• Alston
• Allonby And Aspatria
• Ambleside And Troutbeck
• Appleby In Westmoreland
• Askam In Furness
• Barrow In Furness
• Bassenthwaite
• Borrowdale
• Bowness On Windermere
• Brough
• Buttermere
• Brampton
• Broughton In Furness
• Carlisle
• Cartmel
• Cleator Moor
• Cockermouth
• Coniston
• Dalston
• Dalton In Furness
• Dent
• Grange Over Sands
• Grasmere
• Greenodd
• Grizedale
• Hawkshead
• Kendal
• Keswick
• Kirkby Lonsdale
• Wasdale And Gosforth
• Kirkby Stephen
• Longtown
• Loweswater
• Maryport
• Melmerby
• Milnthorpe
• Nenthead
• Newby Bridge
• Orton
• Penrith
• Pooley Bridge
• Ravenglass And Eskdale
• Sedbergh
• Seascale
• Shap
• Silloth And Solway
• St Bees
• Skiddaw
• Staveley
• Tebay
• The Duddon Valley
• Threlkeld
• Ulverston
• Vale Of Lorton
• Wasdale
• Wetheral
• Whitehaven
• Wigton
• Windermere
• Workington
• Spa Hotels In Windermere The Lake District
• Hotels With Hot Tubs In Windermere
• Hot Tub Hotels In Windermere And The Lake District
• Romantic Breaks In Windermere And The Lake District
• Themed Hotels In Windermere And The Lake District
• Weekend Breaks In Windermere
• Windermere Attractions And Boat Trips
• Boutique Hotels And Accommodation In Windermere And The Lake District
• Windermere In The Rain
• One Way Ticket To Windermere Por Favor
• Horse Riding In The Lake District
• Walks In The Lake District
• Windermere Boutique Hotel Bedrooms
• Holiday Accommodation Wanted In The Lake District

Alston the Lake District

Famous for being the highest market town in England, Alston in the Lake District, sits at the junction of several trans-Pennine routes and is a charming place to visit. Steep, cobbled streets, mingle with hidden courtyards and quaint old shops which entice visitors.

If you are touring around the Lake District and Alston, take a trip to Alston Moor, which is a rugged and diverse landscape, which is famous for its rare alpine flowers and moorland birds.
Alston Moor was once one of the richest mining areas in Britain, and reminders of the days gone by are everywhere. Grassed over spoil heaps, sunken pits and rusting machinery are all proof of bygone Alston, where lead mining was the main industry. Nenthead and Garrigill are also worth visiting, and the Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre shows the history of the mines.

Some 300,000 tons of lead was extracted from the mines at Nenthead, and many reservoirs and water wheels were constructed to sort the lead ore from the waste rock, crush stone and power bellows. Woodlands were also planted to provide timber for pit props, and ponies were used extensively to pull loaded wagons out of the mines.

The population of Alston Moor was five times what it is now in the mid 19th century, but by the 1880´s the falling price of lead and overseas competition saw the beginning of the end for the area as a major producer of lead. The lead mines eventually closed in the early 1960´s.
If you are looking to explore the countryside around Alston, including the Pennine Way, South Tynedale Trail and Isaac´s Tea Trail, you can enjoy a weekend break in the Lake District in one of the many hotels or guest houses around Alston.

The Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre

Visit the Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre to learn about the stories of men, women and children who worked in the mines, and you can descend into the underground workings of one of England´s highest mining complexes. Here you will see at first-hand how lead, zinc and silver were pulled from the ground, and you can also pan for minerals and gemstones and control a working waterwheel. This exhibition is informative and fun, and a café and shop are situated on the complex.

Isaac´s Tea Trail Alston the Lake District

Following in the footsteps of Isaac Holden, a travelling tea seller who sold his wares door to door in Alston Moor in the 1830´s, the aptly-named Isaac´s Tea Trail is a circular trail which starts at Ninebanks Youth Hostel, and follows the course of the Nent River between Nenthead and Alston.

The Pennine Way the Lake District

The famous Pennine Way is 268 miles long, and takes the walkers along the Pennine roof of England. Crossing over Cross Fell, and descending to Garrigill, the route follows the South Tyne to Alston and on to Gilsland. Spectacular scenery accompanies walkers who attempt to tackle the Pennine Way, and hotel accommodation in the Lake District is easy to find.

The South Tyne Trail

The South Tyne Trail is a 23 mile walking and cycling route which follows the course of the South Tyne River.  Beginning at Garrigill and ending at Haltwhistle, this trail is one of the most popular in the area, and takes the walkers through some beautiful countryside en route.

Alston Walks

If you want to stay closer to Alston, you can work out your own trail to take you around the town and visit some of the many places of interest in the town. Pick up a leaflet from Alston Tourist Information Centre. A short heritage walk around the village of Nenthead is also worth doing if you want to get out and about in the countryside.

The Hub Alston the Lake District

The Hub is a small museum of local history and transport, crammed with transport artefacts and memorabilia from a bygone age. You can see a collection of vintage motors, bikes and motorbikes, and various domestic machinery and farming tools, plus a scale model of Alston Station back in the 1950´s.

South Tynedale Railway the Lake District

The South Tynedale Railway operates steam and diesel-hauled passenger trains, and it is situated along a 2.5 mile line between Alston in Cumbria and Kirkhaugh in Northumberland. Taking in the scenic South Tyne Valley, the railway is operated and maintained by volunteer members of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society. Alston Station is 875 feet above sea level, and is the highest narrow gauge railway in northern England.  If you are planning a Christmas break in the Lake District, check out the deals on boutique hotels in Windermere, and book a trip on the ´Santa Special´ trains which operate in December from South Tynedale Railway.

Lake District hotels in Bowness, Windermere, Alston, Ullswater and Grasmere can be booked online or directly. If you want to enjoy a weekend break or a Christmas break in the Lake District, take advantage of the great deals and offers in hotels, self-catering accommodation and holiday cottages by the lakes.

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