Things to see and do

There is much to enjoy within striking distance of Howscales Holiday Cottages. Cumbria and the Lake District are renowned for their natural beauty and the peaceful countryside. The Eden Valley itself has wonderful scenery, and there are many small, delightful villages and hamlets here too.

We love where we live and enjoyed many holidays in the Eden Valley and Lake District too, before settling here at Howscales. Please do ask us for tips and advice on all the best places to go and things to not miss out on.

The Area | Activities | Food & Drink

The local area / from your doorstep

Nearby to Howscales Cottages, the sandstone villages of Kirkoswald, Glassonby, Gamblesby and Melmerby are delightful to walk to. In Kirkoswald the village pub is very dog-friendly so if you are out walking with your four-legged friend you have somewhere to stop for refreshments.

Lush green countryside surrounds you and flowing through the Eden Valley is the magnificent River Eden where you can enjoy some great riverside walks. Close to Kirkoswald is Laceys Caves, carved out of sandstone and found right on the riverbank. Please note that following the floods in 2015 a section of the footpath to Laceys Caves was washed away and is yet to be repaired.

Long Meg and Her Daughter’s Stone Circle as well as Laceys Caves can be included as part of a longer walk.

We have written up some local walks and also have walk books and maps available for guests too.

The Eden Valley and The Lake District

Bustling towns are also nearby, with characterful independent shops, antique centres, art galleries and garden centres. Enjoy tea rooms, village bakeries and local produce.

Savour real ales in traditional Cumbrian country inns and discover great places to enjoy dining out.

In each town you will find buildings and places of historic interest, and nearby stately homes such as Dalemain and Hutton-in- the-Forest will delight as will the stunning gardens at Acorn Bank.

During the year there are also several festivals, country and craft fairs, farmers’ markets, and traditional agricultural shows.

Appleby-in-Westmorland

The traditional town of Appleby-in-Westmorland is about a 30 minute drive away. It’s famous for the annual Gypsy & Traveller horse fayre that has been held there for over 300 years.

Penrith & Keswick

The quaint market town of Penrith is the closest to Howscales. The Lakeland town of Keswick is also nearby, renowned for its dog-friendliness and its propensity of outdoor shops as well as the Cumberland Rexell Pencil Museum and The Puzzling Place, great fun for all the family.

Further afield

Stray a little way out of the Valley and you can be in the beautiful Eastern Lake District or the delightful Yorkshire Dales or the rugged North Pennines. To the north you can visit Hadrian’s Wall and head into Border country, maybe even visiting Scotland for the day.

Activities

Walking, Cycling & Running

Howscales is an ideal base for walking and cycling. We’re just 1 mile from the popular C2C cycle route. There are various trails to be explored including: