Kirkby Stephen

Stone cottages line the main street like ancient sentinels, their limestone walls weathered to a soft grey that speaks of centuries weathering Yorkshire Dales storms. Kirkby Stephen sits in the upper Eden Valley, where three counties once met before boundary changes shuffled the maps. It's proper fell country here - wild and windswept.

The town serves as a crucial stop on the Coast to Coast path, so walkers with heavy packs trudge through regularly, seeking hot meals and warm beds. But beyond its role as a hikers' pit stop, this market town has real character. The old railway station may be gone, but the Victorian terraces remain, and local shops still serve the farming communities scattered across these high moors.

Fell walkers have their pick of summits. Lunds Fell offers cracking views across three counties, while the twin peaks of Near and Far Harthorn Crag provide easier climbs with equally rewarding panoramas. For something completely different, the Roman fort at Verterae reminds you that legions once marched these same valleys, keeping watch over Britannia's northern frontier.

Getting here means following the A685 from Kendal or the A66 from Penrith - both proper journeys through spectacular countryside. The nearest train station is at Penrith, about 25 miles northeast. From a holiday park base, you're perfectly placed for exploring both the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District's quieter eastern edges. Wild Rose Holiday Park and several other sites dot the surrounding valleys, giving you that rural tranquillity while keeping the town's amenities within easy reach.