ancient ruins
Birdoswald Roman Fort
A Hadrian's Wall fort above the Irthing gorge, with the longest continuous stretch of surviving wall alongside it.
19 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Great Corby
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Great Corby
Great Corby works well as a base: 15 minutes from Carlisle, 24km from Hartside Pass (A686).
Great Corby is in England, United Kingdom, with about 2,200 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Carlisle, about 7 km away.
Great Corby is a village in northern Cumbria, England, above the eastern bank of a wooded gorge on the River Eden. Directly across the river from Great Corby is the village of Wetheral. The two villages are linked by a railway viaduct (Corby Bridge, popularly known as "Wetheral Viaduct"). This is on the Tyne ValleyRead more
Line from Newcastle to Carlisle, which passes to the north of the village. The railway station at Wetheral is accessible to residents of Great Corby by a pedestrian footpath attached to the railway viaduct.
Administratively Great Corby lies within the civil parish of Wetheral and the electoral ward of Great Corby and Geltsdale. It thus forms part of the district administered as Cumberland. Women in the ward had the highest life expectancy at birth, 97.2 years, of any ward in England and Wales in 2016.
Early in 2015, the Corby Bridge Inn, beside the level crossing on the railway at the northern entrance to the village, closed after being sold to a property developer. The pub, a Grade II Listed Building, was built in the 1830s to serve the needs of travellers on the new railway, and was thought to be the oldest 'railway' pub in the world.
There is also a primary school. There is no church, the village forming part of Wetheral parish. The village's Methodist chapel closed in the mid 80's, and the building is now a private house.
Great Corby is notable for Corby Castle, a historic home of the Howard family on the south-western edge of the village overlooking the river. Corby Castle is now owned by the family of Northern Irish businessman Edward Haughey.
In 1836 one of the very earliest railway accidents happened in Corby Bridge, close to the railway viaduct.
Within the village many sporting events occur largely due to the effort of the Great Corby Cricket Club. They recently merged forces with Scotby CC meaning the sides altogether now have two senior teams and two junior sides. There are around 50 junior and 40 senior members within the club which is run by enthusiastic members who are looking to improve facilities and opportunities for the local cricket side.
Where to Stay in Great Corby
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Great Corby?
Within an hour or so of Great Corby: Birdoswald Roman Fort (19 km), Hartside Cafe (21 km), Hartside Pass (21 km), Hartside Pass (A686) (24 km).
Are there any good drives near Great Corby?
The nearest famous roads are Hartside Pass, A689 Alston to Stanhope (Weardale) and B6318 Military Road (Hadrian's Wall).
Where is Great Corby?
Great Corby is in England, United Kingdom, about 7 km from Carlisle.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,157
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 54.8817, -2.8245
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 Great Corby
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cafe
Hartside Cafe
A remote hilltop cafe at 1,904 feet on the A686 in Cumbria, one of England's highest road cafes and a bucket-list stop for bikers.
21 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Hartside Pass
The A686's grand sweep over the North Pennines between Penrith and Alston, climbing to 580m through wide hairpins with views across the Eden Valley to the Lake District fells. A celebrated drivers' and bikers' road.
21 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Hartside Pass (A686)
Voted one of Britain's best drives - a sweeping climb to 580m out of the Eden Valley with a panorama to the Lake District and the Solway.
24 km · about 25 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Steel Rigg
A car park and viewpoint on the Whin Sill giving the classic switchback view of Hadrian's Wall towards Sycamore Gap.
31 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Sycamore Gap
A dip in Hadrian's Wall that held one of England's most photographed trees until it was felled in 2023; the site and its regrowth remain a pilgrimage.
32 km · about 35 min drive
ancient ruins
Vindolanda
An actively excavated Roman fort and settlement south of Hadrian's Wall, source of the Vindolanda writing tablets.
32 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Ullswater
The Lake District's second-largest lake, with Wordsworth's daffodils at Glencoyne and 1930s steamers running its length.
34 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Great Corby
12 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- 21 kmHartside PassThe A686's grand sweep over the North Pennines between Penrith and Alston, climbing to 580m through wide hairpins with views across the Eden Valley to the Lake District fells. A celebrated drivers' and bikers' road.
- 24 kmHartside Pass (A686)Voted one of Britain's best drives - a sweeping climb to 580m out of the Eden Valley with a panorama to the Lake District and the Solway.
- 31 kmSteel RiggA car park and viewpoint on the Whin Sill giving the classic switchback view of Hadrian's Wall towards Sycamore Gap.
- 34 kmUllswaterThe Lake District's second-largest lake, with Wordsworth's daffodils at Glencoyne and 1930s steamers running its length.
- 35 kmA689 Alston to Stanhope (Weardale)A remote high Pennine road over Killhope with wide moorland views and almost no traffic; England's highest market town at one end.
- 35 kmB6318 Military Road (Hadrian's Wall)General Wade's arrow-straight road along Hadrian's Wall, rolling over the whin sill with Roman forts on either side.
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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