6 Wainwrights, a Boat Ride and a Star Wars Location: My Keswick Hiking Day

Saturday's route took me across six Wainwrights in the Northern Western Fells: Cat Bells, Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head, Robinson and Hindscarth.

I haven’t been doing the Wainwrights for very long, but every single day on the fells teaches me something different. Some days it’s about pacing. Other days it’s confidence, navigation, weather or simply learning when your legs are completely done. I think that’s why I’m enjoying this journey so much — no two walks ever feel the same.

Boat from Keswick

I usually start from where I live in Kendal and, because I don’t have a car, transport always becomes part of the logistics when planning my routes. This time I stayed in Keswick for two nights, which made the start of the walk a little bit easier (and meant I could have a lie in!).

I grabbed a coffee in town before heading down to the Keswick Launch ticket office on Derwentwater. One thing I absolutely loved is that they run a special 9:45 am “Walkers’ Launch” directly to Hawes End, which is one of the main starting points for Cat Bells. The boat ride itself is part of the experience — peaceful water, mountain views all around and that feeling that the adventure has already started before you even hit the trail.

The Keswick Launch is actually a really useful option for hikers exploring around Derwentwater because it connects different walking routes around the lake. Hawes End is particularly popular for anyone heading towards Cat Bells.

Cat Bells: The One Everyone Talks About

Cat Bells is often recommended as one of the best beginner-friendly Wainwrights — and I can absolutely see why.

The route is relatively short compared to many Lake District hikes, the path is clear to follow and the views over Derwentwater are incredible almost immediately. But I also think people sometimes underestimate it. There are still steep sections and a few short scrambly parts.

Standing on the summit looking over Keswick, Derwentwater and the surrounding fells felt unreal.

And while planning this walk, I found out something pretty cool: the landscapes around Cat Bells and Maiden Moor were featured in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. loved that!

Maiden Moor and High Spy

After Cat Bells, the route continues south towards Maiden Moor and High Spy.

This section felt quieter and more open. The crowds around Cat Bells slowly disappeared the more I walked and the path started feeling more remote. Maiden Moor gives you amazing panoramic views across Borrowdale and towards the higher central fells, while High Spy has one of those summit views that makes you stop for a minute and just take it all in.

By this point, I was settling into that rhythm that long hiking days sometimes create — just walking, breathing and moving from summit to summit.

The Climb to Dale Head

One of my favourite spots on the route was Dalehead Tarn. There’s a little stream just around the corner and enough space to sit down, relax and finally get hold of that sandwich that’s probably buried at the bottom of your backpack by this point.

Dalehead Tarn feels like such a peaceful place to stop for a breather before tackling the climb up towards Dale Head. The ascent definitely felt steeper after already covering several fells, but the views from the summit were completely worth it. From up there, you get incredible views across the Newlands Valley and the surrounding fells.

The “Unplanned” Wainwright: Robinson

Originally, Robinson wasn’t actually part of my route. But I’d been thinking about adding it for a while and eventually decided to go for it. At the time, it felt like a brilliant idea...

I’m still glad I did it, but the extra climb definitely made itself known later on.

The descent from Dale Head, the climb up Robinson, back down again and then the final push up Hindscarth was an absolute leg burner.

This is probably one of the biggest things I’m learning from doing the Wainwrights: routes always look very different on paper compared to how they feel after several hours on tired legs.

Hindscarth and Wet Terrain

The final section around Hindscarth was beautiful, but definitely a reminder to stay switched on. Coming back down from this last Wainwright, I looked back and could see all the summits I had covered that day. Absolutely amazing.

Overall, the trail is fairly easy to follow, but when conditions are wet the rocks can become slippery and awkward underfoot — especially on steeper descents. If you’re planning a similar route, I’d definitely recommend proper footwear and taking your time if there’s been rain.

The Grand Finale

And yes… I somehow managed to get lost near the end of the walk.

At this point, I had already been walking for around eight hours straight. I missed the boat back and the next bus to Keswick wasn’t due for another hour and a half.

While trying to figure out what to do, I bumped into a lovely couple — Stefan and Sonia — who I had met earlier on Dale Head summit. They were going back to Keswick, they were so lovely they ended up giving me a ride back and I couldn’t have been more grateful.

Moments like this are becoming one of my favourite things about hiking in the Lake District. Yes, the landscapes are incredible, but it’s also the people you meet along the way, the unexpected conversations and those little moments of kindness that somehow become part of the adventure too.

Final Thoughts

This route had a bit of everything:Boat rides, ridge walks, steep climbs, tired legs, Star Wars trivia and views that somehow kept getting better all day.

I really hope you enjoy following along these adventures because this feels like the beginning of something I want to keep documenting properly.

So here it is:The beginning of my Wainwright Diaries 🙃⛰️

Thanks for reading.

Jess