Kirkby Stephen: A Walkers Are Welcome Town in the Heart of the Eden Valley
There’s something quietly special about walking in the Eden Valley. The landscape opens out gently here – wide skies, rolling pasture, rivers that take their time – and walking feels less like a challenge to conquer and more like a way of being in the world.
At the heart of it all sits Kirkby Stephen, a historic market town shaped by centuries of movement through the land. Long before walking routes were formalised, people travelled these valleys on foot: traders, drovers, farmers and wanderers, following paths that still connect the town to the surrounding hills today.
A Proud Walkers Are Welcome Town
In April 2009, Kirkby Stephen became the first town in Cumbria to be awarded Walkers Are Welcome status, recognising its long-standing commitment to walkers and access to the countryside. It’s a title that reflects more than good paths – it speaks to a culture of hospitality, local knowledge and genuine care for those exploring the landscape on foot.
For visitors, this means clear routes, well-maintained footpaths and a town that understands what walkers need at the end of a day outdoors. It’s no surprise that Kirkby Stephen is often described as a natural base for exploring the Upper Eden Valley.
Walking in the Eden Valley
The joy of walking in the Eden Valley lies in its variety. From Kirkby Stephen, routes fan out in every direction, offering everything from expansive moorland walks to gentle riverside rambles.
You might spend a day climbing higher ground, rewarded with far-reaching views across Cumbria and into neighbouring counties, or choose a slower pace along historic tracks and quiet lanes that reveal the valley’s agricultural past. Old railway paths, stone bridges and ancient field boundaries add layers of story beneath every step.
This is walking that invites you to slow down, and one of the very reasons we chose to live here at Augill Castle. It invites you to notice the shift of light across the hills, the sound of water in the valley, the sense of space that’s increasingly hard to find elsewhere.
A Place to Walk and a Place to Rest Well
A truly memorable walking break is about so more than the miles you cover. Where you rest, how you’re welcomed, and the comfort you return to at the end of the day all shape the experience.
Just outside Kirkby Stephen, we here at Augill Castle offer a peaceful retreat for those exploring the Eden Valley on foot. After a day walking through open countryside, arriving somewhere warm, elegant and unhurried feels like part of the reward. Fires are lit, rooms are generous, and evenings unfold at a slower pace – exactly what walking encourages.
It’s a natural pairing: days spent immersed in the landscape, followed by evenings that allow you to fully relax and reset.
Walking, Slowing Down, Staying a While
Kirkby Stephen is not a place to rush through. It’s a place to linger — to build in a rest day, explore lesser-known paths, or simply enjoy the rhythm of walking one day and resting the next.
For those drawn to walking in the Eden Valley, it offers a rare combination: rich landscapes, deep-rooted walking culture and the opportunity to stay somewhere that values comfort as much as connection to place.
Book Augill Castle Where Walkers Are Welcome
If you’re dreaming of a walking escape that blends scenic routes and daily exploring in The Eden Valley with comfort and a sense of quiet daily indulgence, we’re a great place to truly slow down and settle in. In Winter with crackling fires and candlelit evenings, and in Summer just that space to breathe it all in. All this and the freedom to enjoy good food, good company and the surrounding countryside.
Follow the link or if you fancy a human at the end of a phone jump on +44 17683 41937. We can also be found hanging on the email at [email protected]
For those planning longer-distance walks through the north of England, Kirkby Stephen also plays a special role in some of the country’s most loved walking routes.
