Staveley

Staveley is a working village on the River Kent, between Kendal and Windermere, at the mouth of the Kentmere valley. A bypass carries the A591 traffic past, leaving the village itself relatively peaceful, and it has its own station on the Windermere branch line. The River Kent and the River Gowan meet here, and the old mill races and weirs are a reminder of the water powered industry that once filled the village.

The heart of the village for visitors is Staveley Mill Yard, a former bobbin mill site converted into a cluster of businesses including a brewery beer hall, a bakery and cafe, and a large bike shop. On a busy Saturday it is full of cyclists and walkers refuelling. The village also has a pub, a church tower from the fourteenth century and riverside paths.

North of the village, the narrow road up Kentmere leads to one of the quietest valleys in the Lake District, ringed by the high fells of the Kentmere Horseshoe: Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, High Street and Harter Fell. Lower walks follow the river or climb Reston Scar for a view over the village. The Dales Way passes close by on its way to Bowness. Autumn is a fine time for Kentmere, when the bracken colours, and spring brings lambs to the valley farms.

Kentmere's road is single track with very limited parking at the end, so on fine weekends arrive early or walk from Staveley. Staveley itself is an excellent base without a car, with trains and the 555 bus on the doorstep.