The Belted Will Inn is a long‑established pub, restaurant, and B&B located in Hallbankgate, just outside Brampton in Cumbria. It’s known for its cosy atmosphere, friendly staff, and position as a popular stop for walkers, cyclists, and visitors exploring the North Pennines and Hadrian’s Wall.  Dog friendly lounge, book ahead if possible as it is very popular with the locals!

The Sally is a gastro pub and small boutique inn located in the village of Irthington, just outside Carlisle and close to Carlisle Airport and Hadrian’s Wall. It combines the feel of a traditional country pub with a modern, high‑quality dining experience.

Dogs are welcome in the bar area. 

A traditional hotel, pub, and restaurant on Brampton’s Front Street. It’s the more historic and characterful of the two, with ornate, antique‑style interiors and a classic coaching‑inn feel.  Restaurant and bar serving pub classics with a lovely Beer garden and very dog friendly (they have 3 themselves).  Very central for Brampton, popular with walkers and visitors to Hadrian’s Wall

Talkin Tarn Country Park

A beautiful glacial lake just minutes away — perfect for woodland walks, tea room, paddleboarding, rowing, birdwatching, or a gentle lap around the water. Great for dogs and families.

Hidden away in the north-west corner of the North Pennines, Geltsdale is a remote and ruggedly beautiful nature reserve where two hill farms – Geltsdale and Tarnhouse – meet. Here, you'll find upland birds like Black Grouse, breeding waders including Curlews, and birds of prey like the Hen Harrier.

Right on your doorstep when you stay at Coalfell. 

Miltonrigg Woods is an extraordinary and atmospheric place. An outstanding feature in the Cumbrian landscape, this ancient woodland displays vibrant flowers and magnificent veteran trees, as well as wetland areas and a pond.

With so much to see, excellent access facilities and a number of benches at key points to provide a welcome rest, this woodland is ideal for walkers and is a beautiful spot for a picnic. 

Brampton is a vibrant market town just a short drive from the cottage, offering a welcoming blend of independent shops, cosy cafés, and rich Cumbrian heritage. Surrounded by rolling countryside and steeped in history, it’s the perfect place to spend a leisurely morning browsing local produce, exploring the Moot Hall, or enjoying a relaxed lunch after a walk along the nearby fells. With Hadrian’s Wall, Talkin Tarn, and peaceful woodland trails close by, Brampton makes an ideal hub for discovering the very best of northern Cumbria.

The Moot Hall is Brampton’s distinctive little clock‑tower building at the centre of the town. Once a traditional market and meeting place, it now anchors the square with its historic charm and lively local events.

Lanercost Priory is one of Cumbria’s most atmospheric historic treasures — a place where centuries of stories linger in the quiet arches and honey‑coloured stone. Set beside the River Irthing and framed by peaceful countryside, the priory offers a serene escape into the region’s medieval past. Visitors can wander through beautifully preserved cloisters, explore the tranquil church still in use today, and soak up the calm that has settled here since the 12th century. It’s a gentle, reflective stop just minutes from the cottage, perfect for history lovers, photographers, and anyone who enjoys a moment of stillness in a truly special setting.

The café at Lanercost Priory offers a cosy spot to relax, serving homemade cakes, light lunches, and great coffee in a peaceful countryside setting. As always dog friendly!

Hadrian’s Wall is one of the most captivating historic landscapes in Britain, and the stretches closest to the cottage — Hare Hill, Birdoswald, and Banks Turrets — offer some of its most memorable moments. At Hare Hill, a rare, towering section of wall rises dramatically from the fields, giving a real sense of the scale and strength of Rome’s northern frontier. Birdoswald, set high above the River Irthing, invites visitors to wander through the remains of a vast Roman fort and enjoy sweeping views across open countryside. Further along, the Banks Turrets provide quieter, more intimate glimpses into Roman life, dotted along peaceful walking routes that feel wonderfully untouched. Together, these sites create a rich, immersive journey through history — all just a short, scenic drive from the cottage.

A walk of 10.6km (6.6 miles) taking approximately four hours.

Cold Fell, a two thousand foot hill, is the most northern in the Pennine chain and has a Bronze Age tumulus on the summit. The walk can be extended to include Tindale Fell. Walkers can also visit RSPB Geltsdale’s Stagsike information point and hides at Tindale Tarn.

This walk is classed at hard. It follows paths over moorland which is tussocky and crosses wet peat bogs in places. There are steep sections to the walk. The route crosses open access land and access can sometimes be restricted for nature conservation, land management or public safety reasons – visit www.openaccess.naturalengland.org.uk for the latest information.

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About two miles south of  Brampton is Gelt Woods, a delightful walk, and also an RSPB nature reserve. In the woods is a rock with an inscription carved by a Roman soldier in the 3rd Century.

Hugging the banks of the river Gelt is a most remarkable quarry. This Quarry was chiselled out by Roman Engineers 1800 years ago. The stone was either used to build or to repair the 70 mile long wall built by Emperor Hadrian shortly after 122AD. The wall is the largest Roman Monument in Europe, and has recently been designated a World Heritage Site. Looking at the size and grandeur of this quarry truly brings home just how immense the wall is, and the amount of labour and money it must have taken to build.

All along the cliff face are the marks and chippings left by the quarrymen as they chiselled out the stones for the wall. The chisel marks seem to form a herringbone pattern and the first impression formed is that it is not a quarry but a large temple, it is an awe inspiring place, equally as impressive as the wall itself. And yet almost unknown to the tourist.

The Museum is run by The Solway Aviation Society and staffed by volunteers. The Society is a registered charity supported by entrance charges to the Museum, and public donations. 

In addition to normal opening the Museum hosts educational visits for school classes studying the Second World War and for Scouts achieving their Air Activities Badge. Following the closure of the RAF Millom Museum, many of the artefacts were moved to Solway Aviation Museum for safe keeping and eventual exhibition when space permits.

The Buildings contain exhibits and artefacts relating to aviation in Cumbria, including the Second World War and also houses individual displays featuring the development of the Blue Streak missile, Martin-Baker ejection seats, and the development and activities of the Airport itself since the Second World War.

One of the most besieged castles in England, Carlisle Castle guarded the wild western end of the Anglo-Scottish border for hundreds of years.

After surviving seven sieges by the Scots between 1174 and 1461, it was adapted for artillery and, in 1568, held Mary Queen of Scots prisoner. You can explore the Tudor battery, the 12th-century gatehouse and the recently conserved keep, which has intriguing 15th-century carvings on its second floor.  The castle was operational well into the 20th century. Today it hosts Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life, exploring the Border Regiment’s 300-year history. English Heritage members get free entry to the museum. 

Caledonia Park (formerly Gretna Gateway Outlet Village) is a premium designer outlet shopping village in Gretna, South Scotland, offering over 45 stores, restaurants, and cafes with up to 60% off RRP. Located near the M6/M74/A75, it features brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Kate Spade, plus free parking. 

If shopping is your thing then this is perfect, very dog friendly too!

Carlisle Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in Carlisle, is a Grade I listed Anglican cathedral in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria, England. It was founded as an Augustinian priory and became a cathedral in 1133. It is also the seat of the Bishop of Carlisle.

Free entry for 15th-century art and stained glass, plus treasury exhibits in this small cathedral.