Lake District Circular Walks

Lake District Circular Walks

A collection of circular walking holidays visiting the lakes and mountains of the Lake District National Park.

3 to 13 nights
12-74 miles
Easy / Moderate to Easy

From £360 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

Book your self-guided walking holiday in the Lake District. This UNESCO World Heritage site is England's only true mountain region and contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. It provides an enchanting mix of rugged mountains, deep valleys, shimmering lakes, powerful waterfalls and attractive stone-built villages.

Our selection of circular walking trails in the Lake District National Park provide an enticing mixture of scenery, terrain and challenge. Whether you are looking for fabulous views, picturesque settlements, fascinating history or literary inspiration, each of these walks offers something different, and are ideal for an active but tranquil retreat into the Great British countryside.

Choose your route

  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Lakeland Round
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options South Lakes Short Break
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options North Lakes Short Break
  • Lakeland Three Passes Walk
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Derwentwater Round

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

About this route

3 nights
12 miles
Easy
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £360 per person

Derwentwater Round

The Derwentwater Round walking trail is designed to help more people enjoy the Lake District National Park on foot. Beginning and ending in Keswick, this single-centre holiday walks around Derwentwater: 12 miles along easy, well-signposted paths. It meanders through ancient woodland and along the banks of one of the Lake District’s best known bodies of water.

There is plenty of wildlife to see, and the scenery along the route is magnificent. In particular, the viewpoints of Friar’s Crag and the Millennium Seat offer great panoramas of the surrounding fells. This route is ideal for those who want to explore the impressive landscapes of the Lake District, but at a much gentler, easier pace.

As a Stile-Free route, the Derwentwater Round has no stiles or other challenging obstacles to contend with. Any climbs or descents are short and/or gentle. It is suitable for beginners, young families and those with mild mobility impairments.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
DR1 A circular trail beginning at Keswick 3 nights, 2 days walking Stile-Free - Easy £360

Short breaks

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
SLSB1 A circular trail beginning at Windermere 4 nights, 3 days walking Moderate / Demanding £505
SLSB2 A circular trail beginning at Windermere 5 nights, 4 days walking Moderate £630
SLSB3 A circular trail beginning at Windermere 7 nights, 6 days walking Easy / Moderate £880

Derwentwater Round - Stile-Free 3 nights, 2 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
  • Holiday Highlights

Important information

The Derwentwater Round is a single centre holiday based in Keswick.  We will provide transfers drop you off at the trail in the morning and to collect you from the trail at the end of your walking day.

Start

Travel to Keswick where your accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Keswick to Grange. 5.5 miles (9km)
Transport is provided to collect you from Grange and return you to Keswick.

Day 2

Grange to Keswick. 6 miles (9.5km)
Transport is provided to take you from Keswick to Grange on the morning of your walk.

Finish

Depart from Keswick after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£60.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£50.00 per person / per night


You can add rest days at the overnight stop:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays Derwentwater Round map
Keswick
12 miles (19 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Admiring the views of the surrounding Lake District fells while strolling alongside one of the National Park’s famous lakes.

Spotting peregrine falcons, red squirrels, otters and many other amazing animals that make their home in the valley of Borrowdale.

Exploring the bustling market town of Keswick and uncovering its rich history as a major centre for tourism and industry.

What's included?

  • 3 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

Although the Derwentwater Round is a short route, it nevertheless showcases plenty of fine Lake District scenery, which is well worth pausing in and exploring more thoroughly if you have time. Extend your holiday by booking extra nights at your overnight stops, and enjoy the fantastic attractions on offer in each location.

Keswick is a major centre for tourism in the north lakes region, with plenty to keep visitors occupied for an extra day or two. This pretty market town offers a wide range of attractions, from shops and restaurants to intriguing museums and a theatre by the lake, as well as boating trips on Lake Derwentwater. In 1276, Edward I granted the town its market charter, and the Saturday market continues to this day. The purpose-built Victorian Museum & Art Gallery is also worth a visit, as it contains a local history collection and original manuscripts from the Lake Poets.

You can add rest days at the overnight stop:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 11.5 miles (18.5 km)
Duration: 3 nights, 2 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 5.5 miles (9 km)
Maximum daily distance: 6 miles (9.5 km)
Code: DR1 Grade: Stile-Free - Easy
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Keswick
End of holiday: Keswick

Route Profile

Derwentwater Round - Stile-Free Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are at Carlisle, Newcastle and Leeds.

By Rail - The nearest train station to Keswick is at Penrith (approximately 18.2 miles away).

By Bus - Buses run between Penrith and Keswick.

From London - Trains run from London Euston station to Penrith. From there a bus/taxi will be required to Keswick.

Return To The Start - The Derwentwater Round is a circular tour beginning and ending in Keswick.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.
"Steak Pie at Wainwrights, Keswick" by David Rymer (2022) "Steak Pie at Wainwrights, Keswick" by David Rymer (2022)