Route: Keswick Mountain Festival
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 21st May 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 2.0 miles
Weather: Sunny intervals
The Keswick Mountain Festival is an annual event taking place in Crow Park near the centre of the town, which has a wonderful backdrop of Derwent Water and the North Western Fells. It’s a superb setting
Click here to see the numerous events and attractions that are on offer throughout the weekend including “outdoor activities, world class speakers, sporting events, camping and live music in the evening”
We arrived mid-afternoon and after wandering round the festival site, which is full of interest, we walked along the shore of Derwent Water to enjoy the views along the lake from Calfclose Bay
We then returned to the Theatre by the Lake opposite the festival site having booked tickets to hear Alan Hinkes talk about his adventures in the Himalayas and elsewhere. Alan is the only British person to have climbed all 14 of the mountains above 8,000 metres and it was an inspiring and amusing talk which capped off an afternoon very well spent
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Red squirrel in the garden about to bury a hazelnut for future consumption
Mission accomplished
Later that morning we visited nearby Crummock Water - the walk was too short to merit the ‘full treatment’, but it’s worth sharing a few photos…
The foot of Crummock Water and the foot of Mellbreak
Looking across to the boathouse…
Lower slopes of Mellbreak
We walked back along the bank of the River Cocker
The water monitoring station by the car park - we’d have been underwater in November 2009, and probably last December too
Later that day we visit the Keswick Mountain Festival in Crow Park
It’s hard to imagine a better setting
A selfie of sorts - a photo of my photo being used by the Lake District National Park in the bid for UNESCO World Heritage Status
Setting up the stage for the evening’s live music
The location tempts us to go for another stroll - this is looking back on the site, with Skiddaw towring above it
From near Friar’s Crag, looking along Derwent Water to Castle Crag
We wander round the lakeshore path as far as Strandshag Bay
Rampsholme Island and the Lodore Falls Hotel
The Ings from Strandshag Bay
Stable Hills
It’s nearly 5pm, so we retrace our steps to the landing stages near the Theatre by the Lake
The end of a funny and fascinating talk by legendary mountaineer Alan Hinkes
