Your Scenic Guide to Services X4 & X5. Penrith Keswick Cockermouth Workington. trans Cumbrian

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1 FromA tob tosee Your Scenic Guide to Services X4 & X5 Penrith Keswick Cockermouth Workington trans Cumbrian

THE SMOOTH CONNECTION The Cumbrian Connexion service forms the swiftest connection from a

It is a wonderful travel experience, a scenic symphony for the eyes.

and Workington hourly throughout the day.

shore turning at the Castle Inn, whilst the X5 speeds on along its southern shore via

This leaflet reveals the landscape highlights of a stunningly beautiful 40-mile (1 hour 40

The pictures appear sequentially and to help you anticipate when and where to look, each

(right) A (ahead) B (behind) L X5 X4 to 27km/17miles The northern gateway to The Lakes,

The bus leaves the Bus Station to collect West Coast Main Line passengers from the

This section ends at the entry to the National Park.

impressive on the descent from the Troutbeck turn.

Sweeping on by the picturesque Glenderaterra gap, enjoy a magnificent view of the

CASTLE INN St Andrew s, a stately presence at the heart of a town.

2 THE SMOOTH CONNECTION The Cumbrian Connexion service forms the swiftest connection from a main line rail station to the heart of the Lakes and onwards to the western coast. It is a wonderful travel experience, a scenic symphony for the eyes. The X4 and X5 are inter-related services, and run the full east/west span between Penrith and Workington hourly throughout the day. The services part company either side of Bassenthwaite Lake, the X4 taking the northern shore turning at the Castle Inn, whilst the X5 speeds on along its southern shore via Braithwaite - this service also runs on Sundays and Bank Holidays. This leaflet reveals the landscape highlights of a stunningly beautiful 40-mile (1 hour 40 minute) journey. The pictures appear sequentially and to help you anticipate when and where to look, each has a white capital letter set over the green stage bar, guiding your eyes: L (left) R (right) A (ahead) B (behind) L X5 X4 to 27km/17miles The northern gateway to The Lakes, Penrith is an important market town brimming with history. The bus leaves the Bus Station to collect West Coast Main Line passengers from the station, joins the A66 then crosses the M6, constructed in 1970, to visit the novel underground world of Rheged. Ahead a dual-carriageway rises to gain a grand westward panorama of Lakeland. This section ends at the entry to the National Park. Of all the fells tantalisingly in view, Blencathra is the main focus - at its most impressive on the descent from the Troutbeck turn. Soon the bus is running in the mountain s mighty lap to visit Threlkeld. Sweeping on by the picturesque Glenderaterra gap, enjoy a magnificent view of the north-western fells upon entry into Keswick - blink, and you ll miss it! CASTLE INN St Andrew s, a stately presence at the heart of a town. In Bishop Yard find the C10th Giant s Grave possibly of Owen Caesarus, king of the Anglo- Danish kingdom of Cumbria - Penrith was its capital. Indeed, the town was actually part of Scotland until A.D The TV documentary The Blood of the Vikings revealed via DNA sampling that the Penrith locality, up to the present day, has the purest Viking ancestry in Britain. Market shelter erected in 1983 In Medieval times both Cornmarket and Sandgate, close to the bus station, were used to herd livestock to protect them from the threat of Border Reiver raids

3 Built in 1397 by William Strickland later Bishop of Carlisle and Archbishop of Canterbury, the sturdy square ruins of Penrith Castle are now a gentile park. Spot the pyramid-roof of Beacon Tower pricking the skyline above the conifers. Built in 1719, it marks the site of an earlier beacon, part of a communication chain that could be said to have led...to the mobile phone! Make a point of visiting the town s Tourist Information Centre and museum in Middlegate. A Rheged was the Celtic name of this region of Cumbria during the Dark Ages after the withdrawal of Roman authority, and part of the kingdom of Strathclyde. King Urien was a relative of King Coel Hen of Old King Cole rhyme fame. Cross Fell at 2,930ft/893m - the highest point in the entire Pennine chain. Formerly known as Fiends Fell for its fearful qualities, the devil exorcised, hence its present name. Appropriately a cross-shaped wind shelter stands on its summit. This mountain wall gives rise to a freakish local gust known as the Helm Wind, the name alludes to the ridge-top cap of cloud. Whinfell - location of the hugely popular Center Parcs holiday resort. Yanwath Hall, the finest example of a medieval peel tower in Cumbria, built in 14th-century, the stately hall was added in 15th-century. A Two-tiered dual-carriageway section through limestone country (see exposed rock) leading irresistibly towards Keswick and the magnificent fells of Lakeland. Carrock Fell is the only exposure in Cumbria of gabbro, a magnetic volcanic rock which sends compasses haywire - the majestic Black Cuillin mountains on the Isle of Skye, off the north-west coast of Scotland, are composed of the same coarse rock. Valley of the River Caldew emerging from its source at the Back o Skidda Eel Crag Grisedale Pike Bannerdale Crags Bowscale Carrock Fell Blencathra Souther Fell Fell High Pike source of the River Petteril The oldest rocks in Cumbria intrude here A

4 Even along a major road, such as the A66, verges can harbour a seasonal variety of colourful plants. Graced here with late summer Rosebay Willowherb mingling with cow parsley s white umbrellas. Little Mell Fell Helvellyn Stybarrow Dodd Great Mell Fell Hart Side Great Dodd Birkett Fell L Blencathra in winter, what a magnificent sight. The fell must have been a landmark icon deep into prehistory. A Celtic hill-name meaning valley-head seat - the same origins as cathedral which translates as bishop s throne. The striking right-hand sunlit ridge is Sharp Edge, as near to mountaineering as any fellwalker is likely to aspire, comparable with Striding Edge on Helvellyn - in winter an extremely dangerous scramble requiring crampons, ice axe and skill. Bannerdale Crags Mousthwaite Col The Sportsman Inn A Roman road converging with the modern A66 at the Troutbeck turn. The earthworks of three Roman marching camps are visible on the pasture behind this cottage. Glance left to see a circular shed, now redundant, its was the old auction shed for the Troutbeck Sheep Sales. Beyond the Troutbeck Hotel rises the plump, partially wooded slopes of Great Mell Fell. The C2C (Sea to Sea) cycle route, Whitehaven or Workington to Sunderland or Newcastle, running in harmony with the A66 - see cycle-track sign Former main road - Roman in origin A

5 Threlkeld comes from a mixture of the Saxon and Viking languages, translating as the slave s spring... threl coming from the same root as enthralled Gategill Fell Hall s Fell Blencathra summit Doddick Fell Horse and Farrier Hotel - a reminder of horse-drawn stagecoach days! A Gategill Fell Hall s Fell Top - the summit of Blencathra Scales Fell (868m/2,848ft) Doddick Fell B Bridle-path to Skiddaw House, originally a shepherd s dwelling, more recently a youth hostel, hasten its restoration. It is an immensely useful haven Back o Skidda for those walkers intent on solitude and the Cumbria Way. Great Calva, in August a vivid purple with heather, peeping through the Glenderaterra Beck valley cleaving Blencathra from the Skiddaw massif Lonscale Fell Blease Fell - the fell-name a variant form of blaze, meaning burnt ground slopes of Latrigg Brundholme Farm Blencathra National Park Centre, built as a TB isolation hospital R

6 Possibly the greatest thrill any traveller can have in England is comprehended from this magnificent approach to the Keswick vale. Blencathra has set the pulse racing, now we see a superb array of shapely fells stretching south and west down Newlands and then Borrowdale towards the highest fells of all, the Scafells. At Keswick, board service 79 Borrowdale Rambler to see the best of Borrowdale. Robinson Causey Pike Grasmoor Hopegill Head Whinlatter Pass Red Pike Eel Crag Coledale Grisedale Whinlatter Forest (Buttermere) Hause Pike Park slopes of Latrigg Gorge of the River Greta, through which runs the gently-graded old railway trail linking Threlkeld with Keswick R to 24km/15miles On arrival in Keswick a splendid choice of bus services may be joined liberating into the beautiful heart of the National Park especially Borrowdale, over high passes to Buttermere or further south with the 555 to Grasmere, Ambleside and Windermere. The continuing X4 service runs north-west along the foot of Skiddaw passing Mirehouse and Dodd Wood Visitor Centre, with its Osprey Viewpoint. Enjoy too fabulous views south to the Newlands Fells. Turning at the Castle Inn, crossing the outflow of Bassenthwaite Lake, to link with the X5 which takes the more direct course via Braithwaite and along the southern shore of the lake, gaining marvellous views to the Skiddaw massif. Together the two services run through Embleton, entering Cockermouth by the narrow Castlegate, crossing the River Cocker into Main Street. Rowling End Eel Crag Grasmoor Grisedale Pike Causey Pike Sand Hill Sail Coledale Outerside Barrow Keswick Show Field - event held each August A

7 The River Derwent, looking downstream beyond the A66 bridge to Skiddaw in its glorious late-summer raiment of heather - a mountain made in heaven. Skiddaw Skiddaw Little Man Longside Edge Carlside Dodd R Thanks are owed to local army cadets for maintaining the white-washed pinnacle of the well known landmark - the Bishop of Barf. A task hitherto undertaken, through historic connection, by the landlord of The Swan Hotel, now a private residence. August, and Barf (see the front of leaflet) luxuriates in purple heather. The fell-name means the natural fortress. Bishop of Barf A St Bega s church. Dedicated to the daughter of a C7th Irish Chieftain and celebrated by Lord Tennyson, a guest at Mirehouse in 1835 Ullock Pike Longside Edge Mirehouse Dodd R Vendace, Britain s rarest freshwater fish, is found in this lake scrub willow Bassenthwaite Lake The first Lakeland regatta was held at the foot of the lake in Trick question: which is the only lake in the Lake District? Bassenthwaite

8 Dodd Carlseddam Skiddaw Little Man Longside Edge Carlside Skiddaw Roundabout from (south top) where the X4 heads along the A 591 via Bassenthwaite and Castle Inn A MILLBECK MIREHOUSE BASSENTHWAITE CASTLE INN Maiden Moor Dale Head Scar Crags Eel Crag Catbells High Spy Outerside Sail Grisedale Pike Causey Pike River Derwent The X4 gains this lovely view just short of the Dodd Wood. MILLBECK MIREHOUSE BASSENTHWAITE L CASTLE INN Grisedale Hopegill Head Grasmoor Mellbreak Low Fell Pike Whiteside Red Pike Fellbarrow location of Crummock Water The rise from Embleton to this point feels as though one is taking off in an aeroplane! National Park boundary follows this bridle-lane L

9 The narrow Castlegate leading down into the Market Place from where the bus crosses the River Cocker and gains the briefest of glimpses right to the Jennings Brewery and left to All Saints Parish Church The castle hides behind these houses, at the river confluence, built in mid- 13th-century by William de Fortibus B to 13km/8miles Devote time to an exploration of colourful Cockermouth (town trail available at the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in Market Street). Its intriguing streetscapes contain a diverse collection of shops, museums and pubs, including The Bitter End micro-brewery. The Rivers Cocker and Derwent lending so much charm to its setting. The bus sets off up the hill from Wordsworth House to re-join the A66 by the Lakeland Sheep & Wool Centre. It accompanies the River Derwent through a pastoral landscape. It glances by Brigham to slip through Great Clifton and Stainburn then descends into Workington via Curwen Park, close by the Helena Thompson Museum. The bus terminates in Murray Road bus station. The rather grand birth-place of William and Dorothy Wordsworth at the end of Main Street - visit this National Trust house and shop. Bust of the bard unveiled by his great-great-grandson

10 Derwent is Welsh for oak-lined river. The sweeping course of the River Derwent looking north to Great Broughton. The proposed new Derwent National Forest Park lies just a mile over the near left-hand horizon, on the old Broughton Moor Naval Armaments Depot site. R The name is derived from Weork an Anglian family name. In 1568 during her flight from Scotland, before imprisonment and fated execution, Mary, Queen of Scots took refuge in Workington Hall (now a consolidated ruin). 18thcentury iron and coal workings gave wealth to the port and town, capitalised by the Curwens, Lords of the Manor. John Christian Curwen was a pioneer of farming enterprise in the 19th-century. Here Henry Bessemer developed his revolutionary refractory-lined furnace, converting pig iron into steel. (See right) St John s Church in Washington Street an enlarged replica of Inigo Jones church in Covent Garden, admire its prodigious Tuscan portico entrance. L The Helena Thompson Museum, contained in her Georgian town-house, merits a visit, it contains the most complete story of this remarkable town Art Deco style: the first purpose-built covered bus station in Britain Easter brings the traditional, Uppies and Downies challenge. The Town Centre is currently being transformed into a stylish retail shopping destination, with the first phase scheduled to open for Christmas 2005

11 At the pedestrianised heart of Keswick the handsome Moot Hall, containing the tourist information centre - source of the many and varied ideas for exploring the town s majestic setting. X4/X5 Great Clifton Embleton Castle Inn Mirehouse Lake Bassenthwaite X5 X4 Braithwaite Threlkeld X4/X5

12 customer careline complaints & lost property head office Stagecoach North West 2nd Floor Broadacre House Lowther Street Carlisle CA3 8DA www. stagecoachbus.com Calls from BT landlines cost 10p. Call from other service providers may vary. Concept, words and pictures 2005 Mark Richards

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