For International Air Travellers
For general travel information, here is a good website for travel throughout the UK: www.traveline.info. Type in your arrival city or airport, and your destination. It will then give you a planned journey.
By car: There are some advantages in renting a car from the airport, and so it is worth checking prices. This will give you greater mobility, especially if you wish to look around the Lake District whilst in Keswick. Travel on the M6 to junction 40 at Penrith, taking the A66 to Keswick following the directions on page 1.
By train or coach: The nearest train station to Keswick is called Penrith and this is also the nearest coach-stop to Keswick. (More information about how to get to Keswick from Penrith see page 1.)
How to travel from airports to Keswick
The nearest major airports are Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. International flights coming into one of the London airports can be cheaper, and so it is also worth checking flights to London Heathrow in particular.
Although London is much further from Keswick, the train connections are good, and can be as fast as travelling from Glasgow, for example. There are also some international flights into Newcastle airport.
From London Heathrow airport:
- Take the Heathrow Underground train from the airport into central London.
- Your destination underground station is Euston (a mainline train station in London). Note: there is also a train called the Heathrow Express, but it is best to use the Underground.
- You then travel by fast train from London Euston Station to Penrith – it is a 3-hour train journey.
From Manchester airport:
- Using thetrainline.com, type in Manchester Airport (From) and Penrith (To).
- There will be one or two changes, and the journey to Penrith takes about 90 minutes.
From Glasgow airport:
- From Glasgow Airport it is necessary to use the bus into the city and then connect with the train. The details are on the website mentioned, and the journey can take 2 hours 30 minutes or more, depending on the times of connections.
From Edinburgh airport:
- Using thetrainline.com type in Edinburgh Waverley (From) and Penrith (To).
- The train is direct, and the journey to Penrith takes about 90 minutes.
Travelling by Car
The nearest motorway junction to Keswick is junction 40 on the M6. When you have reached this junction follow these directions to the Keswick Convention:
- Leave the M6 at Junction 40 and follow A66 (sign posted to Keswick) for approximately 16 miles.
- At the Crosthwaite Rd/A5271/A591 roundabout take the first exit onto A5271 and follow the road to the T-junction.
- At T-junction turn left on to High Hill towards Keswick town centre.
- Follow this road over the bridge and the Rawnsley Centre car park is the second turning on the left after the bridge, Coleridge Court.
- Turn left or right to enter the car park.
Please note, there is no parking on the main Convention site, but the Rawnsley Centre car parks are available to anyone to use. Parking is available at the Hotel (if staying there) or your accommodation provider may have parking facilities.
Use this link to find the Rawnsley car park: https://what3words.com/raven.qualifier.dunes
Travelling by Train or Coach
Penrith is the nearest train station to Keswick. The nearest coach-stop to Keswick, run by National Express is Penrith Station. Coaches are often cheaper than the coach. Trains are usually cheaper if booked in advance.
To book your train go to www.thetrainline.com.
To book your coach go to www.nationalexpress.com.
From Penrith Station there is a bus to Keswick approximately every half hour which takes about 40 minutes. The timetable for the X4/X5 is available to download at www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables.
The main bus terminal in Keswick is by Booths Supermarket on The Headlands. To get to the Convention site from the bus terminal:
- Turn left along The Headlands and keep left when you reach the end of the road.
- Continue walking straight ahead towards the mini roundabout. Turn left at the roundabout.
- Continue on the left side of the road, pass the Coop on your right and cross at the pedestrian crossing.
- You will see signs to the main Convention entrance a few yards along on your right.
- Turn right into the car park area and walk across the large, grassed area towards the Convention site. You will need to go through security before crossing Carding Mill Lane onto the site.
- Walk with the Pencil Factory building on your right and Convention Reception should be in front of you when you get to the end of the PF building.
Keswick Convention Address
Keswick Ministries, Pencil Factory, Main Street, KESWICK, CA12 5NG, GB
Office Tel: 017687 80075