Route: Derwent Water – Brandelhow Bay to Nichol End
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 1st October 2014
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 2.4 miles
Weather: Slighly overcast at start, slowly getting better (and better)
The weather was miserable all morning but at lunchtime the mist lifted and so we decided to head towards Keswick. If the rain continued we would go shopping, if it improved we’d go for a walk. Luckily the weather did improve and I was saved from a fate worse than shopping – a walk was on the cards!
We parked at Nichol End Marina on the west shore of Derwent Water, intending to take the Keswick Launch to the landing at Lodore, then to walk back along the lake shore as we’ve done on many occasions in the past. This time there was a snag – there had been so little rainfall that the water level of the lake had dropped to the extent that the ferry was unable to land at Nichol End or Lodore for ‘health and safety reasons’ – a claim disputed by the proprietor of Nichol End, who derives income from the landings
However the enterprising proprietor had found a way round the issue and invited us to strap on some lifejackets and hop into his small motorboat, and off we sped across the lake to Keswick where we were able to catch the launch to Brandelhow Bay. This halved the length of our proposed walk but doubled the fun so we didn’t mind at all. The walk back to Nichol End was as lovely as ever and after an unpromising start it turned out to be a great afternoon
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
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The landing stage at Nichol End but the Keswick Launch won’t be coming here today
We don our life jackets and board the small motorboat
Leaving Nichol End - a lot faster than the Keswick Launch, or so it feels
St John’s Church Keswick with Blencathra beyond
Derwent Isle
We disembark at Keswick landing stage on the other side of Derwent Water
The next leg of our boat trip - the Keswick Launch
Passing by Derwent Isle again
Falcon Crag
Lodore, but we can’t land there today as the water level is too low
A pair of cormorants
Approaching Brandelhow Bay
We disembark here and the launch continues its journey around Derwent Water
At last the walk begins. There’s a low road along the shore and a high road above it - we take the high road and pass by some magnificent Douglas Firs
Brandelhow Park, looking towards Skiddaw and Blencathra
The Park
Autumn approaches
All too soon we are back at Nichol End where a heron is fishing
Zooming in on the heron
A miserable morning has turned into a glorious afternoon
Skiddaw
A last look across Derwent Water to St John’s Church Keswick
