The route follows the edge of Johnny Wood before climbing to High Doat, with spectacular views across the Borrowdale valley. The final ascent to Castle Crag crosses loose slate and offers breathtaking views of Derwent Water and Skiddaw.
Start and End Location: Rosthwaite National Trust Car Park
Start Postcode: CA12 5XB
Distance: 6.9km
Time: 3 hours
Facilities: Toilets in the car park
GPX Download: Link below map
Grade: Medium Mountain Walk
Turn right out of the car park and follow the road. The road bears left, right and then left again. Take the right-hand track next to Stone Croft house.
Go through the left-hand wooden gate about a metre or so down the track. Follow the grassy path alongside a stone wall to another wooden gate. Go through the gate and bear right, crossing the field to a gap in the wall.
Turn left and continue on the path to reach the road.
Turn right, cross the bridge and then turn left towards the Youth Hostel. Continue past the Hostel into the woods.
The path goes through a wooden gate and follows the edge of the river. There are a few steep sections with chain rails to help out.
Bear right at the fence and continue along the rocky track. The path eventually leaves the woods and reaches moorland. Take the steep right hand, grassy path to reach a wider gravel track. Turn right and follow the track through a wooden gate.
Turn sharp right and follow a grassy path uphill through the bracken, with great views back across High Crag and Stonethwaite Fell.
The path passes through a gap in a dry-stone wall and climbs to High Doat, with views towards Castle Crag, the next destination.
From High Doat summit, the path bears left and drops down to a stile. Cross the stile and continue to a ladder stile in the stone wall ahead.
Go over the stile and turn right to cross the bridge. Follow the very defined rocky path. At the junction, continue straight on to go through the wooden gate and across the bridge.
The path eventually levels out, with spectacular views back across Borrowdale and towards Derwent Water.
Just before the track begins to drop, take the faint right-hand path to climb towards the craggy rocks.
The path weaves uphill towards a stile. Do not cross the stile. Instead, turn left and follow the fence line to a ladder stile in a stone wall. Cross the stile and follow the path to climb in-between the slate.
The path levels out by a large slate cairn.
Bear left and follow the faint path between the trees to reach the summit. If the weather is clear, there are great views of Keswick, Skiddaw and Derwent Water.
From the summit, retrace your steps to the slate cairn and down between the steep slate walls. At the fork, turn left and cross the ladder stile.
Continue downhill. The grassy path soon becomes more defined with stone steps and eventually bears right to reach a wooden farming gate. Go through the gate and turn right to join the main track, running alongside the river. Turn left to cross the footbridge.
Continue along the track, which soon joins the road back to the car park.
