Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
September 2015: Carlisle
The 'Border City' of Carlisle is situated in northwest England, about 10 miles south of the Scottish border. As well as being a city in its own right, a status that it has held since the 12th century, Carlisle acts as the county town of the relatively modern county of Cumbria, which was created in 1974 from Cumberland, Westmorland and parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Carlisle Castle
Carlisle Castle dates from the 11th and 12th centuries, when it was constructed on the site of an old Roman fort for the purpose of protecting the city against invasions from Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots was imprisoned there in 1567. The castle fell to the Jacobites during the 1745 rising, but both city and castle were subsequently retaken by the Duke of Cumberland. Carlisle Castle is now in the care of English Heritage.
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Carlisle Cathedral
Carlisle Cathedral is a former Augustinian priory that was raised to cathedral status in 1133. The red sandstone structure suffered partial destruction during the English Civil War, leaving it as currently the second-smallest of all the Church of England cathedrals.
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City centre
Other striking buildings include the Citadel and the Old Town Hall.
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Bitts Park
This attractive park lies on the northern edge of the city centre, adjacent to the castle and the River Eden.
Base: Premier Inn (Carlisle Central)
Linked reports from same trip: