3 Best Sights in Penrith, The Lake District

In a 16th-century building that served as a school from 1670 to the 1970s, this museum contains Stone Age axe heads, interesting fossils and minerals, and an informative film about Cumbria's Neolithic history. The Penrith Tourist Information Centre is here, too.

The evocative remains of this 15th-century redbrick castle stand high above a steep, now-dry moat. Home of the maligned Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III), who was responsible for keeping peace along the border, it was one of England's first lines of defense against the Scots. By the Civil War, the castle was in ruins, and the townsfolk used some of the fallen stones to build their houses. The ruins stand in a park, across from the town's train station.

Named for the Celtic kingdom of Cumbria, Rheged is a modern, grass-covered multipurpose cultural center with a gallery that hosts rotating art and photography exhibits, as well as a massive, large-screen cinema that often live streams theatrical performances and concerts as well as new releases. Shops showcase Cumbrian food, drink, and crafts, and three different cafés offer drinks and light meals. Rheged is 2 miles southwest of Penrith and 1 mile west of Junction 40 on the M6.