Skip to content
World Walkies
Two people sitting on the shingle shore of Derwent Water with a small white dog beside them, looking across the calm lake to Borrowdale's fells

Cumbria

Dog-friendly Keswick

Photo: Timothy G Dunn, CC BY-SA 4.0

You can walk your dog along the shore of Derwent Water all year, from the Lakeside car park out to Friar's Crag, or take them across the lake on the Keswick Launch to the quiet woods at Brandelhow. Back in town, the Dog and Gun, the Twa Dogs and Cafe Hope in Hope Park all let them in.

Dog rules last checked . How we check

Where to stay in Keswick with a dog

6 hotels, inns and B&Bs and 7 cottages and holiday lets that take dogs, each with its dog charge and limits.

Check hotel prices near KeswickCheck cottage prices near Keswick

We may earn a commission if you book through these links. How we make money

Where to stay

Our picks: the places most welcoming to dogs.

  • Hotel · Borrowdale

    The Mary Mount Hotel

    Dog charge: £10 per dog per night (free when you book direct with the hotel)

    A country house in woodland gardens on the Borrowdale shore of Derwent Water. Dogs are welcome in the bar, the lounge, the conservatory restaurant and on the terraces, and every dog gets a sausage at breakfast.

    Check prices

  • Hotel · Borrowdale

    Lodore Falls Hotel

    Dog charge: £25 per dog per night (more in the suites)

    A large hotel and spa on the Borrowdale shore of Derwent Water, south of Keswick. You can eat with your dog in the Side Lounge or the Conservatory.

    Check prices

  • Inn · Keswick

    The Royal Oak

    Dog charge: £20 per dog per stay (a tenth goes to the Search and Rescue Dog Association)

    An inn in the middle of Keswick, a short walk from Derwent Water. Your dog can come into the bar and the restaurant with you.

    Check prices

Keswick with a dog

Keswick is a market town at the north end of Derwent Water, below Skiddaw and Latrigg in the northern Lake District. The lake is a short walk from the Market Square, and the Keswick Launch runs round it to seven jetties, so you can walk one shore and sail back.

The best low-level walks start in town or on the lakeshore: the loop through Cockshot Wood to Friar's Crag, the short climb up Latrigg for the view over the rooftops, and the Walla Crag circuit down to Ashness Bridge. South of the lake, Borrowdale has the Yew Tree at Seatoller and the hotels along the shore at Lodore.

Pubs and cafes

All 12 dog-friendly pubs and cafes in Keswick

Dog walks

  • Derwent Water, Friar's Crag and Cockshot Wood · 1.25 miles

    A loop from Lakeside car park along the lakeshore path, across the field at Strandshag Bay and back through Cockshot Wood, with a short detour out to the view from Friar's Crag. It's popular with dog walkers, and there are spots where your dog can swim in the lake. The car park has pay toilets and there's a cafe at the start.

  • Octavia Hill walk, Brandelhow · 3.6 miles

    An easy loop on the quiet western shore of Derwent Water, along the lake and through the parkland at Brandelhow. It starts at Hawes End jetty, where there's no parking, so take the Keswick Launch across from town.

  • Walla Crag and Ashness Bridge · 4.5 miles

    A moderate circuit from Great Wood car park, up through the woods and over the top of Walla Crag for the view down Derwent Water, then past Cat Gill to the old stone bridge at Ashness. Parts are wet and rocky, so wear good boots. Keep your dog on a lead the whole way: sheep graze the fell and birds nest on the ground.

  • Latrigg · 0.63 miles each way

    A short, steep path from the car park at the top of Gale Road to a view over Keswick, Derwent Water and Borrowdale. You come back the same way, and there are no toilets or cafes on the walk.

The journey

Getting to Keswick with a dog

Keswick has no railway station. Take the train to Penrith, then Stagecoach's X4 or X5 bus from Penrith bus and railway stations to Keswick.

You can take up to two dogs free on National Rail trains. Keep them on a lead or in a carrier on the train and at stations, and off the seats.

Driving in, Cumberland Council runs four car parks in town: Central, Lakeside, Otley Road and Bell Close. Lakeside is the one for the lake and the launch.

The Keswick Launch sails round Derwent Water from the landing stages by Lakeside car park, calling at Ashness Gate, Lodore, High and Low Brandelhow, Hawes End and Nichol End. A trip round takes about 50 minutes, and well-behaved dogs go free.

Map of dog-friendly places in Keswick

S = stay, B = beach, P = pub or cafe, W = walk start. Hover over or tap a pin to see its card.

Show as a list

Good to know

  • Sheep graze the fields and fells around Derwent Water, so keep your dog on a short lead near them, especially at lambing time.
  • If cattle come towards you, let your dog off the lead and call them back once it's safe.
  • On the open fell above Walla Crag, keep your dog on a lead the whole way, as birds nest on the ground there.

Quick answers about Keswick with a dog

Is Keswick dog friendly?
Yes. You can walk your dog along Derwent Water and up Latrigg all year, take them round the lake on the Keswick Launch for free, and eat with them in pubs such as the Dog and Gun and the Twa Dogs. Keep them on a short lead near sheep.
Can dogs go on the Keswick Launch?
Yes. Well-behaved dogs travel free on the launches round Derwent Water. A full trip round the lake takes about 50 minutes, and you can get off at any of the seven jetties to walk.
Can dogs swim in Derwent Water?
Yes. The National Trust's lakeside loop from Lakeside car park through Cockshot Wood has spots where dogs can swim. Watch for sheep in the field at Strandshag Bay on the way.
How do I get to Keswick by train with my dog?
Take the train to Penrith, the nearest station, then the X4 or X5 bus to Keswick. Up to two dogs travel free on National Rail trains.