A small market town in Cumbria with a wealth of history

The town centre is small, but contains ample shops for all of the essentials you may require. I'm pleased to say that there isn't a Boots, Dixons and Tesco Metro in the town centre, rather a traditional butcher, ironmonger, baker, greengrocer and chemist. There is also a Dales National Park tourist centre to help you to decide how best to spend your time in and around Sedbergh. However, should you feel the need of some "full-on shopping therapy", the major centre of Kendal is only 10 miles away.

In May 2006, Sedbergh was officially recognised as England's only Booktown.  This brings together a number of businesses based on writing, reading, publishing and so on, as well as bookshops (and bookshelves in just about every other shop), many concentrating on selling second-hand books. To book enthusiasts Sedbergh is a treasure chest just waiting to be opened.

Click here to take a longer, pictorial walk through Sedbergh from Fell House

If you wanted to find out how to get to Sedbergh, check out the bottom of our Contact page

The name Sedbergh is believed to be a Scandinavian derivation of "flat-topped hill". This could refer to Castlehaw, where the Normans built their defences against the Scottish in the 11th century. In the intervening years it has since developed in that beautifully unco-ordinated way that towns should. Many of the buildings in Sedbergh are of historic and architectural interest. You must not fail to investigate the alleys and yards just off the Main Street.

It developed as the natural meeting place of several ancient highways, being at the confluence of four rivers and four dales. If you follow Howgill Lane out of Sedbergh, it starts to follow the route of an old Roman road as it enters the Lune Valley.

Naturally, there is much to attract those interested in the countryside.

• The Howgill Fells are accessible directly from the house. They offer much good walking, and have many bridleways for the mountain biker.
   
• The pretty Dentdale is to the south-east, Dent itself being about 5 miles out of Sedbergh. The Dales Way leads through Dentdale to Sedbergh.
   
• Garsdale leads east to Wensleydale, one of the great Yorkshire dales. Hawes, "the gateway to the Dales", is 14 miles away.
   
• The valley of Cautley (home of the waterfall) runs north-east towards Kirkby Stephen.
   
• The Lune Valley runs from north to south, passing Sedbergh just to the west of the town. This leads to Ingleborough, a centre for caving in the Western Dales.
   
• Finally, of course, the Lake District with its magnificent walking and climbing lies to the west, Windermere being about 20 miles away.