Keswick to Threlkeld trail
About 5km each way · Gentle, on the old railway line elevation
About
The old Keswick to Penrith railway, now a path for walkers, cyclists and wheelchairs along the River Greta gorge to Threlkeld, about 5km each way. The National Park Authority says the last train left Keswick station on 4 March 1972; the path crosses the Greta on original Victorian railway bridges and on bridges rebuilt after Storm Desmond, and since it reopened in December 2020 it has been designed for all levels of mobility, with the Bobbin Mill tunnel under the A66 open again. It starts from the car park opposite the old station building, by the leisure centre. From 22 September 2026 the bridge over the Greta at the western end is completely closed for up to eight weeks while new decks and guard rails go in; the rest of the trail is open and can be joined east of the closed bridge. There are no toilets on the route; Threlkeld has two pubs and a coffee shop, and the X5 bus brings you back.
Highlights
- ✓River Greta gorge
- ✓Victorian and rebuilt railway bridges
- ✓Bobbin Mill tunnel
- ✓Bus back from Threlkeld
Tips
- →Check the National Park Authority's route page for the bridge closure and access points before you set out.
- →No toilets on the route; the nearest are by Bell Close car park, about ten minutes' walk from the start.
- →The X5 runs between Threlkeld and Keswick, so you can walk one way.