Two car-free days from Keswick

Day 1: the launch to Hawes End, Catbells, and walk home

For Saturday 24 October 2026

The one day here with no last bus. You walk back into Keswick, so a late finish costs daylight, not a ride home.

1. Out by boat: the Keswick Launch from Keswick to Hawes End. Sailing times are the operator’s only: Keswick Launch timetable. Runs all year, on a summer timetable and a winter timetable; the operator posts a same-day service status. (Read 17 September 2026.)
2. From the landing: 0.49 km and 70 m of climbing along mapped paths to the start of the walk.
3. The walk: Catbells: the short way up: 5.67 km, 407 m of climbing, about 2 h 25 at a steady pace (walked by Lee).
4. Walk home: Walk from Keswick (GPX) the other way round, back to Keswick bus station: 4.18 km, 113 m of climbing, about 1 h 28 at a steady pace (not yet walked by Lee).

Whole walking day: 10.3 km and 590 m of climbing, about 3 h 59 at a steady pace (the link from the landing, the walk, the walk home).

Start walking by 11:57. On this date the sun sets at about 17:56 at the start. With the site's two-hour margin, start walking by 11:57; to finish before sunset at all, by 13:57.

If the Hawes End landing is closed, walk out to the start the same way you would walk home: the walk from Keswick ends at the start of the Catbells loop, which is 0.49 km from the landing along mapped paths.

Do not take the boat out meaning to catch a boat back. The walk home exists so that nobody has to, and only the operator's page says which sailing is the last.

Day 2: the 78 to Rosthwaite, the Borrowdale round, the 78 back

For Saturday 24 October 2026 · bus times differ at weekends

A full day on Borrowdale's small rough tops, on the valley bus that runs every day of its season.

1. Out by bus: First bus from Keswick bus station: the 78 at 08:10, reaching Rosthwaite General Store at 08:33; or the 77 at 09:40, reaching Rosthwaite General Store at 10:56. The stop’s page. From Stagecoach Lakes by Bus, Summer 2026, signed to 1 November 2026. Stagecoach’s timetable.
2. The walk: Castle Crag, Brund Fell & Great Crag: 14.11 km, 838 m of climbing, about 5 h 37 at a steady pace (walked by Lee).
3. Back by bus: Last bus back from Rosthwaite General Store towards Keswick: the 78 at 20:05; the 77 at 18:46. The stop’s page. From Stagecoach Lakes by Bus, Summer 2026, signed to 1 November 2026. Stagecoach’s timetable.

Fits on this date: start walking by 10:20. To have an hour in hand for that bus at a steady pace, be walking by 13:28. On this date the sun sets at about 17:57 at the start. With the site's two-hour margin, start walking by 10:20; to finish before sunset at all, by 12:20.

The last 78 is the last of anything from Rosthwaite towards Keswick; after it there is no bus in the timetable we hold.