Carlisle Reviews

Living in Carlisle

Carlisle is the second most northerly city in England and home to the University of Cumbria. It is surrounded by magnificent landscapes and has a rich heritage waiting to be explored.

Carlisle has been an important town throughout history, and still sits on the remains of Hadrian’s Wall, the old Roman barrier that used to separate Scotland from England. There’s a couple of campuses and some uni-owned accommodation spread across the city, but all of them are within easy walking distance of the city centre, giving students a chance to take advantage of everything Carlisle has on offer.

When you head to the city centre, two of the most obvious landmarks are the castle and cathedral, just a few streets away from each other. The castle is still an imposing sight, although these days it’s usually open for tours and if you make it as far as the summit you’ll be rewarded with a view of the city. Near here is The Lanes shopping centre, marking one end of the main retail area for students - in fact one of the halls of residence marks the other end of this patch.

Botchergate is a name you need to remember; it’s the street you face as you exit the train station, and a great place to start looking for entertainment. There’s a good selection of pubs, clubs and bars on and around Botchergate road. This is also where you’ll find restaurants and takeaways to fit any situation or budget, from classy dates down to cheeky post-club kebabs. For a quieter night there’s two cinemas in the same area, and classical music and concerts in St Cuthberts.

To the north of the city centre you’ll find the Sands Centre. This massive complex multi-tasks as an entertainment venue and sports centre. In one half there’s stages for live music acts, theatre and comedy, while in the other half there’s space for track and field games, a gym, a climbing wall and a swimming pool. The Big Three - football, rugby and cricket - all have professional teams in Carlisle, and there’s also a horse racing course just outside the southern edge of the city.

Out and About

• Hadrian’s Wall: It’s over 70miles long and Carlisle is right at the western end of it. This makes the city a popular place for hikers to start the walk along it. Why not join them?
• Tullie House Museum: If you like museums, this is a great one. It tracks Carlisle’s (somewhat violent!) history from prehistoric times through the Roman and Viking invasions, and then the Industrial Revolution.
• Lake District: This is one of the UK’s prime holiday destinations, and those that appreciate a well poured pint might also be interested to know that Cumbria has more microbreweries than any other county. If you’re planning a post-exam trip you know where to go.

Good to know

• Bus: Stagecoach runs the local service, with regular rides too and from both campuses and town centre. Students can get a unirider bus ticket to help lower their overall travel costs if they are frequent bus-takers.
• Taxi: AAA Taxis
• Train: There are excellent train links in Carlisle, and Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh can all be reached in just 90mins.