Penrith voted the top UK destination for staycationers travelling by train

This summer's number one destination for staycationing British tourists travelling by train is Penrith.

Data from Virgin Trains Ticketing has revealed the number of people taking the train to Penrith (North Lakes), which Avanti West Coast serves, has increased by 106% in the last six weeks. 

The trend aligns with local initiatives like the ‘Sustainable and Integrated Transport for Ullswater’ (SITU), which launched a pilot minibus scheme in July 2023.

The service, operated by Stagecoach, connects local holiday accommodations to key attractions such as Pooley Bridge, Howtown, Lowther Castle – routes that hadn't been served previously. 

Daniel Holder, a member of SITU and owner of the award-winning eco-holiday park, The Quiet Site, said:  “The SITU has done an awful lot of work to link the accommodations to attractions in the Ullswater Valley.

“We’ve been working hard on connectivity to make the sustainable transport integrated. It’s great to see those figures come in from Virgin, it’s really super,” he said.

Acknowledging the benefits that SITU is bringing to the area Rachel Bell, the head of marketing and business development for Lake District Estates, which runs Ullswater Steamers, explained: "It pulls people in from campsites in outlying areas who don’t have the 508 bus in easy reach. Instead of using cars, they can use the Hopper bus.

"We have recognised that visitors are our bread and butter but it’s about managing those visitor numbers sustainably.

"Ullswater businesses like Daniel at the Quiet Site, parish councils, Lowther, Dalemain, are a very tight-knit community who are working together to make it a destination organisation," she said.