Kirkby Stephen

Kirkby Stephen is just a stone's throw away from the M6 and A66, yet set in stunning open countryside of fells and dales with far reaching views of the Pennines and the wild and beautiful Mallerstang Valley, Kirkby Stephen is well worth a visit. Stop and enjoy some lunch followed by a walk along the River Eden and then spend some time browsing around the town's interesting antique and curio shops.

Kirkby Stephen which has a station on the famous Settle to Carlisle Railway line, about 1.5 miles west of the town offers a good choice of places to stay including a popular youth hostel. There's a good selection of places to eat too.

The Parish Church, known locally as the "Cathedral of the Dales" is built on the site of an old Saxon church. Here you'll find the Loki stone, a symbol of an 8th Century Norse God, which is one of only two such stones in the whole of Europe. At the entrance to the churchyard are the attractive cloisters overlooking the market place, built in 1810, just one of the many historic buildings in the town and a market is held every Monday.

Kirkby Stephen has a number of narrow passageways waiting to be explored, some of which lead down to the River Eden. There are some lovely riverside walks and Franks Bridge picnic area is a delightful spot to spend some time. Stenkrith Park, on the edge of town is a natural park with a deep river gorge.

A variety of activities are on offer in the town including cycle hire, bowls, golf, fishing, riding, trekking and tennis or venture out into the surrounding area to find some lovely villages such as Winton, Hartley, Nateby, Soulby, Raventonedale and Newbiggin-on-Lune.

Kirkby Stephen is an excellent base for walking and cycling in the surrounding countryside of fells, dales and quiet country lanes. Several themed walking and cycling routes pass through or near the town, the most famous being Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk. Enjoy the circular Poetry Path from Kirkby Stephen and discover 12 poems carved in stone along the way, celebrating a year in the life of a hill farmer or head up to Nine Standards Rigg, a magnificent fell walk with amazing views leading up to a line of nine mysterious tall cairns.

When you are out and about, look out for the unusual Eden Benchmarks, spectacular sculptures in dramatic settings or Andy Goldsworthy's "Sheepfolds".

Appleby

 

Appleby sits in a loop of the River Eden and its attractive tree-lined main street known as Boroughgate is marked at each end by the High and Low Crosses.

Dating back to Viking times and granted a royal charter in 1179, Appleby was for several centuries the county town of Westmorland. With the creation of the new county of Cumbria in 1974 the town's name was changed to reflect its past heritage.

To one end of town is Appleby Castle, now in private hands, and at the other, the beautiful Church of St. Lawrence containing one of the oldest surviving organs in the country. The black and white Moot Hall in the centre of town houses the Tourist Information Centre and Appleby's award-winning station on the Settle to Carlisle railway line is just a few minutes walk from the town centre.

Lady Anne Clifford, the daughter of the Earl of Cumberland, was a lady of great determination and energy and played a major part in the shaping of Appleby during the 17th Century. After inheriting her father's estates she began a programme of restoration and Appleby Castle became her favourite home. You can visit the lovely courtyard of St. Anne's hospital, a group of almshouses just off Boroughgate.

In 2006 a new sports centre opened in Appleby and there's an indoor swimming pool and fitness centre too. Visitors are welcome to play tennis, squash and bowls at the local clubs and the 18 hole golf course is one of the most scenic you'll find!

Appleby lies at the heart of the Eden Valley and is an excellent centre for exploring the surrounding countryside. The town is on the Pennine Cycleway and nearby is High Cup Nick, a favourite local walk up into the Pennine hills. There are some lovely villages to visit near Appleby like Dufton on the Pennine Way, with its pretty cottages set around the village green, views of the Pennines and popular Youth Hostel.

The Appleby area offers accommodation for all tastes from country house hotels to homely guesthouses, farmhouses and self - catering properties dotted around the various villages. Cafes, inns hotels and bistros offer a wide range of fresh food, much of it locally produced and there are some interesting small shops to explore

Penrith

Penrith is a welcoming market town and a great base from which to explore Eden. The town, with its beautiful red sandstone buildings has fascinating yards and alleyways to discover, pleasant open spaces and a selection of places to stay from fine hotels to cosy guest houses and self catering cottages.

A lovely walk up through the wooded slopes of Beacon Hill to the Beacon "Pike" Monument, built in 1719 of local red sandstone, rewards you with great views over the town and lake district fells beyond.

Back down in the town, explore the ruins of Penrith Castle, dating back to the 14th century, set in an attractive public park where you can play tennis, bowls, crazy golf, pitch and putt or simply watch the world go by! There's a children's playground and paddling pool too.

Many visitors come to Penrith for its unique specialist shops offering local produce - fine foods like Penrith Toffee Fudge, loved by the Royal Family and traditional Cumberland Sausage together with all sorts of local crafts.

Eating out in Penrith is a pleasure, there's a good choice too, ranging from inns with home cooking, restaurants with international cuisine, cafes and tea shops.

Don't miss Penrith Farmers' Market, held every 3rd Tuesday in the Market Square, where you can cut down the food miles and enjoy locally produced and sourced goods. The newly named Charter Market, a traditional street market is also held every Tuesday in Great Dockray.

Penrith Museum, housed in the former 17th century Robinsons school building gives a fascinating insight into the history of Penrith, local geology and archaeology and houses an exciting programme of temporary exhibitions.

Dating back to Norman times, St, Andrew's Church in the centre of Penrith is surrounded by historic buildings with a peaceful outdoor seating area. Look out for the "Giants Grave" in St. Andrew's Churchyard!

If you are feeling active, the recently extended Penrith Leisure Centre has swimming pools, gym, indoor climbing wall, large sports hall and indoor bowls hall

 

Ullswater Valley

Ullswater is known as one of "England's most beautiful lakes" and at nine miles long is surrounded by dramatic mountains and inspiring Lake District countryside, featured recently in the "Miss Potter" film.

The perfect place to unwind, you can choose to stay in traditional farmhouses, cosy cottages, welcoming guesthouses, fine hotels or well run caravan and camping sites around the lake-all offering quality accommodation.

Local restaurants, cafes and inns provide local fare and cuisine to suit all tastes.

The village of Pooley Bridge, at one end of the Ullswater valley is linked by a lovely drive along the lake to the villages of Glenridding and Patterdale at the other the end of the valley. Enjoy a cruise and soak up the atmosphere of this peaceful lake on one of the Ullswater "Steamers" which carry passengers all year round. There are piers at Glenridding, Pooley Bridge and Howtown.

Ullswater is a great lake for sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, fishing and skindiving and you can hire rowing, sailing or small motor boats to explore the islands and bays at your own pace. There's an active sailing club, various activity centres and pony trekking too.

Follow one of the many scenic paths which skirt around the lake, much admired by Wainwright or head up to the nearby fells such as Helvellyn for a full days hike. Look out for red deer or red squirrels along the way!

Go in search of the Spring daffodils on the shore line around Glencoyne which inspired Wordsworth to write his famous poem or visit the National Trust's Aira Force, where a series of waterfalls plunge through an attractive wooded ravine.

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Barnard Castle is a historic thriving market town, which developed in the protective shadow of Bernard Balliol's castle. Built on a fine defensive site in 1125, the castle is in the care of English Heritage and is open to the public.

In the town centre, the octagonal Market cross, or Butter Market, served a number of purposes, dairy produce was sold here and it was also the town's lock up, Town Hall and Court House.

Visit the Josephine and John Bowes Museum built in the style of a French chateau; it houses one of the country's finest art collections

http://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/

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Deepdale Off-road    http://www.deepdaleoffroad.co.uk/

 

Deepdale Off Road

Smartgill Farm,

Bowes Road,

Barnard Castle

DL12 9RB

Tel:01833 630802


 

Exploring the North Pennines

Welcome to the North Pennines AONB and UNESCO European & Global Geopark - a stunning and varied landscape just waiting for you to explore, discover, appreciate and visit time and again...

 

© North Pennines AONB Partnership/Shane Harris

As you explore you'll find open heather moors, delightful dales, tumbling upland rivers, wonderful woods, close knit communities, glorious waterfalls, fantastic birds, stone-built villages, intriguing imprints of a mining and industrial past, distinctive plants and much, much more!

Delights...

We hope that you enjoy exploring and discovering the delights of this very special part of Northern England. During your visit please remember that the vast majority of the AONB is owned by farmers and landowners who help to look after the landscape and wildlife for the benefit of both current and future generations.

Wildlife galore!

The North Pennines is an excellent place to get to grips with nature - 22,000 pairs of wading birds nest in the area, red squirrels are easy to spot, upland hay meadows are blooming - what more could you ask for?

In the North Pennines you'll find: 40% of the UK's upland hay meadows; 30% of England's upland heath land and 27% of its blanket bog; 80% of England's black grouse; red squirrels, otters and rare arctic alpine plants.

Great outdoors...

Opportunities for quiet recreation - cycling (on and off-road), walking, and horse riding - abound and are often the best way to appreciate the special qualities of the North Pennines.

Looking ahead...

Please help us to ensure that our children's children can also experience the splendour of this magical and inspiring landscape by following the Moorland Visitor's Code:

Respect... Protect... Enjoy

  • Be Safe - plan ahead and follow any signs
  • Keep dogs under close control
  • Prevent uncontrolled moorland fires
  • Protect plants and animals and take your litter home
  • Leave gates and property as you find them
  • Consider other people

So come and explore this fantastic landscape and enjoy a warm welcome from the people of the North Pennines

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http://ch.visitnortheastengland.com/