Cumbria hotels accommodation, attractions
and travel information
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MAIN TOWNS IN Cumbria - Alston Ambleside Appleby Barrow In
Furness Bassenthwaite Bowness on Winderdmre Brampton Brough Broughton
Carlisle Cleator Moor Cockermouth Coniston Egremont Grange-over-sands
Grasmere Hawkshead Kendal Keswick Kirkby Lonsdale Kirkby Stephen
Newby Bridge Penrith Sedbergh Shap Ulverston Whitehaven Wigton
Windermere Workington |
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Alston. Alston lies just inside the Cumbria border with
Northumberland and North Yorkshire, at the intersection of the
A689 and the A686. Haltwhistle and Hadrian's Wall are 15 miles
to the north and Brampton is 19 miles to the northwest. Penrith
and the M6 motorway are 20 miles to the west. Alston is a pretty
village noted for its many cobbled streets, 17th century stone
buildings, and market cross. It has a restored watermill in the
centre of the village. Book
: Street Atlas Cumbria. |
More information and
accommodation : Alston.
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Ambleside. Ambleside is at the heart of the southern lakes
region, at the head of Lake Windermere. It lies on the A591with
Windermere village 5 miles south and the town of Keswick 17 miles
north. The cosy Ambleside centre consists of a cluster of grey
stone houses and shops and the ancient market cross, on the circular
one-way system that loops round south of the narrow gully of
stony Stock Ghyll. The rest of Ambleside lies a mile south at
Waterhead, a harbour on the shores of Windermere that is filled
with swans, ducks and rowing boats. Ambleside. |
More information and
accommodation : Ambleside.
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Appleby. Appleby in Westmorland is located on the A66, about
12 miles northeast of Junction 38 of the M6 Motorway. It is about
9 miles from Brough and 35 miles from Carlisle. Appleby has a
railway station on the Settle-Carlisle Railway, and is on or
near to the Cumbria Cycle Way, the Westmorland Way, the Pennine
Way and the Coast to Coast Walk. The world famous Appleby Horse
Fair, set up by charter in 1685 as a fair for horse trading,
runs for a week every June.
Appleby. |
More information and
accommodation : Appleby.
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Barrow In Furness. Barrow in Furness is located on the Furness Peninsula,
on the A590. It is about 10 miles south of Ulverston, 27 miles
from Windermere and about 33 miles from Kendal. Barrow is Britain's
newest Port of Call for cruise liners, the only deep water port
between the Mersey and Clyde that provides instant access to
the beautiful Lake District. Barrow
In Furness. |
More information and
accommodation : Barrow
In Furness.
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Bassenthwaite. Bassenthwaite village sits a mile and a half from
the lake of the same name, just off the A591, in the north of
the Lake District. A nearby large town is Cockermouth, 9 miles
to the west. Keswick is about 8 miles south while Workington
and the coast are about 17 miles to the west. Bassenthwaite Lake
is one of the largest at 4 miles long and 3/4 mile wide, but
also one of the shallowest at 70 ft deep. Skiddaw rises dramatically
to the northeast while Grisedale Pike and Whinlatter Pass lie
to the west. Bassenthwaite. |
More information and
accommodation : Bassenthwaite.
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Bowness on Winderdmre. Bowness on Windermere is situated in the Lake District
National Park, with Windermere on the hillside and Bowness on
the lake shore. Bowness lies on the A591 with Kendal about 8
miles southeast and Ambleside about 5 miles northwest. Lake Windermere
at 10 and a half miles, is the longest lake in England. Cruises
around the lake are popular and there are stopping off points,
allowing visitors to spent time at other attractions before returning.
A 10mph speed limit has come into force on Windermere restricting
all powered craft on the lake, including jet-skis. Bowness on Winderdmre. |
More information and
accommodation : Bowness
on Winderdmre.
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Brampton. The market town of Brampton, in northeast Cumbria,
was founded in the 7th century. Brampton lies on the A69, with
Carlisle about 9 miles to the west and Haltwhistle about 14 to
the east. The course of Hadrian's Wall is just 2 miles north
of Brampton, while the town itself is of great historical interest.
The octagonal Moot Hall, built in 1817 by the Earl of Lancaster,
stands in the market place. A square turret, pointed windows
and external stairs still remain, but the open arcaded market
area below that was a former poultry, butter and egg market,
was enclosed in 1896. There are many historic buildings in the
town, including the 1790 White Lion Hotel, the 1860's police
station, and the 18th century coaching inn, the Scotch Arms. Brampton. |
More information and
accommodation : Brampton.
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Brough. Brough is a small town located on the A66 in the
east of Cumbria, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National
Park. It lies on the A66, with Bowes 13 miles to the east and
Appleby in Westmorland 9 miles to the west. Kirkby Stephen is
just 5 miles due south. Brough is in two parts, the southern
part is Church Brough and lies on a former Roman road with houses
around a market square decorated with a maypole. The northern
area named Market Brough is sited on a medieval road with a wide,
long main street. Brough. |
More information and
accommodation : Brough.
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Broughton. On the southern edge of the Lake District National
Park, Broughton in Furness serves a large rural community of
hill farmers. Broughton lies just off the A595, with Barrow in
Furness about 17 miles to the south. Whitehaven is about 35 miles
northwest while the famous Hard Knott pass is about 10 due north.
Broughton in Furness was popular as a strategic site, situated
where the River Duddon broadens into an estuary. Surrounded on
three sides by grey, terraced Georgian houses, mainly of the
18th century, the village's large main square was important as
a market centre for wool, oak baskets, cattle, and coppice wood
products. Broughton. |
More information and
accommodation : Broughton.
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Carlisle. Carlisle is located at the most northerly junction
and the end of the M6 motorway, reached from junctions 42, 43
or 44, all just a few minute from the town centre. The town lies
just south of the border beweeen England and Scotland. Its ideal
position gives easy access to the Lake District to the west,
with Hadrian's Wall only 10 miles to the east. Carlisle is about
95 miles from Glasgow and is the northern end of the famous 72
mile Settle-Carlisle Railway.
Carlisle. |
More information and
accommodation : Carlisle.
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Cleator Moor. Cleator Moor is a small industrial town near the
west coast of Cumbria, situated on the Whitehaven to Ennerdale
Cyclepath. It lies on the A5086, with Whitehaven 4 miles to the
west, Frizington 2 miles to the north and Egremont 4 miles to
the south. Cleator Moor was a windy stretch of moorland until
the 1780s when it was realised that the area was rich in deposits
of haematite or iron ore. The iron ore was exploited and Cleator
Moor town developed rapidly.
Cleator Moor. |
More information and
accommodation : Cleator
Moor.
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Cockermouth. Lying just outside the boundary of the Lake District
National Park, Cockermouth is an attractive market town at the
junction of the two most important rivers in the area, the River
Cocker and River Derwent. It lies on the A66, about 8 miles east
of Workington and 16 miles northwest of Keswick. Dorothy and
William Wordsworth were born here and the large Georgian house
in the Main Street where they were born is now in the care of
the National Trust. Cockermouth. |
More information and
accommodation : Cockermouth.
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Coniston. Coniston sits at the head of Coniston Water, overlooked
by the Old Man of Coniston which rises dramatically behind the
houses when viewed from the village centre. The village is located
on the A593, with Broughton in Furness 12 miles southwest and
Ambleside 6 miles northeast. Windermere is about 12 miles to
the east. Coniston is a popular centre for walkers and climbers.
St Andrew's Church was completed in 1891, during a period of
great prosperity for the village, when many wealthy patrons,
one of them John Ruskin, settled in the area. Ruskin lived for
the last 30 years of his life at Brantwood, just across the lake. Coniston. |
More information and
accommodation : Coniston.
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Egremont. Egremont is a small traditional market town nestling
at the foot of Uldale Valley and Dent Fell, just 3 miles inland
from St Bees and the coast. It is located on the A595, about
5 miles south of Whitehaven and 15 miles southwest of Cockermouth.
The town has a wide Main Street opening out into the Market Place,
overlooked by the remains of a Norman Castle. Egremont Castle
was built about 1130 and stands on a mound above the River Ehen,
with well-preserved ditches, walls and gatehouse. Egremont. |
More information and
accommodation : Egremont.
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Grange-over-sands. Grange-Over-Sands in south Cumbria is 7 miles south
of Lake Windermere, overlooking Morecambe Bay and across to Arnside
and Silverdale. It is located on the B5277, a few miles from
the A590. Ulverston is about 13 miles to the west and Kendal
is 12 miles to the northeast. The town's history dates from the
early 1500's when Cartmel Priory used it as a storage area for
grain. Its name derives from "graunge", a French word
for "grain storage area". Originally called "the
Granary-over-the-sands" because of the flour from the granary
building, the name was shortened to its present form. Grange-over-sands. |
More information and
accommodation : Grange-over-sands.
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Grasmere. Grasmere is a charming village in the heart of the
Lake District National Park and is probably Cumbria's most popular
village, with Ambleside, Keswick, Hawkshead, Coniston, Bowness
and Windermere all close by. Grasmere is located on the A591,
with Windermere 8 miles to the south and Keswick 18 miles to
the north. Grasmere was once the home of William Wordsworth.
Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount, two of his former homes, are open
to visitors. Grasmere caters for the tourist industry with plenty
of gift shops, and places to eat and stay. Grasmere. |
More information and
accommodation : Grasmere.
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Hawkshead. Hawkshead is a tiny village of higgledy-piggledy
houses, archways and squares loved by William Wordsworth and
Beatrix Potter, located on the edge of the Grizedale Forest on
the B5285. It sits at the head of Esthwaite Water, to the west
of Lake Windermere. The village of Coniston is just 4 miles to
the west and Ambleside 6 miles to the north. Cars are banned
from Hawkshead village itself, but there is ample parking in
a car park on the outskirts of the village. Tourism is now the
main industry of Hawkshead, with many pleasant inns, guest houses,
teashops and gift shops.
Hawkshead. |
More information and
accommodation : Hawkshead.
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Kendal. Kendal is located in the southern lakes, its easy
access to the M6 motorway making it a convenient gateway to the
Lakeland area. Kendal is 7 miles from Windermere, 20 miles south
of Penrith and 9 miles southeast of Kirkby Lonsdale. It is located
about 5 miles west of Junction 37, and 7 miles north of junction
36 of the M6 Motorway. Kendal is a grey limestone town with narrow
yards and lanes of weavers cottages, branching off the main street.
There were once about 150 of these yards in Kendal, often named
after the owner of the main house. Kendal. |
More information and
accommodation : Kendal.
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Keswick. Keswick is situated at the northern end of Derwent
Water. It has become the major centre for tourism in the northern
lakes. Keswick is located on the A 66, with Cockermouth about
17 miles to the west and Penrith about 20 miles to the east.
This pretty market town offers a wide range of attractions for
visitors, from shops and restaurants to museums, boating trips
around Derwentwater, climbing and fellwalking. Keswick. |
More information and
accommodation : Keswick.
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Kirkby Lonsdale. Kirkby Lonsdale is a historic market town between
the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. Kirkby Lonsdale is
about 6 miles southeast of Junction 36 of the M6 Motorway. It
lies on the A65, 17 miles northeast of Lancaster, 18 miles northwest
of Settle and 14 miles southeast of Kendal. Set in a superb location
of natural beauty, the town is a great tourist attraction, famous
for the medieval Devil's Bridge, a scheduled ancient monument,
and Ruskin's View over the River Lune, a famous local attraction.
Kirkby Lonsdale. |
More information and
accommodation : Kirkby
Lonsdale.
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Kirkby Stephen. The town of Kirby Stephen lies at the head of the
Eden Valley, about 13 miles east of Junction 38 of the M6 Motorway.
It is about 5 miles south of Brough and 16 miles north of Sedburgh.
One mile south of Kirkby Stephen is a rail station, a stop along
the scenic Settle to Carlisle railway line. A popular headquarters
for walkers of the Pennines and the eastern Lake District, Kirkby
Stephen is also on the Cumbria Cycle Way and is the central point
on Alfred Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk - 190 miles from St
Bee's Head to Robin Hood's Bay.
Kirkby Stephen. |
More information and
accommodation : Kirkby
Stephen.
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Newby Bridge. Situated at the foot of the Lake District, Newby
Bridge is set among beautiful Lakeland farmland within easy reach
of Lake Windermere. Newby Bridge is located on the A590, about
7 miles northeast of Ulverston and 10 miles south of Windermere.
Newby Bridge is a small settlement with two hotels, clustered
around the impressive bridge which gave the village its name.
The five-arched bridge that spans the picturesque River Leven
is an important river crossing that was built in 1651. Newby Bridge. |
More information and
accommodation : Newby
Bridge.
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Penrith. Penrith is an attractive market town, originally
built around a network of gates through which the townspeople
would herd their livestock into the safety of the centre whilst
the town was vigorously defended against the Scottish raiders
who once terrorised this region. Penrith is about 1 mile east
of Junction 40 of the M6 Motorway. It is around 13 miles from
Keswick, 21 miles south of Carlisle and 20 miles north of Kendal
and Windermere. Penrith. |
More information and
accommodation : Penrith.
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Sedbergh. The market town of Sedbergh is ideally located where
the western dales of the Yorkshire Dales National Park meet the
eastern fells of the Lake District. It is about 5 miles east of
Junction 37 of the M6 Motorway, located at the intersection of
the A683 and the A684. Sedbergh is about 10 miles north of Kirkby
Lonsdale and 14 miles south of Kirkby Stephen. Kendal is about
10 miles to the west. Sedbergh. |
More information and
accommodation : Sedbergh.
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Shap.
Shap is situated in a beautiful valley in the Shap Fells, yet
close to the M6 motorway, just 3 miles north of Junction 39.
It is about 17 miles north of Kendal and 12 miles south of Penrith.
It consists mainly of a double row of stone cottages and old
coaching inns. Once markets traded here in fleece and a 1690
Market House still survives. South of the village are the Shap
quarries. The best stone was used in the building of the Albert
Memorial and St Pancras Station. Shap. |
More information and
accommodation : Shap.
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Ulverston. Ulverston is a market town situated between the
mountains of the Lake District and Morecambe Bay. It is located
on the A590, about 18 miles south of Windermere and 10 miles
northeast of Barrow in Furness. One of the most prominent landmarks
on the Furness Peninsula is the Hoad Monument above Ulverston,
which was erected as a memorial to the explorer Sir John Barrow. Book: |
More information and
accommodation : Ulverston.
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Whitehaven. Whitehaven is a Georgian town situated on the west
coast of Cumbria. Located on the A595, it is about 9 miles south
of Workington and 6 miles north of Egremont. Built on shipping
and mining, both industries have now declined, but Whitehaven
is an attractive town with over 250 mostly Georgian listed buildings.
The town has had a large grant for regeneration of the harbour
area for the millennium and is host to many visits from Tall
Ships. Whitehaven. |
More information and
accommodation : Whitehaven.
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Wigton. Wigton sits on the edge of the Lake District in
the county of Cumbria. It is located on the A596 in the centre
of the Solway Plain, situated between the Caldbeck Fells and
the Solway coast. Carlisle is 11 miles northeast and Penrith
is 20 miles southeast. Siloth and the Solway coast are about
10 miles to the west. The market town evolved from a pre-medieval
street plan, which can still be traced today. There is a triangular
market place, once the centre of the Medieval town. Wigton. |
More information and
accommodation : Wigton.
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Windermere. The village of Windermere is situated in the heart
of the Lake District National Park. Lake Windermere at 10 and
a half miles, is the longest lake in England. Windermere itself
is on the A591, 5 miles south of Ambleside and 8 miles northwest
of Kendal. Cruises around the lake are popular and there are
stopping off points, allowing visitors to spent time at other
attractions before returning. A 10mph speed limit has come into
force on Windermere restricting all powered craft on the lake,
including jet-skis. The Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness
on Windermere draws visitors from all over the world. Windermere. |
More information and
accommodation : Windermere.
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Workington. Workington is an ancient market and industrial town,
situated on the Cumbrian coast at the mouth of the River Derwent
where it flows into the Solway Firth. Workington is located on
the A596 with Whitehaven about 8 miles to the south and Cockermouth
about 9 miles inland to the east. In the 18th century with the
exploitation of the local iron ore and coal pits, Workington
expanded to become a major industrial town and port. The Port
of Workington is the largest port in Cumbria and one of the main
hubs in the North West.
Workington. |
More information and
accommodation : Workington.
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Cumbria
Attractions |
