Keswick market runs on Thursday and Saturday on the Market Square. It is not the biggest market in the north of England, but it is a genuine working market with local produce, not a tourist market dressed up as one.
When and where
Market Square, Keswick (CA12 5JA). Thursday: 9am to 3pm. Saturday: 9am to 3pm. Outdoor market with around 40 stalls on a good day. Can vary significantly in size depending on season and weather. Summer Saturdays have the most stalls. November Thursdays can be quiet.
What is there
Local produce is the main event: Cumbrian cheeses, local meats (Herdwick lamb, pork, beef), eggs, seasonal vegetables, homemade preserves and chutneys. There are usually two or three hot food stalls, a decent cheese counter, a bakery stall, and several craft and gift stalls. The produce quality is genuinely good and the prices are reasonable compared to the farm shops.
What is not worth it
The tourist-facing stalls with the same mass-produced goods you find at every market. The cheap clothing stalls. Skip those and head for the food. The cheese counter and the Herdwick lamb stall are the best reasons to go.
Around the market
Keswick town centre is walkable from the market. The Keswick Museum is 5 minutes away in Fitz Park. The Pencil Museum is 10 minutes on foot. Bryson's bakery on Main Street is the best place for a coffee and something to eat before or after. The Car parking closest to the market is the central Lakeside car park (CA12 5DJ).
Practical notes
- →Get there by 10am if you want the best of the produce stalls before they sell out.
- →The market is outdoor and unshielded. Bring appropriate clothing in winter.
- →Parking in Keswick fills fast on Saturdays. The Lakeside car park (CA12 5DJ) is closest to the market. The station road car park is a 10-minute walk.
- →Card payments are accepted by most stalls now, though cash is still useful for the smaller producers.
Find more things to do in Keswick.
Keswick guide →
Damian Roche
Founder, Churchtown Media. Builder of TheLakesGuide.co.uk, TheLakesWildlife.co.uk, and HikeTheLakes.com. Southport-based. Regular Lakes visitor for decades.
