Route: Derwent Water – Brandelhow to Nichol End
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 18th July 2016
Walkers: Andrew Gilly and Phoebe
Distance: 3.0 miles
Ascent: 200 feet
Weather: Cloudy and very warm
We’re looking after our 2 year old granddaughter Phoebe for a few days, and today was the day she went on her first walk in the Lake District – the first of many I hope. Scafell Pike was not an option so we cast our minds back to when we brought our children here and one of the old favourites was to take the Keswick Launch along Derwent Water and walk back along the lakeshore
With that plan in mind we parked at Nichol End Marina. The clockwise launch was the first to come along and after an enjoyable ride we disembarked at Brandelhow
The lakeshore path follows the Cumbria Way and is very easy going. However 3 miles is quite a distance for a toddler and we had to use our shoulders and some adult cunning to get Phoebe to journey’s end, including some shameless bribes on the subject of ice cream. As luck would have it, and just as spirits were flagging, we arrived at the Lingholm Kitchen and Walled Garden. Since we were last here the estate has benefitted from a massive redevelopment and now boasts a new cafe ‘The Lingholm Kitchen’, full of tempting delights including – thank goodness – ice cream (note for adults: it also serves Loweswater Gold!). I can highly recommend a stop here, it’s superb
Suitably revived we made the short stroll back to Nichol End. Just after we set off for home Phoebe fell asleep and just after arriving home so did I – a sure sign of a good walk
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)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before we set off this morning…
Introducing our walking companion today - our granddaughter Phoebe
Time to get out our walking kit
A short while later we arrive at Nichol End Marina
Our boat comes in - Lady Derwentwater
Causey Pike as we head cross the lake to Keswick
Looking towards Skiddaw
We pass by Friar’s Crag after leaving Keswick
We arrive at Brandelhow and set off along the lakeshore path
Looking back to Brandelhow Bay
‘Entrust’
Phoebe knocked at the door but the tree pixie was out
Otterbield Bay, near the Hawse End Outdoor Centre
Catbells
Otterbield Bay
Looking back to an old barn
A walk through The Park
Looking back to Catbells (two words on the OS, a single word in Wainwright)
Phoebe enjoys tugging my hair - the explanation for a few thin patches that are appearing these days
Energy levels in need of a boost, and as if by magic…
The new walled garden from the cafe, still being planted up. The cafe was superb, and suitably refuelled we made it back to nearby Nichol End
Later that day, back in Lorton Vale
A lovely sunset looking north along the valley
That mountain looks like a lakeland fell - hard to believe that it’s Criffel in Scotland - 50 miles away, with the Solway Plain and Solway Firth in between
The end of a wonderful day
