Retirement properties in Cumbria

If you love the lure of fresh air, there's plenty to keep you busy around the county for an active retirement.

• Hike over the thrilling scenery, take a walk alongside Hadrian's Wall, or enjoy a leisurely bike ride down country lanes.
• Grizedale Forest allows you to explore at your own pace, wandering between the sculptures, zooming through the assault course, or cycling on the dedicated trails.
• Find water sports, horse riding, fishing and even archery in the Lake District. You can even take advantage of Cumbria's 30 golf courses and 20 different tennis clubs.

With more than a third of the county taken up by the world-famous Lake District, our retirement properties in Cumbria allow you to call this stunning panoramic landscape your home.

Cumbria is the home of Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, with views from the summit stretching as far as the Irish Mourne Mountains and the Welsh Snowdonia. You can visit both the deepest and the longest lakes in the country – Wastwater and Windermere – or explore the extensive woodlands, where you can spot rare red squirrels.

You’ll find plenty to see and do outside of the Lake District, thanks to the abundance of coastal areas.

For example, you can visit the charming Victorian seaside resorts of Seascale, St Bees and Allonby. Spend time on their sandy beaches, swimming spots and coastal walks along the Cumbria Coastal Way. Each of these seaside towns has their own thriving local community, and there are plenty of picturesque villages to explore too.

You can see the coast in style by taking a train along the Cumbrian Coastline. This is one of the most scenic rail trips in the country, as it weaves through Ravenglass, Whitehaven, Workington and Maryport. 

Just 10 miles from the border with Scotland, the city of Carlisle covers 400 square miles of land, making it the largest city in England by area. Living in Carlisle - the only city in the county - you'll find more than 70 big names in the Lanes Shopping Centre. Or discover a variety of local produce at the Market Hall, one of the last remaining Victorian covered markets.

The historic Carlisle Castle is a 900-year-old strategic site that was in a crucial position near the Scotland-England border. Explore its dark dungeons, or see hundreds of years' worth of history at the Museum of Military Life. Or, head to Castlerigg Stone Circle, one of the earliest megalithic structures in England. 

Despite its rural setting, transport links make it easy to travel to local areas in Cumbria and reach nearby towns and cities.

• By car - The M6 provides access to areas further north and to the south of England, while the A66 offers east to west travel. Driving is ideal in villages where public transport might be limited, but local volunteer schemes offer community transport for seniors.
• By bus - Local bus networks connect towns and cities throughout Cumbria, though services can be infrequent in less populated areas.
• By rail - Several train networks pass through stations in Cumbria, offering connections to locations further afield. Reach Glasgow or Edinburgh from Carlisle in 1.5-2 hours, or London in around 3.5 hours.