Summer in Carlisle 2019 – Cumbria’s capital and England’s largest City with an area of 402 sq miles. The City is full of open spaces and rivers with Border City attitude a World Heritage Site running through it. Here are some top tips for a Carlisle summer 2019.
Spend Summer in Carlisle 2019
Award Winning Attractions
Walby Farm Park
A fantastic day out for the family. As well as the indoor soft play and slides, Walby Farm has extensive outdoor enclosures and a large barn where you can meet and feed many kinds of animals, from draught horses to rabbits. Check out their “Today’s Activities” board which sets out specific times for many activities.
The outdoor play is vast, including shoot-and-score, mini-landrover rides, electric mini-quads, a tractor tower and much more.
Walby’s Carlisle Summer 2019 starts with Circus week from 22nd July. Book online www.walbyfarmpark.co.uk
Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery
The standing exhibition on Romans in Britain and Hadrian’s Wall is great for children and young people. For those who love the romantic Border Country, there is no richer source of information. This summer’s special exhibition is the Fantastic Fairground with workshops to make your own amazing automata. Tullie House has a great website and it is worth planning your visit to make the most of drop-in and craft sessions as well as the museum and art gallery. Learn more www.thetranquilotter.co.uk/tullie-house
Eden Rock
The largest indoor bouldering wall in England. A great introduction to those who have not tried rock climbing before with challenges for experienced climbers too. There is a coffee shop on site. Find out more www.edenrockclimbing.com/carlisle
Historic Guided Tours of Carlisle
Book a two and half hour guided tour and discover 2,000 years of history, from Roman times to the present. The tour starts at Tullie House and can be booked via the Carlisle Tourist Information Centre.
Days out in Carlisle’s Parks
Carlisle has two amazing parks right in the City Centre.
Bitts Park
Bitts Park sits back from the Castle where the River Caldew meets the River Eden. A statue of Queen Victoria looks out onto the formal lawns and flower beds much as they would have been in her time. The riverside trail is full of mature trees and managed for the benefit of the wildlife. There is an extensive play area with a splash park and an aerial High Ropes Course managed by Urban Adventure (call 0800 9177449 to book).
Rickerby Park
Also beside the River Eden, Britain’s cleanest river, a little downstream from Bitts Park, lies Rickerby Park, given to the City as a memorial to the fallen of the First World War. There are many beautiful spots for a picnic, on benches provided or on the river bank. During the summer when the water level is low, the young can paddle in the river. Some even manage a quick dip. A beautiful park with lots of interesting features, including the cows that graze from April to October, don’t worry there very calm and easy going.
Leisure Centre
Just across the bridge over the Eden you’ll find the Hadrian’s Wall Path and, just alongside it, the Sands Leisure Centre with a gym, theatre, function rooms and a riverside coffee shop.
Recommended Walks
Summer is meant for riverside walks.
Rickerby Park and the River Eden
We mentioned Rickerby Park above, which is great for a beautiful two-mile river walk where the river has broadened out and rolls quietly along – usually!
Wetheral – walk to Constantine’s Cells along the River Eden
For a longer exploratory riverside walk, we’d recommend the Monks and Mystery’s Walk in Wetherall, which is particularly great for teenagers, firstly because they are likely to run up the 100 or more steps from the riverside to Wetheral Station and then because caves seem to have a special place in the teenage psyche. Learn more www.thetranquilotter.co.uk/st-constantines-cells
