The wonderful thing about staying at The Old Court House in Silloth is you have fantastic beaches and amenities within walking distance, and the best of Cumbria, The Lake District and the Borders of Scotland within an easy drive. Here is a snapshot of some favourite places to visit, but there are lots of resources online to help you explore the area and plan great days out. And the best thing is you can head back to your “home from home” to relax after your adventures!
Keswick
The Market Square at the heart of Keswick is surrounded by shops and hotels. The main building, the Moot Hall, dates back to 1813 and now serves as the Lake District National Park Tourist Information Centre. You can gather loads of ideas here. This historic building has previously been used as a market, courthouse, town hall, and even a prison!
Plenty to entertain everyone in the local parks. Hope Park is a major attraction (set between town and Derwentwater), and Fitz Park has a café, a children’s play area, BMX track, and picnic tables.
There are some lovely shops to explore, fab eateries and fun places for younger ones. The Puzzling Place is great for a rainy day, Kong Adventure is very popular and, in nearby Whinlatter Forest you can hire bikes or follow the Gruffalo Sculptures trail. Whinlatter is England’s only true mountain forest!
Theatre by the Lake has some wonderful productions, and the walks around Derwentwater are spectacular. From Cat Bells to Skiddaw there is something for everyone. Just outside Keswick near Portinscale is the beautiful Lingholm – great gardens, food and also you can walk with Alpacas!
Cockermouth
This beautiful market town is only half an hour’s drive from Silloth, and full of lovely shops, good places to eat and lovely river walks – you can see the ruins of Cockermouth Castle and it’s the perfect place for the dogs to take a dip! Every year the town hosts the popular Taste Cumbria (September and December). There is loads of information hereabout places to visit. For an arts and music boost check out “What’s On” at Kirkgate Arts Centre.
CARLISLE
The Castle is packed with history, there’s a great museum almost opposite the entrance, lovely parks nearby and great shopping in the city centre. Discover Carlisle is a great website to help plan a visit, as it covers everything from the history of “The Great Border City” to latest events.
Maryport
You’ll find all you need to know on the Tourist Information Centre for Maryport. It also gives a great overview of the history of this area. Explore Roman influence, maritime heritage and so much more. A popular destination is The Senhouse Roman Museum which has the largest collection of Roman altar stones in Britain and artefacts dating back 2000 years. Maryport also has some of the best fish and chips!
Whitehaven
A pretty harbour town with a busy marina, there is a rich rum and mining history to explore! There are some good places to stop for a bite to eat, and the cinnamon rolls at The Howling Wolf Cafe below The Beacon are a real treat!