Cat Bells 1481 feet & High Spy 2143 feet
Distance: 6.5 miles
Total Feet of Climbing: 2200 feet
Suggested Time: 4.5 hours
Starting Point: Moot Hall, Keswick (NY 266 234)
Though Cat Bells is one of the Lakeland's smaller peaks its distinctive shape makes it a popular summit with walkers. By including Maiden Moor and High Spy the ascent of Cat Bells can be made part of a more satisfying ridge walk concluding with a steep but rewarding descent into Borrowdale
1. From Moot Hall, walk between the Old Keswickian and the Dog and Gun into Lake Road. At Fisher's outdoor shop turn right onto the semi-pedestrian continuation of Lake Road. Proceed through the subway and along a broad pathway past Hope Park and the new theatre to the Keswick Boat Landings. (0.5 mile)
2. Journey to Hawes End using the Launch (for launch timetables please click here)
3. From Hawes End landing walk uphill along a broad pathway across an access road to a public roadway. (0.25 mile)
4. Continue uphill over a cattlegrid for 200 yards to a sharp hairpin bend where there is also a road junction. From the corner of this junction is the start of an obvious path that leads to the summit of Cat Bells. (1 mile)
5. From the summit of Cat Bells continue South, descending some 250 feet to begin with then ascending a very distinct path which leads onto Maiden Moor and then onto the summit of High Spy (2.5 miles)
6. From the summit of High Spy follow a well worn path descending Southwards. Roughly 150 feet above the point where the path joins a swift flowing beck running through an incised gully, a very distinct grassy path veers off to the left towards the gap between High Spy and High Scawdel. The start of the path is marked with a single cairn. The ground here is very flat and boggy and the path hardly exists after 100 yards or so. Head for a prominent cairn on a small outcrop, just to the right of the centre of the gap. (0.75 mile)
7. Immediately beyond the cairn is a wire fence with a very distinct path that descends through some former quarry workings. After 400 feet of descent a thinner more level path veers off to the right towards a group of old quarry buildings, one of which is now a climbing hut. From the hut a grassy path leads directly downhill. As you near a stone wall contouring the fellside, roughly 500 feet below the climbing hut, notice a five bar gate in this wall slightly to your left, head for this gate. (0.75 mile)
8. From the gate a grassy track leads directly downhill in to the valley eventually arriving at a stile in the bottom cornwe of the field you enter. From the stile the path follows the final section of Tongue Gill to where it joins the River Derwent. Follow the river downstream to New Bridge. Cross over the bridge and follow the trackway which leads directly to Rosthwaite and the village shop.
RETURN to Keswick by bus. Bus shelter and bus timetables are at the entrance to the village.
