The National Trust Centenary Stone from Keswick
In 1995 to celebrate the founding of the National Trust 100 years earlier, the trust commissioned the artist Peter Randall-Page to produce a sculpture. The result is the Centenary Stone. A large boulder of the Borrowdale Volcanic family was sawn in half with each face then carved into 10 fan shaped segments of 10 folded wiggles. It lies in Calfclose Bay just off Broomhill Point, which is easily visited on a short walk from Keswick.
The walk starts at the Moot Hall in Keswick which is familiar landmark for visitors sitting in the middle of the town centre. At the northern end is the famous clock tower with only an hour hand. The other end houses the Tourist Information Centre. Scattered amongst the expected variety of shops there are many outdoor emporia supplying the needs of the whole spectrum of climbers and walkers.
Leaving the shops quickly behind the route passes under the Borrowdale road to Hope Park, and on to The Theatre by the Lake. Beyond which you come to the shore of Derwent Water and a slipway. Keeping to the promenade above the slipway and jetties of the launches you have fine views across the water. The tarmac ends at a small boathouse, the way becomes firm packed gravel through a sheltered avenue of trees to seating on the end of Friar's Crag. As well as the stunning views in amongst the trees is a memorial to John Ruskin. Continuing round Strandshag Bay, skirting the boggy morass of The Ings, you soon come to Stable Hills. Calfclose Bay is then just an amble across the field.
There are a number of car parks, all pay and display, around Keswick town centre.
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National Trust Centenary Stone
- Maps:
50K: 89, 90
25K: OL4
- Start:
- NY266234 (get directions via Google Maps)
- Near to:
- Braithwaite, Derwent Water, Grasmere village, Keswick
- Tags:
- John Ruskin
- Distance:
- 6.1km (3.8 miles)
- Ascent:
- 29m
- Min. time:
- 1 hrs 16 mins
- View in 3-D:
-
- Terrain:
- 2 - rough
- Bog Factor:
- 1 - none
- Tech Diff:
- 2 - basic map reading
Some rough gravelled paths, and pavements. - Dog issues:
- Sheep graze the fields on Stable Hills.
Purchases:
Buy walk in Adobe/PDF format to print or for your phone or tablet
Buy route for your GPS
Route Description
Starting from the Moot Hall, looking up at the face of the clock tower, pass along the right hand side of the building, which at the far end houses the Tourist Information Centre. Continue past the Old Keswickian chip shop, and along the way through the shops to George Fisher. Turn right immediately in front of the shop into Lake Road.
Nearing the end of Lake Road bear left to go through the underpass, then left in front of the cafe. Hope Park is now on your right down some steps. Continue on, the road comes alongside you. Keep right skirting the car park and up to The Theatre by the Lake.
The Moot Hall, Keswick
George Fisher, Keswick
Skiddaw standing over Hope Park, Keswick
The Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Ahead is a wide slipway down to the water's edge. There are usually some very tame ducks, swans and geese who frequent the area to beg food off anyone that looks like they might have bread. Bear left on to the promenade.
The promenade runs along above the jetties and launches. Approaching a small boathouse the track becomes firm gravel, keep left. Continue ahead to the seating on Friar's Crag.
The stepped form of Cat Bells northern ridge is distinctive across the Derwent Water as is the Nessie like undulations of Causey Pike's summit ridge. To your right is Derwent Isle.
Barrow and Causey Pike across Derwent Water
Gravel path to Friar's Crag
Rawnsley Memorial
Mid-winter sun setting behind Catbells
Reaching the end of the path on Friar's Crag, turn left to continue around the headland. You can go through the trees to the John Ruskin memorial.
Keep right, and drop down bearing right to the gate to go through and follow the gravel path to Strandshag Bay. Continue along the path passing over the small wooden bridge and through another gate.
Continue on the path through boggy ground bearing right to follow it up to the track. Turn right and follow it round to the left. Keep left, and cross the cattle grid ahead. Bear round to the right on the track on to Stable Hills. Bear left keeping to the path around the edge of the field to the gate.
Go through the gate onto National Trust land. Bear left and within 100m (110 yards) beside the waters edge on your right is the large split rock of the Centenary Stones.
Return to Keswick by reversing the route.
Lady's Rake, Walla Crag and Stable Hills
Falcon Crag from Stable Hills
The National Trust Centenary Stones
If you like this walk then why not try one of our other nearby walks:
Unless otherwise stated the text in this walk is the copyright of Hug Solutions Ltd trading as The Hug and the photographs are the copyright of Elizabeth Oldham. Hill data is derived from Database of British and Irish hills which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Maps contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2011 and paths © OpenStreetMap Contributors,CC-BY-SA, 2011