‘Cosy’ city ‘packed full of history’ named UK’s worst to visit

Carlisle has officially been named the worst city to sojourn successful the UK. But if you look a small deeper, this overlooked spot mightiness conscionable astonishment you. 

‘The full creation of yawning mightiness person been learned there’ said Keats of the Cumbrian town, which came past successful an autarkic survey of 69 cities crossed the country.

The research, by The Telegraph, ranked cities for tourism connected factors similar hospitality and amenities, civilization and heritage, quality and greenish abstraction and transport. 

While the likes of Bath and Wells scored highly successful each categories, Carlisle totalled conscionable 43 retired of a imaginable 250 points. The determination received 16 for hospitality, 15 for quality and greenish spaces, 8 for civilization and heritage, and a measly 4 for transport.

Part of the crushed for this – arsenic good arsenic the metropolis not being big to immoderate Michelin-listed restaurants – is simply a deficiency of high-rated pubs, hotels and museums, alongside a transgression complaint that’s little than favourable. 

However, the work highlighted: ‘Carlisle is not a horrible place though, by immoderate means.’

And though it was described by 1 Tripadvisor reviewer arsenic ‘a comic aged town’, determination are plentifulness of reasons to take it for your adjacent UK metropolis break.

Why you should sojourn Carlisle

Carlisle is 1 of Britain’s oldest cities, with a castle built successful 1092 by William the Conqueror’s lad that was an important tract successful the centuries-long conflict betwixt the English and Scots.

Hadrian’s Wall besides starts there, and arsenic a result, parts of the metropolis are built into the structure. 

Often referred to arsenic ‘the Great Border City’, Carlisle sits close astatine the apical of the M6 and marks the precise extremity of England, conscionable earlier you deed Scotland. It’s conscionable a abbreviated thrust from the Lake District and truthful adjacent to Scotland that you tin locomotion there. 

It’s described arsenic a ‘gateway city’ too, which writer Ruth Bushi explains successful The Independent ‘means radical travel present to spell determination else, but there’s nary insult successful it’. 

On the much affirmative side, Scottish Field question writer Megan Amato comments, ‘Carlisle is packed afloat of history,’ adding that it ‘has overmuch much to connection than arsenic a refuelling halt connected the mode to the Lake District.’

Another reviewer connected StudentHut says: ‘Small cosy metropolis that makes it casual to get around, with beauteous past and architecture to research during the time and a amazingly eventful nightlife.’

What to bash successful Carlisle

As already mentioned, the metropolis has tons to connection for past lovers, with Carlisle Castle, Hadrian’s Wall and the Citadel. There’s besides the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery wherever you tin find section past nestled amongst classical creation exhibitions and indie films. 

If you similar your food, beryllium definite to work up connected what farmers markets and nutrient festivals are happening, arsenic there’s an array of events passim the year. There’s besides an eclectic premix of gourmet pubs, tiny restaurants and cafes.

Abbey Street is worthy a sojourn too, location to a premix of cuisines, brunch cafes and the legendary Vinyl Cafe, which is an all-in-one grounds shop, unrecorded euphony venue and cafe.

Or if walking and exploring is your thing, Carlisle offers sprawling parks specified arsenic Bitts Park and Rickerby Park, alongside the gorgeous countryside of the Lakes and Scottish border. 

How to get to Carlisle

It takes conscionable implicit 3 hours to get to Carlisle by bid from London. According to Trainline, determination are usually 48 trains per time for this route, and tickets commencement from conscionable £18 each erstwhile you publication successful advance.

By car, it’s reachable connected the M6, with the travel taking astir 5 hours from the capital.

This nonfiction was archetypal published connected April 20, 2024.

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