The historic market town of Kendal is the gateway to the English Lake District. It is10 minutes from Junction 36 on the M6 if travelling from the South, and 20 minutes from Junction 39 if coming from the North. The West Coast Mainline has a station at Oxenholme just 2 miles from town, and a branch line stops in Kendal itself.

The main base for the Festival is the Brewery Arts Centre, with its Theatre (capacity 350), two Cinemas (seats 110 & 190), Studio (seats 60), Bars and Restaurants and is the perfect venue to watch films and for our series of specialist and themed lectures and seminars. Also, we will have a large Marquee outside the Arts Centre which will house the Festival Information Centre & ticket office and the Outside Shop. The Malt Room will show extreme sport films and the Galleries, Foyer, and Bars will have a range of painting, sculpture and photographic exhibitions. Seminars and Workshops and the Photographic Competition will be located in the Studio. It will also be the location for the Awards Ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

Kendal Library hosts a variety of Book Festival events. It is on the same side as the Brewery Arts Centre but based at the other end of the high street. Parking is available to the right of the building and it can be reached by going round the one-way system. Kendal Library, Stricklandgate, Kendal , Cumbria , LA9 4PY

The Kendal Leisure Centre will present Films and Lectures on both Saturday and Sunday. The seating capacity of 950 ensures plenty of room to see the keynote lectures, but we are recommending everyone to book early. The Kendal Leisure Centre is 10 minutes walk from the Arts Centre otherwise we will be running a regular complimentary bus shuttle service.

This amazing centre will host a separate programme plus a chance to visit the National Mountaineering Exhibition and watch one of the giant films such as Everest or Shackleton. It is located near Penrith on A66 1/2 mile west of Junction 40 on the M6, half an hour’s drive from Kendal.

See below for more information on how to travel to Kendal and the Festival Venues

By Rail - By Coach - By Air - By Sea - By Road

Travel to Kendal by Rail

Cumbria has an excellent rail network so Kendal can be easily reached from most parts of the country. For more information click on the name of the train operating company.

From Scotland, the North West, the Midlands, and Southern England
Virgin Trains via the West Coast Main Line call at Oxenholme for Kendal.
At Oxenholme connections can be made to the Windermere Branch line which stops at Kendal station, a short walk from the town centre. There is also a taxi stand and a bus stop serving the town centre.

From the North East
ARRIVA Trains Northern via the Tyne Valley Line call at Carlisle. At Carlisle connections can be made to the West Coast Main line.

From Yorkshire and Beyond
Transpennine Express trains call at Oxenholme for Kendal.

From Greater Manchester & North Wales
First North Western trains call at Oxenholme for Kendal.

Useful Information

• For rail timetable, fare information, special offers and much more contact 'National Rail Enquiries' - 08457 48 49 50, or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk
• There are a variety of rail cards available that enable you to save 1/3 on most rail fares (Young Persons, Senior, Family and Disabled Persons). For more information visit www.railcard.co.uk
• For overseas visitors a 'BritRail Pass' offers unrivalled value for money, total flexibility, and the chance to see the length and breadth of Britain by rail (only available to non-UK residents and can only be purchased before you leave your home country). For more information click here
• To purchase rail tickets online contact 'Q Jump' -
• or you can book rail tickets and accommodation with 'Trainline' -
• For information about taxi services from train stations contact 'TrainTaxi' -
• or contact the following Kendal based taxi companies:
  Blue Star 01539 723670
  Gateway 01539 725935
  Castle 01539 726233
  Atlas 01539 729991
  Ace 01539 733430
  A to B Taxis 01539 733666
  ABC Taxis 01539 724117
  Crown Taxis 01539 732181
  Airport Services 01539 724658 / 734234
  G.L.S. Taxis 01539 730785
  Steel Taxis 01539 724217
  

Travel to Kendal by Coach

Coach Travel
The M6 Motorway provides quick access to Kendal by coach, and most scheduled coach services in Britain are run by National Express with many of them running direct from London.

National Express
National Express Rapide services from London (Victoria) to Kendal and the Lake District take approximately 6.5 hours. If you're 25 and under, a student, or 50 and over, you can save up to 30% on ticket purchases with a National Express "Coach Card", or there is the "Family 2plus2 Coach Card" which allows up to 2 children to travel free. A variety of other express bus and coach services can also get you to Cumbria. For more information click here

Traveline
Closer to Kendal, there are other coach and bus services available. For further information contact Traveline on 0870 608 2 608 or click here

By Air

Flying to Cumbria - The Lake District for Kendal
Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Blackpool and Newcastle all have direct domestic and international scheduled flights, and offer easy access to the area.

Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport has its own rail station, operating 24 hours a day, every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, from where there are services to Oxenholme and Kendal stations. For more information click here or to go to the Manchester Airport Guide click here

Glasgow Airport
Glasgow Airport is just two miles from Paisley's Gilmour Street rail station which can be reached by taxi or by regular bus services. From Paisley Gilmour Street station there are frequent direct rail services to Glasgow Central station. From Glasgow Central station there are regular direct services to Oxenholme for Kendal. For more information click here

Newcastle Airport
Newcastle Airport is served by the fast-transit Metro system connecting the Airport directly with Newcastle Central rail station, from where there are regular services to Carlisle. From Carlisle connections can be made to the West Coast Mainline. For more information click here

Blackpool Airport
Blackpool Airport is very well located with the passenger terminal just 5 minutes walk from Squires Gate Railway Station. Services connect with the national rail network via Preston and there are regular direct services to Oxenholme for Kendal. National Express Coach Services connect with Preston and operate services to and from the Lake District throughout the year. For more information click here

• Car Hire is available at all of the above airports
• Low cost daily flights to Blackpool Airport, less than one hour's drive from the Lake District:
• Fly with RYANAIR from STANSTED or DUBLIN
• Fly with FLYKEEN from the ISLE OF MAN
• Fly with FLYBE/FLYKEEN from BELFAST

Sail to Cumbria

Sailing to Cumbria is simple: ferries link Holland, Scandinavia and Germany to Newcastle (North Shields); Belfast and the Isle of Man to Lancaster (Heysham); and Belfast and Dublin to Liverpool. Kendal is easily reached from any of these ports.

From Newcastle (North Shields)
You can access Cumbria - The Lake District by road via the A69. Or if you are not using a car there is a bus transfer from the Port to the Newcastle Central Rail station. The buses wait outside the terminal and once all passengers have disembarked the bus leaves for the station, from where there are regular services to Carlisle. From Carlisle connections can be made to Kendal. See below for links to ferry companies.

From Lancaster (Heysham)
You can access Kendal by road via the M6 motorway. Or if you are not using a car you can take the train that links daytime arrivals with Lancaster rail station. From Lancaster rail station there are regular services to Oxenholme and Kendal.

From Liverpool
You can access Kendal by road via the M58 and M6 motorways.

Links to Ferry Companies
• Sail to Newcastle with: DFDS Seaways
• Sail to Newcastle with: Fjord Line
• Sail from Belfast and the Isle of Man to Lancaster with The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
• Sail from Belfast and Dublin to Liverpool with NorseMerchant Ferries

Travel by Road

Using motorways from Manchester it takes approximately 1.5 hours to reach Cumbria, whilst the average journey time from London and the south east is around 5 hours. The A69 and A66 provide road links to the North East. Kendal is just 10 minutes from junction 36 on the M6 if travelling from the south and 20 minutes from junction 39 if coming from the north.

Planning your route
There are many ways to get here, so to plan your journey you can use the RAC Journey Planner.
RAC Journey Planner

Car Hire

The following links give details of a selection of car hire companies in the UK:

carrentals.co.uk
0845 225 0845

Nova RentaCar Reservations
0800 018 6682 (Freephone in UK)
+44 28 4272 8189 (International)

Europcar UK (http:/www.europcar.co.uk/)
Reservations Sales Centre: 0870 607 5000

AVIS rent a car
Reservations centre: 08700 100 287.

Cheap Car Rental
UK reservations: 08707 605 519

For information on how to reach Rheged click here

For more information on how to reach Kendal click here