The Eden Valley is perfect for walking holidays.
We are surrounded by glorious countryside, lovely traffic-free country roads, awe-inspiring lakes and fells, and picturesque sleepy villages.
The area has a wealth of excellent walking, hiking, and cycling routes, and we want all of our guests to get out and enjoy it!
Check out our blog for more information on walking and more in the area!
To help you make the most of your stay at The Kings Arms, we offer packed lunches (which must be booked in advance), several of the guidebooks for the walks listed below available at the hotel, and a drying room should you get caught out in the rain.
Our walking partners are the best!
We are delighted to partner with established walking tour companies Brigantes, Mickledore, and Absolute Escapes. These companies can help you plan your walking and cycling holidays and assist with baggage transfers.
If you want to walk in the Lakes, Eden Valley or Cumbria in general but prefer to have a guide, we highly recommend booking a Private Guided Walk with the lovely guides at Muddy Boots Walking Holidays.
Short Walk Routes
If you are not on a walking holiday, but looking to enjoy a shorter walk during your stay at The Kings Arms Hotel then we have put together the following list for you to look through.
These are all walks which you can easily do in a day or an afternoon (the distances are all given). Some are a short drive away, and others start and finish at the hotel itself.
We hope that you will be able to find the perfect stroll to suit you.
Acorn Bank Walk
The National Trust property Acorn Bank House, renowned for its delightful gardens, herb and fruit orchards, is just a 20 minute walk away from The Kings Arms Hotel in Temple Sowerby.
The house dates back to the 13th century when it was originally owned by the Knights Templar from who the village of Temple Sowerby got its name.
The National Trust has come up with a walk from Temple Sowerby through the gardens of Acorn Bank House and into Newbiggin past the Church of St Edmund and Crowdundle Beck, before heading back to Temple Sowerby. The walk is 3.2 miles long and will take roughly 1 and a half hours.
For more information on the Acorn Bank Walk, click here.
Eden Valley Church Trails
Eden Valley’s natural beauty has helped to inspire a wealth of delightful church architecture spanning a thousand years. Penrith Tourist Information Centre’s Eden Valley Church Trails take in some of the most fascinating aspects of the regions Christian heritage and at the same time, guide you through scenic countryside and picturesque villages which reveal the true character of this unspoiled corner of Cumbria.
There are three different Eden Valley Church Trail routes, all of which are intended to start from the historic market town of Penrith (just a 15 minute drive away from The Kings Arms Hotel).
The routes include the following village churches; St Andrews in Penrith, Edenhall Church, Kirkland Church, St Augustine’s in Alston, The Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Nenthead, Church of St Oswald in Kirkoswald, St Ninian’s Church in Brougham, St Lawrence Church in Morland and many more. These churches show the wide variety of architecture styles throughout the county.
For more information on the Eden Valley walks, click here.
Northern Viaducts Trust Walks
The Northern Viaducts Trust have restored three viaducts; Smardale, Merrygill and Podgill along the old track bed of the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway 1857.
The old track bed is now a lovely flat walk enriched with history as walkers can imagine the railway line that was once there. The walk includes signal box ruins and information signs which tell the story of the industry history and how the old railway would have been used.
These walks are fascinating and a good way to relax on a sunny day. There are two different routes recommended by the Northern Viaducts Trust, one starting from the market town of Kirkby Stephen which goes over Podgill and Merrygill viaducts (5km / 3miles – approx. 1 hour and 30mins) and another from Smardale which goes over Smardale viaduct (7km / 4.25 miles – approx. 2 hour). Kirkby Stephen is about a 25 minute drive from Temple Sowerby and from there it is a further 10 minute drive to get to Smardale. Both walks are quite short and can easily be combined for those wanting a longer day’s walk.
For more information on the Northern Viaduct Trust Walks, please click here.
Long Walk Routes
We have listed some of the popular long walks which pass through Temple Sowerby.
If you are interested in completing one of these walks we would be an ideal one-night stop off along the way. We can also recommend good local walking holiday companies who will happily organise your walking holiday and even transport your luggage from one hotel to the next, leaving you free to enjoy your walk and the beautiful landscape.
Lady Anne's Way
Lady Anne’s Way is the classic long distance walk passing through some of Britain’s most stunning scenery on its 100 mile journey from Skipton to Penrith. Starting at the magnificent Skipton Castle, the Way passes through the beautiful and popular Yorkshire Dales on its way into Cumbria and the hidden delights of the Upper Eden Valley.
The route was inspired by Lady Anne Clifford, that indomitable lady who owned vast estates in the old county of Westmorland during the seventeenth century. Lady Anne travelled repeatedly between her castles and the route takes in these once magnificent buildings, many now sadly in ruins.
Although originally devised and written as a six day walk, there is now a nine day alternative. This enables you to take things at a more leisurely pace and allows more time to visit places of interest en route.
Of course, you can take as long as you like to do the Way – or just do an odd day!
For more information on Lady Anne’s Way, please click here.
Settle Carlisle Way
The Settle to Carlisle Way is a recently developed route that runs from station to station, mostly within sight of the famous railway.
It runs for 97 miles (156km), starting from Settle and soon enjoying great views of the Three Peaks as it progresses through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, past the Ribblehead Viaduct and over Blea Moor tunnel. Entering Cumbria via lonely Mallerstang, the Way passes beneath Wild Boar Fell and descends gently through lovely valley of the River Eden.
Here it passes Long Meg and her Daughters stone circle and moves on to Armathwaite, ending in the historic border city of Carlisle.
Because the Way tends to stay close to the railway you are likely to hear or see trains at many points along the route and possibly in summer you may spot the Fellsman steam engine special to add atmosphere and excitement to your walk.
The route is not waymarked, so it is essential to have the guidebook to complete this long distance path. It follows public footpaths, bridleways and country roads and includes sections of the Pennine Bridleway and the Ribble Way.
The proximity of the railway increases flexibility in the ways in which the route can be walked. Although you may want to walk it as a continuous journey stopping at different places each night, the railway allows for the Way to be walked as a series of day walks from a central base.
For more information on the Settle Carlisle Way please click here.
