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LOCATION

Kendal and the Lakes

Kendal is certainly a town with character. It can be found just off the main road into the southern entrance to the Lake District from the M6 and is situated on the River Kent. Kendal is also known as the "auld grey town" due to the fact it has many fine old houses and buildings constructed from the local grey limestone.

Kendal Castle

Kendal's history can be traced back to pre-Roman times. The last queen of Henry VIII Katherine Parr was born here in 1512 at Kendal Castle, where it's ruins stands on a green hill overlooking the town. Kendal was once the main centre for the wool industry during the 13th Century with Kendal Green Cloth becoming famous throughout the country. The town's motto is "wool is my bread".

The Holy Trinity Parish Church dates back to the 13th Century and is one of the largest in the country with its 80ft tower, peal of ten bells, the Parr family chapel and five aisles inside.

Next to the church is Abbot Hall which is a Georgian House contaning paintings by artists such as Ruskin, Gardner and Turner. At the hall you will find the Museum of Lakeland Life and Industry which depicts and brings to life the history of Lakeland. At the opposite end of Kendal is the Museum of Natural History and Archaeology. Besides displays of wildlife, you can also see here the office of Alfred Wainwright who wrote the hand-written guides to the Lakeland hills known as the "Pictorial Guides".

Within Kendal you will find broad streets, cobbled streets, narrow courtyards, slated-roofed buildings, bridges and inns which are best explored on foot or on one of the town's trail guides that are on offer.

Kendal is also famous for it's Kendal Mint cake (a hard mint-flavoured sugar slab) and the world famous "K" Shoes. Kendal has some fine shops that cater for all tastes from high street names, factory outlets, craft shops, speciality shops and traditional markets.

In and around Kendal you will find interesting places to visit and things to do from musems, halls, castles, gardens and sporting activities. Interesting walks can be taken around the area for example to Scout Scar which gives fantastics views of the Lakes and the Yorkshire Dales.

Adapted from 'Lake District Lets Go'

Useful links

Want to know more about the area? A wealth of information about Kendal and The Lakes can be found on the Internet, including the following recommended websites:

Cumbria Tourist Board
http://www.golakes.co.uk
The official tourist information website for Cumbria and the Lake District.

LakesNet
http://www.lakesnet.co.uk
All the information you need to plan your stay in the Lake District is right here.

This is the Lake District
http://www.thisisthelakedistrict.co.uk
Guide with news, sport and leisure activities, schools, businesses, and other local resources.

The Lake District National Park Authority
http://www.lake-district.gov.uk
Comprehensive, official park authority site including maps, photos conservation and tourist information.

Lakes Online
http://www.lakes-online.co.uk
One of the internet's premier websites for the information of visitors to Cumbria and it's residents.

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