Must See Sights and Landmarks in United Kingdom Area

"The poet William Wordsworth was born on 7 April 1770 at this handsome Georgian house at the end of Main St. Built around 1745, the house has been meticulously restored based on accounts from the Wordsworth archive: the kitchen, drawing room, study and bedrooms all look much as they would have to a young William. Costumed guides wander around the house for added period authenticity. Outside, the walled kitchen garden was mentioned in Wordsworth's autobiographical epic The Prelude."

"Of course, it wouldn’t be a summer in Carlisle without a trip to the city’s iconic castle. The city itself has over 2,000 years of history, from Celts and Romans to invading armies and bloody battles. Carlisle castle was built way back in 1092 by William Rufus, and is now in the hands of English Heritage."

"Consecrated as an Augustinian Priory in the 12th century, Carlisle Cathedral is the second-smallest cathedral in England after Oxford. One reason for this is that a big piece of the nave was torn down in the English Civil War to bolster Carlisle Castle. The architecture is Gothic, mostly from the 13th and 14th centuries."

"This old slate mine has been reinvented as a centre for all kinds of activities: you could venture underground into the bowels of the old 'Edge' and 'Kimberley' mines, tackle a via ferrata, or climb inside the mine along a system of fixed cables, tracing the route followed by the slate miners. A tour into the 'Cathedral' mine runs on Friday by request, but you'll need eight people and it costs £25 per person."

"The ruins of Caerlaverock Castle, by Glencaple on a beautiful stretch of the Solway coast, are among the loveliest in Britain. Surrounded by a moat, lawns and stands of trees, the unusual pink-stoned triangular castle looks impregnable. In fact, it fell several times, most famously when it was attacked in 1300 by Edward I: the siege became the subject of an epic poem, ‘The Siege of Caerlaverock’."

"Seven miles east of Caerlaverock Castle, in tiny Ruthwell, a church holds one of Europe’s most important early Christian monuments. The 6m-high 7th-century Ruthwell Cross is carved top to bottom in New Testament scenes and is inscribed with a poem called ‘The Dream of the Rood’; written in a Saxon runic alphabet, it’s considered one of the earliest examples of English-language literature. Bus 79 running between Dumfries and Annan stops in Ruthwell."

"For those all too frequent rainy days during the British summer, a trip to the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery is a must. Your kids can learn all about the city’s rich history through engaging exhibitions and interactive displays. There are even games they can play which are both informative and exciting."

"Play, education, History, Archaeology, Museums, Art, Collections. Tullie House, where historic collections, contemporary art and family fun are brought together in one impressive museum and art gallery."

"If you’re in Carlisle with kids in tow, Hammond’s Pond in the southern Upperby suburb comes into its own in summer. The pond and its surrounding park are on a hill, and has ducks and swans, as well as an aviary and dovecote. You can rent rowboats on the east end of the pond in summer, and the park has a miniature railway that operates in the summer holidays, along with two separate play areas, one for toddlers and the other for bigger kids."

"The ruins of Caerlaverock Castle, by Glencaple on a beautiful stretch of the Solway coast, are among the loveliest in Britain. Surrounded by a moat, lawns and stands of trees, the unusual pink-stoned triangular castle looks impregnable. In fact, it fell several times, most famously when it was attacked in 1300 by Edward I: the siege became the subject of an epic poem, ‘The Siege of Caerlaverock’."

"If you’re in Carlisle with kids in tow, Hammond’s Pond in the southern Upperby suburb comes into its own in summer. The pond and its surrounding park are on a hill, and has ducks and swans, as well as an aviary and dovecote. You can rent rowboats on the east end of the pond in summer, and the park has a miniature railway that operates in the summer holidays, along with two separate play areas, one for toddlers and the other for bigger kids."