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Exploring Carlisle to Brampton Car-Free

Just 17 minutes apart by train or 22 minutes by bus, a day exploring the city of Carlisle, the village of Brampton – and everything in between, makes for a unique mix of urban and rural life.

With regular Avanti West Coast services into Carlisle station from across the West Coast Mainline, and frequent onward travel, getting out and about in this northern area of Cumbria is easy without the car, with Carlisle Castle, Carlisle Cathedral, the Guildhall and Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery all offering a glimpse into city life of years gone-by.

With Hadrian’s Wall, and the villages of Wetheral and Brampton offering a slice of peace and quiet that’s easily within reach, this is an area that certainly proves that there’s so much more to Cumbria than what you already know…

Before leaving the city to explore the surrounding areas, be sure to take a look at Carlisle Castle. Built from stones taken from Hadrian’s Wall, this 1,000 year old fortification was a key strategic point in defending England from the Scots, Vikings and the Border Reivers – not to mention taking care of city defences during the English civil wars.

Not quite as old as the castle (but almost!), Carlisle Cathedral features 14^th century stained glass windows, stunningly preserved wood carvings and medieval painted wall panels which tell the exciting history of the city.

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery houses several collections of fine art, human history and natural sciences, including the new Costume Collection exhibition which covers hundreds of years of fashion and working clothing.

If you’re visiting with children, then take this bus from Carlisle to the award-winning Walby Farm Park. With plenty of activities to keep the whole family busy, including farm animal shows, a giant sandpit, a seasonal maize maze and tractor & trailer rides.

While a bus can take you straight over to Brampton, east of Carlisle, taking the train means you can stop-off in the village of Wetheral en-route. This largely undiscovered jewel in north Cumbria’s countryside is nestled quietly on the banks of the River Eden, offering stunning countryside views and a taste of traditional English country village life thanks to its market cross, 18th century houses and 16th century church.

On the other side of the river is the Georgian-era Corby Castle, which was another key point of defence against Border Reivers. Wetheral is also the home of caves hidden in bank of the river which were used as hiding places for monks as places of refuge during times of conflict.

Crossing the River Eden 100 feet below is the Wetheral railway viaduct, which you can also walk across thanks to a public footpath from the railway station.

Continuing your car-free adventure, take the train to Brampton – just a few minutes away from Wetheral, and only a couple of miles away from Hadrian’s Wall. Although near Carlisle, you’ll find peace and tranquillity in spades as you’re surrounded by countryside and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

With the Moot Hall standing in Brampton’s centre, this is the town’s Tourist Information Centre, so be sure to call-in. Here, St Martin’s Church boasts stunning stained glass windows, whilst like Carlisle Castle, the Old Parish Church (only part of which still stands) was constructed using stones taken from Hadrian’s Wall - a 75-mile long former line of defence stretching all the way from The Solway Firth in the west, to Wallsend-on-Tyne in the east.

Marking the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall is easy to explore from Brampton, with the Birdoswald Roman Fort proving you with a great place to get started. Sitting above the River Irthing, this stretch of the wall offers plenty of history waiting to be discovered thanks to the Birdoswald Visitor Centre. To get there car-free, details of the bus route are here.

You’ll also find the Banks Turret nearby, which is the best-preserved structure of its kind along Hadrian's Wall western stretch.

Three miles to the east of Brampton is Lanercost Priory, which you can either walk to or take the Alba/Classic Hadrian’s Wall Bus AD122 from spring to autumn. At nearly 1,000 years old, Lanercost was founded by King Henry II and played a key role in the Anglo-Scottish conflicts before being dissolved by King Henry VIII.

Further car-free opportunities away thanks to many way-marked walking routes accompanied by useful information boards in and around Brampton. Talkin Tarn is just two miles outside Brampton, and boasts a 65 acre lake among 120 acres of sprawling woods and farmland, with the nearby Gelt Woods sure to satisfy bird-watchers thanks to its RSPB nature reserve.