Appleby-in-Westmorland

Appleby-in-Westmorland sits in a tight bend of the River Eden, the ancient county town of the old county of Westmorland and still, despite its modest size, one of the most complete Georgian and medieval townscapes in Cumbria. Its main street, Boroughgate, sweeps uphill in a broad, tree-lined curve from the parish church at the bottom to the castle gates at the top, lined with independent shops, coaching inns and the low, dignified almshouses that Lady Anne Clifford built for the town's poor in the 1650s. Nothing here is over-restored or twee for its own sake; Appleby simply carries on being a working market town that happens to have kept its historic bones intact.

The town lies in the Eden Valley, the broad, gentler country that separates the Lake District fells to the west from the North Pennines to the east, with the Yorkshire Dales National Park beginning just a few miles south. This is quieter, less crowded touring country than the Lakes proper, criss-crossed by lanes, drystone walls and the River Eden itself, one of England's cleanest and most important salmon rivers. Appleby makes an ideal, unhurried base for exploring all three landscapes without ever feeling like you are queuing for a car park.

Top things to do in Appleby-in-Westmorland

Appleby rewards slow exploration on foot, but there is more to see nearby than its compact centre suggests.

• Appleby Castle — A Norman keep, Caesar's Tower, standing within 25 acres of parkland at the top of Boroughgate; once the stronghold of the Clifford family and Lady Anne Clifford, it offers views over the Eden Valley from the tower roof.
• Boroughgate and St Lawrence's Church — The wide, sloping main street, regularly named among the finest in England, runs from the 12th-century parish church of St Lawrence up to the castle, taking in the Moot Hall and the Clifford almshouses (the Hospital of St Anne) along the way.
• Appleby Horse Fair — Held every June since a royal charter of 1685, this is the largest traditional Gypsy and Traveller horse fair in Europe, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to watch horses trotted along the "flashing lane" and washed in the River Eden.
• The Eden Valley — Gentle farmland and riverside paths radiate out from the town, with the Eden Valley Railway line, red sandstone villages and the Pennine escarpment providing some of Cumbria's least-visited walking country.
• Settle-Carlisle Railway — Appleby station is a stop on one of Britain's great scenic railways, with services running north to Carlisle and south via the Ribblehead Viaduct to Settle and Leeds.
• Rutter Force and local waterfalls — A short walk or drive from town leads to Rutter Force on Hoff Beck, a peaceful spot for a picnic and a paddle away from the crowds.
• Brough Castle and Brougham Castle — Two more Clifford family strongholds lie within easy reach, both English Heritage sites set in dramatic, open countryside.

Getting to Appleby-in-Westmorland

Appleby-in-Westmorland sits just off the A66, the main cross-Pennine road linking the M6 near Penrith with Scotch Corner and the A1 in the east, making it an easy stop for anyone touring between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. The M6 at Penrith is around 13 miles away, giving good connections south to Kendal and the M1, and north to Carlisle and Scotland. By train, Appleby railway station is one of the most attractive stops on the Settle-Carlisle line, with regular services connecting Leeds and Carlisle; the journey through the Yorkshire Dales, over the Ribblehead Viaduct and through Ais Gill, the highest main-line summit in England, is a destination in itself. The town centre is a short, level walk from the station.

Best time to visit Appleby-in-Westmorland

Spring and early summer bring the Eden Valley's farmland and riverbanks into full leaf, and June is Appleby's busiest week of the year thanks to the Horse Fair, which fills the town with visitors and horse-drawn wagons; book accommodation well ahead if visiting then, or avoid it if you prefer a quieter trip. High summer suits walking and river days, while autumn brings colour to the Pennine fells above the valley and quieter roads generally. Winters are cold but rarely as harsh or as busy as the central Lake District, and the town's Christmas market and cosy pubs make it an appealing off-season option for those who want proper countryside without the summer traffic.

Where to stay in Appleby-in-Westmorland

Appleby has a small but characterful choice of places to stay, from coaching inns on Boroughgate to farmhouse B&Bs scattered through the surrounding Eden Valley villages. The town also has a handful of self-catering cottages converted from Georgian townhouses, and touring and camping parks along the River Eden and out towards the Pennines suit those who prefer to pitch up rather than book a room.

Food and drink in Appleby-in-Westmorland

Boroughgate has a good spread of independent cafes and traditional pubs for a town of Appleby's size. The Midland Hotel, opposite the railway station, is popular with walkers and Settle-Carlisle line travellers, while the Tufton Arms and the Royal Oak are long-standing coaching inns serving pub food in the town centre. Appleby's Friday market brings local produce stalls to the streets around the Moot Hall, and the town's bakeries and delicatessens are well used to feeding walkers heading out into the Eden Valley or up onto the Pennine fells.