Whats Carlisle like?

[lucyspangle]

Posting for a friend who is moving North her DH new job thereCarlisle seems biggest place- though new colleagues of her DH had suggested the Brampton area for a good school-anyone familiar?

[Mammonite]

One of my friends is a teacher in Carlisle (Trinity School). I know a few people who've moved up to the Carlisle/Penrith area and love it. It's a fantastic part of the country as far as I can see. Are you looking for primary or secondary?

[CleopatrasAsp]

I live not far from Carlisle and know it very well. It's a lovely city in lots of ways - though more like a large town than a city to be honest. Culturally it can be a bit of a desert at times though it is getting better and Newcastle is only an hour and twenty minutes away for that sort of thing. The most sought after area of Carlisle is the Stanwix area, it has a nice feel and good schools - though obviously this is reflected in the price of housing. If your friend does buy in Carlisle tell her to be careful not to buy a house in any of the areas that were flooded in 2005 as I'm not convinced enough has been done to make sure they won't be flooded again and she will struggle to get any insurance. Outside of Carlisle there are lots of nice villages including Houghton, Linstock, Wetheral, Brampton and (my favourite) Dalston. If there's anything else you want to know just ask - I'll keep checking back.

[Stogan]

I live in carlisle an have done for years. Not sure I'd agree stanwix is the most sought after area but it is nice we used to live there but opted for a quieter life

[HarrietJones]

Not sure how the secondary academies are faring now but they had a bad reputation early on so worth looking into if they are needed sooner rather than later.

[CleopatrasAsp]

Where would you say is the most sought after area then Slogan? Everyone I know who lives in Carlisle wants to live on Stanwix! Perhaps that is just some sort of a reflection on my friends.

[Stogan]

I would say the villages on the edges are the places to be, houghton, Wetheral, scotby. I love it up stanwix and the area is good but just personal presence we foun it a bit busy. I fo miss it from tone to time and am up there alot but I prefer it out of the way. Each to their own I gues xx

[CleopatrasAsp]

Oh, yes I agree living in the villages on the outskirts is better than being in the town itself, I was just advising the OP about in the town in case that's where their friend wanted to live. Love all the villages you mention.

[Ragwort]

Sorry for the hijack but I will be spending a day in Carlisle next week, where's a good place for lunch - just me so doesn't need to be child friendly ?

[Stogan]

Ur right cleo, such a lovely city !!

Rag there are lots of places to eat, do u have any particular food u like/don't like? X

[Ragwort]

Thanks Stogan - somewhere fairly informal where I won't feel uncomfortable on my own but with interesting food, I think I went to a Mexican place last time I was there. Probably not a pub. I like most food . Suggestions welcome.

[Stogan]

Was the Mexican near the train station? If so it's still there. We also have a nandos now which is handy as also close to the train station an numerous Italians in the same area. X

[Ragwort]

Thanks Stogan - I shall have a look around the train station area .

[moaninlisa]

Watts Coffee shop is very atmospheric for coffee or light lunch
In the street running opposite M&S

[Stogan]

The guilder lily is lovely too but maybe more for a business lunch and Andalusian, which is just down from nandos has a lovely tapas menu for a light lunch. Enjoy x

[Stogan]

Guilded lily sorry

[Ragwort]

Thanks again for all the suggestions - perhaps I'll now have coffee in one place and lunch in the other - quite fancy the idea of a 'business' lunch - it's a long time since I had one of those .

[canistartagainplease]

If your looking for good schools and a cheaper house, dont discount the west of carlisle ,not as chi chi,but lots of lovely little villages near the solway marsh .If your friend is working at the infirmary its the right side of town, you dont have to fight your way over stanwix bank and the bridge with the horrendous traffic.
Nelson Thomlinson school in wigton has really good results, much better than the inner town schools and academies. Burgh by sands school is lovely and easy to get into town and also the wilds of the marsh. Met a lot of mumsnetty types there as well as the ordinary local farming lot. We lived in Glasson and the kids went to bowness on solway school which was lovely and still easy to get into town.Btw 10 years in stanwix, nice but not as nice as it used to be because of the traffic and loads of new housing further up scotlnad rd.good luck

[CleopatrasAsp]

canistartagainplease, west of Carlisle is nice as well . You're right about Nelson Thom, it was dreadful when I went there (I am in my thirties) but is a very good school now.

True about the traffic on Stanwix but the new bypass should improve that a lot hopefully.

Nice to see some Cumbrian Mumsnetters on here - I wonder if I know you!

[Liz79]

Merienda in treasury court is good for lunch, nice meze.

[UnrequitedSkink]

Dalston is a gorgeous village just outside Carlisle, Langdale. Not sure about schools, I think there used to be a secondary there? Nelson Thom is a bit of a drive from Carlisle though. And Wigton smells (really!)

Given your name though I assume you're fairly local already?

[UnrequitedSkink]

Caldew School in Dalston

[LineRunner]

Oh wow, it's God's own country, all the way down to down to Maryport - or along the Hadrian's Wall line - and places like Tindale are wonderful.

[TodaysAGoodDay]

Unrequited I was going to say Dalston. Much better than being in Carlisle. Yes, and Wigton stinks! (Bloody Innovia) Having said that, Nelson Thom is a very good school by all accounts. If I had a choice I'd say Brampton or Dalston.