Living in Penrith
Known as the northern gateway to the Lakes, Penrith is a small market town with a big personality. Its close proximity to the Lake District fells and lakes make this a popular place to live for couples of all ages, families and retirees. With plenty of amenities, excellent transport links and a wide variety of things to do, all set to a backdrop of dramatic mountain landscapes, Penrith has become a thriving northern hub in recent years.
The town itself is a mixture of classic architecture, traditional agricultural chic and modernism and sits at the apex of two major transport links bringing in thousands of visitors each year. Just a few steps from the town centre and you’ll find yourself surrounded by beautiful soaring peaks, lush rolling countryside and miles upon miles of water. Ullswater is less than 10 minutes from Penrith, with Haweswater, Derwentwater and Thirlmere also all close by.
Choosing a property for sale in Penrith is a smart choice and choosing a Genesis Homes property is wiser still. As the town continues to grow, Penrith has become a desirable yet affordable place to live for those wanting to escape city living, with its expensive commutes and lack of green space. Our Eamont Chase development is down to the last few remaining properties so we thought we’d entice you with all the reasons why a move to Penrith is an excellent idea.
Where is Penrith?
The town of Penrith is in the northernmost English county of Cumbria which sits on the border with Scotland to the north, the coast to the west and Northumberland to the west. Just 20 minutes drive south of the border city of Carlisle, and the Scottish border, Penrith is 40 minutes north of Kendal in the South Lakes and east of the popular holiday town of Keswick. Cumbria is famous for being the home of the Lake District National Park and also contains parts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is one of the most rural counties in England but with one of the smallest populations.
Situated at Junction 40 of the M6 which runs past Penrith from south to north and the A66 running east to west, Penrith is easy to get to by both car and public transport. The town makes an excellent base for those working within the Lake District, those working from home and has regular fast trains to the cities of Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and London for those required to leave occasionally.
What is the population of Penrith?
According to the UK census of 2021, the population of Penrith was 19,984 although this will have changed since then.
What is there to do in Penrith?
It might be easier to ask what is there you can’t do in Penrith!
In Penrith itself there are two cinemas, numerous art galleries, a visitor centre and museum, multiple shops, including both high street retailers and independent shops, cafes and restaurants, more than 10 recreational parks, fascinating castle ruins, a shopping arcade, library, leisure centre, 3 indoor swimming pools and another 5 outdoor pools in small outlying villages, 2 soft plays, tennis courts, football, rugby and cricket pitches, crazy golf and a driving range and at least 1 nature reserve. And all of this is just within the town. Outside of the town centre are miles of walking routes, ancient monuments and stone circles, the Coast to Coast walking path, national cycling routes and pump tracks and lots of water to play in.
The Lakes is known as a hiker’s paradise with the tallest mountains in England all calling Cumbria home, but the adventure activities available here are also excellent. From sailing to paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking, wild swimming, ghyll scrambling and rock climbing, quad biking and horse riding, abseiling, fell running and mountain biking are all easily accessible from the town, making it a wonderful place for lovers of the outdoors.
There is a thriving arts and culture scene here too with plenty of workshops and adult learning courses available, regular theatre productions, art exhibitions, talks and seminars, and ballet screenings at the local cinema.
Opposite the train station and surrounded by its own park, Penrith Castle is a footprint of castle ruins ripe for exploring as you can walk through its derelict walls and enjoy views across the town and beyond. Just south of Penrith Brougham Castle is another castle site, managed by English Heritage, and the privately owned Lowther Castle is a few miles further. Penrith has a rich and varied history, most especially as a northern defence town that was historically strategically important for protecting the English from Scottish invasions. History buffs will enjoy learning more about this at Penrith Museum and from the artefacts displayed at Brougham Castle and Lowther Castle.
Gardeners will enjoy the many garden centres that are situated outside of the town. With two independent garden centres of note, Larch Cottage and The Pot Place, as well as 4 different allotment sites, there is plenty of opportunity for those who are especially interested in gardening, growing and cultivating to get creative in Penrith.
What amenities are there in Penrith?
As mentioned above, Penrith has great transport links, both from being next to the M6 and A66 but also on the main railway line from Edinburgh to Euston. Penrith Train Station has regular fast services and there is a busy bus station in Penrith too. In addition to this there is a privately run Fellrunner bus service which operates routes across the more rural villages around Penrith.
There are two doctor’s surgeries in Penrith, a minor injuries department, a midwife-led birthing centre and four veterinary practices. Around the town are four supermarkets, a busy industrial estate, multiple car garages, fuel stations and lots of gyms, sports grounds and recreational spaces.
From an educational perspective, Penrith has three town centre primary schools, three independent nurseries, two secondary schools, both with sixth form colleges attached. The nearest universities are in Carlisle and Lancaster, which both are easily reached from Penrith.
What is Penrith best known for?
Penrith is probably best known for being the gateway to the Lake District. To access the national park, you must drive through either Penrith or Kendal, hence the nickname.
Reasons to live in Penrith
There are a whole host of reasons to live in Penrith, but we have selected just a few of the highlights here.
- Stunning natural landscapes
One of the biggest draws to look for houses for sale in Penrith is the scenery. From the town you can enjoy views of the North Pennines to the east and the northern fells of Blencathra and Skiddaw to the west. The local area is known as the Eden Valley and it is one of the most beautiful regions in the county.
- Lots of things to do
As we’ve mentioned above, there is so much to do both within the town and just a short drive or walk away. With both outdoor activities and indoor pursuits rife here, neither you, the kids or the parents will ever be bored!
- Homes that are affordable
Despite its proximity to the Lake District, housing in Penrith continues to offer more house for your money. With reasonably priced family homes, apartments and land for sale, buying property in Penrith will always be a good investment.
- Thriving food culture
Within less than an hours drive from Penrith there are 8 Michelin starred restaurants, so if you’re into fine dining, this is the place for you. Aside from that, we have multiple award winning pubs, cosy cafes, farm shops and specialist food stores, bakeries and butchers within the town. The annual calendar of events includes marmalade festivals, food festivals and beer festivals so for those who adore trying new cuisines and eating local, look no further than Penrith.
- Excellent transport links
You don’t have to leave your job to relocate to Penrith. The rise in popularity of hybrid working coupled with the fantastic transport links here make moving to Penrith an easy decision. There are regular fast trains to major cities, including London and Edinburgh, as well as convenient access to both the M6 motorway and A1M via the A66.
Buy property in Penrith with Genesis Homes
Our Eamont Chase development sits just on the outskirts of Penrith in the area locally known as Carleton. Just off the A686 southeast of Penrith, properties at Eamont Chase look northwards towards the Beacon, a wooded hillock with an ancient stone beacon on top, and south across to the Lake District hills scattered across the skyline behind miles of rolling fields and farms. Named for the River Eamont which winds itself around the south of Penrith, Eamont Chase is a picturesque development with a choice of 3, 4 and 5 bed homes with modern amenities, high quality finishes throughout and what’s more, buy now and you can still be in for Christmas!
… But don’t worry if you do miss out on your dream home in Penrith, our stunning Wakefield Gardens homes at Lazonby are just 6 miles up the road.