Just a small selection of what the local area has to offer; our visitors’ pack contains masses more information. Explore and enjoy…
The Eden Valley, Yorkshire Dales or Cumbrian Lakes (above) – where will you start?
Kirkby Stephen
Of course. See our favourite things to do and the food and drink section.
Appleby-in-Westmoreland
This captivating historic town is lovely to walk around and has a beautiful riverside area along the River Eden. Stop in the Appleby bakery and buy some home-made fudge, or try the Tufton Arms for lunch or dinner (our visitor pack includes a special offer for guests).
Penrith
Newly reopened after extensive and controversial remodelling of its centre, this old town is good for shopping and exploring.
Kendal
We love Kendal – thanks to its combination of old buildings, intriguing yards, excellent shopping and museums. The presence of history and those who lived before us is constant when walking around the town.
Hawes and the Yorkshire Dales
Already listed in our favourites page, this is some of the most evocative and inspiring countryside that the UK has to offer and its towns and villages huddle in the dales, reminiscent of days gone by. Your best bet is to buy a decent guidebook, research online and decide where you want to visit – there is far too much to explore for us to list here!
The Lakes
What can we say? As with the Yorkshire Dales, we could write volumes about the Lakes, but hundreds of others have done so already, and far better than we ever could. Countless poets, artists and others have been inspired by the natural magnificence of this area.
We particularly like Grasmere, Keswick and Lake Coniston. In a dry summer, don’t miss a visit to Haweswater, a reservoir created by the controversial flooding of the Mardale Valley, inundating the villages of Mardale Green and Measand. In dry summers you can see some of the village’s ruins and the eerie sight of dry stone walls disappearing into the water.
