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The Howgill Fells above Sedbergh under snow, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Sedbergh

The nearest town to our Garsdale holiday cottages, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Sedbergh is the nearest town to Garsdale, about six miles west down the A684, and most visitors pass through it on the way in - roughly fifteen minutes' drive from Roger Pot. It is a small historic market town at the foot of the Howgill Fells, within easy reach of the M6, and it is known for its bookshops. The Sedbergh Information Centre and Howgills Bookshop on Main Street is the place to start, with leaflets, maps and volunteers who know the area well.

Shops, Pubs and Places to Eat

Sedbergh has a good range of independent shops for a town its size, including Powells the greengrocer, the Meat Hook butcher, craft and gift shops, hardware and charity shops, and a SPAR with the Post Office counter for groceries. There is a small weekly market on Wednesday mornings, with artisan markets each month through the summer.

Eating out runs from the Black Bull - a 17th-century inn whose kitchen has made it a destination in its own right - to the Red Lion for meals and drinks, the Dalesman coaching inn, the Half and Half bar with its monthly acoustic nights, the Thirsty Rambler for a drink, and takeaways including Sedbergh Pizza and the Haddock Paddock.

If you have the dog with you, four of the town's pubs are dog friendly - the Black Bull and the Red Lion for meals and drinks, the Thirsty Rambler for drinks, and the Half and Half for drinks with occasional food nights. The Dalesman is the one that does not take dogs.

Main Street in Sedbergh, where the Wednesday market is held

The Howgills and Around

The Howgill Fells rise directly above the town - grassy, rounded and quiet, with the standard loop from Sedbergh taking in Winder, Arant Haw and The Calf at 676 metres. It is the closest real mountain walking to our cottages.

Farfield Mill arts and heritage centre sits on the road between Sedbergh and Garsdale, with exhibitions, craft work and a good cafe. Sedbergh School sits on the edge of town, and its swimming pool has public sessions outside school hours.

The grassy rounded tops of the Howgill Fells above Sedbergh

The Top Things to Do Around Sedbergh

The top places we found online in and around Sedbergh.

  • Farfield Mill

    The best-rated attraction in Sedbergh - an arts and heritage centre with exhibitions, working studios and a good cafe. See Farfield Mill.

  • Cautley Spout

    England's highest waterfall by total drop, at the head of its own dale a few miles from town - see Cautley Spout.

  • Brigflatts Meeting House

    A 17th-century Quaker meeting house down a lane off the A684, one of the oldest in the country - see Brigflatts Meeting House.

  • Information Centre and Book Shop

    Run by volunteers who know the area, with maps, leaflets and a serious stock of books - see the Sedbergh Information Centre.

  • Sedbergh Golf Club

    An 18-hole course in Dales countryside about a mile outside town on the road towards Dent - see Sedbergh Golf Club.

  • Dent Head and Waterside Viaducts

    Two railway viaducts from the Settle-Carlisle era, reachable on foot from the Coal Road towards Dent and popular with photographers.

Practicalities Worth Knowing

A few things that are useful to know before you drive down the dale for supplies.

Holiday Cottages Near Sedbergh

Our three self-catering holiday cottages sit up the dale in Garsdale, about fifteen minutes from Sedbergh. Book direct with the owners for the best rates.

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