The village of Winton is ideally located in the beautiful Upper Eden valley, which was formerly in the old county of Westmorland, but now in Cumbria. It is surrounded by a landscape of lush green beautiful rural scenery and wild uplands and offers breathtaking views in every direction from the Pennines to the Howgills and the distant Lakeland Fells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The area is ideal for walkers, cyclists and tourists alike as there is both the beautiful countryside, but also historic small towns and quaint little villages to explore.

The nearest small town to Winton is Kirkby Stephen which is a traditional market town of historic buildings, quaint cobbled yards and interesting shops and is only a mile away so is easily reached on foot This is an area of east Cumbria which is much less well known than the Lake District, but is equally appealing and much of the area has been part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, since 2016. One of the main attractions in Kirkby Stephen is the Parish Church which is known locally as the “Cathedral of the Dales”. Inside the church is the famous 10th Century Loki Stone, which is one of only two such stones in all of Europe and thought to date back to Viking times, legend says, it shows a carving of the Norse God of Mischief, Loki bound in chains. 

When looking to eat out in Kirkby Stephen and area you will find a great selection of pubs, restaurants(Indian and Chinese) and cafes, along with a good selection of locally owned shops.

For train journeys; take a ride on the famous Settle to Carlisle railway line on which Kirkby Stephen has a Heritage Train station; the views are tremendous. You can also take a short steam train ride on part of the old Tebay to Darlington line at the Kirkby Stephen East Station Heritage Centre and small museum run by the Stainmore Railway Company. A walk in nearby Stenkrith Park is a must.

For walkers Kirkby Stephen is an ideal base and received the accolade of becoming Cumbria’s first “Walkers are Welcome” town. Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk passes right through the town and local fells such as Wild Boar Fell and Nine Standards Rigg provide an enjoyable day out. More strenuous walks can be found in the Lake District and the Howgills which are in easy reach. 

For the less strenuous there is a 4 mile circular walk which takes in the majestic Merrygill and Podgill viaducts and gives fantastic views of the Eden Valley and is found on the old railway line between Kirkby Stephen and Hartley. There are also many walks along the local lanes; footpaths near the River Eden and at Smardale Nature Reserve.

Further down the Eden Valley is the market town of Appleby; famous for it’s annual Horse Fair, Appleby is a charming old market town with a Castle at the top of the main street, Boroughgate and St Lawrence’s Church at the bottom. A half hours drive away are the larger towns of Kendal and Penrith with shops, restaurants and leisure facilities such as, Theatres, Cinemas and Sports Centres.

For Golfers there are courses at Appleby, Penrith, Keswick and two courses at Kendal. For Fisherman there is the local River Eden and the nearby River Lune as well as the Bessy Beck Fish Farm at Newbiggin on Lune. Cyclists are well catered for via the many miles of country lanes offering fantastic views on route. 

With so much to explore in the area you will never be short of something to do!