Talkin Tarn Country Park

Explore this 165 acre country park in Brampton, and enjoy the large glacial tarn, mature woodland and gentle meadows with the stunning Pennine Hills as a backdrop. The park includes a well maintained path around the tarn and three other way-marked trails taking you through the surrounding woodland and fields.... Facilities include a tearoom, gift shop and row boats available for hire on the tarn.
Just a mile to the west you will find Gelt Woods. This is a great place to extend your walk with nice footpaths along the River Gelt and lots of wildlife to look out for in the RSPB reserve.
Postcode: CA8 1HN
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At the northern end of the lake there's a very good tea room where you can enjoy some refreshments after your walk. They serve a good range of snacks with delicious ice creams and cakes. There's a nice balcony here too with fine views over the lake.
Head a couple of miles south of the park and you'll find another nice waterside walk around Castle Carrock Reservoir. It's a lovely and peaceful area with the associated village of Castle Carrock also worth a visit.
The circular Brampton Walk visits the park from the train station located just to the north east. It also goes on to explore Gelt Woods. You can catch trains to Brampton station from Carlisle and Newcastle. Just a couple of miles to the north east of Brampton there's Miltonrigg Woods to explore. There's more peaceful woodland trails here with pretty bluebells in the spring and lots wildlife to see. Lanercost Priory is also located in this area. The English heritage run site was originally founded in 1169 as an Augustinian monastery. Today the substantial priory ruins are well worth a visit for the fascinating history and architecure.
A few miles to the south west you'll find the worthy village of Wetheral where you can visit a historic ruined priory, the River Eden and the National Trust's Wetheral Woods. Near here there's also the Wreay Woods Nature Reserve where you can look out for otters by the River Petteril.
Just to the east there's Geltsdale. Here you'll find a rugged RSPB nature reserve with becks, hills, old quarries, a pretty tarn and lots of wildlife to see.
For more walking ideas in the area see the North Pennines Walks and Cumbria Walks pages.

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Gelt Woods Castle Carrock Reservoir Brampton Wetheral Geltsdale Miltonrigg Woods Lanercost Priory

Photos

Entrance to Talkin Tarn by Tarn End House Hotel. Lovely view across the tarn with footpath sign and gate. Taken in the summer of 2006.

The Bird observatory by the side of the tarn. The old Farlam Boathouse has recently been refurbished, and converted for birdwatching. It is one of several improvements carried out since ownership of the tarn was transferred from Cumbria County Council to Carlisle City Council in 2006.

A red squirrel poses for the camera on a tree in the park.

Boats and ducks by the tarn. Local clubs for rowing, sailing and model boats are based at the Tarn. Rowing boats are available for hire at weekends and school holidays.

A seat with a view at Sedge Bay, a promontory on the north east side of the tarn

An autumn view in November 2006. On a woodland walk around the perimeter of the tarn, leading to Farlam.

Looking across the tarn to the bird observatory. Power to this former boathouse is provided by a small wind turbine, to its left. On the water is a great crested grebe, one of several winged visitors to the site.

Stone cottages in the village of Talkin.

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