Here are some of the places in the near vicinity. As time goes on articles on our blog will elaborate on these short paragraphs, and describe many other places easily reachable from Cautley.
There’s much more to say about easily reached areas of the Lake District, the Eden Valley, the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines as well as exploring further west toward the coast. Also we’ll not forget such popular attractions as the Settle-Carlisle and Wensleydale railways.
Sedbergh
is our local town. It is rather quaint in places, with narrow streets and buildings that have served the local population for many generations. Probably it is best known for Sedbergh School, a boarding school that has turned out many eminent men over almost five centuries. Increasingly, though, Sedbergh is gaining a name as England’s “book town” and has a good variety of excellent bookshops. The Yorkshire Dales National Park has an information centre here.
Hawes & Wensleydale
Wensleydale is packed with magnificent walking country. There are waterfalls to visit, an heritage railway to ride and at Hawes a creamery and cheese factory to visit (with a great restaurant). These are just a few of Wensleydale’s treasures waiting to be explored.
Dent
has character, with its cobbled streets and white painted houses, and at the Dentdale Heritage Centre visitors you can look back to the working lives and social customs of the people who lived in the dale over past centuries. There are many very attractive walks in the area especially along the River Dee, a tributary of the Rawthey, and ultimately the Lune.
Kirkby Lonsdale
is an ancient market town well worth a visit. There’s the so-called “Devil’s Bridge” over the River Lune and behind the parish church is the magnificent Ruskin’s View, looking out over the Lune Valley. The town itself has many interesting shops and quaint corners.
Kirkby Stephen
is the main small town (or large village) of the upper Eden Valley. A popular stopping off point for walkers on the Coast to Coast route it also has a railway station on the famous Settle-Carlisle line. Kirkby Stephen participates in the ‘Walkers are Welcome’ scheme. There are high level walks to Nine Standards Rigg, Mallerstang Edge and Wild Boar Fell as well as lower level strolls along the Eden.
Kendal
is the largest town in the immediate area and was previously the administrative centre for the old county of Westmorland. Although not itself in the national park, Kendal is often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the Lakes’. It has much of interest in its own right, including the Museum of Lakeland Life and the Brewery Arts Centre. Nearby are Sizergh Castle and Levens Hall.
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