Appleby-in-Westmorland

The journey to Scotland can take seven hours in the car and I have travelled it once a year for many years now to visit my aunt and uncle in Bathgate, near Edinburgh. One of the bright spots of the journey is to stop for a while to enjoy the friendly little market town of Appleby, just off the A66, around 10 miles from Penrith.

The Moot Hall is central to Appleby's history. It bears a plaque dated 1179 to mark the first written charter and the present building dates from Tudor times. The Mayor and the Council still meet here.

Appleby is also famous for its Horse Fair which dates back to around 1685. It's held in June each year and attracts travelling people from all over the country.People travel from far and wide to see the horse sales and the tradition of washing the horses in the river.

The Settle to Carlisle Railway runs through Appleby, too. Opened in 1876, the line was part of the Midland Railway route from London to Scotland.