Discover High Harrington: Nature, Harbour and History

High Harrington combines nature, harbour history and impressive traces of industry. Those looking for a mix of quiet paths, historical discoveries and active excursions for their holiday will find several different ways to explore Harrington here. This makes choosing suitable accommodation a question of the desired pace of travel: should a short walk in the countryside be the focus, a visit to historic buildings or a cycling tour?

Enjoy nature on level paths

Harrington Nature Reserve is protected as a Local Nature Reserve. Its protected features include its contribution to wildlife, geology, education and public recreation. The landscape comprises extensive willow scrub, two meadows and wet woodland. This creates a varied setting for a break outdoors, without making the visit dependent on a long walk.

For a manageable outing, Harrington Nature Reserve offers a walk of around 15 to 30 minutes on a level, wheelchair-friendly path. This specific type of route can play a role in planning the day when different interests come together or when there is still time for further discoveries alongside an excursion. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house, you can therefore plan the nature visit as a peaceful element alongside cultural and more active activities.

Harbour, cycle route and maritime themes

Harrington Harbour now serves as a leisure facility. At the harbour, Squire Henry Curwen built a quay on the south side of the River Wyre in 1760. These two historical and present-day aspects belong together without telling the same story: the quay points to the harbour's earlier development, while the present-day leisure facility describes a different use. Those who enjoy getting to know places through their history can trace the changes in a harbour setting here.

There is also a clearly named starting point for a cycling tour. The West Cumbria Cycle Network follows former railway lines through Harrington and runs from Distington to Workington. The former use of the routes is itself part of the local landscape. This allows travel plans to be adapted to your own daily rhythm without reducing the area to just one holiday theme.

Church history with unusual details

The Church of St Mary in Harrington is a Grade II listed parish church. Its west tower contains two stones and a doorway that are believed to date from the 12th century. These architectural elements, believed to date from the 12th century, make medieval traces visible in the west tower. St Mary's Church was rebuilt in 1634 and again in 1884–85. For visitors interested in architectural history and older traces, the church therefore offers several layers of time: architectural elements believed to be medieval stand alongside documented rebuilds from later centuries.

More recent stained-glass windows in St Mary's Church depict the area's industrial and maritime heritage, including the wind power industry. The “Magnesite” works in Harrington were established during the Second World War by the Ministry of Aircraft Production to extract magnesium from seawater for aircraft components and incendiary bombs. This means that a church interior reveals not only religious but also regional themes. Such a connection can be particularly interesting when travelling with children or young people and you prefer to convey historical impressions through concrete motifs rather than abstract dates. Harrington Infant School adds another perspective on the built environment: its building preserves a largely unaltered original floor plan. Features that survive include the roof structure, fireplaces, panelling, arched doorways and door lintels with carved spandrels.

Which accommodation suits your stay?

When looking for accommodation in High Harrington, you can first define the character of your planned days. The nature reserve is suited to a trip with short periods outdoors, the cycle route to more active planning, and the harbour and church to an interest in history, change and regional themes. A holiday apartment or holiday house can thus be selected according to the preferred base and your own daily routine, without requiring any particular amenities. Those bringing together different age groups can also combine nature, activity and culture in varying sequences.

To compare other destinations, you can also include Scotby, Keswick, Cleator, Mungrisdale, Longtown, Tebay, Greystoke and Elterwater in your further travel planning.

For the overarching travel overview: Cumbria.