Carlisle. What can we do to spend 5 hours?

[Josie]

Planning a trip on DalesRail with my youngest this summer. He's excited about the journey - so am I! - but I'm a bit concerned about how to fill the five-hour stopover in Carlisle before the return journey. Any suggestions for what to do in Carlisle centre for an afternoon?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Visit the castle?

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/carlisle-castle/

 

[DarloRich]

Leave. Quickly

The problem is most of the things you could do are actually outside of Carlisle. There is the castle, the Cathedral, The military Museum and i think there is an aircraft museum at the airport. I think there is a nice park you could have a picnic in if the weather is nice.


It always feels a bit wild west frontier town and because I got chased from Burnton Park to the station once i don't really like Carlisle!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Leave. Quickly

The problem is most of the things you could do are actually outside of Carlisle. There is the castle, the Cathedral, The military Museum and i think there is an aircraft museum at the airport. I think there is a nice park you could have a picnic in if the weather is nice.

It always feels a bit wild west frontier town and because I got chased from Burnton Park to the station once i don't really like Carlisle!

I actually quite like it as a place, though on a Saturday night the drinking culture is quite heavy. There would be no point in me living there, but it's not somewhere I would have a problem with living. I don't agree at all that it has that feel, but football does do funny things

 

[Josie]

Ah yes, that's the other thing, DalesRail only runs on summer Sundays so I assume anything good will be shut as well...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ah yes, that's the other thing, DalesRail only runs on summer Sundays so I assume anything good will be shut as well...

The castle is open on Sundays.

Another option would be not to go all the way to Carlisle and to get off and do a country walk. The Dales are lovely.

 

[Bertie the bus]

You might get more meaningful and useful replies if you gave some indication what you or your son enjoy doing.

 

[Welly]

Visit the cathedral - my Dad and I did that many years ago.

 

[30907]

There's always a lunchbreak to consider. And if said youngest is into trains, the station itself.
Tripadvisor might add a few others.

 

[vlad]

Depending on what you and your lad enjoy doing, if you visit the cathedral, the castle and Tullie House museum you'll either wish you'd allowed yourself more time or wonder what you're going to do for the other 4.5 hours.

 

[Josie]

And if said youngest is into trains, the station itself.

That's not a bad idea. I'm not familiar with Carlisle at all, don't think I've ever been - does much go through on a Sunday, and is there anywhere nice on the station to sit and watch? He's a big fan of Pendolinos, so they should keep him happy for a while!

 

[Bletchleyite]

That's not a bad idea. I'm not familiar with Carlisle at all, don't think I've ever been - does much go through on a Sunday, and is there anywhere nice on the station to sit and watch? He's a big fan of Pendolinos, so they should keep him happy for a while!

No barriers and a fairly decent amount of platform seating, and also some cafe seating for the Ritazza place. Not a bad call at all.

 

[Condor7]

That's not a bad idea. I'm not familiar with Carlisle at all, don't think I've ever been - does much go through on a Sunday, and is there anywhere nice on the station to sit and watch? He's a big fan of Pendolinos, so they should keep him happy for a while!

The station is a great place to watch trains but like anywhere on a Sunday there is a reduced service.
There are no scheduled freight until late afternoon so passenger trains are all you are likely to see, but of course depending on the day there could be the odd unscheduled freight and maybe a rail tour.

There are plenty of seating on the platforms and various food/drink outlets including a Pumpkin cafe and a pub ‘301Miles’ which has seating on the platform undercover so not a problem for your son, they also do very nice food and snacks. As far as I am aware both are open Sundays.

 

[E100]

I'd recommend a brief trip down the Tyne Valley line even just to Wetheral where there's some good walks.

 

[70014IronDuke]

I actually quite like it as a place, though on a Saturday night the drinking culture is quite heavy. ....

This has got history.
Wasn't it because of fears that the munitions workers would get plastered of a night in Carlisle that the UK govt introduced licensed drinking hours in WW1?

I've never done anything in Carlisle apart from the sheds, involving the long walk to Kingmoor, but it was/is a frontier city, so must have history. Is there anything left of the munitions factories along the Solway? That MUST have history.

You could always go into Carlisle and then come back to eg Appleby* or Kirkby Stephen**, eat and do some walking. Then pick up the Dales train from there.

* Mr YorksRob recommends Armathwaite in the S&C thread, of course But Appleby does have civilised pubs.
** If you want to eat in Kirkby you will have to walk. The station is a mile from the town.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

What age is your son? I took mine on day trips by rail all over Scotland and Northern England from about age nine.
Though I appreciate you will be there on a Sunday, we found the day in Carlisle with its Castle, station, cafés and park near the castle was a very successful trip - so we went back a couple of years later. Welcoming and friendly place (characteristics which seemed to diminish the nearer London we ventured on our trips).

 

[gazthomas]

I'd recommend a brief trip down the Tyne Valley line even just to Wetheral where there's some good walks.

I was going to say a train to Newcastle!