Carlisle Castle
12th C castle witness to turbulent Border history and
lawless Reivers, prison to Mary Queen of Scots, taken by Bonnie Prince Charlie
during Jacobite Rebellion, beseiged during Civil War. Also home of Kings Own
Royal Border Regiment museum. Mid-size attraction open daily April 1 - Sept 30 9.30am-5pm Oct 1 - Mar 31 10am-4.30pm £5.00,
children £3 concessions £4.50 includes entry to military museum. CA3 8UR N
edge of city centre off Castle Way A595. Tel. 01228 591922
web site
Carlisle Cathedral
Second smallest cathedral in England, founded 1122.
14th C stained glass in E window, beautiful blue and gold ceiling, much
ancient art and craftwork. Volunteer guides. Guided tours free. Gift shop inside cathedral.
Opposite main entrance is 13th C monastic Fratry with Fair Trade
restaurant in undercroft (Mon to Sat 9.30am-4pm). Off Castle Street Close
to main shopping centre (signposted) CA3 8TZ. Disabled parking only. Small
attraction. Opens daily; Mon-Sat 7.30am-6.15pm, Sun 7.30am-5pm. Morning
prayer 7.40am daily, Holy Communion 8am Sun, Sung Eucharist 10.30am Sun,
12.30pm Mon Wed Fri Eucharist 8am Tue Thur Sat Evensong 3pm Sun, weekdays
5.30pm not sung Sat or choir holidays. Tel. 01228 548151
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GoGoGo Indoor Karting
Insider tip: we haven't been able to contact this attraction, nor have Cumbria Tourism. Do they still exist? 400m track for adults and children, min height 4ft
3in. Refreshments, spectator lounge and viewing area. Small attraction.
Newtown Road industrial estate Caxton Road off Newtown Road CA2 7NR
(B5307) NW area of city. Open Tue-Fri 12 noon-10pm Sat Sun 10am-10pm £8
for 10 mins. Book a time slot on 01228 510061
Guildhall Museum
The oldest town centre building in Carlisle and one of the four oldest in the city. Originally a row
of shops and workshops, owned by city since 1400s. Half timbered house on corner of the
Greenmarket and Fisher Street. Former meeting place of the town's eight
medieval Trade Guilds. Four Guilds still survive and hang their banners outside on Ascension Day every year (40 days after Easter) Historical items connected with guilds and city
displayed. Small attraction. Open daily 12 noon to 4.30pm.
Nenthead Mines
Visit the actual tunnels and workings where miners have
extracted lead or zinc for 300 years, control huge waterwheels and pan for
minerals. Shop, cafe and picnic area; self guided heritage and nature
walks on 200 acre site. Site of Special Scientific Interest and Scheduled
Ancient Monument in North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Mine not suitable for wheelchair access. Big all-day attraction, wear
outdoor clothes. Open daily from Easter to end October 11am-5pm last entry
to mine 3.30pm. Nenthead, Alston CA9 3PD. Site visits open all year and free. Not staffed, during school term. No shop or cafe. Donation asked. School holidays: admission £7, under 16s free
concessions £6, site and mine tour £7, under 16s £3, under 4s free concessions £6
family (2 adults, 1 child £15; 2+2 £16.50; 2+3 £17.50. Tel. 01434 382726 or 382037 Check website for date details.
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Tullie House Museum
history of Carlisle and the Borders, five galleries,
interactive exhibitions, children's activities, garden restaurant. Castle
Street, Carlisle CA3 8TP opposite Carlisle Castle. Open daily except Dec 25,26 & Jan 1. Nov-Mar Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12pm-5pm (11 am Jul & Aug
10am-5pm Sun 11am-5pm. Free to u18s and Carlisle and district residents with
Tullie Card. Some ground floor areas free. Small to mid-size attraction.
Admission £4, concessions £2.50 Tel. 01228 618718
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Laserquest
20 minute games with up to 20 players wearing body-pack and
carrying laser, scoring points by zapping other players. Solo or teams and
more complex games in 4,000 sq ft arena with catwalks, mazes, swirling
fog, music lights. Wear dark casual clothes and flat shoes with sole that
grips. Small to mid-size attraction. Paton House, Victoria Viaduct,
Carlisle CA3 8AN between Citadel (round towers) and Cathedral. Open
Mon-Fri 11am-9pm Sat 10am-9pm Sun 10am-7pm. Closes 5pm Dec 25 and 31. Closed Dec 25,26 & Jan 1 £4 per game, 2 games £6.50, 3
£8.50, 4 £10.50, more at £2 a game. 50p discount for groups of 10 or more
(15 on Sat pm), students with NUS card £3.50; or £2.50; 12pm-2pm weekdays termtime. Tel. 01228 511155
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Hadrian's Wall
Built by the Romans between Wallsend, near Newcastle and
Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria, remains are World Heritage Site. Route can
be traced through Cumbria from Gilsland on Cumbria-Northumberland border
to Bowness-on-Solway but little remains of the wall to W of Banks Turret,
about 4 miles inside Cumbria border. Area includes Birdoswald Roman Fort
(see separate entry) Roman bridge, milecastles, turrets, a Roman quarry,
Stanegate Roman road, signal stations, camps, forts. Also waymarked
Hadrian's Wall path from Gilsland to coast with many remains en route.
Hadrian's Wall Country bus AD122 covers route. Mid-size to big attraction.
For timetable ring 01434 322002 or click on link:-
web site
Solway Aviation Museum
Collection of aircraft and aviation artefacts run
by volunteers to preserve British aviation heritage. Opportunity to sit on
flight deck of Vulcan Bomber (phone to check availability and register on
arrival). Cafe, gift shop. Mid-size or more depending on interest. At
entrance to Carlisle Airport just off A689 6 miles E of J44 M6 and
Carlisle Grid Ref : NY483611. Aviation House, Carlisle Airport, Crosby-on-Eden, Carlisle CA6 4NW Open weekends from April to end
October plus Bank Holidays, Fridays during school holidays
10.30am-5pm last admission 4.15pm. Vulcan bomber open 1.30pm-4.15pm £4.50, children 6-16 £2.50 concessions £3
families (max 2 children) £11 Tel. 01228 573823
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Birdoswald Roman Fort
Fort of Banna. Turret and milecastle and, to the E,
longest continuous stretch of Hadrian's Wall visible today. Also best
preserved defences of any of 16 major forts on frontier system. Visitor
centre with displays and reconstructions tracing history of wall and what
happened after Romans left. Small to mid-size attraction. Open daily
10.30am-5.30pm last admission 5pm April 1-Sept 30 £5.00, children £3, concessions £4.50.
Gilsland, Brampton CA8 7DD 1 mile E of Gilsland on minor road S of B6318,
off A69 Carlisle to Newcastle road. Tel. 016977 47602
web site
Talkin Tarn Country Park is a 180 acre country park 9 miles E of Carlisle and 2 miles S of Brampton. Tarn offers sailing, windsurfing, rowing, canoeing and fishing. Footpath, suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs, round water's edge. Camp site, children's play area, bike hire, orienteering course, tea room with tarn views serves hot and cold food and drinks. Mid-size attraction. CA8 1HN.
Lanercost Priory Augustinian Priory Founded around 1166 and built mostly from stone scavenged from Hadrian's Wall, was one of first to be dissolved by Henry VIII. Church partly reclaimed in 1740 still serves as parish church within ruins of priory. Burne-Jones stained glass windows. Small attraction 3 miles NE of Brampton on minor road N off A69 CA8 2HQ. Tea rooms and farm shop open daily except Dec 25,26,and Jan 1. Apr 1-Sept 30 10.30am-5pm Oct 1-Mar 31 10.30am-4pm £3.30, concessions £3, children £2, family £7.30 Tel. 01697 73030.
South Tynedale Railway England's highest narrow gauge railway. Preserved
steam and diesel locomotives run 2.25 miles (15 mins) between Alston
Station and Kirkhaugh, following part of the old Haltwhistle to Alston
branch line along the Tyne Valley in North East Cumbria, operated and
maintained by volunteer members of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation
Society. Shop, refreshments, picnic area. Small attraction. Trains run most school holidays and most weekends Easter - October and in December, but not daily. Essential to check before travelling. Return fare £6, children 3-15 £3, families (2
adults, up to 3 children) £16.50; single £4/£2. Dog £1 bicycle 50p if space available. All day ticket £10 /£5. Wheelchair carriage available please book in advance on Tel. 01434 381696
Alston Station, Alston, CA9 3JB N Alston, Station Road on N bank of River Nent.
Tel. 01434 381696
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