Talkin Tarn Country Park is nine miles east of Carlisle and set amid 120 acres of farmland and mature woodland. It’s ideal for just a quiet stroll or an active day of watersports and bike riding. It also hosts outdoor theatrical productions during the summer.
There is a 1.3 mile circular path that is ideal for a gentle stroll. This path is hard surfaced and accessible to all. There are also three way marked trails of varying lengths; 1.5km, 2.5km and 3.5km starting from the car park and on into woods and fields.
Both a permanent orienteering course and a numeracy trail are available for self-led activities. The park is an ideal location to bring a school class for a day of environmental education activities, and even has a small camp site available for organised groups.
On site there is a tearoom, gift shop and take away service. Talkin Tarn has modern welfare facilities as well as changing rooms for water sports users. There is also a beautiful log cabin available for hire and a local arts and craft exhibition space located in the historic Alex Boathouse building.
Talkin Tarn is a kettle-hole lake formed by the immense force of glaciers 18,000 years ago. Moving ice scoured and carved the landscape leaving glacial sand hills and a natural bowl, which filled with water as the ice sheet melted.
The Tarn has long and rich history and has traditionally been used for recreation since at least the middle of the 1800's. The same is still true today with visitors coming from far and wide to enjoy all that the tarn has to offer.
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.
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