Penrith in Cumbria : With a refreshing mix of the old and the new, Penrith, is one of Cumbria's oldest market towns and has managed to retain its old world charm whilst keeping itself very much in the 21st century.


Situated just a couple of miles outside the Lake District National Park boundary Penrith, is in the Eden Valley and is refreshing un-touristy.

Convenient chain stores such as Boots the Chemist and WHSmiths are located centrally within Penrith; however they don't dominate the high street, rather are tucked away in one of the many 'Yards'.

One store you will find in the Market Place is J & J Graham Grocers and Delicatessen. An absolute must for anyone who is Self-Catering in Cumbria. This is definitely the place to stock up on freshly baked breads, and home made quiches and if you hate the sight of tea-bags you will love the specialist leaf teas available here.

Farmers Market - Cumbria Penrith

Penrith Farmers Market is held here on the 3rd Tuesday of each month.

The Toffee Shop- Cumbria Penrith

If you are in the mood for pure indulgence then wander around to Brunswick Road...for here lies the Famous Penrith Toffee Shop.

Made in the same way since the shop opened just after the First World War, The Toffee Shop has a dedicated following and was visited by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2003.

Cranstons Butchers

Cranstons Butchers, famous for its award winning Cumberland Sausage has a shop in the centre of Penrith, on King Street in addition to a new purpose built Cranston Food Hall on the edge of town.

Lonsdale Cinema Penrith

It was refreshing to arrive at the cinema in Penrith to be greeted by a friendly face, rather than the automated booking service, which is getting more frequent in other parts of the country. There are two screens at the Lonsdale Cinema in Penrith and both have wheelchair access. Find out what's on this week here.

Ruins of the Castle - Penrith

Penrith played an important role against raids from the Scots and the castle was built as part of this defence between 1399 and 1470. Admission to the ruins and moat is free.

St Andrews - Penrith

Wander just a few yards off the market square and you will find St Andrews church.

It really is well worth taking a minute or two to peek inside St Andrews. The church was built around 1720, although the tower is thought to be much older dating back, perhaps to the thirteenth century.

The murals around the beautiful stained glass window were undertaken by a local artist named Jacob Thompson around 1844.

WiFi Cafe - Penrith

Forget faceless coffee shop chains.

If you love to seek out individual places of character you will be delighted to find that Penrith has not just one such venue worthy of a mention, but two.... which will, I'm afraid to say, leave you totally spoilt for choice.

Both cafes also have Wifi, perfect if you are travelling and need to hook up your lap-top over a cup of good coffee.

Narrow Bar Cafe Penrith

Make sure that you find the time to pop into the Narrow Bar Cafe.

Choose from the mouth watering triple layered sponge cakes or something more substantial such as a Cumberland sausage breakfast baguette, or veggie chilli tortilla wrap.

Wifi is available in either the hub of the cafe or the upstairs coffee lounge.

Check opening hours for the Narrow Bar Cafe.

No. 15 - Penrith - Licensed Cafe

There are two entrances to No. 15 in Penrith. From Vicoria Road you'll find yourself wandering into a contemporary feel cafe with smells of incredibly good coffee and home made breads, scones and flapjack.



If you're parking in the main town car park then just nip through Pear Tree Yard and follow those delightful smells of and you will suddenly find yourself in my favourite room of No.15. trying to decide whether lunch in Penrith will be the No.15 Welsh Rarebit and the Ratouille of Roast Mediterranean Veg.

The walls of the Red room, at the rear of the cafe, are decorated with lcoal Artworks (for sale), where you can slouch on bean bags or relax on comfy leather sofas. Younger kids can play happily with a basket of toys. For travellers who need to contact the world wide web,a wifi connections are available at about £2 per 30 mins.