[Closed] Low(ish) lakes trail running route

Around hodge close is good with extensive options.  A little closer to Centre Parks would be to park in Grasmere and run over to Elterwater with so many options, it all depends on what you prefer. Coffin Route to Rydal, Loughrigg Terrace, Loughrigg Tarn, Skelwith Bridge, Elterwater and back over to Grasmere, this can be extended easily.

https://keswickmountainfestival.co.uk/event/adidas-terrex-trail-half-marathon/

An extended loop around Derwent Water takes some beating for trail running.  The 25km from Keswick is probably a good shout without too much navigation.

Looking at some of the routes used by the commercial events may give you good ideas.

https://www.lakelandtrails.org/

If you want a route putting together on Strava let me know.

I usually run around/over Loughrigg Fell when staying around Grasmere area. Lots of options and nice views. But maybe a bit far to go for a short run.

Edit: Ah, cross-post with chrisdavids. Yes, that's exactly the sort of thing I mean.

Cut the drive and just pop up to Ullswater, have a mooch along the dhore&Martindale area or St johns in the vale.

There's some really nice country along the Eden or the Eamont too if you want to stay local

Three options from Keswick:
Round Derwen****er as suggested above.
Over Walla Crag to Ashness Bridge and back along under Walla. Can be extended up to Watendlath.
Round Glenderraterra (the valley between Skiddaw and Blencathra).

Park above Blencathra field centre, threlkeld, and run out to skiddaw house and back to Latrigg via lonscales terrace. Over latrigg and down towards derwentfolds and return to car up the FP. Can extend by venturing further past Skiddaw house out and back eg to Dash falls.

As above Lakeland Trails routes. Maybe part of the Coniston or marathon routes?
The ultra did part of Langdale valley which was flatter.

I'd suggest Ullswater side - staying local might win you a bit more of the day, Hodge Close is a chunk of drive from Penrith 🙂
There's a nice out-and-back route, the Daffy Run. Start from Pooley Bridge (or Askham, maybe), head up to the Cockpit stone circle, long descent towards Howtown, then up and round to Martindale church. From there you could either do up onto Hallin Fell and then back the way you came, or drop down to Sandwick and come back along the shore to Howtown and back the same way. It's a lovely run, and if you get decent weather the view from Hallin Fell down the lake is lovely - I was up there a couple of weeks back 🙂

I take it you'll be coming in from the M6 way? I reckon in order to minimise your driving time, park at Scales and just run a loop over Blencathra. Pick you choice of route up and down, they're all fairly easy apart from Sharp Edge. It's a not a high mountain but will it does feel pretty wild.

Amazing, Thanks all. I’ll have a play around in Strava this week 👍

As others have said, from CP you could save yourself the drive and enjoy the Ullswater area. The views up into the hills are spectacular, and the weather often adds to the drama - you can see what's kicking off and where, and sometimes even avoid it.

What Pyro says is an excellent suggestion. The Ullswater Way is a relatively easy low 20ish miles, all signposted, with a bus back to PB from Patterdale/Glenridding (pubs) if you've had enough.

If you want to get high then in good weather you could do Askham or PB to Howtown and then S along Fusedale, to the High Street ridge and a lovely run along it back to the start, 15ish miles. (I know you said you didn't want to go high, but this one's relatively simple, safe and runnable.)

I’d do as others have said and park up in Pooley Bridge and do something along the south side of Ullswater. Maybe even just the classic biking route up to The Cockpit then to Howtown, and if you have time on to Patterdale and Glenridding. You can then get the boat back to Pooley Bridge (from Howtown if time limited or Glenridding).