Keswick Attractions: Things To See And Do In Keswick

The town of Keswick is situated between Skiddaw and Derwentwater and is one of the major locations where tourists to area will often stay. Because of this, there are a wide variety of Keswick attractions that visitors to the town can enjoy. There are plenty of hotels and guest houses in Keswick.

The market town of Keswick was first granted its market charter back in 1276 by Edward I and even today, a market still takes place in it every Saturday. Many years ago, when Keswick was first starting to be settled, it was based around Crosthwaite, which is now at the western edge of the town. Originally built in 553 AD, Crossthwaite Church was initially called St Kentigern. In more recent times, the co-founder of the National Trust, Canon Rawsley, was vicar of the church between the years of 1883 and 1917.

Today you will notice that much of the land that now surrounds the town of Keswick is actually owned by the National Trust. This is one of the reasons why the town and the surrounding area has not altered greatly throughout the intervening years. There are many attractions across the town, including the famous Pencil Museum, as well as other attractions in the surrounding area. Here are some of the better known.

1. Ashness Bridge - this appears on all sorts of places and is probably the most-photographed place in the Lake District. From this location you have views across Derwent Water to the town and then to Skiddaw. if you can, do your best to visit at sunrise or sunset. You'll miss most tourists and get the best views. You'll get a spectacular photo opportunity here.

2. Castlerigg Stone Circle - this is one of the most visited and easily accessible such circle in the Lake District. Of all the stone circles to be found in the area of Cumbria, England this is the most popular and dates from around 3,000BC. By why the circle was built is still unclear today but many people have come up with many ideas. Some believe it is a burial site whilst others believe it was built to be used as an astronomical observatory. However, the reason why most people enjoy visiting this location is because of its peace and tranquillity.

3. Derwentwater – this lake is three miles long and the shores reach up to the edge of Keswick. You can enjoy it by hiring a rowing boat or using the Keswick Launch, which acts as a bus across the lake. The tours on the launches are run by Keswick Launch and take you to Ashness Gate, Loddre, High and Low Brandelhow, Hawes and Nichol End. But if you want to view the lake from the shoreline there are plenty of relaxing walks around it one can enjoy.

Here, we'll take a look at some of the most popular tourist attractions near Keswick. However, there are plenty of other fascinating and interesting places for one to visit as well as things to do whilst staying in Keswick.