Pennine View Park, Cumbria
Kirkby Stephen is just 40 miles from our home in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Over the years we have driven through this market town many times on our way to the Lake District, occasionally calling in on the way home for fish and chips, but we have never stopped to have a proper look around. Many others do the same and this is a pity because this area deserves a closer look.
Kirkby Stephen is a great location for walks in the surrounding countryside. The market town lies roughly on the halfway point of Alfred Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route so there is a steady flow of walkers passing through the town.
We are keen walkers ourselves and, on our first day, headed south along the River Eden, passing medieval farmsteads to the Norman ruin of Pendragon Castle. Our return route took us through Nateby where we enjoyed a pint and an early dinner at the Black Bull.
On our second day we had a walk to delightful Smardale Gill and nature reserve, a great place for flowers, butterflies, birds and red squirrels.
On our visit, the steep sides of the valley were covered with primroses.
Part of the route is along a disused railway line and crosses the impressive Smardale viaduct. There is a car park at Smardale, but this is not motorhome friendly as it has a height barrier, so we had to move on and park in the village of Ravenstonedale.
Pennine View Park is located on the site of a former railway goods yard at the southern end of Kirkby Stephen. The site is level and the hardstanding pitches are spacious. I understand that the shower and toilet facilities are excellent, although we did not use them on this trip.
There is also a lovely bar on site, The Engine Shed, which has recently been converted from the old railway goods shed and has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Takeaway food is also available on several evenings.
There are plenty of walks direct from the park with easy access to the River Eden and the disused railway line. This is the ideal location for easy exploration.
We would definitely recommend the site and the town to visit.