Portinscale & Thornthwaite Walk, Cumbria

The return from Thornthwaite is on very good tracks, part way up the hillside. There are some great places to stop for refreshments along the way including some great hotels and tea shops where walkers are very much welcome.

We’re starting our walk on the bridge in Braithwaite and heading south east, turning right at a public footpath sign to walk along the raised bank of the Coledale Beck, passing behind a camping and caravan site.

Crossing over a stile, we leave the site and continue past a ford before turning right over a footbridge over the beck. We carry on along the other side until we reach Little Braithwaite Farm, following the signs up to a little gate that takes us through the farm.

We then join a surfaced lane, and descend to the left before crossing a (weak!) bridge over the beck. The splendid views to the right are up the Vale of Newlands. At the road junction we’re turning left and following ‘Ullock 1⁄4’, passing the large farmstead of Ullock.

Soon we turn left, through a gate with a ‘public footpath sign’, go down a few steps and then pass through a gate. Here we take the well trodden path towards Portinscale. We cross a ditch on a bridge, go through another gate and then go up along the fenced and hedged path into Portinscale. When we reach a surfaced road we turn left and then take a right, through a gate and along a path which soon becomes a residential road. We continue straight ahead to join the village street,

We need to take a right to go down into the centre of the village. At the road junction we turn left (the sign says ‘public footpath – Keswick’). There’s a great tea room and shop to the right if you’re in need of some refreshments. When you’re ready – we pass the Derwentwater Hotel and head for the suspension footbridge across the River Derwent – but we don’t cross the bridge. Instead we’re turning left about 30 yards before it (or on your right if you’ve gone too far and had to double back!). We go through the gate and follow the path alongside the riverbank, over a couple of stiles until we reach Keswick Road (close to a more substantial bridge over the river). Go over the stile and up the side of the bank to another stile. We cross over the road to another stile, go down a few steps, over yet another stile and resume walking along the river bank, soon going under the A66 road bridge until we continue on to the dismantled railway bridge.

Just after this bridge we go left, over a stile and go diagonally across the meadow (we’re aiming for the left of the prominent house). There’s a sign posted stile that we need to go over, cross over the access lane, go over another signposted stile and then head down into the next meadow, bearing left to a gate/stile that’s about 50 yards from the left corner. Crossing over a bridge, we bear right to stay beside the stream. The banks here have an array of wildflowers that are beautiful when in season. At a waymarked post, we turn left to cross a stone slab bridge and a rush-grown meadow. There are more stiles, bridges and white topped posts to follow before we reach a farm access track. Enjoy the views of Barf with its famous ‘Bishop’ rock. Follow the access track to the right towards Bog House.

Just before we reach Bog House, we turn left to cross a main watercourse on a gated footbridge and then turn right at the ‘Thornthwaite’ signpost. The path here can sometimes be a little overgrown so please take care. We cross another couple of stiles as we follow the raised bank. At a waymarked post we go left, down the bank and then over a stile. The path bears right towards a waymarked gate/stile. We keep pushing on, under some trees, with a fence to the right towards a plank bridge. Bear left to the side of the stream until we reach a gated footbridge. Crossing over the stream here, we turn left to pass a waymarked post. At the junction we turn right and then bear left to cross a rush-grown field to a waymarked stile on the left. Crossing diagonally across the meadow we come to a gate/stile beside a ‘P’ highway sign and join the A66.

Carefully crossing the road, we turn right and go up the roadside bank on a little path. We head left, over a waymarked stile towards a gate where we turn right towards the church. After another gate/stile we cross Chapel Beck. Walking along the church access road, we cross a minor road and head up towards the left, following the ‘Gallery’ sign to the left.

Passing the car park, we bear left, heading up along a surfaced road. At the fork we go left and continue on as the road loses its hard surface. We cross the noisily rushing beck and continue along the bottom edge of the woodland. From here we can admire the views offered of Skiddaw out across the Vale of Keswick. We pass the back of a large property and soon reach a junction. We go straight across, through the kissing gate. The path is now much narrower but is clear to follow. We pass through several gates, over more plank bridges and go through the pine forest behind the little hill, Braithwaite How. We pass by Hope Memorial Camp before joining the public road through a gate. Here we turn left and head down into Braithwaite village and back to where we started.