Brough

Settlement in Westmorland Eden

England

Brough

Carry Band A ridge of limestone above Swindale. — Carry Band Credit: Karl and Ali

Brough is a small village located in the Eden district of Cumbria, England. Situated in the historic county of Westmorland, it lies on the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park and is surrounded by picturesque countryside. Brough is approximately 5 miles east of Kirkby Stephen and 40 miles south-east of Carlisle.

The village is known for its charming and traditional character, with many buildings made of local limestone and slate roofs. Brough Castle, a 13th-century ruin, is one of the most prominent landmarks in the area. The castle was originally built by the Norman family of Vieuxpont and later passed into the hands of various English noble families.

Brough is a popular destination for tourists interested in exploring the Lake District and its natural beauty. The village offers a range of amenities, including a few local shops, a post office, and a pub. The nearby River Eden provides opportunities for fishing and boating enthusiasts.

The village also serves as a hub for outdoor activities, with numerous walking and cycling routes in the surrounding countryside. Brough is particularly famous for its proximity to the Pennine Way, a long-distance footpath that stretches from Derbyshire to the Scottish Borders.

Despite its small size, Brough has a strong sense of community, with various events and festivals organized throughout the year. The village attracts visitors looking for a peaceful and idyllic retreat, away from the busier parts of the Lake District.

Show me another place!

If you have any feedback on the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Brough Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 54.526436/-2.3182382 or Grid Reference NY7914. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Carry Band

A ridge of limestone above Swindale.

Karl and Ali

Looking over Swindale

The view from the bridleway at Helbeck looking over the wooded valley to the distant fells above Kirkby Stephen and Mallerstang.

Karl and Ali

Track below Helbeck Quarry

Andrew Curtis

Track east of Helbeck Quarry

The footpath along the track which starts at the end of the minor road near Helbeck Quarry looked like a good place to walk. The extensive area of Warop Range was shown on my fairly recent 1:25000 map as starting west of Helbeck Wood NY7816 and well to the north NY8018 However, the red flag flying here, a confusing sign which both implied that you were entering the range area but (maybe) not quite at danger for a distance 3800 metres from the flag, and the loud sound of gunfire were enough to put me off. The range here is in use six and a half days of the week. Sunday afternoons and the few access days would be a better bet when I'm next across this way. Link

Andrew Curtis

Bluebells above Swindale Beck

Andrew Curtis

Hazel coppice and bluebells, Swindale Wood

Andrew Curtis

Swindale Beck

Andrew Curtis

Common Tamarisk-moss (Thuidium tamariscinum)

A common and easily recognised moss growing on a boulder in Swindale Wood, near Swindale Beck. Link

Andrew Curtis

A carpet of bluebells in Swindale Wood

Andrew Curtis

Fields east of Helbeck

View south to the distinctive outline of Long Rigg Scar NY8009 : Long Rigg with High Seat in the distance. Birkett Hill, another hill with a distinctive profile, can be seen to the right, above the trees NY7907 : Birkett Hill from Birkett Hill

Andrew Curtis

Ash tree bole, Swindale Beck

The common ash tree of Britain and Ireland is the species Fraxinus excelsior, whose range actually covers most of Europe. The limestone rock in this area has favoured growth of mature ash woodland with a dense under-storey of Hazel, commonly coppiced NY8015 : Hazel coppice and bluebells, Swindale Wood. This is largely ancient woodland which has survived on the steep slopes above the Swindale Beck NY8015 : Wood by Swindale Beck, and has been little affected by introduced tree species. Strangely, ash trees do not support a wide range of invertebrates which results in ash woodlands being unable to support as rich a collection of birds as most other broadleaved forests. The bark on the trunk is a greyish brown colour, with deep cracks often extended in a diamond pattern.

Andrew Curtis

Helbeck Quarry above Brough

An active and ever expanding limestone quarry opened in the 1920s operated by the Sherburn Stone Company. It quarries limestones formed during the Dinantian Epoch of the Carboniferous Period, from approximately 327 to 316 million years ago.

Andrew Curtis

Road from Brough to Middleton in Teesdale

The wooded valley of the Swindale Beck can be seen beyond the road.

Andrew Curtis

Past the red flag, east of Helbeck Quarry

This afternoon the red warning flag wasn't flying so I decided to complete the walk I had planned earlier NY8015 : Track east of Helbeck Quarry This is the track just past the gate and red flag which warns of live firing on the MOD range.

Andrew Curtis

Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium)

Rock-rose is abundant in the short, rabbit-grazed grassland east of Helbeck Quarry reflecting the underlying limestone rock of this area NY8015 : Helbeck Quarry above Brough

Andrew Curtis

Track below Spoonymire Hill

Andrew Curtis

Track below Spoonymire Hill

The track from Helbeck Quarry to Thornthwaite climbs below Spoonymire Hill on which new deciduous trees have been planted (tubed to protect them from rabbits) and the ancient woodland below of Swindale Wood.

Andrew Curtis