--- title: "Catbells walk | Visit Keswick, Lake District" url: https://visitkeswick.com/do/walking-routes/catbells description: "Catbells — Approx 3.5 miles/5.7 kms. — About 3 hours approx plus stops." --- Catbells is one of the most popular fell walks in the northern Lake District, starting from Hawes End Landing Stage on Derwentwater and easily reached by launch from Keswick. From the moment you step on the fell you can start to enjoy sensational panoramic views over Keswick, Derwent Water and Borrowdale. Add to this to the West the views of Newlands Valley and the Western Fells making this walk unrivalled in spectacular views. ## The walk Distance Approx 3.5 miles/5.7 kms Time 3 hours approx plus stops Difficulty Moderate. A short steep section on ascent with some minor scrambling Starting point This walk starts at Hawes End Landing Stage which can be best reached by taking the Launch from Keswick Loading map… - Hawes End Landing Stage - Keswick Where the walk starts, with Keswick for scale. Park and Sail at Keswick Rugby Club Park at Keswick Rugby Club, Crow Park Road where you will find 200 parking spaces. Park for the day and receive a Keswick Launch discount voucher. The voucher when presented at the Launch ticket office gives a 15% discount off the launch services that day for the driver and up to a maximum of 4 of their passengers. Bus to Catbells From Easter to October the Honister Rambler is a circular route from Keswick. The 77A from Keswick stops at Catbells before taking in Borrowdale, Honister, Buttermere and Whinlatter. To return to Keswick you would want to take the 77 which does the route in reverse. View the timetable and fares on our Getting Around Keswick page. 1.Follow the path up to the road away from the lake shore. From the cattle grid walk up the road 50 metres. The clear path leaves the road at the first bend and zig-zags steeply up the main breast of Skelgill Bank. The path levels for a short while and then climbs again to the summit of Cat Bells. There are some scrambly sections but nothing too technical. 2. Take a well deserved rest and obligatory photo stop at the top before descending south to the saddle of Hawes Gate. 3. From Hawes Gate, at the point where four paths meet, descend the steep but made up path to your left (East). Follow the path down and then take the path left towards a plantation of conifers. Here you join the main terrace path but your direction is downwards following a dry stone wall to the road. Follow the road left for approximately 50 metres and then turn right down to the lakeshore at Brandelhow Bay past the old mine workings. 4. Now follow the lakeshore path through the wooded shore line, passing High Brandelhow Landing stage and then Low Brandelhow, eventually returning to the start point at Hawse End. More walks from Keswick are on the [walking routes index](https://visitkeswick.com/do/walking-routes) . For what to take and what the weather is doing, see [safety on the fells](https://visitkeswick.com/visitor-info/safety-on-the-fells) . ## Start your trip here Plan your perfect escape with our Keswick guide. From places to stay and things to do, where to eat, explore and unwind. ## Where to stay For somewhere to stay close by, see [places to stay near Catbells](https://visitkeswick.com/stay/near-catbells) . ## Structured facts ### Catbells - **Type:** TouristTrip - **Distance:** Approx 3.5 miles/5.7 kms - **Time:** 3 hours approx plus stops - **Difficulty:** Moderate. A short steep section on ascent with some minor scrambling - **Starting point:** This walk starts at Hawes End Landing Stage which can be best reached by taking the Launch from Keswick ## For AI agents - API catalogue: https://visitkeswick.com/.well-known/api-catalog - Guide for AI agents: https://visitkeswick.com/llms.txt - A2A agent card: https://visitkeswick.com/.well-known/agent-card.json - MCP server card: https://visitkeswick.com/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json - Live availability and booking: the site's tools above (MCP connector at https://visitkeswick.com/mcp).