TV service. Popular attractions Bassenthwaite Lake and Church Bay are ...
Luxury lodge, Bassenthwaite,Nr Keswick, at the foot of Skiddaw.
Cottage on the Farm

Cottage on the Farm

Bassenthwaite
Stay at this cottage in Keswick. Enjoy a garden and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Church Bay and Bassenthwaite Lake are located nearby.
Cottage on the Farm
Fell Foot Shepherds hut on traditional Lakeland farm

Fell Foot Shepherds hut on traditional Lakeland farm

Bassenthwaite
Stay at this cabin in Keswick. Enjoy a garden. Popular attractions Church Bay and Skiddaw are located nearby.
Fell Foot Shepherds hut on traditional Lakeland farm
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Activities

Cities near Keswick