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THE EDGE VACATION & HOLIDAY GUIDE TO CUMBRIA & THE LAKE DISTRICT CARLISLE, CUMBRIA The Old Town Hall and Market Cross, Carlisle. |
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Carlisle Location: Os ref NY 4056, Sheet 85. In the north of the county.
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Carlisle is the only city in Cumbria, and is the centre for shopping, entertainment and the arts for the north of the county as well as the Border Counties of Scotland a few miles to the north.
Carlisle has good transport links to London, Glasgow in Scotland and Newcastle on the east coast of England. Just off Junction 43 of the M6 motorway, it is also on the west coast mainline railway between London, (Euston station), and Glasgow. Carlisle has an airport less than twenty minutes drive away, and is connected by the A69 road and by rail to Newcastle, which has an international airport and regular ferry sailings to north Europe. As you would expect of the county capital, shopping is excellent: the whole of the centre of the town is pedestrianised, making it safe to wander around at leisure down side streets full of interesting and diverse shops. Nearby are 'The Lanes' shopping mall (you will find the library here), and the Covered Market, an elegant Victorian building that has recently been impressively restored. As well as the major chain stores that you find in most cities you will also find specialist shops around and about, always worth seeking out. You are sure to find all your shopping needs catered for. Impressive amenities such as museums, Cathedral and Castle are in the centre of the city and the Roman Wall is not far away. A few minutes walk takes you to the Stanwix Arts Theatre and the Sands Centre, both with varied and busy programs to satisfy your cultural tastes. The medieval Cathedral also has its own program of events as well as being a building of beauty and importance. Hotels, Guest Houses, Inns and Bed and Breakfast establishments are plentiful and all budgets are catered for from the luxury to the cheap and cheerful. Camping, self catering, caravaning, all are available to those who prefer a less pampered life. There are a good many restaurants, coffee and tea shops in which to eat or rest after a day spent exploring the town. Choose from British, Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Indian cuisine. Not surprisingly the city is popular with travellers and holiday makers from all over the world, but happily it never seems overcrowded or uncomfortable. Carlisle has to be high on the list of places that you must visit or stay, offering good accommodation, activities aplenty and transport links to the rest of the county and beyond.
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