Catbells
Cat Bells
A 451-metre 'family fell' that takes about an hour to summit, overlooking Derwent Water and the town of Keswick.
Cat Bells lies on the western shore of Derwent Water. The fell-walking writer Wainwright called it a beginner's mountain suitable for the whole family. From the Hawes End car park, the climb along the ridge takes about 1–1.5 hours to reach the top. The final stretch requires scrambling with hands and feet. From the summit, the views span 360 degrees over Derwent Water, Keswick and Skiddaw. In summer, you can take a Derwent Water boat from Keswick landing to Hawes End jetty to start the climb, then descend to High Brandelhow landing and return by boat, which avoids parking problems. The ridge is exposed, so take care in strong winds.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Keswick & Derwentwater
- Honister Pass & Slate Mine
- Castlerigg Stone Circle
- Buttermere
- Scafell Pike
- Great Langdale
- Helvellyn
- Hardknott Pass & Roman Fort