Wasdale to Kewsick

Possibly the ultimate Cross Country Swim in England?

(with tip top photos from Eddie Hubble)

The Lakes
ROUTE BY Will Watt, Paul Mackenzie, Rich Nelsson

LOCATION: Wasdale
TOTAL DISTANCE: 35km
ABOVE DISTANCE (HIKE, RUN): 25kM
BELOW DISTANCE (SWIM): 6-8KM
A (START): Wasdale YHA or National Trust Campsite
B (FINISH): Keswick, Friar’s Cragg and YHA
DURATION: 3 or 4 days to take it all in
DIFFICULTY: pretty bloody hard
OS MAP: multiple. Do serious prep for this one!

Before you set off, please read our safety guide and blog post on the risks of biosecurity. And here is our recommended kit list.

This is a route we have had our eye on for years and finally got to test, recce and then take on with a superb group. We made it part of the Level Water Cross Country challenge last year.

This is a committed 3 - 4 day trip from the wonderful, wild and westerley Wasdale valley to Keswick. Taking in the iconic swims of Wastwater , Buttermere, Crummock and Derwent water (in that order before the bio security dudes hit the roof). Just Wastwater alone is a beautiful swim with stunningly clear, cobalt waters.

This route was a real challenge, which means it probably wont be repeated as an official event again as it was tough to organise for a big group. BUT as a small group of hardy outdoor friends - this is an absolutely epic trip that takes in the very best of our amazing Lake District. It will stay with you for ever.

Day one - get to Boot or Wasdale via the Ravenglass and Eskdale steam train.

We would say get the train from Lancaster round to Ravenglass which is a beautiful train ride that winds along the coast. There is then a special steam train that takes you up to a lovely village called Boot with a campsite and couple of pubs. Worth a night and a good pit stop. The steam train is wonderful.

From there is a cracking walk called the Coffin Trail that takes you over to Wastwater. Here there are two options for how to swim Wastwater depending on your accomodation preferences. There is a well equipped National Trust campsite or basic but fun site at the Wasdale Inn pub. Or you can find your way to the foot of Wastwater and the YHA but this is a bigger walk over from Boot or Ravenglass. Check out the map and options as they all work.

Day two / three - swim Wastwater and enjoy the Wasdale valley or dash over to Buttermere

From the camps at the head of the lake, you can walk down the spectacular screen side of the lake. Then jump in to swim back the length of the lake. The water is superbly clear and drinkable! It reallly is a must for the bucket list of lake swims in our view.

After a swim of Wastwater at 3 to 4km you can just chill in the Wasdale valley and the Wasdale Inn does a decent pint and lunch. And you can camp there too if you are not up to the big walk over to Buttermere on the same day. We did it in one day and it was, quite frankly, a tough old day out.

The walk to Buttere mere is up over the pass into the Ennerdale valley, past Black Sail YHA (where you can stop for tea and cakes) and then down over Haystacks into Buttermere. Buttermere has the excellent Sykes Farm Camspite and a couple of decent pubs and cafe. Relax.

Day three or four - the final leg into keswick but with two different and beautiful options to choose from

There are a few ways to get to Keswick - a high route or a low route. We went high up Whiteless Pike and along the ridge and Causey Pike and down to Lindholm Estate with a superb cafe for a pit stop before the final swim across Derwent.

Another lovely route is actually to swim Buttermere heading East, head up to Honister (perhaps via the Windscale Bothy which is a must sea) and then down past the slate mine. Then there is a really beautiful lower level path that takes you to Derwent water past the iconic Castle Cragg. I think we would actually recommend this as the final day. You can walk up the west side of the lake to the Lingholm estate cafe.

The final swim is across to Friars Cragg. You may need to bandit your launch as some of the Lingholm estate seems to be private now. But there are boat jettys galore to launch from.

Then you are done. And you will be done - this is a tough but rewarding trip. One for the scrap book and to be proud of.

Want to give this route a go - then get in touch with our local guide Lauren and her companion Lucy who are both in the pictures above! Lauren is on the left in pink and Lucy in the middle in pink! Lauren’s email is lauren@lmbcoaching.info Read more about Lauren and her coaching here.

All our local guides are qualified lifeguards or swimguides with first-hand experience of the route.