Talkin Tarn Country Park |
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Local legend tells that a village, overwhelmed by a catastrophic flood, lies deep beneath the waters of Talkin Tarn. At the dead of night, on midsummer's day you might hear the ghostly ring of the school bell calling children to their lessons!
Rowing has been a regular sport on the tarn since the 1850s. The annual rowing regatta still attracts oarsmen from all over the north of England. Rowers in Victorian times changed in an elegant timber framed building which once stood over the water on stilts. The handsome sandstone buildings around the tarn are boathouses built in the heyday of the sport. Today the tearoom occupies the main boathouse.
The name Talkin is derived from the Celtic "Talcan" meaning brow of a hill. The word "Tarn" is Norse in origin, "Tjorn" meaning tear drop or small lake. Old buckles, stone axes and urns have been found in the area.
Talkin Tarn is a kettle-hole lake, formed by the immense force of glaciers 10,000 years ago. Moving ice scoured and carved the landscape leaving drumlins (glacial sand hills) and a natural bowl which filled with water as huge blocks of ice melted. Today the tarn is fed by underground freshwater springs.
The woodlands provide a habitat for the red squirrel in one of its last strongholds in northern England. Birds such as garden warbler, pied flycatcher and redstart arrive in summer to feed on the rich insect and caterpillar life found in the green canopy. The clean clear waters are a rich freshwater habitat with perch, sticklebacks and predatory pike. Waterside soft rushes and grasses offer landing sites to the vivid common blue damselfly, the symbol of Talkin Tarn. In winter ducks and gulls flock to the open water to feed and roost in safety.
The oak trees around the tarn probably grew in ancient woodland. To enhance the views, Victorian landowners planted beech trees on top of the drumlins. More recently conifer stands were introduced to provide timber. Silver birch have colonised any cleared areas, being natural pioneers.
General Information:
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Opening Times
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(2011 times)
Tearooms and Gift shop:Open 7 Days a week All year round 10.30am - 4.00pm. Open 7 days/week 24 hrs/day. |
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Admission Charges
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(2011 prices)
Car Parking Charge Applies
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Directions
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| 1.5 miles south of the town of Brampton in North Cumbria. Close to the North Pennines AONB and Hadrians Wall. Follow the signs off the A69 at Brampton. |
| Show map of Talkin Tarn Country Park... |
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Talkin Tarn Country Park Postcode for SatNav: CA8 1HN |
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Nearby Attractions
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Birdoswald Roman Fort
(6 Miles)*
Visit the fascinating hands-on interactive visitor centre and remains of the Roman fort where you become part of Birdoswald's 2000 years of history. |
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Carlisle Cathedral
(9 Miles)*
The Cathedral, founded in 1122 and battered by centuries of border warfare, was built for the glory of God, and services have been said and sung daily in it for nearly 900 years. |
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Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery
(9 Miles)*
Our combination of permanent displays (many of them enjoyably interactive and 'hands on'), changing exhibitions and exciting events and workshops makes Tullie House a thriving centre of activity. |
| more attractions in Brampton and things to do in Brampton ... |
| more things to do in Cumbria and days out in Cumbria... |
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Nearby Hotels
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Nearby Self Catering
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