Latrigg

An out-and-back on the marked limited mobility path at the head of Gale Road, walked to the official viewpoint bench and then retraced by the same corridor. Total visitor distance is 2 km, about 1.24 miles round trip, with the physical path measuring roughly 0.72 miles one way. Allow about 45 minutes at an ordinary pace with a stop at the bench, or close to half an hour if you keep moving.

From the car park, go through two gates where the Latrigg limited mobility path is signed. The climb is hardest at the start, then eases as the path reaches a resting place. From there the route dips slightly to a junction with a public footpath, rises again at a steady grade, and finishes on a small plateau with a bench. That bench is the turning point, and it is where the walk pays off for the effort.

The surface is well compacted stone for the whole marked route, which makes footing straightforward in most conditions. Steepness is the limiting factor rather than the surface:

Wheelchair users should judge the route on gradient and expect to need assistance on the first section.

• The steepest section is a 1 in 7 gradient for about 150 m near the beginning.
• Above the resting place the grade settles to roughly 1 in 10.
• The final approach to the bench is uneven in places.

The bench looks out over Derwentwater and up the Borrowdale valley, with Keswick below and the bulk of Skiddaw, Lonscale Pike and the western flank of Blencathra close at hand. On a clear day the far skyline adds Scafell Pike, Great End, Great Gable and Helvellyn.

Practical difficulty is 4 out of 10: short, but with a genuine climb at the start and uneven ground on the last stretch. The summit of Latrigg lies a little beyond the bench, and the path there becomes steep and uneven. This record ends at the viewpoint, and turning around at the bench is the sensible choice if you want the graded surface the whole way. There are no toilets or refreshments on the walk, so sort those out in Keswick first.

The start is the car park at the head of Gale Road. It is very small and fills quickly on fine days, so arrive early or be ready to change plans. The visitor access and parking point sits slightly apart from the first mapped section of path, so expect a short link on foot before the signed gates.

Dogs are welcome on this route. Keep them under close control and on a lead wherever livestock may be present, since this is working pastoral land. On open access land a lead no longer than two metres applies from 1 March to 31 July.

If 1.24 miles is not enough, there is a separate and much longer approach that begins in Keswick and climbs by Spooney Green Lane, around 3 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours. It is a different walk with a different start, not an extension of this one.