museum
Lakeland Motor Museum
Riverside museum at Backbarrow with 30,000 exhibits including 140 classic vehicles and a dedicated exhibition on the Campbells' Bluebird land and water speed record machines.
20 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Carnforth
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Carnforth
Carnforth works well as a base: 10 minutes from Bolton le Sands, 22km from Trough of Bowland.
Carnforth is in England, United Kingdom, with about 7,900 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Bolton le Sands, about 4 km away.
Carnforth is a market town and civil parish in the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England, situated at the north-east end of Morecambe Bay. The parish of Carnforth had a population of 5,521 in the 2021 census and 5,560 in the 2011 census, an increase from the 5,350 recorded in the 2001 census. The town is situatedRead more
around 7 miles north of Lancaster, 17 miles south of Kendal, 40 miles east (bisected by Morecambe Bay) of Barrow-in-Furness and 28 miles north-west of Settle. The town is also close to the Cumbria/Lancashire border.
Carnforth grew in the 19th century through the presence of the railway and ironworks. Due to the closeness of the coast and the hills, Carnforth is a popular base for walkers and cyclists exploring the area. The River Keer, the West Coast Main Line (WCML), the A6 and the Lancaster Canal pass through the town. The M6 motorway passes just to the east, linked to Carnforth by the A6070 (formerly the A601(M)) which was originally part of the Lancaster bypass before the M6 was extended north.
Where to Stay in Carnforth
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Carnforth?
Within an hour or so of Carnforth: Lakeland Motor Museum (20 km), Ingleton Waterfalls Trail (20 km), Trough of Bowland (22 km), Ingleborough and Gaping Gill (25 km).
Are there any good drives near Carnforth?
The nearest famous roads are Trough of Bowland, Corney Fell Road and Kirkstone Pass.
Where is Carnforth?
Carnforth is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Bolton le Sands.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 7,920
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 54.1316, -2.7691
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Carnforth
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
waterfall
Ingleton Waterfalls Trail
A 4.5-mile paid circular walk through wooded gorges past a chain of waterfalls including Thornton Force and Pecca Falls.
20 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Trough of Bowland
Remote moorland pass through the Forest of Bowland linking Lancaster and Dunsop Bridge, following the route the Pendle witches were marched to trial in 1612. Sweeping single-carriageway bends with barely a building in sight.
22 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Ingleborough and Gaping Gill
One of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, riddled with caves including Gaping Gill, whose 98m shaft could hold York Minster.
25 km · about 30 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Whernside
The highest point in Yorkshire at 736 m, forming the long whaleback ridge above Ribblehead Viaduct.
26 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Ribblehead Viaduct
Magnificent Victorian railway viaduct with 24 arches striding across the bleak moorland of the Yorkshire Dales, an engineering marvel of the 1870s.
27 km · about 30 min drive
film location
Hill Top, Near Sawrey (Miss Potter)
Beatrix Potter's farmhouse in the Lake District, used in Miss Potter and the source of her illustrated landscapes.
28 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Bowness-on-Windermere
The busiest lakeside town in the National Park, the departure point for Windermere steamers and home to the World of Beatrix Potter.
28 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Carnforth
12 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- 22 kmTrough of BowlandRemote moorland pass through the Forest of Bowland linking Lancaster and Dunsop Bridge, following the route the Pendle witches were marched to trial in 1612. Sweeping single-carriageway bends with barely a building in sight.
- 26 kmWhernsideThe highest point in Yorkshire at 736 m, forming the long whaleback ridge above Ribblehead Viaduct.
- 34 kmPen-y-ghentThe most distinctive of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a 694 m stepped ridge above Horton in Ribblesdale.
- 35 kmThe Old Man of ConistonA 803 m fell rising directly above Coniston village, scarred by centuries of copper and slate workings and topped by a wide summit cairn.
- 37 kmCorney Fell RoadA single-track fell road climbing from the Duddon valley to over 300 m with sweeping views across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man.
- 38 kmKirkstone PassThe Lake District's highest motor road, topped by an ancient inn and sweeping views over Brothers Water.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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