Kendal (England)

Kendal, in Cumbria, is a market town of some 30,000 inhabitants. It describes itself as "The Gateway to the Lakes". Kendal is a picturesque, moderate sized town with plenty of shopping and a surprisingly low level of tourist activity.

Get in

By bus

National Express runs buses to Kendal; Stagecoach's 555 (or X55) service links Lancaster and Kendal with Keswick.

By train

🌍 Kendal station is one stop (3 km) beyond Oxenholme on the branch line to Windermere. Trains run hourly until 21:45 weekdays, 20:45 weekends.

By car

Kendal is easily accessible via the M6 motorway (Junction 36 from the south or 37 from the north)

Get around

By foot

Kendal is smallish and interesting enough to be a pleasure to stroll through.

See

• The River Kent flows through Kendal.
• 🌍 The Kendal Parish Church. Is an interesting building to wander through.  
• 🌍 Levens Hall.  
• 🌍 Kendal Castle.  
• 🌍 Sizergh Castle, Sizergh, LA8 8AE, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].  

Museums

Kendal has a number of museums, the most notable of which are Abbot Hall Art Museum and the Quaker Tapestry Museum

• 🌍 Kendal Museum, Station Rd, LA9 6BT, ☎ [phone].  
• 🌍 Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry.  
• 🌍 Abbott Hall Art Gallery.  
• 🌍 Quaker Tapestry, Friends Meeting House, Stramongate, LA9 4BH, ☎ [phone].  

Do

• 🌍 The Brewery Arts Centre, 122A Highgate, LA9 4HE, ☎ [phone]. Is a notable place to visit. There are 3 cinema screens, music concerts, comedy acts, theatre and during the Kendal mountain festival there are numerous lectures and movies focused on adventure and mountaineering. Also a great bar and restaurant. 
• The Scout Scar. A hike in the hills to the east of Kendal. Information available from the tourist information shop. Map and guide 45p. (updated Dec 2017)
• 🌍 Lakeland Climbing Centre (Kendal Wall), Lake District Business Park, Mint Bridge Rd, LA9 6NH, ☎ [phone]. 

Buy

• Kendal has a multitude of small boutiques and shops that could probably take up at least half a day of browsing.
• 🌍 Low Sizergh Barn Farm Shop & Tea Room, Low Sizergh Farm, Sizergh, LA8 8AE, ☎ [phone]. 9AM-5:30PM. 
• 🌍 The Factory (Artist's Studios), Aynam Road. Artists' workshops round the factory yard. Opening hours for each business vary. (updated Feb 2018)

Eat

Kendal has produced a local delicacy called the Kendal Mint Cake. It was created in 1936 and was used as an energy bar on the 1953 expedition that climbed Everest for the first time. Romney's Homepage

• 🌍 Waterside Cafe, Kent View, LA9 4DZ, ☎ [phone]. A café on the River Kent that specialises in vegan/vegetarian cuisine. (updated May 2010)
• 🌍 The Moon, 129 Highgate, LA9 4EN, ☎ [phone]. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 The Joshua Tree, Yard 11, Stramongate. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Mumbai. Indian, Pakistani & Bangladeshi restaurant and takeaway. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Union Jack, 15 Kirkland, LA9 5 AF. Proper British grub. Full English Breakfast. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Neko Sushi, 37 Strammongate. 12-2pm then 5.30 - 7.30pm. A Japanese take-away with some space to eat in, specialising in nigiri and maki rolls. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Deja Vu, 124 Stricklandgate. French - British Bistro. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Jintana Thai Restaurant, 101 Highgate, LA9 4EN. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Romneys, 72 Milnthorpe Road, LA9 5HG. Family friendly pub, with accommodation. (updated Feb 2018)

Drink

• 🌍 Burgundy's, 19 Lowther Street. 12.00 to 0.00. A great choice of wine, beer including their own brew, and day time food service. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Ring o'Bells, 39 Kirkland. The only pub built on consecrated ground in England, they serve a good selection of real ales in this small and quirky pub. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 The Factory Tap, 5 Aynam Road. 4pm to 9 pm. Great selection of beers including their own brew. Good beer garden for the summer. Open to 11pm on Friday and Saturday. (updated Feb 2018)

Sleep

• 🌍 Kendal Hostel, 118-120 Highgate, LA9 4HE, ☎ [phone]. £20. 
• Low Greenside Farm Campsite. 
• Stonecross Manor Hotel. 
• 🌍 Riverside Hotel, Stramongate Bridge, Beezon Road. £69. (updated May 2010)
• 🌍 Premier Inn, Maud Street. £45.50. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 Castle Green Hotel (Best Western Hotel), Castle Green Lane. £79.50. (updated Feb 2018)
• 🌍 The Station Inn, Oxenholme LA9 7RF (Up the hill from Oxenholme Railway Station). (updated Feb 2018)

Respect

Go next

Routes through Kendal

Glasgow ← Penrith ←	N  S	→ Carnforth → Manchester
Penrith ←	N  S	→ Carnforth