r/Keswick

All other beaches have acceptable levels of E. coli

Hi everyone,

I'm currently staying in Keswick and I'm hoping to watch today's solar eclipse. I'm considering Castlerigg Stone Circle as a place to view it, but as I'm new to the Lake District, I'd really appreciate some local advice.

Would Castlerigg be a good location to watch the eclipse from? It looks like it has a fairly open view of the sky, but I'm not sure how suitable it will be for the direction of the eclipse or how busy it's likely to get.

Parking is probably my biggest question. What are my options for parking at or near Castlerigg Stone Circle? I'd prefer to drive and park rather than walk there from Keswick.

I'm planning on doing the Catbells hike earlier in the day, then visiting a few other places before finishing my day by watching the eclipse. Having the car with me would therefore make things much easier.

I'm expecting the popular viewpoints to be particularly busy today, so if recommending Castlerigg, I'd really appreciate suggestions for where exactly to park, including alternative or overflow options if the closest parking areas are full. I'm happy to arrive early if necessary.

And if Castlerigg isn't the best place to watch the eclipse, where else around Keswick or the surrounding Lake District would you recommend? I'm staying at a hotel in Keswick but I'm completely happy to drive elsewhere for a better view.

For any alternative locations, it would be really helpful if you could also mention where you'd recommend parking, as I'd rather have a couple of options planned in advance than spend the evening driving around looking for a space!

Any local knowledge, viewing spots, parking tips or advice for today would be massively appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance!