Borrowdale

Borrowdale is a valley and civic parish in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria. The valley caters to lowland visitors and hill-walkers with hotels, guesthouses, holiday cottages, bed and breakfasts, youth hostels and campsites.

It includes the settlements of Grange, Rosthwaite, Seathwaite, Seatoller, Stonethwaite and Watendlath.

The valley rises in the central Lake District, and runs north carrying the River Derwent into the lake of Derwentwater.

Down the B5286 from Keswick along the east bank of Derwent Water. Over the Honster Pass from Buttermere.

Stagecoach operate regular bus services to Borrowdale, particularly in the summer (start of April to end of October). These all depart from the main bus station in Keswick outside Booths supermarket.

• Route 78 operates year round (hourly in winter, roughly half hourly in summer) between Keswick and Seatoller along the east bank of Derwent Water and through Borrowdale.
• Routes 77/77A complement this with buses every couple of hours from Keswick, summer months only. These run via the west bank of Derwent Water, through Borrowdale, and then continue via Honister Pass to Buttermere and return to Keswick. The 77 runs anti clockwise (so runs directly from Borrowdale to Keswick) while the 77A is clockwise (so more direct from Keswick to Borrowdale).

0°0′0″N 0°0′0″E

Map of Borrowdale

The B5286 is the main road in the area.

See Get in for details of the local buses.

• 54.50802-3.12471 Galleny Force, CA12 5UW. Waterfall in Stonethwaite Beck  (updated Feb 2023)

• Climb the ladder onto the 54.5373-3.154731 Bowder Stone, 9.1 m (30 ft) high.  (updated Mar 2023)

• 54.482075-3.219212 Great Gable, 899 m (2,949 ft).  (updated Mar 2023)

• 54.51119-3.199173 Honister Slate Mine, Honister Pass, CA12 5XN, ☏ +44 17687 77230. a working slate mine and adventure centre  (updated Mar 2023)
• 54.567205-3.1301172 Ashness Bridge. an attractive traditional stone-built bridge on the single-track road to Watendlath.  (updated Jun 2026)

• Stock up in Keswick.
• Rosthwaite Post Office is only open in the morning.

54.52304-3.149331 The Flock-Inn Tearoom, Yew Tree Farm, Howe Ln, Rosthwaite, CA12 5XB, ☏ +44 17687 77675, [email protected]. 10AM-5PM (closed W).  (updated Feb 2023)

54.52514-3.144771 Hazel Bank, Rosthwaite, Borrowdale CA12 5XB, ☏ +44 17687 77248. This Victorian country house hotel earns rave reviews for style, service and cuisine. 7 bedrooms. Open Feb-Nov, no children under 16 or dogs. Book in advance for the four course £60 dinner at 7pm. B&B double £150.  (updated Jun 2026)

54.52365-3.14672 Royal Oak, Borrowdale CA12 5XB (on B5289 below Hazel Bank), ☏ +44 17687 77214. Dog-friendly hotel in 18th-century farmhouse with comfy rooms and a good restaurant (book several days ahead at busy times). "Royal Oak" is a common pub name, don't confuse it with the one in Keswick town. B&B double £150.  (updated Jun 2026)

54.51352-3.167993 Seatoller House, Seatoller, CA12 5XN, ☏ +44 17687 77218. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00.  (updated Mar 2023)

54.51796-3.152454 YHA Borrowdale, Longthwaite, CA12 5XE, ☏ +44 345 371 9624, [email protected]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 10:00. Dormitory beds, private rooms, camping pods and pitches for you own tent.  (updated Jun 2026)

Keswick ← Grange ←

N  W

→ Buttermere → Cockermouth