Holiday rentals in Kirkby Lonsdale

Enviably located between two national parks — the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales — Kirkby Lonsdale is a small town in the Lune Valley in the northwest England countryside. At the edge of town, you’ll find Ruskin’s View, a lookout point with the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales and the mighty Ingleborough Mountain ahead. “Kirkby” means the town of the church, and the oldest building is the Norman Church of St Mary, dating back around 900 years.

Kirkby Lonsdale is a market town, and the cobbled streets of Swinemarket with the historic market cross in the centre is where pigs used to be bought and sold. A more modern and ornate market cross from the beginning of the 20th century now stands in the main square, where they still hold markets today. Traditional stone buildings with slate roofs and inns dating back to the 17th century line the roads on the slopes in Kirkby Lonsdale, beside the independent stores and grander buildings from later in history. Narrow passageways lead away from the main streets, steeped in legends, with fascinating names like Salt Pie Lane or even Jingling Lane, which takes you downhill to the medieval three-arched Devil’s Bridge across the River Lune.

Kirkby Lonsdale’s location next to two national parks and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty makes it a sought-after destination all year round among hikers and cyclists booking cottages in Kirkby Lonsdale. The town is at its busiest through the summer months, when visitors make the most of the warmer temperatures and lighter evenings at this time of the year. Kirkby Lonsdale is a market town, and every Thursday, a market is held in the main square. Many other events occur throughout the year, including the Christmas Fair and Market at the beginning of December. The most rainfall comes between autumn and spring, where the nights are darker, and the winds are more robust.

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

One of the most enticing collections of waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales, Ingleton Falls are just a 15-minute drive from Kirkby Lonsdale. The 4.5-mile trail guides you through woodlands filled with oak, birch, ash, hazel, and wild plants, including bluebells, bracken, and heather. You’ll witness an array of natural features, including glens, moorland, and five main waterfalls emerging from the River Twiss. The most spectacular is Thornton Force cascading down a 14-metre limestone cliff.

Ingleborough Cave

Head along the 1.3-mile Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail to arrive at the mouth of the imposing Ingleborough Cave discovered by Victorian explorers in the 19th century. A guide can take you on the 0.3-mile underground adventure through the cave, explaining nature’s creations, including flowstones, stalactites, and stalagmites — and the creepy looking Witches’ Fingers.

St Mary’s Church

At the heart of the community of Kirkby Lonsdale is St Mary’s Church. The building takes you on a journey through different styles of architecture: hefty cylindrical Norman columns with diamond patterns from the 12th century, one with a “Green Man” carving on it; pointed arches from the 13th century; and colourful stained glass windows from the 19th century. Walking into the graveyard, you’ll note a small tower, which is an 18th-century folly that locals call “the gazebo.”