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Derwent Pencil Museum
Attractions in Portinscale

Nothing in Portinscale itself: Derwent Pencil Museum is 1.6 km away

Around Portinscale, the places to visit include 4 museums, 4 historic houses and 3 historic sites. Nothing is mapped inside Portinscale’s built-up area, but 15 places to visit are within 5 km of its edge. Heritage bodies look after 3 of them: 2 by the National Trust and 1 by English Heritage. Day-trippers head 36 km out to Carlisle Cathedral.

Photo: Derwent Pencil Museum, Stinglehammer (CC BY-SA 3.0)
In Portinscale
0
inside the built-up area
Within 5 km
15
of the town’s edge
Museums & galleries
5
in or near town
Castles & historic places
7
in or near town
Cared for
3
National Trust, English Heritage, Cadw and others
Best known

Around Portinscale: where to begin

After Derwent Pencil Museum, look out for 3 historic houses, a museum and a historic site.

MuseumDerwent Pencil Museum900 m outside town, to the eastHistoric house · National TrustDerwent Island and House700 m outside town, to the southeastMuseumKeswick Museum & Art Gallery1.4 km outside town, to the eastHistoric houseUnderscar2.5 km outside town, to the northeastHistoric houseMirehouse4.8 km outside town, to the northHistoric siteHistoric site · English HeritageCastlerigg Stone Circle3.6 km outside town, to the east

Each has a page of its own: what it is, who runs it, the weather month by month and what else is near it.

The map

Around Portinscale, mapped

Furthest out is Lodore Falls, at 5.3 km.

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The dashed line is Portinscale’s built-up area; orange marks its middle (where most people live). Numbers match the list below. © OpenStreetMap contributors · ONS built-up area 2022

By kind

What there is to see

7 castles or historic places and 5 museums or galleries top the count.

Museums & galleries 4 museums · 1 art gallery0 in town · 5 nearby
Castles & historic places 4 historic houses · 3 historic sites0 in town · 7 nearby
Other attractions 3 attractions0 in town · 3 nearby

Green: inside Portinscale. Grey: within 5 km of its edge.

3 places are cared for: 2 by the National Trust and 1 by English Heritage (Derwent Island and House, Castlerigg Stone Circle and Force Crag Mine).

Every place

Every entry

Here are the 15 places within 5 km of its edge.

Underscar

Historic house · 2.5 km outside town, to the northeast

English country house in Underskiddaw, Cumberland, Cumbria, England, UK.

About Underscar →

Close and well known first. Churches and listed buildings are on the History page, not here.

1 listed building is on Portinscale’s History page → · Parks, footpaths and green space in Portinscale →

Big names nearby

Further afield: the best known within 40 km

First of the 12 big names within reach is Carlisle Cathedral, 36 km away.

CathedralCarlisle Cathedral36 km northeastCastle · English HeritageCarlisle Castle36 km northeastCastle · English HeritageBrougham Castle29 km eastHistoric house · National TrustWordworth House15 km northwestCastleCockermouth Castle14 km northwestCastle · English HeritagePenrith Castle27 km eastHistoric house · National TrustHill Top31 km southeastCastleGreystoke Castle20 km eastHistoric houseRydal Mount21 km southeastCastleCastleMuncaster Castle31 km southwestCastleDacre Castle21 km eastHistoric houseHutton-in-the-Forest24 km northeast

Places well known beyond Portinscale (Wikipedia articles in several languages, published visitor counts, or a National Trust, English Heritage or Cadw property), close and famous first. Distances are straight lines from the middle of the town.

Portinscale, answered

What is there to see near Portinscale?

No attraction is mapped inside Portinscale itself. Within 5 km of it are Derwent Pencil Museum, Derwent Island and House, Keswick Museum & Art Gallery and Underscar.

Does Portinscale have a museum?

5 museums and galleries are in or within 5 km of Portinscale: Derwent Pencil Museum, Keswick Museum & Art Gallery, The Retro Zone and Lucy Pittaway Art Gallery.

Is there a National Trust or English Heritage property near Portinscale?

Yes. In or within 5 km of Portinscale, 3 places are cared for: 2 by the National Trust and 1 by English Heritage (Derwent Island and House, Castlerigg Stone Circle and Force Crag Mine).

What are the best-known days out near Portinscale?

Within 40 km: Carlisle Cathedral (36 km), Carlisle Castle (36 km), Brougham Castle (29 km), Wordworth House (15 km).

Where are Portinscale’s historic buildings listed?

Portinscale has 1 listed buildings. They are on its History page, from Historic England’s list, not repeated here.

How is this list made?

From OpenStreetMap (museums, galleries, zoos, theme parks and attractions, castles, forts and abbeys, and historic houses and gardens that are open to visitors) and Wikidata (what each place is, who runs it, its website and visitor counts). A place counts for Portinscale when it is inside the ONS 2022 built-up area, and as nearby within 5 km of its edge. Opening times and prices are not shown: check the official site.

Places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database Licence) and Wikidata (CC0), placed in the ONS 2022 built-up area (Open Government Licence v3.0). Visitor counts are the latest Wikidata gives, with their year.

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (16)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.