Wigton

Market day brings Wigton properly alive, with farmers and locals filling the cobbled square every Tuesday and Saturday. This ancient market town sits on the edge of the Solway Plain, where Cumberland's gentle countryside meets the dramatic fells that rise to the east. The town itself keeps things real - no tourist tat here, just proper working pubs and independent shops serving the surrounding farming community.

Carrock Fell dominates the eastern horizon, its distinctive profile marking the start of serious Lakeland territory. The climb rewards with cracking views across the Solway Firth to Scotland. For something gentler, Bowscale Tarn offers a lovely circular walk through typical Border country - rolling green fields giving way to bracken-covered slopes. The old Carrock Wolframite Mine adds a touch of industrial heritage to any fell walk.

Wigton makes an excellent base for exploring this quieter corner of Cumberland. The town sits roughly halfway between Carlisle and the Lake District proper, connected by decent roads that avoid the worst of the tourist traffic. Local woods like Howgill and Millfield provide easy family walks, while the array of peaks - from The Tongue to Great Lingy Hill - offers proper hiking for those wanting to stretch their legs.

Staying at one of the nearby parks puts you within striking distance of both the Solway coast and the Northern Lakes. Caldbeck, famous for John Peel the huntsman, lies just over the fell. The M6 runs close enough for easy access, but far enough away that you won't hear the traffic from your tent.