Penrith tourist guide (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Penrith tourist guide

3:00pm Thursday 19th March 2009

• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

PENRITH, the former capital of the county, is a well-established market town.

It is also a unique town, with many independent pubs, cafes and restaurants, as well as shops.

The old Market Hall has been converted into a light, airy shopping arcade joining Devonshire Street with Sandgate.

The town hosts a weekly open market in the old Market Square every Tuesday, which also incorporated the monthly Farmers Market, expanding into the town square around the clock and also hosts a regular Saturday and Sunday market at the auction mart on the edge of the town.

Penrith is popular with locals and visitors alike, who enjoy shopping in the many individual, independent shops - a haven for lovers of quality produce.

Penrith’s food outlets cater for all culinary tastes, offering a rich variety of local foods from classic to gourmet.

You can visit a working dairy farm and enjoy the ice cream they produce in 16 flavours at Abbott Lodge Jersey Ice Cream farm, near Penrith.

Penrith is steeped in history and the Castle and Castle Park opposite the railway station are free to enjoy and an ideal family venue in the summer.

It is at the heart of the road and rail network, with Penrith North Lakes railway station just a short walk out of the town centre and the A66 and M6 junction nearby.

Here you will find the largest underground visitor centre in Europe, Rheged – The Village in the Hill.

As well as Made in Cumbria items, local artists and food producers have outlets within the attraction which is also home to the Helly Hansen National Mountaineer Exhibition, a soft play centre, gallery, restaurant, conference centre and IMEX cinema.

While Rheged is a state-of-the-art, contemporary building, historic Brougham Hall also on the outskirts of the town offers a unique collection of local producers, crafts people and entertainment.

The Old Smokhouse and Truffle Shop can be found in what remains of a favourite country house, visited by Prince Edward, who later abdicated to marry Mrs Simpson.

Today the specialist retail and craft workshops welcome browsers.

You can find out more about the area’s fascinating past in Penrith’s local history museum, set in a 300-year-old school.

There is also the romantic and historic home of Lord and Lady Inglewood, Hutton-in-the-Forest, to explore, both inside and out.

The gardens make a stunning backdrop for outdoor drama performances in the summer months.

The Alpaca Centre enables you to see the beautiful animals and the stunning garments made from their wool, and enjoy a coffee in their tearoom.

There are many galleries within the town and on the outskirts to enjoy.

The Highhead Sculpture Valley and Up Front Gallery are just north of Penrith.

You can try your hand at throwing a pot or painting glass at the Weatherigg’s Pottery.

Penrith also hosts the annual Potfest, which attracts potters from around the world.

If sport is more your thing, Penrith has a driving range and nine hole golf course for all the family to enjoy – with special children’s sessions at the weekend taken by the Penrith Golf Centre and Driving Range professional.

There is also a modern swimming pool and climbing wall at the Penrith Leisure Centre in the town and at the Greystoke Castle Estate you can enjoy the off road driving centre.

And there are open-air swimming pools open in the summer months in Askham, Greystoke, Lazonby and Shap.

And for the very best of country pursuits, there is the annual Lowther Horse Driving Trails and Country Fair.