Sedbergh Tourist Information

Outdoor Activities in Sedbergh

If you are visiting Sedbergh to take advantage of its excellent walking paths and trails, you should consider going on an organised walk. There are many companies in and around Sedbergh that offer guided walks around the Dales. This is a great way to experience the landscape, as your guide can inform you of the local history and wildlife on your walk.

The Howgill Fells are a group of hills near Sedbergh. Some of the areas in there fells are quite steep, although there is a lot of it that is easygoing. If you want a real challenge you should try climbing The Calf, which is the Howgills' highest face.

For a truly spectacular sight, you can walk to Cautley Spout which is England's highest above-ground waterfall, and actually runs down the side of The Calf. Apart from the waterfall's height, it stands out for another reason as well - instead of it contained a sheer drop, it simply cascades down the hill. The waterfall is incredibly dramatic and, at the foot of the waterfall, you can see the remains of an Iron Age settlement.

For those of you who prefer travelling on horseback, you can do so to your heart's content in the Dales. There are loads of bridleways that you can take that will allow you to discover this beautiful landscape, and if you don't have a horse or you couldn't bring it on your holiday you can always visit one of the riding centres in the area and borrow one of theirs!

Historical Attractions in Sedbergh

Sedbergh's history can be traced all the way back to Saxon times, and there have been a lot of archaeological finds in the area. To discover some of them, visit Dent Village Heritage Centre the nearby village of Dent. The building that the centre is housed in was once the filling station, but it was extended with the help of local labour. Each room in the house is filled with Victorian artefacts - there is a kitchen, a pantry, a parlour and more.

St Gregory's Church is located one and a half miles from Sedbergh and stands out due to its attractive stained glass windows - instead of depicting religious scenes, they are of nature. The church was built in 1860, but it no longer holds services now and, instead, is open to the public every day, so you can go and see the unusual windows for yourself.

A wonderful day out for children is to be had at Holme Open Farm in Sedbergh. It is a traditional working farm and has more than you might expect on offer. As well as the usual farm tours, feeding the animals and tractor rides you can examine the authentic Roman road that runs through the farm and visit the Stone Age settlement nearby.

Once, Sedbergh was known as a hub of trade - yarn and textiles were created in the town's many mills. A lot of the mills are still standing today, such as the Victorian mill that the Fairfield Mill Arts & Heritage Centre is in today. The four floors of the mill and taken up by artists, who create, exhibit and sell their work. On the fourth floor there are real, working floor and hand looms that you can use to create your own art.

Shopping in Sedbergh

As Sedbergh is a book town, it is understandable that a large majority of the shops in the town are dedicated to them. A lot of them sell second hand books, but there are some that sell new ones. You can unearth some real finds for your collection in them, and if you are having trouble locating a certain book you can often find help from the owners of these shops.

There are a lot of markets held in Sedbergh, such as the common market that is held every week and the farmer's market on the last Wednesday between April and September. You can buy local produce, clothes, household essentials, freshly baked cakes and treats and much more from these markets.

If you are looking for a nice cafe to have a sit down in, look no further than the Post Office Cafe. They serve cakes, biscuits, coffee, tea and a selection of soft drinks and light lunches that you can either take away or eat in. As you may have guessed, this cafe is actually inside the post office as well!

Sedbergh has a surprising amount of pubs that you can have a drink in, many of which also serve food. The Dalesman Pub have a range of real ales, spirits, beers, wines and other drinks available that you can drink alongside their home cooked meals made with seasonal produce.

Photo Credits

St Andrews Church image contributed by John Darch. Waterside viaduct image contributed by Ralph Rawlinson. market town image contributed by Colin Smith. All images are copyrighted but licensed for further reuse under the Creative Commons License.