Coronation Celebration Programme
We are excited to announce that the Kirkby Lonsdale Coronation celebration will be taking place on Saturday 6th -Monday 8th May! Find out more here.
Category: Things-to-do
Fell Pilgrims with The Family Project
Family Friendly Fell Pilgrim Walk
Join The Family Project for a family friendly Fell Pilgrim walk on the last Sunday of every month this May - September at 9am -11am with tea and biscuits at Bartholomew's Church afterwards. Fell Pilgrims' aim is to explore the sacred places of the fells through pilgrimage and discover the wildness of God in the natural environment.
Meet at 9am at...
Storytime at The Book Lounge
Weekly Storytime with The Family Project
Every Wednesday The Family Project invites preschoolers and parents to Storytime at The Book Lounge 11-11.30am. Together we will hear about different characters from the Bible as we explore tales of adventure and mystery.
Story time is completely free - look forward to seeing you there!
Starting Wednesday 7th September Contact
Contact Lol at The...
16 walking guides to discover beautiful hikes around Kirkby Lonsdale
During Lockdown 3 we worked with locals to achieve the following three goals: Support the Kirkby Lonsdale community during lockdown by recommending local walks to help keep busy and healthy. Place an emphasis on mindfulness when offering advice and activities to the community. Continue spotlighting local businesses and recognising outstanding contributions to the community These promises are just...
Mooch Around Kirkby Lonsdale’s Independent High Street Online with Grace Metcalfe’s Beautiful Illustrations
Mooch around Kirkby Lonsdale from the comfort of your own home with Grace Metcalfe's beautiful illustrations. Admire the beautiful buildings and quirky independent shops Kirkby Lonsdale has to offer and soak up the character of each independent business as you shop online. Even better yet, if your local or when government regulations allowed, mooch around Kirkby Lonsdale in real life and match up...
The Vault Story Trail: Unlock Kirkby Lonsdale’s Hidden Stories
Our seven stories of the vault are now out and about on benches around town. Start at the bench in Jubilee Field at Devils Bridge. Follow the pedestrian pathway into town and you will find another, this time a sad story outside The Royal Hotel. If you would like to find more walk across the road to the bench outside Information and Gift Shop. You have now found three of our seven stories....
Kirkby Lonsdale Country Market
Opening Hours
Every Thursday 10am - 12pm
About the Country Market
Kirkby Lonsdale Country Market is a successful, friendly co-operative with a community feel. Run in accordance with Country Markets Limited, the country market encourage people to discover the diversity and deliciousness of local British food as well as showcasing talented crafts people and artists. Kirkby Lonsdale members bring...
Guided Vault Walks: Discover Our Rich Cultural History
We know our own town better than anyone so let us show you around on one of our guided Vault Walks!Book onto a guided Vault Walk and delve into the mysteries & histories of Kirkby Lonsdale. Venture through the cobbled streets and secret ginnels with one of our local trained guides. Previous Next WhenFirst and third Friday and Saturday of each month at 11.30 am. Walks last about 50...
Kirkby Lonsdale Family Trail
Do you struggle to get your family out walking?
Local resident Rachel Wilkinson designed this downloadable Family Trail to keep her seven year old twin girls occupied on their lockdown walks. The trail and fun quiz of Kirkby Lonsdale takes less than an hour and is an easy walk. The answers are on the second page so be aware when printing it off that there might be spoilers! Let us...
Cycling
Kirkby Lonsdale is an ideal location to base yourself for bike rides in the Lakes and Dales. You can start with some circular bike rides around Sedbergh, Dentdale and the Lune Valley. Barbon Beck provides a watery ride along the riverside. Or try biking to Milnthorpe and through the deer park and along the coast road to Arnside. If you still have energy you can then push on to Silverdale. ...
Walks
There are many short walks you can access from the town. You can visit the Tourist Information & Gift Shop for maps and books containing short and long walks and you will find 16 walking guides to discover beautiful hikes around Kirkby Lonsdale on our website.A short loop taking in the famous Ruskin's view, the radical steps, the river and Devil's Bridge will take about an hour or less. At...
St Mary’s Church
Also known as Kirkby Lonsdale Parish Church, the Church of St Mary the Virgin is a must see when you are visiting the town. The church is Norman, probably built between 1093 and 1130 with a range of architectural styles. The north aisle has three impressive Norman columns, similar to Durham Cathedral, with a diamond pattern on the stone. The tower houses six bells, the oldest dating from...
Market Square
The Market Square, with its distinctive monument, is perhaps the heart of Kirkby Lonsdale. Every Thursday you will find the Charter Market, selling fresh produce and goods since 1227. The Square is lined with little shops, cafes and the beautiful Royal Hotel. At Christmas you will find a magnificent Christmas Tree and the chalet market. Other times you might stumble across a brass band...
Kirkby Lonsdale Charter Market
Our Charter Market runs every Thursday in the Market Square and has done for centuries.We also have a farmers’ market in Lunesdale Hall running 10am-12pm the same day.You can buy lots of local produce including fruit and veg, plants, jewellery, handicrafts and a selection of hot food to keep you going until dinner time.
Festivals and Events
We have an exciting line up of festivals and events this year, Covid 19 restrictions permitting. These include a Spoken Word and Poetry Festival on 26th and 27th September, and our Christmas Fair and Market weekend on 4th– 6th December. We’ll bring you more news as we have it.
Salt Pie Lane
Salt Pie Lane is a highlight on any Kirkby Lonsdale walking tour. For a start it’s seriously cute. But it has a great story too. Pre-1911 the lane was known as ‘Cattle Market Yard,’ as cattle used to be sold in the adjoining Horse Market. A local entrepreneur living on Cattle Market Yard made hot salted mutton pies for sale to the traders. After eating the pies people felt it ...
Ruskin’s View
Ruskin’s View is Kirkby Lonsdale’s most famous landmark and you simply can’t visit without seeing it. Follow the path through the churchyard of St Mary’s in the centre of town and you will find yourself at Church Brow, a walkway and viewpoint looking down onto the River Lune. Every day the view looks different yet for centuries it has been the same; a breathtaking panorama of the Lune...
Radical Steps and River Walk
The characterful and aptly named Radical Steps provide a steep and sometimes slippery descent to a delightful walk by the river. If you aren’t feeling energetic, we suggest you walk down them and follow a different route back to town, as we don’t use the word ‘steep’ lightly in Cumbria! You can walk to Devil's Bridge on the river path.
The Vault: Interactive Cinema
Unlock the Vault today and discover Kirkby Lonsdale’s hidden stories!Enter through the iron door at the Information & Gift Shop and discover the interactive cinema called the Vault...Step back in time and meet the historical characters with their stories of Kirkby Lonsdale, concealed amongst the old safety deposit boxes at the back of The Old Bank building. You will be in the company...
Devil’s Bridge
With free parking, picnic tables and a butty van that serves great food, Devil’s Bridge is used to catering for the families who flock to it in the summer months, along with divers who train under its depths and the motorcyclists on a day out. Spanning the River Lune to the south and east of Kirkby Lonsdale this three-arched bridge is thought to date back to the 12th or 13th century, and is a...