Trains to Penrith

What to do, how to get there and how to get home with Avanti West Coast.

Tens of thousands of passengers pause at Penrith Station every week as they travel between Scotland and English cities, but not all that many get on or off. That’s a shame, as Penrith is a lovely town with plenty of history, not to mention some excellent restaurants, cafes and bars.

Penrith

There’s been a settlement here since Roman times, as it was on the main road from Carlisle (and Hadrian’s Wall) to Manchester. The town survived and turned into a market town, and its population grew in the nineteenth century when houses were built to accommodate those working on the railway that we still use today. Still, at just 15,000 people, it remains a relatively small town.

There’s a junction on the M6 just outside the town, so both rail and road users will leave their main routes here to head to the Northern Lakes such as Ullswater, Derwentwater and Thirlmere, the peaks of Helvellyn and Skiddaw, and the towns of Keswick, Pooley Bridge and Grasmere. To the East, there’s one of the UK’s five Center Parcs, Whinfell Forest. So whether you’re visiting this fine town or using it as a stopping-off point for visiting other places (or both), here’s all you need to know about trains to Penrith.

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Penrith Station Information

If you’re not familiar with Penrith or its station, you’ll find everything you need right here, There’s information from accessibility to parking and ticketing to WiFi coverage. More details on our wider network can be found on this page.

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Things to do in Penrith

You don’t have to make an extra trip to see Penrith Castle, as it’s right in the heart of town – in fact, it’s literally across the road from the station. It’s managed by English Heritage but sits in a public park, so there’s no entrance fee. The castle dates back to the 15th century as a fortress against raiding Scots but fell into disrepair. As ruins go, however, Penrith Castle is still impressive, with two towers and plenty of walls still standing, all in immaculately maintained grounds.

If castles are all a bit too modern for you, there are three ancient stone and earth monuments in the area. First, there’s Mayburgh Henge, just outside the town to the south. A few minutes’ walk away lies King Arthur’s Round Table, another circular earthworks which despite the name (and the fact that it definitely exists), dates back at least 4,000 years, although legend has it that Arthur used to joust here. Finally there’s Little Salkeld, another stone circle in a fine village 15 minutes away from Penrith. While you’re there, you can take the opportunity to visit the village’s water-powered mill and grab a bag of flour.

Foodies will always find something to their tastes here. From the modern to the traditional and with cuisines from all over the world, there’s a restaurant with your name on it. Then you can pop over to one of the excellent pubs in the town.

Mayburgh Henge Penrith Watermill

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