Walla Crag from Keswick
A half-day round from Keswick over Castlehead to the cliff-top of Walla Crag, down to Ashness Bridge and home along the Derwentwater shore.
- Distance
- 10.6 km
- 6.6 miles
- Ascent
- 377 m
- High point 374 m
- Time
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Walking time, no stops
- Grade
- Moderate
- Circular
Take this walk with you
Google Maps does not know most fell paths, so use it to get to the start, then follow the GPX in an app like OS Maps, Komoot or AllTrails. To see the line in Google Maps, open Google My Maps, create a map, choose Import and pick the KML file. It then appears in the Google Maps app under Saved, Maps.
Weather on this walk
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Walla Crag is the fell that hangs over Keswick's lakeshore, and from the top you look straight down its cliffs onto Derwentwater and across to Catbells and the Newlands fells. It is reachable on foot from town, which makes it one of the best value walks in the northern Lakes.
This loop climbs through Castlehead Wood and up beside Brockle Beck, crosses the open top of the crag, then drops to the much photographed Ashness Bridge before returning along the lake. The lakeside finish past Friar's Crag is a fine way to end the day.
The route
- 1
Lakeside to Castlehead
Walk from the car park towards the lake, then take the footpath into Cockshot Wood and on across fields to the road. Cross with care and climb through Castlehead Wood, with an optional detour to the Castlehead viewpoint.
- 2
Springs Farm and Brockle Beck
Head up Springs Road to Springs Farm, then follow the path up through the woods beside Brockle Beck. Leave the woods and continue on the lane and path that lead onto the open fell.
- 3
Walla Crag
Go through the gate onto the fellside and follow the wall to the summit. Stay well back from the cliff edge, which is unfenced and sheer.
- 4
Down to Ashness Bridge
Continue south along the top of the fell and descend to the Ashness road, then walk down to the old packhorse bridge at Ashness.
- 5
Back by the lake
Drop to the main road and pick up the lakeshore path heading north. Follow it round the bays past Calfclose Bay and out to Friar's Crag, then walk the last stretch back to the car park.
Questions people ask
Can you walk to Walla Crag from Keswick?
Yes. This route starts at the Lakeside car park and climbs through Castlehead Wood and beside Brockle Beck, with no need to drive.
How hard is Walla Crag?
It is a moderate climb on good paths with no scrambling. The main hazard is the unfenced cliff edge at the top.
Where is the best view on Walla Crag?
From the summit area near the crag edge you look straight down on Derwentwater, but stay well back from the drop.
Is there a shorter way up Walla Crag?
Mud and Routes describes a short ascent of about 3.6 km starting from Castlerigg, above Keswick.
More walks nearby
Friar's Crag and the Derwentwater shore from Keswick
Easy, 3.2 km, 6 m up, about 30 minutes
Keswick's favourite short stroll: from Theatre by the Lake to the Friar's Crag viewpoint, then on along the shore and boardwalk. Mostly step-free.
Castlerigg Stone Circle from Keswick
Easy, 6.3 km, 130 m up, about 1 hour 30 minutes
An easy walk from Keswick to Castlerigg, the stone circle ringed by fells, out along the old railway line and lanes and back through farmland.
Latrigg from Keswick
Moderate, 4.9 km, 292 m up, about 1 hour 30 minutes
Keswick's own small fell: up Spooney Green Lane and the zigzags to a grassy top with one of the finest views of Derwentwater in the Lakes.
Food, drink and beds near the start
Fellpack
Casual Dining, Keswick, £
A laid-back Keswick restaurant built around Fellpots, generous bowls that put creative twists on classics. The short, seasonal menu might put a Japanese dish next to neeps and haggis.
The Square Orange
Pizza & Bar, Keswick, £, dogs welcome
A cosy, buzzy cafe bar on St John's Street serving stone-baked Roman style pizzas, tapas and good coffee, with a full bar and regular live music evenings. No bookings, just walk in.
The Dog and Gun
Traditional, Keswick, £, dogs welcome
A proper Keswick town-centre local, run by Greene King, known for its homemade Hungarian goulash, well-kept ales and a warm welcome for dogs.
The Keswick Country House Hotel
Country House Hotel, Keswick, ££
A grand Victorian hotel set in four acres of tended gardens beside Keswick's old railway station, two minutes' walk from the market town centre. Expect classic dining in the Lonsdale Restaurant and views out to the surrounding fells.
The Twa Dogs
Traditional, Keswick, £
A friendly Jennings pub on the eastern edge of Keswick, named after the Burns poem, with a prize-winning floral garden, a few guest rooms and folk singing on Sunday afternoons.
Castlerigg Stone Circle
Heritage, Keswick
A 5,000-year-old stone circle set against a natural amphitheatre of fells. Free to visit, impossible to forget.