Getting there
https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/admin/radrootsforumLocation | Public Transport | Hitching | Driving | Cycling | Walking
Location
The gathering this year will be held at Seathwaite in the beautiful Borrowdale. It is located 13 kilometres (8 miles) southwest of Keswick at the end of a minor road that heads south from the portion of the B5289 road that runs between Borrowdale parish and Seatoller over the Honister Pass. The site is right in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by mountains, streams and tarns. The nearest train station is Penrith. Penrith is on the West Coast mainline and well serviced from North and South. From Penrith you can take a bus to Keswick and from Keswick a bus to Seatoller, which is a one mile walk to the site at Seathwaite.
The O.S Grid reference is NY 23490 12228. Google Earth position 54 degrees 28 minutes 57.66 seconds N, 3 degrees 10 minutes 56.34 seconds. The post code is CA12 5XJ.
Please note that there is no mobile phone reception at the site. There is however a public phone box that you can make calls from, so bring some change! And don't forget your water proofs. Seathwaite is the wettest inhabited place in England and receives around 3,552 millimetres (140 in) of rain per year. On the bright side Seathwaite is one of the most popular starting points for walking in the UK giving access to well known mountains such as Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Glaramara.
In the unlikely event that the police try to stop and search people, please remember that they have to have good reason to search you. To read up on your rights check out the Activists Legal Project's guide to Stop and Search. And Borrowdale has hundreds of walkers, cyclists and climbers passing through every day.
Maps, directions, satelite / aerial photos etc. can be found by typing the post code and/or grid ref into the various online map providers, such as Streetmap, Google Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSN Maps or Multimap.
Public Transport
Please come by public transport if at all possible.
Penrith is the nearest train station. It's on the West Coast mainline and well serviced from the South and from Scotland both by Virgin trains and Transpennine Express. If you are taking bikes, Transpennine Express is a lot more relaxed about taking them. With Virgin you must prebook your bike. It's about 4 hours from London, 2 hours from Glasgow, 1.5hrs from Manchester. For detailed traintimes and fares check www.traintimes.org.uk
From Penrith you need to take the bus to Keswick, then a bus from Keswick to the littlle village of Seatoller and then it's a pleasant 20min walk up the valley to Seathwaite.
Bus time tables can be found via the following links
Lancaster to Keswick (takes ages, but is very scenic, only 8 quid)
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/Service555556554from05April2009.pdf
Chorley - Preston to Keswick:
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/X8X7Summer2009.pdf
Penrith to Keswick
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/ServiceX4X5from05April2009.pdf.
At least once an hour. Last bus on Mon-Sat leaves Penrith at 22:50 arriving into Keswick at 23:25. On Sunday busses are every two hours, the last bus is 19.15 arriving Keswick 19:55
The single fare for this journey is £5.35
KESWICK to SEATOLLER:
This bus service is called the Borrowdale Rambler, Stagecoach service 78. It leaves Keswick at the following times (Mon-Sat): 9:25, 9:55, 10:25, 10:55, 11:25, 11:55, 12:25, 12:55, 14:25, 14:55, 15:25, 15:55, 16:25, 16:55, 17:25, 17:40, 18:00.
Journey time is 28 minutes.
Sundays it leaves: 09:25, 10:25, 11:25, 12:25, 14:25, 15:25, 16:25 17:40
The single fare for this journey is £3.10.
The full timetable can be found here:
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/Service78from05April2009.pdf.
Get off at Seatoller, most buses on this route end here. Turn round and walk back along the road. Take the first road on your right (signposted Seathwaite). Walk along the road for 1mile past the first campsite. The gathering is at the second campsite in Seathwaite.
NOTE: The last bus leaves Keswick Bus Station at 18:00 to arrive at Seatoller 18:28.
Evening pick-ups from Keswick
We will run a minibus pick-up from Keswick bus station in the evenings at 7pm and 9pm. If there are lots of you please leave us a message on 01524 383012 at least 24 hours in advance. We have no mobile reception at the gathering site. If you arrive later than this you may have to get a taxi. Local taxi firms are K L M: 01768 775337; Davies Taxis: 01768 772676, Derwent Taxi's: 01768 775585.
There is also another bus service, the Honister Rambler, Stagecoach service 77a, which also runs from Keswick to Seatoller. Avoid getting the 77 service. This will also get you to Seatoller, but via a long (scenic) detour!
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/Service77_77Afrom05April2009.pdf
Hitching
Hitching is a fairly easy thing to do in the Lakes, there are lots of walkers and climbers around who'll happily give lifts. You should be able to get a lift to Seatoller or even to Seathwaite itself, as it's a very popular starting point for walks. Unfortunately the liftsharing forum we tried to set is not working, sorry about that, maybe next year, eh?
Coming from the South or the North hitch a lift along the M6 until Junction 40/Penrith. If you are coming from the East you can hitch along the A66 to Penrith.
Then along the A66 to Keswick.
In Keswick follow signs to Borrowdale (also in the direction of the LAKE) which will take you on to the B5289. Follow the B5289 until Seatoller (around 9miles):
On the right here you will see a National Trust Car Park
Before you get into the Village of Seatoller, take a left to Seathwaite Farm, where you'll find the gathering at Seathwaite campsite after about a mile. It's at the end of the road where the walkers usually park up, so you can't miss it.
Driving
Please leave your cars and vans at home if at all possible and come by public transport, cycling or hitching. There is some very limited parking and well, we're Earth First!ers, aren't we?! If we can't do it, then who can? So ditch the car and come by bike/train/foot.
If you do come by car/minibus please find some people to share with. Unfortunately the liftsharing forum we tried to set is not working, sorry about that, maybe next year, eh?
Please be prepared to help with pick-up runs from Keswick in the evenings. For directions follow the hitching directions above.
PARKING: Beware that cars will be parked outside the campsite and that the parking spaces closest to the entrance(underneath the trees) will be reserved for live-in vehicles.
(For the live-in vehicle drivers: given that the parking is limited, please do not put up extra structures around your vehicle as it would take space away for other vehicles).
Cycling
If you like hills and cycling you have several options.
You could join a troupe of cyclists who are leaving Lancaster on Friday 14th and who are planning to arrive on Sun 16th, email or ring the gathering for more details.
You could get the train to either Penrith, Kendal/Oxenholme, Windermere and cycle from there.
Cycling from Penrith: around 28miles. The road from Penrith is very busy and a dual carriage way for part of the way. There are however lots of little roads running parallel to it, so you can avoid the traffic. It's worth getting a decent map for this.
Cycling from Kendal/Oxenholme via Windermere: around 40 miles from Kendal and about 30miles from Windermere. Avoid the A591 out of Kendal, it's very busy. Use back roads via Staveley, its' a pretty cycle ride with some nice hills. From Windermere you can either go along the A591, but it's still fairly busy and with lots of bends can be a bit dangerous. Fantastic scenery though. If you've got more time, go down to Bowness, take the ferry to the other side of Lake Windermere and cycle along the smalls road/mountain bike track that runs along the western side until you come into Ambleside. Then it's back to the busy A591 until Thirlmere, where you can cycle along the western side of the lake until you join the main road again, and into Keswick. For those you like a hill to cycle up, you could cycle from Wray at the western side of Windermere to Skelwith Bridge, then up and down into Grasmere.
Once you get to Keswick you can go along either side of lake Derwent Water into Borrowdale. Both roads join up at Grange at the southern side of Derwent Water. On the eastern side it's the B5289, follow it to Seatoller, which is just one km from the gathering site. Going along the western side of the lake is quieter and very pretty, but a little more hilly. You can find a map and a description of both routes at Cycling Cumbria here (although part of it written for mountain bikers, you can avoid those bits by staying on the roads):. http://www.cyclingcumbria.co.uk/default.aspx?page=230&route=98
Walking
Well, the list of options is endless, depending on how much time and energy you've got. The routes suggested below are feasible in a day for fit walkers used to carrying heavy rucksacks. You will need ordnance survey maps, weather proof gear, walking boots, plenty of water and if you are going for a more challenging walk, you should have a compass and know how to use it. The weather can change quickly, with fog and rain obstructing visibility and paths are often rocky or slippery.
Make sure you set off in good time for the walk you plan. We cannot come and pick you up if it gets late or you get lost. We have no mobile phone reception at the gathering site!
Easy low level walk: Go to Keswick by bus or hitching. From Keswick follow the western shore of Derwent Water to Grange. Then walk along the River Derwent up into the picturesque Borrowdale. Stop for a pint in Rosthwaite before heading to the gathering site at the head of the western arm of the valley at Seathwaite. It's about 16km (10miles), and will take you most of the day, so make sure to set off in good time.
Challenging walk I - from Keswick: If you want it a bit more challenging you could head for the western shore of Derwent water, then walk up and along the ridge of Cat Bells for pretty views of the lake , carrying on up to High Spy, then down to Seatoller and along the valley floor to Seathwaite. It's a great ridge walk, but quite strenous with a heavy rucksack!
Challenging walk II - from Keswick: This is along the eastern side of Derwent Water, via the amazing stone circle at Castlerigg, then up onto Castlerigg Fell, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat and High Tove. From there you can head down into Borrowdale and walk up the valley to Seathwaite.
Challenging walk III - from Grasmere: Go by bus to Grasmere. (Buses run from Windermere train station and also from Keswick). Walk into Easedale, then up onto Grasmere Common and from there down into Borrowdale. To make it more exciting and hard work, you could take in High Raise (762m). Or make a little detour to Easedale Tarn for a picnic and one of the best swimming spots in the Lakes.