Surprise View Car Park
Small National Trust car park beside Surprise View near Keswick, with around 15 spaces and spectacular views over Derwentwater towards Skiddaw.
Finding the entrance
From the B5289 in Borrowdale, turn onto the narrow road signed towards Ashness Bridge and Watendlath. Continue uphill past Ashness Bridge to Surprise View. The parking is split across two small areas beside the viewpoint road. Drive slowly and keep passing places clear.
About this car park
Surprise View Car Park is a small National Trust car park high above Derwentwater on the narrow road between Ashness Bridge and Watendlath, around 3.5 miles from Keswick. It is one of the most useful parking spots for reaching the famous Surprise View viewpoint without a long walk, but capacity is very limited.
The National Trust states that there are around 15 parking spaces in total, split across two small parking areas. The upper parking area is the most convenient for the viewpoint and is approximately 10 metres from Surprise View. Because the car park is small and the viewpoint is a well-known stop on the Borrowdale scenic route, spaces can disappear quickly on clear days, weekends, school holidays and during the main visitor season.
Parking charges at Surprise View
Current National Trust Borrowdale parking charges are £7 for up to 2 hours, £8 for up to 4 hours and £9.50 for all-day parking. Charges apply at all times. National Trust members can park free when they follow the current member validation instructions. Surprise View supports payment through JustPark using location ID 80521. The National Trust recommends setting the app up before travelling because mobile signal can be limited in parts of Borrowdale.
Accessibility
The National Trust identifies the upper parking area as the better option for visitors with mobility difficulties. It is only about 10 metres from the viewpoint, and improvement work has been carried out to make the viewing area surface more accessible for wheelchair users. No official number of designated Blue Badge bays is published, so visitors who require a specific accessible parking arrangement should not assume that a marked bay will be available.
What can you see from Surprise View?
The viewpoint gives a dramatic elevated panorama across Derwentwater, with the lake, wooded shoreline and surrounding fells spread out below. The view looks towards the Skiddaw massif and, in exceptionally clear conditions, the National Trust notes that it is possible to see as far as Scotland. It is an excellent photography stop and an easy addition to a scenic drive through Borrowdale.
Driving to Surprise View
Access is via a narrow Lake District road with bends, gradients and passing places. Drivers should approach carefully, be prepared to give way and avoid blocking passing places or verges if the car park is full. The CA12 5UU postcode covers a rural area, so use the map pin, OS grid reference NY268189 or roadside signs rather than relying on the postcode alone.
Overnight parking is not permitted in National Trust Borrowdale car parks. If Surprise View is full, use a recognised alternative such as Ashness Bridge, Great Wood or Watendlath rather than creating an obstruction on the roadside.
What parking costs
Payment: Pay-and-display and JustPark via JustPark (location code 80521).
National Trust members can park free. Follow the current instructions at the machine or in JustPark to validate membership correctly.
Facilities
- ✓ Picnic area
Very small rural National Trust car park split across two areas. There is no café at the car park. Facilities not specifically confirmed by the National Trust are recorded as unknown rather than assumed.
Photos
Walks and places nearby
Surprise View is only a few steps from the upper parking area and gives one of the classic elevated views of Derwentwater, the surrounding woodland and the northern fells.
Nearby stops include Ashness Bridge, the Watendlath valley and village, Great Wood and the eastern side of Derwentwater. The road itself forms part of a popular scenic drive, but it is narrow and should be driven with care.
Photographers will find the viewpoint particularly rewarding in clear weather, changing light and autumn colour. Visitors should remain within the recognised viewpoint area and take care around drops and uneven ground.
Alternative car parks
Ashness Bridge National Trust car park is lower down the same road. Watendlath has a larger National Trust car park further along the valley. Great Wood provides another National Trust option closer to Derwentwater and the B5289.
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