Waterside House and Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail

With the weather picking up, we eagerly made plans for a two-night stay at Waterside House. This campsite is one of our favourite, given its prime location with direct access to Ullswater. We meticulously packed the van in anticipation of our Summer roadtrip in Europe. This stay was a little rehearsal for me to jot down any overlooked items that may be required for the next big trip.

We arrived late Friday evening and took a walk with the kids to explore the new play area situated towards the rear of the camping grounds. Our pitch was located at the far end of the initial camping field and was private at the back with a little stream running through it, providing a perfect spot for the kids to splash and play.

The weather wasn’t as sunny as we hoped (standard) so we headed into Keswick to find the start of the trail. The trail is 5km each way and follows the route of the old Keswick to Penrith Railway. It is a scenic cycle ride and passes over the River Greta on some of the original Victorian railway bridges. The route was pretty flat and not strenuous. Sam and I managed fine although one steep part up to Threlkheld was a little challenging!

When we reached Threlkheld we walked the bikes through the village to the cafe located in the community centre. The kids had a picnic box each and we had some delicious lentil soup and homemade cheese scones. With full tummies we had a slow cycle back to Keswick for a wander around the Saturday Market.

Esme and I had a quiet afternoon paddling by the lake whilst Sam and Steve went out on the paddleboard. A perfect ending to the day.