Borrowdale is undoubtedly one of the prettiest parts of the Lake District. With its towering fells and remote tarns, gurgling streams and gushing waterfalls, quaint hamlets and rolling pastures dotted with sheep, it is straight out of a picture book. There are lots of things to do in Borrowdale and best of all, you don’t need a car to explore Borrowdale.
Borrowdale | England
For our second trip to the Lake District (we visited the Central Lakes last time), we went to Borrowdale. Mainly because there were rooms available in the YHA but also because I had heard great things about Borrowdale and wanted to see Buttermere. Borrowdale is mesmerising! In winter, there were hardly any tourists and we had the paths to ourselves and wandered around, saying hello to the sheep. The river Derwent and its many tributaries flow through the valley and there are a couple of ancient arched bridges spanning the river. It is picturesque: sloping pastures dotted with fluffy sheep, shifting light and shadows of drifting clouds, mist-cloaked hills and fells, and charming hamlets with cute cottages and tea rooms dot the valley. I could live in Borrowdale forever.
How to Reach Borrowdale by Public Transport
With a little planning, you can explore Borrowdale without a car. Public transport is available in Borrowdale. Use our guide to plan a car-free trip to Borrowdale.
BY TRAIN // The nearest station on the mainline is Penrith. Stagecoach buses X4 and X5 run frequently between Penrith and Keswick.
Buses to Keswick are also available from Carlisle, Windermere, and Workington railway stations.
BY BUS // Opt for Bus 78 from Keswick to Seatoller. In the summer, you can also ride buses 77 and 77A from Keswick to Borrowdale via Buttermere and Honister Pass.
ON FOOT // Borrowdale is on the Cumbria Way. It is also a stop on the Coast to Coast Walk.
Also read: If you are arriving via Ambleside and have a couple of hours to kill, why not do the Stock Ghyll Force Walk?
Where to Stay in Borrowdale
Borrowdale is a beloved destination. If you are travelling in the summer, make sure to book ahead.
Hostels // There are a few YHAs in the area: YHA Borrowdale in Longthwaite, YHA Honister Hause, and YHA Buttermere (summer only). If you are planning to cook, the nearest grocery store is in Keswick.
Guest houses and self-catering lodgings // There are many guest houses and self-catering holiday homes in Borrowdale.
Camping // Wild camping is illegal in England but there are campsites in Seatoller, Stonethwaite, and Seathwaite.
Things to do in Borrowdale
Here are some of our favourite things to do in Borrowdale.
Go on Walks
Because walking is the best thing to do in Borrowdale! The Lake District is crisscrossed with walking paths and Borrowdale is no exception. There’s nothing like being outdoors, in the sweet, clean air of the fells, surrounded by some sheep! Here are some of our favourite walks:
Watendlath and Dock Tarn Walk
A fantastic walk that takes to two tarns: Watendlath Tarn and Dock Tarn. The views are magnificent and the scenery gorgeous, particularly in summer when the heather blooms carpeting the slopes in purple and white flowers. The walk is mostly easy, except for the climb up (or down) from Dock Tarn which is via a seemingly relentless stretch of steep, stone steps.
Castle Crag
One of the most popular routes in Borrowdale, this moderate – difficult walk starts at Seatoller and takes you to the summit of Castle Crag.
Stonethwaite Circular
If you like wildflowers and waterfalls, this is the walk for you! This picturesque walk starts from Rosthwaite and takes you on an amble along the Stonethwaite Beck. However, note that the path might get flooded and impassable after heavy rains.
Climb England’s Tallest Peak
Borrowdale is the base for climbing England’s tallest peak, Sca Fell Pike. Lace those boots and march on!
Go Wild Swimming
One of the best things to do in Borrowdale is to go for a wild swim. Located in the nearby Langstrath Valley, Black Moss Pot is a beloved wild swimming spot. It is a narrow channel of dark turquoise water wedged between two rocky walls and because the pool is sort of wedged between 5-metre-high canyon-like formations, walkers often just walk past it. There are natural diving ledges if you fancy a dive; otherwise, there is a small rocky beach at one end from where you can access the waters. A short 2-mile walk from Stonethwaite will bring you here; along the way stop at the Fairy Glen and Galleny Force Waterfalls.
Another great option is the remote Sprinkling Tarn which can be reached by a 4-mile walk from Seathwaite. Take a dip in the icy waters of the tarn that is framed by craggy mountains and windswept wild grass. You can combine the walk into a circular walk by including the more famous Styhead Tarn in your route.
Visit More Lakes!
Derwent Water, Buttermere, and Crummock Water are all easily accessible by public transport from Borrowdale. If you want to walk some more, there’s Dock Tarn, Watendlath Tarn, Blea Tarn, Sprinkling Tarn, the enigmatically named Tarn at Leaves, and so many more.
Also read: Talking of lakes, have you visited Loch Ness? Read Exploring Loch Ness (North) by Public Transport to plan a long weekend trip exploring Loch Ness by public transport.
See the Bowder Stone
One of Lakeland’s most famous stones, the Bowder Stone weighs 2000 tonnes, is 30 feet high, 30 feet across and 90 feet in circumference and it balances all by itself! You can see it on a short walk from the National Trust car park. It was a popular Victorian attraction; the ladder to the top dates back to the 19th century. A metal ladder has now been added.
Join a Mining Tour at the Honister Slate Mines
A one-of-a-kind experience, the mining tour at the Honister Mines offers participants an insight into Honister’s 350 years of working history and learn how a 50-million-year-old volcanic green slate has been mined through the ages. They also have other adventure sports options such as canyoning and cliff camping.
Visit Lodore Falls
One of the most popular things to do in Borrowdale is to visit Lodore Falls, one of the most well-known waterfalls in Cumbria. The falls are located on the beck that flows from Watendlath Tarn. The waterfall is celebrated in Robert Southey’s poem, The Cataract of Lodore.
Did you know that it is suggested that the Lodore falls are the Rhaeadr Derwennydd (Derwennydd Falls) mentioned in the Welsh lullaby “Dinogad’s Smock“, preserved as an interpolation in the epic poem Y Gododdin, written between the 7th and 11th centuries?
Explore the Idyllic Hamlets
The hamlets in Borrowdale cannot get any more scenic. Groups of pretty cottages adorned with blooming gardens sit in the shadow of towering fells. The river Derwent and its many tributaries gurgle through rolling pastures dotted with Herdwick sheep. Ancient bridges arch over the river, their quiet reflections shimmering in the ripples. Tufts of daffodils. Wildflowers. Bird song everywhere.
Sample Itinerary: 2 Days in Borrowdale
DAY 1 // Arrive in Borrowdale via Keswick
If you start early, you should reach Borrowdale by noon. Take the train from Edinburgh to Penrith, then the bus to Keswick. Stop for lunch at Keswick, then head onwards to Borrowdale. Leave your bags at your accommodation, then head outdoors.
Option 1: Go on a walk!
We recommend the Watendlath and Dock Tarn Walk but you can choose any that catches your attention. If you are looking for an easier walk, there are the Seathwaite and Stonethwaite circular walks. For tougher walks, there is Castle Crag, Bessyboot, and the Glaramara Wainwights.
There are countless walks in Borrowdale and you will be spoilt for choice!
NOTE: We did this walk on Day 2 and did not climb Sca Fell Pike because we arrived at Borrowdale late. We had snapped up £2 tickets each on the Cumbria Coast Railway from Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness (you can read about our experience here: Riding the Scenic Cumbrian Coast Railway) and arrived at Borrowdale via the long way (bus from Barrow-in-Furness to Windermere, then a bus to Keswick, and onwards to Borrowdale but £2 single bus tickets were available at that time, so it took us only £6 each). We had originally planned on staying at YHA Coniston but they were sold out.
Option 2: Go wild swimming
At the Black Moss Pot! On a warm summer’s day, there’s no better alternative.
DAY 2 // Climb Sca Fell Pike or Visit Buttermere
Option 1: Climb Sca Fell Pike
Most travellers to Borrowdale have a goal: To bag England’s highest peak, Sca Fell Pike (978 m / 3,209 ft) which gets its name from the Old Norse “skalli fjall”: fjall means a mountain, and skalli refers to a bald summit, lacking vegetation. It is a steep, tough hike and beyond our skill level but if you are interested in climbing it, see the resources here.
Option 2: Walk to Buttermere via Honister Pass
TIP: If you are visiting in the summer, you can ride the Stagecoach bus 77 or 77A.
We did this and it was a fantastic walk! The weather was perfect and we hardly saw more than 5-6 cars the entire way. We walked along the road, up the pass, and then down to Buttermere. For a cool map of the Buttermere circular walk, see the Lake District website. There is a walking path from Honister Hause at the top of the pass to Buttermere but it is a difficult walk and beyond our level. You can also visit the Honister Slate Mines if you have an extra hour or so. Buttermere is simply gorgeous. Look towards Gatesgarth and you will see an amphitheatre of soaring fells. The play of light and shade is unforgettable! Walk around the lake– there’s a grand waterfall towards the other end– or continue onwards to Crummock Waters.
Later in the day, the weather turned too bad to walk back. We couldn’t find a taxi service, did not have a network on our phones, and I was just starting to panic. We reached out to two wonderful women with two of the cutest dogs in the parking lot to ask if they could give us a ride back to Borrowdale. Thankfully, they were going that way and agreed to give us a ride. We can’t thank them enough!
Also read: Wondering where to go next? How about a trip to Newcastle: Top Things to do in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?
DAY 3 // Homewards Bound
If you want to get home by noon and work in the second half, note that the first bus of the day between Seatoller and Keswick isn’t until after 9:30. If you want to return to Edinburgh or Glasgow by noon, book a taxi in advance and arrive in Keswick in time for the first bus to Penrith.
Otherwise, linger around for it is beautiful.
What are your favourite things to do in Borrowdale?
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