Kendal - Town, Ginnels & Yards

Navigating The Route

This is a circular Detective Mystery around Kendal's ginnels and yards, with Detectives helping local police investigate the mysterious death of wool and cloth millionaire Curly Weaver, untangling suspects, rumours and clues around Kendal.

The investigation covers 2.2 miles and should take around 2.5+ hours to complete. You'll begin at the war memorial on Market Place, just off Stricklandgate, then work through Kendal's town centre, narrow lanes, fortified alleys, historic yards, cobbles, Castle Howe, The Brewery area and the Town Hall before looping back through the streets and yards.

This Trail is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The route mainly follows pavements and clear paths, but it also has some steps, steep slopes, a short muddy section, narrow roads, cobbles, ginnels and yards.

Take care on narrow roads, steep slopes and muddy sections, and use safe places to cross the road where needed. Keep Mini Detectives close whenever the case leads you through tighter streets or across traffic.

Getting There

By car: Start your investigation at the war memorial on Market Place, just off Stricklandgate, the main shopping street, Kendal (LA9 4TP). Westmoreland Shopping Centre car park (LA9 4BT) is nearest to the start, as is South Lakeland House car park (LA9 4DH).

By public transport: Make your way to the war memorial on Market Place, just off Stricklandgate, to begin the case. The route starts and finishes in the town centre and loops back via Kendal's streets and yards.

Need the Loo?

Comfort breaks are available at Westmoreland Shopping Centre near the start and finish, the Brewery Arts Centre at Clues 12 and 13, and the Town Hall at Clue 17.

Bring Your Furry Sidekicks

For four-legged Detectives, plan for a town-centre investigation with a few trickier patches. 🐾

The route includes pavements, clear paths, narrow roads, cobbles, ginnels, yards, steps, steep slopes and a short muddy section, so keep canine colleagues close around traffic and take extra care on slopes and muddier ground.

Food & Drink Stops

Detective work is hungry business, especially when wool millionaires and suspicious rumours are involved.

There are plenty of places in Kendal town centre to pick up provisions, and the route passes the Black Swan pub and The Brewery area. Castle Howe at Clue 08 is the prime spot for a police picnic if you would rather bring your own supplies.

Want to Make a Day of It?

Kendal town centre's ginnels, yards and cobbles

The town centre's narrow lanes, fortified alleys and cobbles are at the heart of this case. There used to be over 150 yards off the main street, but many were lost to 20th century redevelopment, and the Civic Society now works hard to preserve the ones that still remain.

Castle Howe

Castle Howe was the site of Kendal's first castle, built in 1092, with a motte and bailey. A later castle was built across the river from here, and the abandoned bailey later became known as 'Bowling Fell', as it was Kendal's first public park with bowling greens.

Town Hall clock tower and carillon

The Town Hall's clock tower and carillon is a major Kendal landmark, seen and heard around the town. The carillon plays a different tune each day, ringing out every 3 hours starting at 6 am - useful intel if your squad likes to time its investigations to a soundtrack.

Kendal's wool industry and historic yards

Curly Weaver's world fits neatly into Kendal's real woolly past. The town's wool industry brought people in to live and work in its historic yards, and Shakespeare wrote about 'Knaves in Kendal Green' in Henry IV, referring to the famous coloured cloth made here. It is also thought that Robin Hood and his merry men would have worn Kendal's green cloth.

Scotch Burial Ground

Keep an eye out for the doorway marked 'Scotch Burial Ground'. It belonged to a Calvinistic sect that were unpopular in town and so were refused normal burial rights. They managed to buy this piece of land to use as their own private burial ground - a suitably mysterious detail for Detectives who enjoy the darker corners of local history.