Carlisle, IN Road Trips

Caer Liwelyδ means the fortress of Luel or Luguwalion. It was a Roman garrison town from about 72 AD, and when they left after 300 years it was contested between petty kingdoms such as Strathclyde, Northumbria and Rheged. The Scots were holding it when the Normans arrived, but in 1092 William Rufus captured it for England and built the castle and city walls, which resisted re-capture by Scotland except for a brief Jacobite occupation in 1745. Between the organised military campaigns was continual banditry by the infamous Border Reivers. This era faded in the 18th century and was romanticised by Sir Walter Scott in the 19th. Carlisle then became a middling sort of market town, with textile mills and the arrival of the railway. It now has agricultural and food related businesses supplied by the surrounding lowlands. Tourist information is in the old town hall on Market St, open M-Sa 10AM-4PM.

Carlisle Citadel is a bastion just north of the railway station, built in 1541 to replace the medieval Botchergate portal through the walls into town. It was later a prison, law courts and council offices but is now looking for a use. No interior access. 1 Carlisle Cathedral, The Abbey CA3 8TZ, ☏ +44 1228 548151. M-F 7:30AM-6:30PM, Sa Su 7:30AM-5PM. Built from 1112 as an Augustinian priory, it became Anglican after the Dissolution of 1536. It's small and the exterior looks somewhat scruffy, as the local red sandstone is vulnerable to industrial soot and smoke. Within, the finest feature is the great intricate east window. The choir has a wooden barrel vault roof and wooden seating with misericords. These are shelves on the undersides of hinged seats, so that during the lengthy standing periods of a service, monks could prop themselves upright. Candle scorch marks reveal that they sometimes fell asleep. Donation £5. (updated Nov 2024) Guildhall Museum, Fisher St CA3 8JE. Closed until March 2025. In a half-timbered house of 1407, this exhibits the Trade Guilds, the town's medieval merchant societies. Free. (updated Nov 2024) 2 Tullie House, Castle Street CA3 8TP, ☏ +44 1228 618718. M–Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Art gallery and museum of Borders life, from Hadrian's Wall and the Reivers to the present. Adult £7. (updated Nov 2024) Cursing Stone is a modern artwork, a boulder by the walkway between Tullie House and the castle.

Bitts Park is next to Carlisle Castle and has access to the river along with a children's play area and walking paths Vue Cinema is at 50 Botchergate by the railway station. The Brickyard is a live music venue on Fisher St, 50 yards east of the castle. West Walls Theatre (aka Green Room) is 200 yards north of the railway station. The Sands Centre is an events and live music venue on the south riverbank by the A7 bridge. Stanwix Theatre is on the university campus along Brampton Rd, a mile northeast of town centre. Football: 1 Carlisle United, Brunton Park, Warwick Rd CA1 1LL, ☏ +44 1228 526237. "The Cumbrians" were relegated in 2024 and again in 2025 so they now play soccer in National League, the fifth tier. Brunton Park (capacity 18,000) is oversized for their present status, and sometimes floods, but plans to move elsewhere have flopped. (updated May 2025) Carlisle City play soccer in the amateur leagues at Gifford Park two miles south of town centre. Rugby: Carlisle RUFC play in the amateur leagues at Warwick Rd, 200 yards west of Brunton Park stadium. Carlisle Jazz Club meet at the rugby club on Warwick Rd on Thursday evenings from 8:30PM. 2 Eden Rock, 9 Brunel Way, Durranhill Industrial Estate CA1 3NQ, ☏ +44 1228 522127, [email protected]. M-F 10AM-10PM, Sa Su 10AM-8PM. Bouldering wall with 1000 m2 of climbing surface. Adult £9.50. (updated Nov 2024) 3 Carlisle Racecourse, Durdar Rd CA2 4TS, ☏ +44 1228 554700. This has flat-racing Apr-Oct and National Hunt (jumps) races Nov-March.

Town centre strip is along Lowther St and Warwick Rd. Here are SanaS, Coco Mill, Print Yard, Thin White Duke, In The Meantime, The Last Zebra, Royal Outpost, Penny Blue, Sage & Vine, La Mezzaluna, Casa Romana, Michelangelo, Gianni's, David's, and Alexandros (below). Foxes Cafe Lounge, 18 Abbey St CA3 8TX (100 yards NW of cathedral), ☏ +44 1228 497402. Daily 9AM-3PM. Grand little cafe near the main sights. (updated Nov 2024) Alexandros, 68 Warwick Road CA1 1DR, ☏ +44 1228 592227. Tu-Sa noon-3PM, 5-9PM. Great reviews for Greek food and ambience here. If in doubt, order the meze selection (updated Nov 2024)

Botchergate by the station has The William Rufus (below), Woodrow Wilson (below), The Griffin, Walkabout (below), The Caledonian, Cumberland Inn and Brewdog. 1 The William Rufus, 10 Botchergate CA1 1QS, ☏ +44 1228 633160. Su-Th 8AM-midnight, F Sa 8AM-1AM. Reliable JD Wetherspoon with good selection of food and ale. (updated Nov 2024) Woodrow Wilson is another Spoons almost next door at 48 Botchergate, similar hours and offerings. Walkabout, 6 Botchergate CA1 1RP, ☏ +44 1228 554980. Su-W noon-midnight, Th-Sa noon-3AM. Australian-themed chain pub, sports bar and restaurant. (updated Nov 2024) King's Head Inn, Fisher Street CA3 8RF (100 yards east of cathedral), ☏ +44 1228 533797. M-Sa 10AM-11PM, Su noon-11PM. Lively pub with great selection of cask ales, plus TV sport and live music. (updated Nov 2024) Carlisle Brewing Company is on Kingstown Broadway near M6 jcn 44. No tours or taproom, but their beer is on sale in city pubs.

1 Ibis Carlisle City Centre, Botchergate CA1 1RL (100 yards SE of railway station), ☏ +44 1228 587690. Decent Accor chain hotel, very central. B&B double £70. (updated Nov 2024) 2 Travelodge Carlisle Central, Cecil St CA1 1NL (200 yards NE of railway station), ☏ +44 871 984 6374. Boxy downtown hotel, comfy enough. B&B double £70. (updated Nov 2024) 3 Premier Inn Carlisle Central, Warwick Rd CA1 2WF, ☏ +44 333 777 3988. Reliable budget chain. This is the most central of their four hotels around town. B&B double £90. (updated Nov 2024) Premier Inn Carlisle Central North is on A7 Kingstown Rd two miles north of town centre. Premier Inn Carlisle M6 Jct 44 is three miles north of the centre, junction of M6 and A7. Premier Inn Carlisle M6 Jct 42 is five miles south of the centre, junction of M6 and A6. 4 Willowbeck Lodge, Lambley Bank, Scotby CA4 8BX (off jcn 43 of M6), ☏ +44 1228 513607. Charming spacious place, an oasis of calm off the busy motorway. B&B double £170. (updated Nov 2024) 5 Travelodge Carlisle Todhills, Warwick Rd CA1 2WF, ☏ +44 871 984 6127. Budget motel at Moto service station, only accessible via southbound M6. B&B double £90. (updated Nov 2024) 6 Pentonbridge Inn, Penton CA6 5QB (five miles east of Canonbie on B6318), ☏ +44 1228 56636. Great reviews for this former coaching inn turned into a smart modern hotel. B&B double £260. (updated Nov 2024) Self catering: scores of places available, usually in renovated farm cottages and let by the week.

Manchester Airport (MAN IATA) is usually best choice for its global connections and competitive fares. An hourly direct train from the airport takes two hours to Carlisle and continues to Glasgow. Newcastle upon Tyne (NCL IATA) and Glasgow (GLA IATA) airports are reasonable alternatives. Carlisle Lake District Airport (CAX IATA) has air freight, aircraft maintenance and private light aviation but no commercial flights. From time to time there's upbeat talk of relaunching these, but the list of flopped ventures is longer than the list of destinations ever served. It's six miles east of town near Brampton, see below for the aviation museum at the airport. Trains run hourly from London Euston, taking 3 hr 20 min via Warrington, Wigan, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme (for Lake District) and Penrith, and continuing from Carlisle non-stop to Glasgow Central (another 70 min). Trains from Manchester Airport and Piccadilly, and from Liverpool Lime Street, also run via Preston to Carlisle and continue to Lockerbie, where they branch either for Motherwell and Glasgow Central, or for Edinburgh Haymarket and Waverley. An hourly train runs from Dumfries via Annan and Gretna to Carlisle. Every few hours these start from Glasgow Central and meander through Kilmarnock and a dozen small places. Trains run every 30 min from Newcastle upon Tyne, taking 90 min via Metrocentre, Prudhoe, Hexham, Haltwhistle and Brampton. Some start from Morpeth.

Most sights are within walking distance of the centre. Stagecoach Bus 93 follows the route of Hadrian's Wall west of town, running 2-3 times a day to Glasson, Port Carlisle, Bowness-on-Solway, Anthorn and Kilbride. A dozen taxi firms ply the town and nearby countryside. Car hire is available from Glenrental, Europcar, Budget, Avis and Enterprise.