Local Area Information

Dufton is a lovely quiet village situated at the foot of the beautiful North Pennines and is ideally situated for exploring the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales which are just a short drive away.

The historic market town of Appleby-in- Westmorland in only 3 miles away with a good selection of independent shops, cafes and restaurants.

Dufton has an excellent village pub called “The Stag Inn” which is very popular with a stunning view of Dufton Pike from the beer garden. Booking is advisable if you want to eat https://thestagdufton.co.uk/

It won’t take long to realise why the North Pennines is recognised as an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are a variety of walks from your doorstep to suit all abilities and vary in length from 30 mins to several hours depending on your fitness levels and inclination. You will find a guidebook to the North Pennines walks plus an OS maps in the cottage but a few local favourites are:

• Dufton Ghyll - a lovely ancient woodland which is one of the few remaining north-west outposts for the native red squirrel. 

• Dufton Pike - the shapely pyramid peak that overlooks the village. Short but steep!

• High Cup Nick -  the “Grand Canyon” of England with its magnificent U-shaped valley carved out of the Pennines by ancient glaziers. Ranked highly in ITV’s Britain’s top 100 walks

Dufton is also perfectly positioned between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales should you wish to be more adventurous - Ullswater (20 mins) or Blencathra (25 mins)  or Keswick (40 mins)are only a short drive away.

Historic Houses and other Places to Visit

• Acorn Bank (National Trust)

• Appleby Castle and Norman Keep

• Brougham Hall

• Brougham Castle (English Heritage)

• Dalemain Mansion and Historic Gardens

Rainy Days

Yes, we do get rain in the Eden Valley but not thankfully not as much as the Lake District! However, if wet weather walking isn’t your thing there are plenty of other activities to keep you busy. Here are some more suggestions for things to do around Dufton:

• Alhambra Cinema in Penrith – a quirky old fashioned and intimate cinema 
• Rheged Centre - gallery café, cinema, and shopping venue

• Barnard Castle

• Kirkby Lonsdale

• Gretna Gateway Outlet Village

• Carlisle

Feeling Active?

• Whinlatter, Keswick – mountain biking heaven with trails from black to blue as well as Go Ape

• Canyoning & Climbing experiences can be booked from Keswick