The Eden Valley, Cumbria

Welcome to Eden, Cumbria's Last Wilderness.

Eden, in Cumbria, is an area of distinctive fells, moors, lush valley's, quiet villages, and historic sites. Despite being easily accessible by both road and rail, Eden remains an uncrowded and tranquil place where visitors can find and enjoy uninterrupted views over miles of open spaces that are made for walking and cycle rides in this region rich in flora and fauna.

Positioned between the fells and waters of the Lake District to the west and the Dales and moors of the North Pennines to the east, the “Walkers are Welcome Towns”, villages and small communities of Cumbria's Eden Valley welcome visitors to a taste of a country lifestyle, outdoor activities, and an annual programme of traditional festivals, shows, and sporting challenges.

The choices of Eden holiday accommodation are as wide ranging as the landscapes. Many are in a rural setting close to established tracks, trails, and unclassified narrow roads laid out on tracks which existed long before the motor car and when horse drawn vehicles were the only means of transport.

Visitors can choose from Cottages to rent, Bed and Breakfast's, Guest Houses, Hotel's, or, put up a tent on a beautifully located and well appointed campsite.

Towns and Villages of the Eden Valley

Penrith

Penrith is the Eden Valley's biggest town.  It was established as a Celtic settlement about 500 B.C. but remains of stone circles and earthen mounds nearby have been dated at around 2000 to 3000 B.C.
The Romans arrived in 79 A.D. and built the forts of Voreda and Brocavum a couple of miles away to the north and south.
In the the 9th and 10th C the town was part of the Strathclyde region of Scotland until it was captured by Edward 1 in1295. This led to years of reprisal raids from across the border when Scots raiding parties burned the town on three occasions between 1314 and 1382.

The castle, whose ruins stand opposite Penrith Railway Station, was originally built at the end of the 14th C as a defence against these attacks. Despite this, Penrith's easily accessible location enabled it to develop as a thriving market town, and by the 1700's it was an important cattle market for all the region.
Areas such as Dockray, Corn Market, and Sandgate still form the centre of Penrith, and the two old streets of Burrowgate and Sandgate date from the 13th C.
In 1598, Penrith, together with other communities in the Eden Valley suffered badly when the plague killed 2000 of its residents, and in 1654 it was occupied by Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads.
In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie is said to have stayed at a local inn as his armies marched south to claim the British throne. He was forced to retreat a month later and fought a battle at Eamont Bridge a mile or so from the town.
William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy attended school in Penrith, and it is here where he met his future wife, Mary Hutchinson.

There's a wide choice of visitor accommodations in this “Walkers are Welcome “ town which together with a varied selection of shopping outlets and amenities make it an ideal base for exploring the Eden Valley. Penrith has excellent road and rail connections. The Railway Station is a stop on the West Coast line operating between London and Glasgow, and is a main pick up and drop off point for local and long distance bus services.

Penrith Attractions:

Kirkby Stephen

The “Walkers are Welcome” market town of Kirkby Stephen stands at the upper end of the of the Eden Valley.
It's some distance from any other large community and surrounded by wide expanses of unspoiled Cumbrian landscapes and close to the North Pennines area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Kirkby Stephen is the gateway to walks, cycle rides and uninterrupted views of the spectacular Eden Valley countryside.
Close by, and some within comfortable walking distance are several peaceful villages and Nature Reserves with a fascinating range of flora and fauna.
One and a half miles from the town centre is Kirkby Stephen's railway station on the famous Carlisle to Settle Railway. At certain times of the year, steam hauled trains operate in addition to the normal diesel train services. These are always popular, and few can resist the sight, sound, and be on board as an iconic steam locomotive “makes smoke” on its way up one of the steepest gradients on the country's railways.

Visitors to Kirkby Stephen and those walking Wainwrights well known C2C will find a good choice of shopping outlets, a post office, cash points, High Street Bank, a tourist information centre, places to eat, and comfortable accommodations of all types.

Kirkby Stephen Attractions:

Appleby-in-Westmorland

Appleby, in Cumbria's Eden Valley is a small market town with a strong sense of community, outdoor activities, surrounded by natural features, and an interesting history. It belonged to Scotland until ownership was transferred to England in 1092 and for many years suffered cross border raids.

Today, it is known by many for its annual 300 year old horse fair when each June, Gypsies and Travellers gather for a week of horse trading. This event has become world famous and is said to be the largest of its kind in Europe attracting thousands of visitors.

Appleby stands in a remote quiet area of the Eden Valley, surrounded by limestone uplands, scenic valleys and lush farmland. Together with the unspoiled beauty of the countryside, visitors will find historic houses and buildings, castles, ancient sites, nature reserves and a series of traditional events such as hound trailing, fell racing, Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling, rush bearing and country fairs demonstrating Cumbrian heritage.

Appleby is one of the Eden Valley's “Walkers are Welcome” towns and another perfect centre for both long and short distance walks, hikes, adventure challenges, cycle rides and mountain biking. The town's shops, stores, restaurants and cafés offer plenty of choice, and there's a range of amenities to help visitors enjoy their stay in this walker and bicycle friendly Eden Valley town.

Holiday accommodations are available within Appleby and neighbouring villages, but please note however that accommodation will be difficult to find during the week of the Horse Fair unless booked several months in advance.
Search for accommodation on our page.

Some events in Appleby's History:
1598 March 25th.  The plague breaks out in Appleby and lasts until August 1st.  Recorded deaths of 128 were considerably less than in other parts of the region.

1648. Appleby Castle captured by Cromwell's Roundheads. Large numbers of high ranking officers taken prisoner including 15 Colonels, 9 Lieutenant Colonels, and 6 Majors together with 1200 horses, 1000 weapons, and all the ammunition.

1675. Geoffrey Braidley and Isabel Braidley convicted of stealing. They were sentenced to be placed in the stocks from 10am till 4pm over a number of days.

1793. January 18th. William Graham of Appleby convicted of stealing a linen shirt costing around 10 D (approximately 4 New Pence). He was sentenced to be stripped to the waist and publicly whipped through the market on the next Saturday and imprisoned for 3 months.

1817. The Low Cross Monument at the lower end of Boroughgate was rebuilt.

1818. The High Cross Monument at the upper end of Boroughgate was rebuilt and the inscription of “ Retain your Loyalty-Preserve your Rights” was added.

1827. July 9th . John Copeland sentenced to jail for 9 months and publicly whipped on his bare back for an assault on Isabella Percival. According to records, this was the last instance of public whipping meted out as a punishment by the Quarter Sessions in Appleby.

Appleby Attractions

Alston

Alston is England's highest market town.
It's surrounded by miles of unenclosed fells and moorland from where uninterrupted views heighten the sense of space, solitude, and freedom. This is a place for serious walks and hikes; try your rock climbing skills, ride unhindered along a network of cycleways, winter sports, or, take a scenic journey along a narrow gauge railway pulled by an authentic diesel or steam engine.

Despite its isolation and standing at an altitude of 1000 feet, Alston is easily accessible along high exposed roads with considerable height gains which have been voted in the top ten of the U.K's most scenic drives.
The town is an old one, and because of the distance from any other large community, Alston and its townsfolk are a self sufficient community. On the steep cobbled main street are selections of independent and unique speciality shops, a Post Office, High Street Bank, cafés, tearooms, pubs, outdoor clothing supplier, butchers, chemist, and all that is required to support the needs of both residents and visitors.

Alston is a town of distinctive character, well apart from factories and busy motorways, but in a landscape rich in wildlife, flora, fauna, ancient history, outdoor activities, and for pure escape.

Alston Attractions

Brough

Brough is a village on the lower eastern edge of the Eden Valley.
It stands just a short drive from Kirkby Stephen and 8 miles from Appleby.

In the 18th C., when travel by stagecoach was at its height, Brough was an important stage stop on the route between London and Scotland. Horses could be changed, and passengers had a choice from several inns for a meal and an overnight rest. It was also a busy market site with large numbers of Scottish cattle being sold to local farmers whilst on route south to markets as far away as London. Geese too, were driven for long distances with their feet protected by layers of sand and tar.

Today, Brough is not only a convenient stopover, but an ideal Eden Valley holiday base.
Visitors have a choice of accommodations in and around the village including a stay in 18th C. inns, guest houses, holiday cottages, bed & breakfasts, and caravan/camping sites.

Brough Attractions:

Shap Village

The “Walkers and Cyclists are Welcome” village of Shap on the edge of the Lake District National Park, marks the entry to the Eden Valley on Wainwrights Coast 2 Coast Walk and the Lands End to John O' Groats Cycle Route.
It's a welcoming overnight stopover for seasoned long distance walkers and cycle riders. However, it's also a convenient longer term base from which to walk or pedal in peace along quiet lanes, tracks and bridleways in a countryside of natural and historic features.

Shap Village Amenities include:
Post Office.
Cash Point.
Small convenience store.
Coffee Shop.
Newsagents.
Library. (limited opening hours). Telephone 01931 716644.

Shap, on the A6 and 14 miles from Penrith, offers a range of visitor accommodations consisting of a 17th C coaching inn, bed and breakfasts, a hostel and camping pitches.

Shap Local Attractions:

Ravenstonedale

Ravenstonedale is a small Eden Valley village retaining many of the characteristics of a traditional way of life 5 miles to the south of Kirkby Stephen.

It's a well kept community of a few hundred residents, virtually traffic free, and a convenient starting point for many walks including those to the high level routes of the Howgills.
There's a wide selection of accommodations in and around Ravenstonedale together with two sociable old worlde inns serving real ales and home cooked food, and a small convenience store for groceries and off licence sales.

Ravenstonedale Attractions:

Crosby Ravensworth

Crosby Ravensworth is a small village situated a far cry from the busy world in the heart of what has been called “England's Last Wilderness”.
It stands 8 miles from Appleby in the thinly populated Lyvennet Valley surrounded by open moorland. This is an area not only for superb walking, but one of ancient relics of the late Neolithic and Bronze Age.
Around ninety sites of prehistoric settlements have been identified close to Crosby Ravensworth and the neighbouring villages of Maulds Meaburn, Kings Meaburn, and Reagill. They were constructed of earthworks and have not survived well over the centuries. Most are now in poor or bad condition, and little can be seen with the exception of Ewe Close where there are squares and circles of earth up to one metre high in places. Crosby Ravensworth is a village without noise, no shops, a lovely ancient church, a pub, and a place from where visitors can access an extensive collection of quiet paths for walks as long or as short as they wish and close to the Coast 2 Coast Walk.

Scattered around are self catering holiday cottages with views over open countryside and beyond to to the Howgills and Pennines, together with walker friendly and dog friendly bed and breakfasts, some on working farms, who happily welcome guests even if it's only for a one night stopover.

Crosby Ravensworth Attractions:

A Pinfold Cairn
This is one of Andrew Goldsworthys “Sheepfolds”. It stands at the south end of Crosby Ravensworth village beside the public footpath to Banks Bridge. For details of this and others nearby, go to www.edenbenchmarks.org.uk/sheepfolds.htm

Orton

Orton is another of the Eden Valley's small villages set amid a wealth of outdoor activities.
It's a countryside of scattered farmhouses, fells, country lanes, and a web of paths and trails. A path from the village leads up to the dramatic limestone pavements of Orton Scar and Great Asby Scar, formed from rock in a shallow sea 350 million years ago.
Within sight and not far away are the high level hikes of Wainwright's much loved Howgill Fells. There's a good choice of walker and cyclist friendly bed and breakfast and guest house accommodations in and around Orton. They provide cycle storage, wet clothes and boot drying facilities, and packed lunches on request.

Orton is an ideal stopover on the Coast 2 Coast Route. A small general store/post office and cash point sells foodstuffs, newspapers, magazines, tobacco, sandwiches, cold drinks, ice creams and sweets. Open Monday to Saturday from 8am till 6pm.

Orton Attractions:

Lazonby

Lazonby is in the north of the Eden Valley 8 miles from Penrith.
It stands in an area associated with events and characters of Arthurian legend and centuries of Border Reiver raids. The Reivers were horse mounted gangs who roamed what was then a lawless region, stealing cattle, horses, sheep, and anything else they thought to be of value. These days it's a peaceful landscape of farmlands, small villages, and hamlets.

Lazonby is one of the larger villages. It has a church, two pubs, a supermarket, a heated open air swimming pool, easy access to the Eden Benchmarks, and is a station stop on the scenic Settle to Carlisle Railway.
Nearby are some of the River Eden's best underfished private waters for wild trout and grayling.
Lazonby and the neighbouring communities of Kirkoswald, Great and Little Salkeld, Armathwaite, and those beyond toward the Scottish border and Hadrians Wall, provide a rural package of quality accommodations of self catering holiday cottages, bed and breakfasts, camping and caravan sites for weekend breaks or longer stays.

Kirkoswald

Great salkeld

Little Salkeld

Armathwaite

Armathwaite is one of several peaceful villages standing close to the River Eden on its route north through the Eden Valley. It's an area renowned for the quality of angling, and the few miles of the river flowing past Armathwaite provide some of the best salmon and wild trout fishing in the north of England. Riverside walks from the village lead past Armathwaite Castle, a four storey Peel Tower converted to a country house in 1752, and beyond to unusual stone carvings of five faces in a sandstone cliff. An inscription, possibly a tribute to the joys of fishing, appears together with the carvings and reads;

“Oh the Fishers Gentle Life
Happiest is of any
Void of Pleasure, Full of Strife
And beloved by many
Other joys are but toys
And to be lamented
Only this is a pleasure is Fishing”.
1855.

If it's for a walking holiday, getting out and about by bicycle, fishing, attending sporting events or traditional shows, visitors to this area of rare peace and quiet have a splendid choice of accommodations both in and around Armathwaite. These range from cosy self catering holiday cottages, bed and breakfast in an olde worlde inn, guest houses, hotels, camping and glamping sites.

Armathwaite Attractions:

Armathwaite is a village of few amenities. It has two traditional pubs selling real ales and home cooked food, a combined village shop and post office, and is the last station stop before Carlisle on the Settle to Carlisle Railway. It will be of interest to railway enthusiasts to know that the signal box at Armathwaite station is open to the public for accompanied tours on an occasional informal basis.

If a “Friend of the Settle/Carlisle Railway” is working on the station at the time of your visit, do please ask if it's convenient to have a look at the beautifully restored piece of railway history in its authentic yellow and red paint scheme.
Alternatively log on to www.foscl.org.uk/content/armathwaite-station-signalbox

Eden Valley Public Transport Services

Buses:

Rail:

By Road:

For visitors to the Eden valley travelling from the north, leave the M6 at Junction 40 (Penrith).