A bound, bearded devil carved on a 10th-century stone makes Kirkby Stephen Parish Church a striking cultural and historical attraction: the figure depicts the Norse god Loki. Along with its railway heritage, town trails and gorge scenery, Kirkby Stephen offers a range of themes for a trip.
The church and earlier traces
The Parish Church stands on the site of a Saxon church and contains numerous ancient relics. The earliest stone church in Kirkby Stephen dates from around 1170—significantly later than the Loki Stone. At the same church site, you can encounter several different historical periods: the Saxon predecessor church, a 10th-century carved stone and the medieval church building.
Another trace of the past is Croglam Castle, a well-preserved fortified Iron Age settlement, preserved as an earthwork. Here, the focus is not on a church or a carved stone, but on the surviving form of an early fortified settlement.
Railway heritage and landscape
Kirkby Stephen East is a historic railway station and heritage steam railway that opened in 1861. It houses a collection of Victorian and other historic passenger and goods carriages, as well as industrial steam and diesel locomotives. Its railway heritage therefore includes a variety of carriages and several types of locomotive.
Kirkby Stephen lies in a green valley surrounded by designated landscapes. These include the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Westmorland Dales in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Howgills. Stenkrith Park offers a specific impression of the landscape within the town: at the gorge waterfalls, the water has eroded the rock into bowl-shaped hollows locally known as Coup Karnan.
Trails through Kirkby Stephen
The Coast to Coast Path runs through Kirkby Stephen. The Walney to Wear cycle route also passes through the town. The two routes differ in type: the Coast to Coast Path is a long-distance walking route, while the Walney to Wear is a cycle route. Check the conditions and route markings before setting off by bike.
The Kirkby Stephen Poetry Path is a circular walk that includes the Northern Viaduct Trust walk, the Millennium Bridge and Stenkrith Park. Check route conditions before setting out. This circular walk, with its named stops, can be considered a separate option alongside the two routes that pass through the town.
The informative Kirkby Stephen Town Trail focuses on the town centre. It passes through Market Square, visits the church, goes through the old cloisters and continues to the Charter Stone, Trupp Stone and Frank’s Bridge. Its stops bring together central locations and historic sites as part of a town-trail theme, while the Poetry Path, as a circular walk, explicitly also includes Stenkrith Park and the Millennium Bridge.
Plan your journey
Kirkby Stephen has rail connections via the Settle-Carlisle Railway. For specific travel dates, check the timetable, as passenger services and timetables may change. You can factor the rail connection into your stay alongside the local highlights—for example, church history, railway heritage or the routes described above.
Discover more destinations: Ulverston, How, Mungrisdale, Elterwater, Broughton-In-Furness, Drigg, Mealsgate, Pooley Bridge
For the regional travel overview: Cumbria.
