Catbells
A two-peak hike, its steep and short climb makes it a great option for sunrise or sunset. Often considered a ‘family-friendly fell’, it has steep, it has scramble, and it has views.
Catbells:Trail Summary
Type: Loop
Length: 6km
Elevation: 500m
Difficulty: Moderate (some steep sections and some short sections of scrambling)
Time: 2.5h (with breaks)
Start/end: Hawse End
Trail details: walklakes.co.uk/walk_26.html
The trail path starts just off the road junction and is uneven at first.
The path then turns into a mix of large stone steps and gravel. You will snake around the hill and Derwentwater comes into view.
After this initial incline, it's mostly ridge walking from here. Ahead is the first 'cat ear' hump.
There is short scramble section to get to the top of the first hump.
The view from the first hump looking back down at the scramble and path you just came from.
After the scramble, the path levels out again, with the second 'cat ear' hump out ahead.
Again, there is a bit of a scramble to get to the summit of Catbells. I found this scramble a little easier to navigate if you keep left.
Trig point at the summit.
After an initial little scramble section to get down, its a gentle decline along the ridge.
On the left a steep gravel path starts to lead you down the hill
This soon turns into uneven stone steps which will direct you away from Derwentwater
As you descend closer to the road, take the path that cuts back towards Derwentwater and follows the road. This will lead you back to the start of the trail.
Catbells
Starting the trail from Hawse End. The Catbells trail is clearly signed at the base of the fell and begins with a steady incline that zig-zags around the fell to give you views over Derwent Water. The terrain begins as a little mud/dirt track but soon becomes a gravel and stone path. The path starts to level out as you reach the ridge, and there is a short scramble section (need to climb with hands and feet) to get up to Skellgill Bank.
Once over Skellgill Bank you will see the familiar views associated with this hike, the ridge path towards Catbells. This path is mainly flat and level gravel until you start the ascent up Catbells. This is a longer scramble section, but nothing too technical. I’d recommend going through the middle, but keep checking left as there are some sections close to the top that become a fenced path trail.
After this scramble section it is just a short incline to the peak where you’ll find a stone circle and trig point. The views across Derwent Water and the surrounding fells and mountains are great.
From the peak I carried onwards, following the ridge path to start the descent. I loved the views in this direction as it had snowed a couple days earlier and it was so beautiful to see snow-capped mountains before me. The path veers to the left, and then takes a steep step-wise path down the edge of the fell towards the lake. This section is quite steep and can be hard on the knees.
Towards the bottom of the fell, the path can either continue forward towards Manesty, or you can take a sharp right to loop the trail back to where you started. I chose to create a loop and turned back to walk the edge of the fell alongside the water front.
Because of these two scramble sections, I recommend walking this trail in the anticlockwise direction so that you are always climbing up the scramble and not coming down from it.
Alternative routes:
To avoid the scramble sections completely you can walk the route up to Catbells from the South / Manesty direction.
Extend the trail: rather than turning left and making a steep decline towards the lake, you can either continue along the trail straight ahead toward High Spy, Dale Head, and Robinson, or make a right and descend into the village Little Town. It is also possible to create a lengthier loop by continuing on to Dale Head, Robinson, and looping back around through Little Town, or combine with the Catbells loop and create a figure-of-8 trail.
How to get there
By bus: The 77/77A bus runs from Keswick on a circular route that passes Catbells. (It also passes through Buttermere, Honister, Borrowdale and Whinlatter). The bus only runs from Easter to October and fares cost £2 (until Dec 2024).
By car: I’ve marked on the map above the different parking options around the trail. Typically people park around Hawse End but you could also look for spaces around Manesty and walk from the South, or park in Little Town and walk from the West.
By boat: You can reach the trailhead by grabbing a Keswick Launch (boat) from Keswick across Derwentwater to Hawse End Landing Stage or High Brandelhow. Boats don’t run in December or January and during the other Winter months, they run on a reduced schedule. A single trip costs £2.75 for adults. There is also a Park and Sail option from Keswick Rugby Club which offers a 15% discount of boat tickets.
Taking the boat is a good option for busier months where finding a parking space can become difficult. I visited Catbells on a sunny March weekend and had to drive around a couple of times before finding a parking space.
Need to knows
This is a popular hike, even on weekend in March with some snow there were a lot of people on this trail. Be flexible to the prospect of having to start from a different trailhead, or park further afield. Coming early afternoon is also a good option as people who have finished their morning hike will be leaving around this time.
R’s take
This was a clear and easy path to navigate and together with its short but steep ascent, it makes Catbells a great walk for sunset or sunrise where visibility may be poorer in the dark. It’s also a great introductory hike, or a hike to experience it all. It has steep sections, scramble sections, and awesome views over mountains and lakes. So if you’re short on time but want to experience a Lake District fell in all its glory, this is the one!
Scramble section
Scramble section
