If you’re wondering what to do on your visit to Kendal then we’ve put together our top 10 attractions to use as a handy guide. Kendal is an historic market town featuring cobbled streets, years and many references to its industrial past.
Kendal offers a diverse range of tourist attractions and visitor location to suit any interests, budgets and age groups.
Here are our favourite top 10 places to visit in Kendal:
1. Kendal Castle
Widely acceptable to be dating back to late 12th century, Kendal Castle is well worth exploring. The castle ruins are easily accessible from anywhere in the town and offer fabulous views over the town and surrounding landscape.
The castle’s most famous residents are The Parr family with its most famous member being Katherine Parr, the 6th wife of Henry VIII.
Most of the castle walls survive alongside one of the towers, Castle hill offers an idyllic walk although some up climbing is required.
2. Kendal Museum
A much underrated visitor attraction in Kendal. In Kendal Museum you’ll find a host of internationally recognised collections. The Museum offers a range of events, tours and talks for all ages.
Kendal Museum has a long history and was originally founded in 1796 and as well as being a visitor attraction it also provides teaching facilities as part of Kendal College.
3. Museum Of Lakeland Life & Industry
Surround yourself with a wealth of Lake District history. Discover Lakeland’s past in farming and mining as well as step into a Victorian farmhouse.
Discover how the landscape shaped the area and people’s lives including the opportunity to walk down a Victorian high street.
4. Kendal Leisure Centre
Kendal Leisure boasts a 25 metre indoor pool, learner pool, large and newly refurbished gym, sports hall and conference suites. The sports all also doubles up as a 900 seat theatre and live venue. It’s a fantastic location for locals and visitors alike.
There’s always something to do there for all abilities and ages.
5. Hawkshead Brewery
Based in Staveley just a few miles north of Kendal is the Hawkshead Brewery, complete with public beer hall. The beer hall always has a wide range of beers available.
Having originally started out of a barn just outside Hawkshead the brewing company now produces 6,700 barrels per year.
6. Quaker Tapestry
The 77 (44 on display in Kendal) embroidered panels that make up the Quaker Tapestry were made by 4,000 men, women and children from 15 countries between 1981 and 1996.
The panels present a journey through the Quaker influence on the modern world, as well as display stunning needlework and craftsmanship.
7. Brewery Arts Centre
The Brewery Arts Centre is a thriving arts organisation located in Kendal town centre. The location includes a cinema, bar & restaurant, theatre and live venue.
The centre regularly hosts live performances and exhibitions with famous faces such as comedians and bands appearing. You can also see the latest movies in the 2 screen cinema.
8. Kendal Climbing Wall
Kendal Wall boats the highest indoor climbing wall in England, along with indoor bouldering. The indoor aerial adventure is Europe’s first indoor Via Ferrata.
Whatever you ability they offer a wide range of sessions and facilities for both beginners and experienced climbers. Going along and enjoy all the fun and adrenaline that climbing has to offer.
9. Sizergh Castle
This National Trust attraction has been the home to the Strickland family for over 750 years. Set in large and beautifully landscaped gardens, Sizergh Castle dates back to the 14th century.
10. Abbot Hall Art Gallery
For over 50 years Abbot Hall Art Gallery has built an outstanding reputation for showing exhibitions of national and international artists. Housed in what in days gone by was Kendal’s only Grade 1 listed building it was transformed into an art gallery in 1962 following a period of dereliction where it was threatened with demolition.
Barrow Tenement
If you’re planning a trip to Kendal then Barrow Tenement offers your perfect accommodation. Barrow Tenement offers guests a well presented, spacious house in a charming hamlet between Kendal and Windermere. The holiday cottage has been a much loved family home for many years and now offers guests a particularly comfortable base from which to make the most of all that the area has to offer.
You can check booking availability online.
