Explore the famous fell of Cat Bells in the Lake District with BBC Countryfile Magazine’s 3.5-mile walking route. <\/p>

A\u201cproper little mountain\u201d, a \u201cfamily fell\u2019, a \u201cmountain in miniature\u201d. If ever there was a hill to be fond of, it\u2019s Cat Bells in the Lake District.<\/p>

Best walks in the Lake District<\/h4>
Of all the national parks in Britain, the Lake District in North England is arguably the most celebrated \u2013 discover the area’s fells, rivers, waters and towns with our guide to the best walks in the Lake District National Park<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Lake District\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
Cat Bells walk<\/h2>
1. Hawse End<\/h4>
From Hawse End, you\u2019ll see the sheer mass of the fells right in front of you, and a sign reading \u2018Cat Bells, 1 Mile\u2019 pointing up the trail. Follow the narrow stone path as it begins to climb. The route is clear, leading on to a wide ridge.<\/p>
With each step, the views become increasingly striking, and it\u2019s not long before Derwent Water<\/a> opens up in the valley below, dotted with sailing crafts and ringed on all sides by lush fells.<\/p>
2. Thomas Arthur Leonard memorial<\/h4>
Keep climbing and you\u2019ll pass a memorial to Thomas Arthur Leonard, a pioneer in developing organised outdoor holidays for working people.<\/p>
3. Cat Bells summit<\/h4>
The path is straightforward, right until you reach the rocky summit, where there\u2019s a bit of a scramble to reach the hilltop proper. It\u2019s worth the extra effort to stand on the very top of Cat Bells. Despite being a modest 451m high, it offers panoramic views of water, mountains and valleys \u2013 a pocket Lake District.<\/p>
$\"A$
Hiker admires the view towards the summit of Cat Bells\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
To the north, Skiddaw<\/a> and the wide saddleback of Blencathra<\/a> dominate the skyline. Nestled below them is Keswick, tiny and gleaming white from this distance. While behind the summit lie the fells of Maiden Moor and High Spy. These tall, green peaks may be dream Wainwright country, but the gentle valleys that slope down from the mountains are the land of Beatrix Potter<\/a>. The author rambled here in the early 1900s, and based Squirrel Nutkin on the red squirrels<\/a> that still live in the woods, while imagined Mrs Tiggy Winkle lived behind a small wooden door built into the side of the mountain itself.<\/p>
Once your eyes have had their fill, the wide grassy patch by the summit is a lovely place to stop and have a picnic. Be warned \u2013 rumour has it that the resident sheep<\/a> are now so used to hikers that they like to get in on the lunch action, investigating the sandwiches of unaware ramblers.<\/p>
You\u2019re pretty unlikely to have the summit to yourself, but I\u2019ve always found it full of friendly hikers, all stupefied by that tremendous view. Once I watched a paraglider hike to the crest and then launch himself off the mountain, adding a splash of bright colour to the landscape as he rode the winds into the valley below.<\/p>
$\"Snowy$
Derwent Water, Keswick and Skiddaw, taken from Cat Bells in winter\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
4. Cat Bells bridleway<\/h4>
Onwards from the summit, the path continues south, now heading downhill. A number of tracks lead off to your right to Little Town and the neighbouring valley \u2013 ignore these and stay on the path until you come to a set of steep stone steps. Follow these down until you reach a path forking to the left \u2013 this is the Cat Bells bridleway.<\/p>
5. Derwent Water path<\/h4>
The path hugs the side of the range all the way back to Hawse End, and while it doesn\u2019t boast the epic views of the higher trail, it\u2019s still very beautiful, with a pretty stretch of woodland clinging to the edge of the lake below you.<\/p>
$\"Cat20Bells202-ad4b9ef\"$
Looking south from the lower eastern flanks of Cat Bells into the lush Borrowdale Fells\/Credit: Sian Lewis<\/figcaption><\/figure>
6. High Brandelhow<\/h4>
If the water is too enticing, branch off at the point where the trail meets the road and go for a paddle. Here, cross the road and follow a path to the small beach at High Brandelhow. Otherwise, simply continue on the bridleway and you\u2019ll soon find yourself back at Hawse End, tired-legged with a proper little mountain conquered.<\/p>
Cat Bells map<\/h2>
Walking route to the summit of Cat Bells in the Lake District<\/a><\/p>
$\"Cat$ <\/a><\/figure>
Visiting Cat Bells<\/h3>
Its popularity means that Cat Bells isn\u2019t as isolated as some of the other fells (although, if you do want the summit all to yourself, try setting off at dawn). It\u2019s worth sharing the trail, though \u2013 I\u2019ve never climbed a hill that rewards the hiker more richly in views than Cat Bells.<\/p>
$\"Cat$
Alfred Wainwright called Cat Bells a \u201cproper little mountain\u201d\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
On your left, the clear blue lake of Derwent Water is dotted with sailing boats that look more and more like toys as you ascend. On your right, magnificent fells roll away into the distance. And, with the exception of a short, steep path at the start and a brief scramble to the summit, Cat Bells is easy to climb and simple to navigate \u2013 perfect for old legs, little legs and the four-legged alike.<\/p>
Before climbing it, I like to make a pilgrimage to Friar\u2019s Crag, a vista on the opposite side of Derwent Water, just outside Keswick. The view of Cat Bells\u2019 undulating humps opposite, strikingly reflected in the lake\u2019s surface, is the perfect appetiser to an ascent of the fell.<\/p>
Our route begins in Hawse End. There\u2019s a (busy) car park here, but for a more relaxing start, head to Keswick Landings<\/a> and catch a boat anti-clockwise around the lake \u2013 you\u2019ll be at your starting point in 10 minutes. There\u2019s also a direct launch every morning at 9.45 that runs specifically for walkers.<\/p>
$\"Autumn$
View towards Cat Bells in the Lake District\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Need new walking kit? Check out our guides to the\u00a0best walking boots<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking shoes<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking trousers<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking socks<\/a>,\u00a0 best walking sandals<\/a>\u00a0– and lots more<\/strong><\/p>
Want a bargain? Check out our round up of the best early Black Friday walking boot deals<\/a> and the best Black Friday outdoor clothing sales and discounts in 2023<\/a><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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Cat Bells walk<\/h2>

1. Hawse End<\/h4>From Hawse End, you\u2019ll see the sheer mass of the fells right in front of you, and a sign reading \u2018Cat Bells, 1 Mile\u2019 pointing up the trail. Follow the narrow stone path as it begins to climb. The route is clear, leading on to a wide ridge.<\/p>

5. Derwent Water path<\/h4>The path hugs the side of the range all the way back to Hawse End, and while it doesn\u2019t boast the epic views of the higher trail, it\u2019s still very beautiful, with a pretty stretch of woodland clinging to the edge of the lake below you.<\/p>