<\/p>\n
Keswick is the biggest market town in the Lake District and despite lying more towards the north of the National Park it is an ideal Cumbrian staycation base. Often dubbed the Capital of the Lakes, the good news is that it retains its historic character and is handy for both the Skiddaw Mountains and Derwentwater.<\/p>\n
![\"Derwent](\"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/12\/Derwent-Water-300x156.jpg\")
Image: Philip Birtwistle\/ Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Anyway, whether you want to explore the great outdoors, indulge in some fine dining or just chill out in some stunning scenery Keswick is a great choice. After all its no often you can say you holidayed in the shadow of both of Englands Highest Mountains.<\/p>\n
Where Is Keswick<\/h2>\n![\"Keswick\"](\"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/12\/Keswick-1-300x150.jpg\")
Image: John Cartwright\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
It\u2019s towards the northern end of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria right next to Derwent Water. It is in the CA12 postcode district and if you are driving we would suggest putting CA12 5DG into your satnav, as this will take you directly to the towns main car park! So now you know where it is how about a little local history to further pique your interest?<\/p>\n
<\/div>\nA Little Keswick History Lesson<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe topography of Keswick and the North Lakes was formed in the Ice Age when glacial erosion shaped the landscape of mountains, valleys and lakes. Evidence of first settlement dates as far back as the Stone Age and Neolithic man. Three axes found at the Castlerigg Stone Circle thought to be more than 4000 years old, provided particular strong evidence of the earliest farming communities in the area.<\/p>\n
In the Dark Ages and the early medieval period, Keswick along with much of north Cumbria was part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. However, the town\u2019s and surrounding village names, reflect the known 10th century Viking occupation. The Norse traders and farmers are credit with introducing the hardy Herdwick sheep to the area. Today, the Herdwick breed is prolific throughout the region and can be found on many of the county\u2019s hill farms. Poignantly, the sheep were instrumental in giving Keswick its name, as it literally translates to \u2018cheese town\u2019.<\/p>\n
Cistercian monks arriving in Furness in the mid-13th century acquired large swathes of Cumbrian land. Thus, they went on to take control of sheep farming and the wool industry in the area. The development of Keswick\u2019s community continued with the granting of a market charter by Edward I in 1276.<\/p>\n
The Rise of Mining<\/h3>\n
By the mid-16th century, mining had become economically important to the Keswick area. Slate mined from Skiddaw was utilised for roofing and floors, while mining of copper also began in the Newlands and Borrowdale Valleys. However, by far the most important locally mined material was graphite or \u2018black lead\u2019 as it was otherwise known. In 1555, the first lease to mine graphite in the district was issued. It was initially used for writing and artistic purposes, but soon after it became far more important when the military found uses for it. In 1566, Queen Elizabeth I personally gave the instruction for mining in the Keswick area to be stepped up, as England was desperately short of cannons and weaponry. The Society of Royal Mines was established to finance and oversee mining operations. In contrast to the booming and lucrative mining industry the remainder of the local economy was based on wool, crops and leather undertaken by rural poor.<\/p>\n
Let’s Make a Pencil<\/h3>\n
In 1683, the world\u2019s first lead (graphite) pencils was reportedly made in the Keswick. By 1800, the price of good quality graphite had risen to more than \u00a33500 per ton, which was well over 200 times the value of lead. This made graphite a target for thieves and smugglers, particularly since it was banned for export by the government.\u00a0 By this time, the manufacture of pencils had flourished in the area in the form of a cottage industry. By the late 19th<\/sup> century, there were several pencil factories in the town. Keswick remained at the centre of British pencil-manufacture until very recent times.<\/p>\nAnd Then The Fall<\/h3>\n
After a century or so, the Newlands and Borrowdale copper mines went into decline as the economics of their operation became unviable. It was in the 18th and early 19th century that Keswick\u2019s mines had been at their most productive, but the ending of this era did not spell the end of mining in the area. Force Crag Mine, near Braithwaite, was still in operation up until recent times producing a range of materials. Threlkeld Quarry brought a century of employment to the area. Quarrying for slate was first recorded at Honister in 1643, but the mine remained in operation for almost 350 years, employing around 100 men at its peak.<\/p>\n
The Gentry Discovers The Lakes<\/h3>\n
The Lake District<\/a> was first discovered by well-heeled visitors in the 1750\u2019s which led to Keswick quickly becoming the main centre for the new tourism industry. \u00a0By the 1770s, tourism was further facilitated by the great improvement in roads. At the end of the 18th<\/sup> and beginning of the 19th<\/sup> century, some of the country\u2019s most celebrated poets and artists began to congregate in Keswick on a regular basis. Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, amongst others, all lived or spent significant amounts of time in the Keswick area during this era. They were instrumental in popularising the region, which was opened up to wider tourism by the arrival of the Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway railway in 1865. The town\u2019s population, grew from 1,350 in 1801 to 2,618 by 1851.<\/p>\nIn the same era, Keswick\u2019s industrial base also expanded; while leather production had begun to decline, other manufacturers such as the woollen textile industry began to grow steadily. \u00a0Pencil manufacture expanded notably from the late 18th century, becoming the town\u2019s largest industry with the founding of Joseph Banks\u2019 pencil factory at Greta Mill in 1835. The population of the town had grown to 3,760 by 1891, as its boundaries expanded north of the River Greta and to the east of old urban core.<\/p>\n
20th Century Keswick<\/h3>\n
In 1903, an unknown writer named Beatrix Potter holidayed in Keswick for the first time, beginning her long love affair and association with the region.<\/p>\n
Across 20th century tourism came to dominate, and by the 1930\u2019s, Keswick was firmly established as the main centre of tourism in Cumberland. The town\u2019s industrial base continued to steadily decline. The Briery Cottages Woollen Mill closed in 1900; with the site\u2019s bobbin mill eventually following suit in 1958. Pencil manufacturing became the second-largest source of employment but takeovers and mergers reduced the number of factories operating in the town. In contrast to much of the rest of the UK, the town\u2019s population remained relatively stable across 20th century, standing at only 4,984 in 2001.<\/p>\n
Keswick – The Modern Era<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven within the Lake District itself, Keswick is particularly renowned for its scenic landscapes. It was described by Wordsworth as “the loveliest spot that ever man has found\u2019\u2019. The creation of the Lake District National Park in 1951, with strict control over new development, has prevented the expansion of Keswick beyond its pre-war borders, and thus, its striking backdrop has also been maintained. Consequently, since the 1950’s, the town’s population has remained stable at a little below 5,000 residents.<\/p>\n
The uniqueness of Keswick has perhaps helped to shape what could be considered as a negative facet of its identity, in as much as, the age profile of its residents is significantly higher than the average for England. While there are around a third less children under 10 than the national average, there are almost double the number of residents within the 75 – to 84-year-old bracket. \u00a0However, on the plus side, figures from the same census also show that Keswick has higher than average number of small employers and self-employed people. Long-term unemployment in Keswick is considerably below the UK average.<\/p>\n
21st Century Keswick<\/h3>\n
In the 2001 census, more than 60 per cent of the town\u2019s population were found to be employed in either hotels, restaurants or retail. In 2008, the town became even more reliant on tourism when the Cumberland Pencils operation moved production from Keswick to Workington. However, the Cumberland Pencil Museum was retained on the original site and features as one of the main tourist attractions in the town. With it’s many attractions and great opportunity to pursue a variety of sport and leisure activities, there are plenty of things to do in Keswick. Consequently, the town’s population is greatly inflated by walkers, sightseers, sportsmen, climbers, etc. who congregate there at all year round.<\/p>\n
![\"Keswick](\"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_618965285-300x200.jpg\")
Keswick Town Centre Image: chrisdorney\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Getting there!<\/strong><\/h2>\nIf your travelling to Keswick by road then it is probably most easily reached via Junction 40 of the M6 (Penrith<\/a>).\u00a0 Then head westwards along the A66.\u00a0 If your travelling from the east, go via the A1 and then the A66. If your heading from the South, then a more scenic route would be to leave the M6 at junction 36 and take the A591 through Windermere<\/a>, Ambleside<\/a> and Grasmere. The average journey time from London would be around 6 hours. The nearest railway station to Keswick is Penrith<\/a> on the West Coast Main Line, which is a distance of 17 miles. A bus service, taking forty minutes, connects Penrith railway station with Keswick Bus Station.<\/p>\n
Image: John Cartwright\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
It\u2019s towards the northern end of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria right next to Derwent Water. It is in the CA12 postcode district and if you are driving we would suggest putting CA12 5DG into your satnav, as this will take you directly to the towns main car park! So now you know where it is how about a little local history to further pique your interest?<\/p>\n
A Little Keswick History Lesson<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe topography of Keswick and the North Lakes was formed in the Ice Age when glacial erosion shaped the landscape of mountains, valleys and lakes. Evidence of first settlement dates as far back as the Stone Age and Neolithic man. Three axes found at the Castlerigg Stone Circle thought to be more than 4000 years old, provided particular strong evidence of the earliest farming communities in the area.<\/p>\n
In the Dark Ages and the early medieval period, Keswick along with much of north Cumbria was part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. However, the town\u2019s and surrounding village names, reflect the known 10th century Viking occupation. The Norse traders and farmers are credit with introducing the hardy Herdwick sheep to the area. Today, the Herdwick breed is prolific throughout the region and can be found on many of the county\u2019s hill farms. Poignantly, the sheep were instrumental in giving Keswick its name, as it literally translates to \u2018cheese town\u2019.<\/p>\n
Cistercian monks arriving in Furness in the mid-13th century acquired large swathes of Cumbrian land. Thus, they went on to take control of sheep farming and the wool industry in the area. The development of Keswick\u2019s community continued with the granting of a market charter by Edward I in 1276.<\/p>\n
The Rise of Mining<\/h3>\n
By the mid-16th century, mining had become economically important to the Keswick area. Slate mined from Skiddaw was utilised for roofing and floors, while mining of copper also began in the Newlands and Borrowdale Valleys. However, by far the most important locally mined material was graphite or \u2018black lead\u2019 as it was otherwise known. In 1555, the first lease to mine graphite in the district was issued. It was initially used for writing and artistic purposes, but soon after it became far more important when the military found uses for it. In 1566, Queen Elizabeth I personally gave the instruction for mining in the Keswick area to be stepped up, as England was desperately short of cannons and weaponry. The Society of Royal Mines was established to finance and oversee mining operations. In contrast to the booming and lucrative mining industry the remainder of the local economy was based on wool, crops and leather undertaken by rural poor.<\/p>\n
Let’s Make a Pencil<\/h3>\n
In 1683, the world\u2019s first lead (graphite) pencils was reportedly made in the Keswick. By 1800, the price of good quality graphite had risen to more than \u00a33500 per ton, which was well over 200 times the value of lead. This made graphite a target for thieves and smugglers, particularly since it was banned for export by the government.\u00a0 By this time, the manufacture of pencils had flourished in the area in the form of a cottage industry. By the late 19th<\/sup> century, there were several pencil factories in the town. Keswick remained at the centre of British pencil-manufacture until very recent times.<\/p>\nAnd Then The Fall<\/h3>\n
After a century or so, the Newlands and Borrowdale copper mines went into decline as the economics of their operation became unviable. It was in the 18th and early 19th century that Keswick\u2019s mines had been at their most productive, but the ending of this era did not spell the end of mining in the area. Force Crag Mine, near Braithwaite, was still in operation up until recent times producing a range of materials. Threlkeld Quarry brought a century of employment to the area. Quarrying for slate was first recorded at Honister in 1643, but the mine remained in operation for almost 350 years, employing around 100 men at its peak.<\/p>\n
The Gentry Discovers The Lakes<\/h3>\n
The Lake District<\/a> was first discovered by well-heeled visitors in the 1750\u2019s which led to Keswick quickly becoming the main centre for the new tourism industry. \u00a0By the 1770s, tourism was further facilitated by the great improvement in roads. At the end of the 18th<\/sup> and beginning of the 19th<\/sup> century, some of the country\u2019s most celebrated poets and artists began to congregate in Keswick on a regular basis. Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, amongst others, all lived or spent significant amounts of time in the Keswick area during this era. They were instrumental in popularising the region, which was opened up to wider tourism by the arrival of the Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway railway in 1865. The town\u2019s population, grew from 1,350 in 1801 to 2,618 by 1851.<\/p>\nIn the same era, Keswick\u2019s industrial base also expanded; while leather production had begun to decline, other manufacturers such as the woollen textile industry began to grow steadily. \u00a0Pencil manufacture expanded notably from the late 18th century, becoming the town\u2019s largest industry with the founding of Joseph Banks\u2019 pencil factory at Greta Mill in 1835. The population of the town had grown to 3,760 by 1891, as its boundaries expanded north of the River Greta and to the east of old urban core.<\/p>\n
20th Century Keswick<\/h3>\n
In 1903, an unknown writer named Beatrix Potter holidayed in Keswick for the first time, beginning her long love affair and association with the region.<\/p>\n
Across 20th century tourism came to dominate, and by the 1930\u2019s, Keswick was firmly established as the main centre of tourism in Cumberland. The town\u2019s industrial base continued to steadily decline. The Briery Cottages Woollen Mill closed in 1900; with the site\u2019s bobbin mill eventually following suit in 1958. Pencil manufacturing became the second-largest source of employment but takeovers and mergers reduced the number of factories operating in the town. In contrast to much of the rest of the UK, the town\u2019s population remained relatively stable across 20th century, standing at only 4,984 in 2001.<\/p>\n
Keswick – The Modern Era<\/strong><\/h2>\nEven within the Lake District itself, Keswick is particularly renowned for its scenic landscapes. It was described by Wordsworth as “the loveliest spot that ever man has found\u2019\u2019. The creation of the Lake District National Park in 1951, with strict control over new development, has prevented the expansion of Keswick beyond its pre-war borders, and thus, its striking backdrop has also been maintained. Consequently, since the 1950’s, the town’s population has remained stable at a little below 5,000 residents.<\/p>\n
The uniqueness of Keswick has perhaps helped to shape what could be considered as a negative facet of its identity, in as much as, the age profile of its residents is significantly higher than the average for England. While there are around a third less children under 10 than the national average, there are almost double the number of residents within the 75 – to 84-year-old bracket. \u00a0However, on the plus side, figures from the same census also show that Keswick has higher than average number of small employers and self-employed people. Long-term unemployment in Keswick is considerably below the UK average.<\/p>\n
21st Century Keswick<\/h3>\n
In the 2001 census, more than 60 per cent of the town\u2019s population were found to be employed in either hotels, restaurants or retail. In 2008, the town became even more reliant on tourism when the Cumberland Pencils operation moved production from Keswick to Workington. However, the Cumberland Pencil Museum was retained on the original site and features as one of the main tourist attractions in the town. With it’s many attractions and great opportunity to pursue a variety of sport and leisure activities, there are plenty of things to do in Keswick. Consequently, the town’s population is greatly inflated by walkers, sightseers, sportsmen, climbers, etc. who congregate there at all year round.<\/p>\n
Keswick Town Centre Image: chrisdorney\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Getting there!<\/strong><\/h2>\nIf your travelling to Keswick by road then it is probably most easily reached via Junction 40 of the M6 (Penrith<\/a>).\u00a0 Then head westwards along the A66.\u00a0 If your travelling from the east, go via the A1 and then the A66. If your heading from the South, then a more scenic route would be to leave the M6 at junction 36 and take the A591 through Windermere<\/a>, Ambleside<\/a> and Grasmere. The average journey time from London would be around 6 hours. The nearest railway station to Keswick is Penrith<\/a> on the West Coast Main Line, which is a distance of 17 miles. A bus service, taking forty minutes, connects Penrith railway station with Keswick Bus Station.<\/p>\n
And Then The Fall<\/h3>\n
After a century or so, the Newlands and Borrowdale copper mines went into decline as the economics of their operation became unviable. It was in the 18th and early 19th century that Keswick\u2019s mines had been at their most productive, but the ending of this era did not spell the end of mining in the area. Force Crag Mine, near Braithwaite, was still in operation up until recent times producing a range of materials. Threlkeld Quarry brought a century of employment to the area. Quarrying for slate was first recorded at Honister in 1643, but the mine remained in operation for almost 350 years, employing around 100 men at its peak.<\/p>\n
The Gentry Discovers The Lakes<\/h3>\n
The Lake District<\/a> was first discovered by well-heeled visitors in the 1750\u2019s which led to Keswick quickly becoming the main centre for the new tourism industry. \u00a0By the 1770s, tourism was further facilitated by the great improvement in roads. At the end of the 18th<\/sup> and beginning of the 19th<\/sup> century, some of the country\u2019s most celebrated poets and artists began to congregate in Keswick on a regular basis. Wordsworth, Coleridge and Shelley, amongst others, all lived or spent significant amounts of time in the Keswick area during this era. They were instrumental in popularising the region, which was opened up to wider tourism by the arrival of the Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway railway in 1865. The town\u2019s population, grew from 1,350 in 1801 to 2,618 by 1851.<\/p>\n In the same era, Keswick\u2019s industrial base also expanded; while leather production had begun to decline, other manufacturers such as the woollen textile industry began to grow steadily. \u00a0Pencil manufacture expanded notably from the late 18th century, becoming the town\u2019s largest industry with the founding of Joseph Banks\u2019 pencil factory at Greta Mill in 1835. The population of the town had grown to 3,760 by 1891, as its boundaries expanded north of the River Greta and to the east of old urban core.<\/p>\n In 1903, an unknown writer named Beatrix Potter holidayed in Keswick for the first time, beginning her long love affair and association with the region.<\/p>\n Across 20th century tourism came to dominate, and by the 1930\u2019s, Keswick was firmly established as the main centre of tourism in Cumberland. The town\u2019s industrial base continued to steadily decline. The Briery Cottages Woollen Mill closed in 1900; with the site\u2019s bobbin mill eventually following suit in 1958. Pencil manufacturing became the second-largest source of employment but takeovers and mergers reduced the number of factories operating in the town. In contrast to much of the rest of the UK, the town\u2019s population remained relatively stable across 20th century, standing at only 4,984 in 2001.<\/p>\n Even within the Lake District itself, Keswick is particularly renowned for its scenic landscapes. It was described by Wordsworth as “the loveliest spot that ever man has found\u2019\u2019. The creation of the Lake District National Park in 1951, with strict control over new development, has prevented the expansion of Keswick beyond its pre-war borders, and thus, its striking backdrop has also been maintained. Consequently, since the 1950’s, the town’s population has remained stable at a little below 5,000 residents.<\/p>\n The uniqueness of Keswick has perhaps helped to shape what could be considered as a negative facet of its identity, in as much as, the age profile of its residents is significantly higher than the average for England. While there are around a third less children under 10 than the national average, there are almost double the number of residents within the 75 – to 84-year-old bracket. \u00a0However, on the plus side, figures from the same census also show that Keswick has higher than average number of small employers and self-employed people. Long-term unemployment in Keswick is considerably below the UK average.<\/p>\n In the 2001 census, more than 60 per cent of the town\u2019s population were found to be employed in either hotels, restaurants or retail. In 2008, the town became even more reliant on tourism when the Cumberland Pencils operation moved production from Keswick to Workington. However, the Cumberland Pencil Museum was retained on the original site and features as one of the main tourist attractions in the town. With it’s many attractions and great opportunity to pursue a variety of sport and leisure activities, there are plenty of things to do in Keswick. Consequently, the town’s population is greatly inflated by walkers, sightseers, sportsmen, climbers, etc. who congregate there at all year round.<\/p>\n Keswick Town Centre Image: chrisdorney\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n If your travelling to Keswick by road then it is probably most easily reached via Junction 40 of the M6 (Penrith<\/a>).\u00a0 Then head westwards along the A66.\u00a0 If your travelling from the east, go via the A1 and then the A66. If your heading from the South, then a more scenic route would be to leave the M6 at junction 36 and take the A591 through Windermere<\/a>, Ambleside<\/a> and Grasmere. The average journey time from London would be around 6 hours. The nearest railway station to Keswick is Penrith<\/a> on the West Coast Main Line, which is a distance of 17 miles. A bus service, taking forty minutes, connects Penrith railway station with Keswick Bus Station.<\/p>\n20th Century Keswick<\/h3>\n
Keswick – The Modern Era<\/strong><\/h2>\n
21st Century Keswick<\/h3>\n
Getting there!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Castlerigg](\"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_722686927-2-300x128.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/12\/shutterstock_169127333-300x212.jpg\")