Accessible Keswick
Many visitors to Keswick enjoy getting out and about in the Lake District to explore the picturesque landscape. From accessible routes to all-terrain mobility scooters, there are options in place that can help visitors with limited mobility explore. Here are some of the activities available in and around Keswick for people with disabilities and limited mobility.
Find out more about accessibility around Keswick on the Keswick Tourism Association website
Explore Whinlatter with Outdoor Mobility
Outdoor Mobility’s Trampers make Whinlatter accessible to more people
As England’s only mountain forest, Whinlatter is home beautiful walks and glorious views. It is also home to two Trampers – all-terrain mobility scooters – which enable visitors with limited mobility to explore the forest like never before.
Provided by the charity Outdoor Mobility, the Trampers can be used on the newly-opened Wow Trail. The 4.5-mile route gives visitors the chance to look for wildlife from a purpose-built hide and enjoy a spot of forest bathing beneath the tall trees as well as enjoy the best views from Whinlatter at a stunning viewpoint. Information boards along the route tell the story of the forest and forestry in general.
Outdoor Mobility’s Trampers can be hired by anyone with limited mobility. Users take up membership, either for two weeks or a year, and Trampers can then be booked at Whinlatter at no extra charge.
The Wow Trail at Whinlatter Forest is home to spectacular views of the surrounding lakes and fells, all accessible on four wheels thanks to Outdoor Mobility’s Trampers
At Whinlatter, Tramper bookings are made for 10.30am, with new users asked to arrive 10 minutes early for a quick demonstration. Outdoor Mobility membership also enables access to Trampers at the Langdale Estate, Grizedale Forest, Sizergh Castle and Talkin Tarn Country Park in Cumbria, as well as locations in the North York Moors and in the South West of England. To book a Tramper of find out more about Outdoor Mobility, click here. More information about the Wow Trail can be found here.
Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path
Information boards along the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail tell of the area’s transport history
Bringing together Lake District scenery and public transport history, the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Path is a popular route for visitors and locals alike. Starting behind the former Keswick Leisure Pool on Station Road, the trail follows a 3.2-mile (5.1km) route along the trackbed of the former Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith railway. The path is suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, as well as walkers, runners, cyclists, prams and pushchairs.
There are seats and picnic tables dotted along the route, which criss-crosses the River Greta, and information boards along its length tell the story of the rise and fall of the once-popular railway.
Portable toilets, including an accessible toilet, are available at the start of the trail in Keswick. In the village of Threlkeld, a short distance from the end of the trail, the village hall operates a café and has toilet facilities including an accessible toilet. There are also two pubs in the village.
The paths throughout the route are suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters
Threlkeld is on the X4/X5 bus routes, providing an alternative option for those who don’t want to make a return journey along the trail. For more information about the trail, click here.
Lake District Calvert Trust
Situated four miles from Keswick, the Lake District Calvert Trust has a hydrotherapy pool and sensory room that are open to the public every day of the week. The charity also operates stables on the edge of Keswick where, subject to availability, riding sessions may be available. For more details, click here.