Derwent Water is a prominent lake region situated in the heart of the Lake District, Northwest England. Characterized by its extensive wooded slopes, surrounding fells like Cat Bells, and numerous islands, the area offers a diverse landscape for outdoor pursuits. The tranquil waters lead into the Borrowdale Valley, featuring ancient woodlands and varied terrain. This natural setting provides opportunities for several sports like hiking, jogging, touring cycling, road cycling, and more.
The Derwent Water…
184
Routes
4.6
(2941)
Average rating
36031
People visited

4.7
(429)
3,606
hikers
17.3km
04:45
260m
260m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(138)
1,037
hikers
14.3km
04:20
410m
420m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

4.3
(96)
663
hikers
8.03km
02:26
260m
260m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

4.7
(24)
171
hikers
19.4km
06:11
730m
730m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
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4.6
(102)
951
riders
29.2km
02:33
720m
710m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

4.7
(16)
193
riders
49.5km
04:30
1,080m
1,080m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

3.2
(5)
8
riders
42.3km
03:52
1,070m
1,070m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

4.7
(24)
278
riders
23.3km
02:09
550m
550m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.5
(24)
1,053
runners
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(4)
323
runners
20.2km
03:09
940m
940m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

5.0
(4)
103
runners
8.14km
01:01
280m
290m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(3)
408
runners
24.8km
02:57
520m
520m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
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4.6
(21)
839
riders
35.7km
02:32
660m
660m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.6
(33)
187
riders
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(28)
573
riders
15.1km
00:56
120m
120m
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(3)
373
riders
83.7km
05:39
1,350m
1,340m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.7
(15)
503
riders
35.0km
01:52
620m
620m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(3)
120
riders
60.2km
03:02
810m
810m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

19
riders
74.1km
04:06
1,110m
1,110m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

4.8
(5)
185
riders
40.0km
02:01
390m
390m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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4.9
(9)
45
riders
42.0km
03:37
700m
700m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(2)
31
riders
21.2km
01:54
630m
630m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.7
(6)
49
riders
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(2)
27
riders
18.3km
01:19
380m
370m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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5.0
(1)
14
hikers
Moderate mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

4.5
(2)
14
hikers
Hard mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

11
hikers
16.9km
05:48
840m
840m
Hard mountaineering route. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

8
hikers
10.5km
03:54
650m
650m
Moderate mountaineering route. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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Derwent Water offers a variety of outdoor activities including Hiking, Jogging, Touring cycling, Road cycling, Mountain biking, Gravel biking, and Mountaineering. The region features 36 routes with an average rating of 4.64 stars from komoot users.
The Derwentwater Walk, an approximately 8-mile (13 km) lakeshore path, is a popular choice for its accessibility and views. For more challenging options, the surrounding fells like Cat Bells offer rewarding hikes. Explore more options in the Hiking around Derwent Water guide.
Yes, a 10-mile (16 km) circuit around Derwent Water is a suggested local route for road cycling. The area is also close to Route 71 of the National Cycle Network. Find more details in the Cycling around Derwent Water guide.
The Derwentwater Walk offers relatively flat paths suitable for various fitness levels. The Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail provides a family-friendly, accessible, and flat 6-mile (10 km) off-road route. Consult the Family-friendly hikes around Derwent Water guide for more options.
Whinlatter Forest, a short distance from Keswick, provides purpose-built mountain bike trails. These include the challenging red-grade Altura Trail and the family-friendly blue-grade Quercus Trail. More information is available in the MTB Trails around Derwent Water guide.
Many trails around Derwent Water are suitable for dogs. It is advisable to keep dogs on leads, especially near livestock. Specific routes and tips can be found in the Dog-friendly hikes around Derwent Water guide.
Derwent Water is surrounded by fells such as Cat Bells and offers views of Skiddaw. The lake contains several islands, including Derwent Island and St Herbert's Island, and is bordered by extensively wooded slopes.
More than 588,000 visitors have shared their experiences in Derwent Water on komoot. The region's routes have an average rating of 4.64 out of 5 stars, based on over 50,000 ratings.
Yes, the Derwent Water region features routes that include waterfalls. Specific trails can be explored in the Waterfall hikes around Derwent Water guide.
Several hiking routes in the Derwent Water area are accessible from bus stations. This allows for car-free exploration of the region. Refer to the Hikes from bus stations around Derwent Water guide for details.
Komoot offers several guides for Derwent Water, including Hiking around Derwent Water, Cycling around Derwent Water, and Dog-friendly hikes around Derwent Water. Other guides cover running, road cycling, MTB, and family-friendly options.
Derwent Water is part of the Lake District National Park. General information can be found via the National Trust's website for Borrowdale & Derwent Water or the official visitor website for Keswick. The National Trust can be contacted at 01768774649.

