Best Places to Visit Near Carlisle
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best places to visit near Carlisle are Bewcastle Castle, Lambley Viaduct, Crammel Linn, Blencathra, Cash Force, Derwentwater, Raven Crag and Thirlmere Infinity Pool.
Carlisle sits at the far northwestern edge of England, a border city with Scotland close at hand and the Lake District, the Pennines and Hadrian's Wall country all within reach. Head into the quiet borderlands to the north and east and you can seek out the ruined Bewcastle Castle, the nine soaring arches of Lambley Viaduct above the South Tyne, and the split cascade of Crammel Linn tucked into its gorge.
Push further into the North Pennines and remote Cash Force drops over empty moorland on the flanks of Cross Fell. Travel south into the northern Lake District and the shapely peak of Blencathra rewards walkers with airy ridges, while Derwentwater spreads its wooded islands near Keswick.
Around Thirlmere, the viewpoint on Raven Crag looks the length of the reservoir, and a hidden rock pool forms a natural infinity edge high on the fellside. There is a rich mix of castle, waterfall, mountain, lake and swim here.
Here are eight places to visit near Carlisle.
Bewcastle Castle
Photo: Les Hull via Geograph.org.uk
Explore Bewcastle Castle A drive north into the remote Cumbrian borderlands brings you to this ruined medieval castle, raised within the earthworks of a much older Roman fort. The gatehouse survives most fully, along with lengths of high wall, though much of the stone was robbed away over the centuries; the old Roman ditch still serves as a moat on two sides.
Beside it stand a small church and the celebrated Bewcastle Cross, an Anglo-Saxon stone carved more than a thousand years ago. Quiet farmland and open fell surround it, close to Hadrian's Wall country, with sheep grazing among the ruins and grassy banks.
Lambley Viaduct
Photo: Trevor Littlewood via Geograph.org.uk
Walk out onto Lambley Viaduct East of Carlisle, this old railway viaduct strides high across the South Tyne gorge near Haltwhistle in Northumberland. Nine tall arches carry the deck about a hundred feet above the river, and the former single track is now an open footpath you can walk out onto for a long view down the wooded valley.
It was completed in 1852 for the branch line that once hauled coal and lead between Haltwhistle and Alston, with trains running until 1976. Paths and steps drop from the deck to the riverbank, and the crossing forms part of the South Tyne Trail.
The Grade II* listed structure was restored in the 1990s.
Crammel Linn
Photo: David Liddle via Geograph.org.uk
Seek out Crammel Linn Another eastward trip, out toward the Northumberland and Cumbria border above Gilsland, leads to this waterfall on the River Irthing. Here the river drops around twenty-five feet through a sandstone gorge, its flow split into two separate channels by a rocky outcrop that stands in the middle of the fall.
A small parking area waits up on the open moor, and from there a steep and slippery path descends into the gorge to reach the water. It is a peaceful, little-visited fall set deep in open border country, a rewarding find for anyone who makes the effort.
Blencathra
Photo: Philip Halling via Geograph.org.uk
Climb Blencathra A drive south into the northern Lake District reaches this bold fell of 868 metres, above the village of Threlkeld. Also called Saddleback, for the dipped saddle shape of its top seen from the east, it presents a striking front of steep ridges and deep gullies.
Several tops link along a curving ridge, and two routes draw walkers in particular: Hall's Fell, a scrambly ridge climbing straight to the top, and Sharp Edge, a narrow, exposed arete above Scales Tarn that asks for a steady head. From the top the view sweeps over the northern fells, the Solway and the hills of Scotland.
Cash Force
Photo: David Brown via Geograph.org.uk
Find Cash Force Further afield, a day-trip southeast into the high North Pennines, this waterfall tumbles down the Cash Burn on the northern slopes of Cross Fell. It lies out in remote, open moorland near Garrigill, with no marked path to guide you there.
Reaching it means crossing several miles of rough ground, tussock, heather and bog underfoot, so it is one for well-shod walkers who enjoy a proper wander into empty country. The fall itself drops over a band of hard rock in a fold of otherwise bare and lonely hills, a real reward for the effort of getting there.
Derwentwater
Photo: Peter Jeffery via Geograph.org.uk
Spend time at Derwentwater Deeper into the Lake District, a day out south toward Keswick, this broad lake lies scattered with wooded islands and ringed by fells. Catbells rises steeply along the western shore, the great bulk of Skiddaw stands to the north, and a walking path runs right around the water's edge.
Launches call at jetties dotted around the lake, so you can hop between shores by boat, and rowing boats can be hired from the bank for a gentler afternoon on the water. Several of the islands belong to the National Trust.
It makes an easy, scenic contrast to the sterner fells nearby.
Raven Crag
Photo: Michael Graham via Geograph.org.uk
Head up Raven Crag On the western side of Thirlmere reservoir, another Lake District outing to the south, this craggy fell rears above the water near the dam. A steep path climbs through forestry to a wooded summit, ending in made paths and a boardwalk out to a viewpoint on the very brink of the crag, which gives a clean view straight down the length of Thirlmere and over the dam.
Just behind the top sits Castle Crag, a smaller summit holding the earthen ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort. The fell rises to about 461 metres, a modest height for such a rewarding outlook.
Thirlmere Infinity Pool
Photo: Michael Graham via Geograph.org.uk
Take a dip at the Thirlmere Infinity Pool On the eastern side of Thirlmere, a short walk from the reservoir road, Fisherplace Gill tumbles down the fellside into this natural rock pool. The pool catches the beck just before it spills over a lip into a fall below, so its far edge seems to drop clean away, giving an infinity-edge look out over Thirlmere and the fells beyond, at its finest toward sunset.
Getting there means a steep, faint path of about a mile up the fell from near Legburthwaite, through bracken, with a slippery final stretch. The water is cold and there are no facilities, so come prepared.
FAQs
Which places near Carlisle are best for a family day out?
For an easy outing from Carlisle, Derwentwater near Keswick is hard to beat, with lake launches, hireable rowing boats and a level path around the shore that suits all ages.
How far is Blencathra from Carlisle?
Blencathra lies around 29 kilometres south of Carlisle in the northern Lake District, an easy drive toward Threlkeld and a well-known objective for hill walkers.
Are there good wild swimming spots near Carlisle?
Yes. The Thirlmere infinity pool on Fisherplace Gill offers a cold, scenic dip above the reservoir, though it takes a steep mile-long walk from near Legburthwaite to reach it.
Conclusion
From border ruins to lakeside shores, the country around Carlisle packs in a sizeable spread of days out. To the north and east, Bewcastle Castle, Lambley Viaduct and Crammel Linn reward those who like their history and their waterfalls off the beaten track, while remote Cash Force tests keener walkers in the North Pennines.
Turn south into the Lake District and there is real variety: the ridges of Blencathra for the ambitious, the gentle islands and launches of Derwentwater for an easier day, the long outlook from Raven Crag, and a cold, hidden infinity pool above Thirlmere for the brave. Castle, viaduct, mountain, lake and wild swim sit within an easy reach of the city.
Whether you want a scramble, a stroll or a swim, these are the places to visit near Carlisle.
