Bidston Guide Book
Sightseeing
Keswick is approximately 40 minutes away by car and is a much loved family destination as the starting point for fabulous walks in addition to the charming town centre and obviously the lake itself. We have enjoyed many days out here. The boat trips are really good value, the town is fabulous for shopping and finding small independent shops and outdoor retailers. There is an unexpectedly fantastic pencil museum, lots of walks starting from here and amusements near the lake such as pitch and put and mini golf. Keswick also has an excellent range of cafes, bars and restaurants
205 locals raden deze aan
Keswick
Keswick is approximately 40 minutes away by car and is a much loved family destination as the starting point for fabulous walks in addition to the charming town centre and obviously the lake itself. We have enjoyed many days out here. The boat trips are really good value, the town is fabulous for shopping and finding small independent shops and outdoor retailers. There is an unexpectedly fantastic pencil museum, lots of walks starting from here and amusements near the lake such as pitch and put and mini golf. Keswick also has an excellent range of cafes, bars and restaurants
More recently we have spent lots of time exploring Ullswater. There are two lovely villages to explore at either end of the lake, Pooley Bridge is the nearest and 30 minutes from Bidston. Glenridding is slightly further away at 40 minutes and the famous Ullswater Steamers run between the two. We like to park at Aira Force on the way and see the beautiful waterfall although it can be busy. There is a beautiful lake shore between this and Glenridding called Glencoyne bay which is a family favourite for skimming stones and has breath taking views.
75 locals raden deze aan
Ullswater
More recently we have spent lots of time exploring Ullswater. There are two lovely villages to explore at either end of the lake, Pooley Bridge is the nearest and 30 minutes from Bidston. Glenridding is slightly further away at 40 minutes and the famous Ullswater Steamers run between the two. We like to park at Aira Force on the way and see the beautiful waterfall although it can be busy. There is a beautiful lake shore between this and Glenridding called Glencoyne bay which is a family favourite for skimming stones and has breath taking views.
Home to the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe and, at over 250 square miles, the largest working forest in England, the forest of Kielder is spellbinding and has so much to do. There are many trails to explore you could go every year and never do the same thing twice. We parked at Kielder Castle but there are actually three visitor centres. Lots of activities are on offer on water and land and there is even a private mountain road for a toll. If you choose to do this though be prepared for a much longer route home or to come back along the 12 mile route itself. The views are amazing, making it well worth the effort. If it’s warm and wet when you go take insect repellent!
34 locals raden deze aan
Kielder Forest
Home to the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe and, at over 250 square miles, the largest working forest in England, the forest of Kielder is spellbinding and has so much to do. There are many trails to explore you could go every year and never do the same thing twice. We parked at Kielder Castle but there are actually three visitor centres. Lots of activities are on offer on water and land and there is even a private mountain road for a toll. If you choose to do this though be prepared for a much longer route home or to come back along the 12 mile route itself. The views are amazing, making it well worth the effort. If it’s warm and wet when you go take insect repellent!
8 miles south East of Scotby, Burgh by Sands first came to our attention on the BBC documentary ‘Black and British: A Forgotten History’. It is the first known site of an African community in Britain. There is a commemorative plaque at the church which in itself has a phenomenal history – being built from stone taken from Hadrian’s Wall. Randomly and completely unrelated but well worth seeing, there is a monument in the middle of an isolated field dedicated to King Edward I. Seemingly created to prove allegiance to the king, even in death. The monument sits on the Solway plain at the end of the River Eden. As a listed building it has proved a burden to maintain and fallen into a degree of disrepair but it’s uniqueness in subject and location makes it well worth a detour. We cycled around the sights with the kids as it’s a relatively flat area and also took in the path that follows the location of the original wall. We don’t however recommend attempting to cycle this path as we did, unless you want to end up in a field of angry cows carrying your bikes and children! There is a great pub at the opposite end of the village to the church too and some beautiful houses.
Burgh by Sands
8 miles south East of Scotby, Burgh by Sands first came to our attention on the BBC documentary ‘Black and British: A Forgotten History’. It is the first known site of an African community in Britain. There is a commemorative plaque at the church which in itself has a phenomenal history – being built from stone taken from Hadrian’s Wall. Randomly and completely unrelated but well worth seeing, there is a monument in the middle of an isolated field dedicated to King Edward I. Seemingly created to prove allegiance to the king, even in death. The monument sits on the Solway plain at the end of the River Eden. As a listed building it has proved a burden to maintain and fallen into a degree of disrepair but it’s uniqueness in subject and location makes it well worth a detour. We cycled around the sights with the kids as it’s a relatively flat area and also took in the path that follows the location of the original wall. We don’t however recommend attempting to cycle this path as we did, unless you want to end up in a field of angry cows carrying your bikes and children! There is a great pub at the opposite end of the village to the church too and some beautiful houses.
Another hidden gem on this coast is the town of Maryport. Again not commercial, we visited at May bank holiday and although by no means deserted it was far from busy in the usual seaside sense. There is however everything you need, a town, a beach, cafes, and ice creams. You can park near the town if you wanted to combine a wander there with the marina and beach or even the aquarium (more on that below). We found parking to be surprisingly cheap. There’s a lovely (if roundabout) wander from the town, around the marina and lighthouse to the beach but parking by the lighthouse at the beach itself is free.
The beach is very popular with dog walkers and is part of the coastal path, areas on the headland are rspb protected areas and we saw some rare breeds ourselves whilst there. The top of the beach has shale and driftwood but is beautiful in a rugged way. Once you get over this though the shoreline is pure sand and great for a paddle and a wander.
18 locals raden deze aan
Maryport
Another hidden gem on this coast is the town of Maryport. Again not commercial, we visited at May bank holiday and although by no means deserted it was far from busy in the usual seaside sense. There is however everything you need, a town, a beach, cafes, and ice creams. You can park near the town if you wanted to combine a wander there with the marina and beach or even the aquarium (more on that below). We found parking to be surprisingly cheap. There’s a lovely (if roundabout) wander from the town, around the marina and lighthouse to the beach but parking by the lighthouse at the beach itself is free.
The beach is very popular with dog walkers and is part of the coastal path, areas on the headland are rspb protected areas and we saw some rare breeds ourselves whilst there. The top of the beach has shale and driftwood but is beautiful in a rugged way. Once you get over this though the shoreline is pure sand and great for a paddle and a wander.
There are a number of points to access this historic monument nearby, we particularly enjoy Birdoswald Roman Fort. It’s a great place for all the family with some outstanding views of the surrounding countryside
29 locals raden deze aan
Romeins Fort Birdoswald - Hadrian's Wall
There are a number of points to access this historic monument nearby, we particularly enjoy Birdoswald Roman Fort. It’s a great place for all the family with some outstanding views of the surrounding countryside
A rainy August afternoon caused us to look up this attraction. Our 9 year old still talks about the visit 2 years on. Solway Aviation Museum is a compact site that is bursting with excitement. The museum is entirely run by a dedicated team of volunteers who are incredibly passionate about aviation history. There are a number of aircraft to explore both inside and out and it’s a great place to spend at least part of a day.
Solway Aviation Museum
A rainy August afternoon caused us to look up this attraction. Our 9 year old still talks about the visit 2 years on. Solway Aviation Museum is a compact site that is bursting with excitement. The museum is entirely run by a dedicated team of volunteers who are incredibly passionate about aviation history. There are a number of aircraft to explore both inside and out and it’s a great place to spend at least part of a day.
Who doesn’t love the seaside?! There are a number of coastal towns to visit under an hour away from Bidston. We love the charm of Siloth. With great views across to Scotland over the Solway Firth and a fantastic beach, it’s a great place to feel the sea air. It’s definitely not a traditional seaside resort in fact to access the beach itself you need to walk through what is essentially a trading estate but please don’t let that put you off. There is sand, sea – our eldest had a swim, there’s ice cream and even a fun fair. We loved the understated charm here even in August we were almost alone on our part of the beach.
15 locals raden deze aan
Silloth
Who doesn’t love the seaside?! There are a number of coastal towns to visit under an hour away from Bidston. We love the charm of Siloth. With great views across to Scotland over the Solway Firth and a fantastic beach, it’s a great place to feel the sea air. It’s definitely not a traditional seaside resort in fact to access the beach itself you need to walk through what is essentially a trading estate but please don’t let that put you off. There is sand, sea – our eldest had a swim, there’s ice cream and even a fun fair. We loved the understated charm here even in August we were almost alone on our part of the beach.
The Forestry Commission are great at creating amazing outdoor activity spaces. We love Whinlatter just outside Keswick. Known as ‘The Mountain Forest’, Whinlatter is 50 minutes from the house. There is so much to do for all ages and tastes, miles of forest walks, bike trails, kids trails (usually Julia Donaldson themed) Go Ape and even Segway trails. We have visited in the pouring rain, the trees offered some canopy and we had an amazing time regardless.
67 locals raden deze aan
Whinlatter Forest Park
Whinlatter PassThe Forestry Commission are great at creating amazing outdoor activity spaces. We love Whinlatter just outside Keswick. Known as ‘The Mountain Forest’, Whinlatter is 50 minutes from the house. There is so much to do for all ages and tastes, miles of forest walks, bike trails, kids trails (usually Julia Donaldson themed) Go Ape and even Segway trails. We have visited in the pouring rain, the trees offered some canopy and we had an amazing time regardless.
Ambleside is an hour away and has great lakeside walks. We love to do an adventure that involves taking the boat across from Ambleside to Wray Castle, walk from the castle along the shore of the lake to the car ferry across to Bowness, then take the open top bus back to Ambleside. The kids love the variety, although it’s a long walk along the shore for little legs
145 locals raden deze aan
Ambleside
Ambleside is an hour away and has great lakeside walks. We love to do an adventure that involves taking the boat across from Ambleside to Wray Castle, walk from the castle along the shore of the lake to the car ferry across to Bowness, then take the open top bus back to Ambleside. The kids love the variety, although it’s a long walk along the shore for little legs
A local gem in easy reach of Bidston, Talkin Tarn is a beautiful glacial tarn with walks, nature trails and a tea room on site, a perfect afternoon out for a stroll.
17 locals raden deze aan
Talkin Tarn
A local gem in easy reach of Bidston, Talkin Tarn is a beautiful glacial tarn with walks, nature trails and a tea room on site, a perfect afternoon out for a stroll.
On our trip to Maryport we also visited the aquarium. We were pleasantly surprised by this small attraction. Despite its modest size, there is lots to see as well as an interesting history of the area and sympathetically recreated harbour themed tanks. There’s also a section devoted to how the fish are cared for. Your entry ticket gets you a round of free mini golf which wraps around the outside, and access to their excellent outdoor, nautical themed play park.
24 locals raden deze aan
Lake District Coast Aquarium
South QuayOn our trip to Maryport we also visited the aquarium. We were pleasantly surprised by this small attraction. Despite its modest size, there is lots to see as well as an interesting history of the area and sympathetically recreated harbour themed tanks. There’s also a section devoted to how the fish are cared for. Your entry ticket gets you a round of free mini golf which wraps around the outside, and access to their excellent outdoor, nautical themed play park.
On the banks of the river Eden, Wetheral in particular is worth a visit with a number of pubs, a tea room, shop, picturesque railway station and Corby Bridge (viaduct) with excellent views. There are great walks along the river and there’s even scope for a wild swim.
Wetheral
On the banks of the river Eden, Wetheral in particular is worth a visit with a number of pubs, a tea room, shop, picturesque railway station and Corby Bridge (viaduct) with excellent views. There are great walks along the river and there’s even scope for a wild swim.
Two miles South of Brampton and a 10 minute drive from Bidston, there is a great woodland area steeped in history. Visit Cumbria credit the carved banks along the river to Roman quarrying either to build or repair Hadrian’s wall. Either way, Gelt woods is a beautiful place with lots of options. From the small car park at the bottom of the woods (CA8 1SZ) there are a number of routes, all easily found online or by following your nose. We opted for a shorter explore of the woods and return to the car but there is a 4.5 mile circular route or a 3 mile each way amble along the river towards Brampton and back. A lovely place to be, either for shelter from sun or rain, a forest run or simply for the spectacular river and landscape.
9 locals raden deze aan
Gelt Woods
Two miles South of Brampton and a 10 minute drive from Bidston, there is a great woodland area steeped in history. Visit Cumbria credit the carved banks along the river to Roman quarrying either to build or repair Hadrian’s wall. Either way, Gelt woods is a beautiful place with lots of options. From the small car park at the bottom of the woods (CA8 1SZ) there are a number of routes, all easily found online or by following your nose. We opted for a shorter explore of the woods and return to the car but there is a 4.5 mile circular route or a 3 mile each way amble along the river towards Brampton and back. A lovely place to be, either for shelter from sun or rain, a forest run or simply for the spectacular river and landscape.
Around 10 minutes by car from Bidston, this delightful and large park is hidden in a residential area near the race course. Built by Archie Hammond in the 1920’s as gift to the people of Carlisle, the park has Children’s play areas, a boating lake, aviaries and a dovecote, full sized and junior football pitches, an all weather ball court, a miniature railway (open 2-4 on Sunday’s Easter to October), a café with disabled access and toilets including disabled toilets and baby changing. Unfortunately the weather was against us when we visited but it is a lovely, large and well maintained space with lots to do.
Hammond's Pond
Around 10 minutes by car from Bidston, this delightful and large park is hidden in a residential area near the race course. Built by Archie Hammond in the 1920’s as gift to the people of Carlisle, the park has Children’s play areas, a boating lake, aviaries and a dovecote, full sized and junior football pitches, an all weather ball court, a miniature railway (open 2-4 on Sunday’s Easter to October), a café with disabled access and toilets including disabled toilets and baby changing. Unfortunately the weather was against us when we visited but it is a lovely, large and well maintained space with lots to do.
Carlisle Castle has looked over the city of Carlisle for nine centuries. Now maintained by English Heritage it is a great place for a day out and also houses a military museum included in the price. As a border City, Carlisle has a turbulent past and this is explored brilliantly here.
71 locals raden deze aan
Carlisle Castle
Castle WayCarlisle Castle has looked over the city of Carlisle for nine centuries. Now maintained by English Heritage it is a great place for a day out and also houses a military museum included in the price. As a border City, Carlisle has a turbulent past and this is explored brilliantly here.
Tullie House Museum is another fantastic attraction. We have visited many times and no two visits are the same. As well as recounting the rich history of the area, the museum has frequent touring exhibitions and events.
47 locals raden deze aan
Tullie House Museum en Kunstgalerie
Castle StreetTullie House Museum is another fantastic attraction. We have visited many times and no two visits are the same. As well as recounting the rich history of the area, the museum has frequent touring exhibitions and events.
Two years since we renovated Bidston, and despite my husband growing up here - we’re still finding new things to do. My favourite thing about Scotby is how central it is - so many things to do on the doorstep and under an hour away. Yesterday we visited South Tynedale Railway, a 40 minute drive from the door. The train ride from Alston to Slaggyford and back is fantastic, the scenery breathtaking and the attraction really well run. The train winds slowly through the valley giving you chance to take everything in. Once at Slaggyford, there’s the opportunity to stretch your legs and a delightful little cafe in a converted train carriage. We still have little legs with us (almost 4) so wasn’t an option for us but many people had day rover tickets and were walking for part of the way along the well maintained path that stretched the whole length of the route. We’ll definitely go back to try some walking in the area when our youngest is older.
16 locals raden deze aan
South Tynedale Railway
Station RoadTwo years since we renovated Bidston, and despite my husband growing up here - we’re still finding new things to do. My favourite thing about Scotby is how central it is - so many things to do on the doorstep and under an hour away. Yesterday we visited South Tynedale Railway, a 40 minute drive from the door. The train ride from Alston to Slaggyford and back is fantastic, the scenery breathtaking and the attraction really well run. The train winds slowly through the valley giving you chance to take everything in. Once at Slaggyford, there’s the opportunity to stretch your legs and a delightful little cafe in a converted train carriage. We still have little legs with us (almost 4) so wasn’t an option for us but many people had day rover tickets and were walking for part of the way along the well maintained path that stretched the whole length of the route. We’ll definitely go back to try some walking in the area when our youngest is older.
Food scene
Great, dog friendly village pub, very popular with excellent food and atmosphere, lots of outdoor seating in the summer too.
Royal Oak Scotby Carlisle
47 Scotby VillageGreat, dog friendly village pub, very popular with excellent food and atmosphere, lots of outdoor seating in the summer too.
The Thin White Duke is a great, central bar and Kitchen. An obsession with David Bowie brought us here in the first instance but we weren’t disappointed, the food was great.
16 locals raden deze aan
Thin White Duke
1 Devonshire StThe Thin White Duke is a great, central bar and Kitchen. An obsession with David Bowie brought us here in the first instance but we weren’t disappointed, the food was great.
Casa Romana is a great independent Italian restaurant with a huge range of vegetarian, vegan and food intolerance friendly options. They also offer takeaway Thursday to Sunday.
Casa Romana
44 Warwick RdCasa Romana is a great independent Italian restaurant with a huge range of vegetarian, vegan and food intolerance friendly options. They also offer takeaway Thursday to Sunday.