Tours

We know the Eden Valley well and would like to show you round. These tours are a ready-made day out. Choose your transport - on foot, by boat, by car, by bike, by train and follow one of our discovery routes.

Select a tour below for more information.

Discover The Eden Valley
A Walk from Scale Beck
Crake Trees Manor Walk 1
Crake Trees Manor Walk 2
Crake Trees Manor Walk 3
The Limes
Lazonby walk

Tour - Discover The Eden Valley

This tour can be made by bike or by car. It takes in some of the prettiest villages in the Eden Valley. Most of the roads are quiet but narrow in places. For cyclists there is an opportunity to do a shortened tour by returning to Appleby on the train from Lazonby & Kirkoswald station.

From Appleby station turn right and follow signs for Dufton. This will take you past Appleby Grammar School on the left and under the A66 Appleby by-pass. Just before Dufton you will join the Pennine Cycleway 68. Dufton Post Office & Store (017683 51292) is a Stamping point (www.sustrans.org.uk) and a useful place for refreshments. The Stag Inn (017683 51608) serves meals at lunchtime and in the evenings.

Follow the "68" north through all the East fell side villages Knock, Milburn, Blencarn and Kirkland then via Skirwith and Ousby, where The Fox Inn also serves meals (01768 881374), to Melmerby.

Melmerby has a village shop, the Shepherds Inn (01768 881919), paint ball games near Gale Hall (07762546024- www.bravo4zero.co.uk) and the famous Village Bakery (01768 881515) (www.village.bakery.com), another Stamping point.

The main A686 Penrith to Alston road passes through the village and at weekends you will see a lot of motorbikes riding the exciting bends the 5 miles from Melmerby up to Hartside Café,1903 feet above sea level.

From Melmerby follow the road briefly towards Alston and take the left fork towards Gamblesby. ( for cyclists wishing to follow the "68" to Hartside Café ride all the way through Gamblesby and turn left for Unthank & Renwick. Before reaching Renwick, the "68" follows a rough track up to Hartside and briefly joins up with the "7" C2C).

In the middle of Gamblesby just past the village stocks take a left turn to Glassonby. In Glassonby bear right and follow the road down to Kirkoswald. A mile after Glassonby,on the left at the bottom of the hill, you will see the start of the footpath to Lacy’s Caves.

At the end of the road turn left towards Lazonby (You will see Kirkoswald to your right. There are 2 pubs The Featherstone Arms (01768 898284) and The Crown Inn (01768 898435), a petrol station and village store.) Kirkoswald and Lazonby are on either side of the River Eden. Cross the stunning red sandstone bridge to the Lazonby side (it is single track and local etiquette dictates that whoever reaches the middle first has the right of way). Just past the bridge on the left is a small picnic site with "Cypher Piece", one of the Eden Benchmarks (www.eccp.org.uk). Lazonby open air swimming pool is also on the left. The village itself has a Co-op with cash point, petrol,The Midland Hotel (01768 898901) and The Joiners Arms (01768 898728) and Kirk Neuk Gallery (01768 870492 - www.kirkneukgallery.co.uk).

Lazonby & Kirkoswald station is on a road off to the right just past the Co-op.

Go straight up the hill and follow signposts for Plumpton.

Before you arrive in Plumpton you will reach the A6. Cross the A6 carefully and follow the road through the middle of Plumpton. Just after the railway bridge on the right hand side is the Pot Place at Plumpton (01768 885500 - www.thepotplace.co.uk) with a tea room and a wide variety of garden ornaments.

Follow the road across the M6 and, at the end, turn right onto the B5305.

On the left round the next corner is Hutton-in-the-Forest, the historic home of Lord Inglewood (017684 84449 - www.hutton-in-the-forest.co.uk).

Leave the B5305 by turning left following cycle path 71 towards Blencow and then Greystoke.

Greystoke has an activity centre at Greystoke Castle - quad-biking, archery, clay pigeon shooting etc (017684 83722 - www.greystoke.com) and Greystoke Cycle Café (017684 83984 - www.greystokecyclecafe.co.uk).

Follow the "71" south,cross the A66 and leave the "71" to follow signs to Wreay and drop down to Ullswater near Watermillock. Follow the main A592 north alongside the lake then the B5320 till you reach Pooley Bridge at the north end of Ullswater. Here there are shops, pubs and tearooms and the terminal for Ullswater Steamers (017684 82229 - www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk) with regular services to Howtown and Glenridding.

Continue on the B5320 towards Tirril but take the single track road to the right signposted Celleron and Askham. Climb up to Celleron and enjoy the views of Penrith and then, as you descend towards Askham, of Lowther Castle.

Askham has 2 shops and 2 pubs The Queens Head - 01931 712225 at the top of the village next to the open air swimming pools & The Punch Bowl - 01931 712443. When you reach the Queens Head turn left and head downhill to the River Lowther.

The Punch Bowl is on the right hand side.

After the bridge follow the road round to the left over a cattle grid and up the hill into the Lowther Estate. You’ll pass the imposing castle on your right and leave across another cattle grid. (To the right is the Lowther Bird of Prey Centre (01931 712746).

Contine straight on then take the next left following signs for Penrith. Head north on the A6 for a few hundred yards crossing the M6 in the process.

Follow signs for Melkinthorpe.

Tour continues via Cliburn, Morland, Kings Meaburn, Maulds Meaburn, Crosby Ravensworth,Orton, Raisbeck,Little Asby, Great asby Rutter Force & Burrells back to Appleby.