Things to do in Penrith

Looking for things to do in Penrith?

Penrith is an old market town situated in the Cumbria’s Eden Valley, North West England.

Its located at a major road intersection, i.e. that of the north-south M6 motorway, and the east-west cross-Pennines A66 trunk road. It also lies between the River Eamont and the River Petteril, in an area of undulating countryside. Penrith also lies just 3 miles (5 km) outside the boundaries of the UK’s biggest National Park, the Lake District.

It’s probably best known for its large 14th-century Castle and the Beacon Monument, set on Beacon Hill that overlooks the town from the north. If you would like to know more generally about this beautiful town, please visit our Penrith Town Guide. This is a guide to the great things to do in Penrith.

Brief history of Penrith

Penrith has a deep, rich history, which can be traced back to the Romans. After the initial conquest of Britain, in 43AD and established themselves. The Roman Road from Manchester to Carlisle passed through what is now Penrith. The Romans had such an interest in the area that multiple structures were built, however main settlements appear to be further to the north.

The Penrith area is thought to be located within the Kingdom of Rheged, that was established after the Romans had left the area a Kingdom that was made up of a portion of Northern England and Sothern Scotland. The establishment of the Kingdom of  Rheged is thought to date back to between the 5th and 7th century.

In the 11th Century, the Cumbria area became under the reign of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, which was then absorbed by Scotland. William II reestablished the area into England. Due to the tension with the scots multiple strongholds were build to help defend against an invasion of the scots.

Due to this rich history of constant changing of inhabitants has left the area with a multitude of iconic monuments, castles and henges to absorb the amazing story of the areas, walks, Gardens and Castles.

Visit Penrith

If you like the outdoors, then Penrith is right up your street as it has some of the most beautiful places to visit where you can walk a take in nature and the history of Penrith. As part of our Business Directory for Penrith, we have created some of the best things to do in Penrith.

The area is well served by the English Heritage and to see a list of all the properties they manage; please click here. You can also see a list of products in their Shop.