
This post was updated in April 2021.
Ever since we first heard about Sedbergh Book Town – England’s official book town situated near Kendal in Cumbria, we planned to make a visit. This pretty place is nestled at the foothills of the Howgill Fells and is a bit of a trek from the busy hubs of Windermere and Keswick, but is totally worth the drive.
However Sedbergh isn’t quite a Hay-on-Wye yet. It has three independent bookshops within the town itself ranging from the massive Westwood Books to the smaller Clutterbooks. What makes Sedbergh special though is that many of that many of the cafes, pubs and shops also stock books too – making it a real sanctuary for bibliophiles. Although a fair few shops were closed (even on a bank holiday Saturday!), we spent around four hours there quite happily and came back with a very reasonably-priced book hauls.
I’d recommend starting with Westwood books (which moved up from Hay in 2005) because this is the shop you’ll want to spend most time in. We parked by the church and it took about 10 minutes to walk along Main Street to the shop (it’s at the far end). Here’s a taste of what to expect:
This post contains affiliate links which means that we may receive a small amount of commission at no cost to yourself if you buy a product through this page. Please see our disclosure here.
Westwood Books
The largest bookshop in the Yorkshire Dales, this vast store covers two floors of a converted cinema and is a sight to behold. I would recommend setting aside at least an hour to explore its many shelves. With a stock of over 70,000 secondhand, antiquarian and new books, Westwood Books requires a thorough browsing.
The groundfloor includes paperbacks, art, travel, a big children’s section plus a wide selection of other subjects. There’s also a coffee machine and a loo on this level. And don’t miss the Collector’s Bookroom which is in a separate section right at the back.
Upstairs, you will find film, sport, YA, literature, psychology to name but a few genres. When I say huge – I mean HUGE! Take a rucksack or three. Luckily if you do need to make a swift return visit, Westwood Books is open 7 days a week from 10.30am.
Dales and Lakes Book Centre
A lovely name for the Tourist Information Centre! The building is split into two halves – one side for the information part and the other for a range of secondhand books. It took us a while to work out what the names on each of the bookshelves meant until a friendly volunteer told us that each one belongs to a different book dealer. Fiction was in shorter supply here with non-fiction taking up most of the space. Another perk of this place is the public garden opposite – a perfect spot to sit and enjoy your book buys. The centre is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday 12 noon to 4pm.
Clutterbooks
A compact community charity shop, this well-curated bookstore has a nice selection of secondhand titles. Sometimes a tighter range can be helpful and we found two books on our wishlist straightaway – Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez and Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor. Even better the prices were an absolute snip. Little M felt very at home and went off to read in the tiny children’s room – a sign of a welcoming book nook!
The profits from sales are funnelled into community projects so everything you buy goes towards a great cause. Clutterbooks welcomes visitors between Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Other Booksellers in Sedbergh Book Town
As mentioned earlier, quite a few of the shops were closed when we visited the town, but lots of them stock books. You can see them on this list of Sedbergh booksellers. These also include cafes and pubs. We were lucky to bag a table in the very small yet sweet Three Hares cafe which sources local produce and bakes its own delicious bread and cakes.
One place that’s always open is the cute bookish bus shelter, which is featured on the main image for this post. Visitors are welcome to take a book for free as long as they replace it with another title.
Although Sedbergh Book Town is still building its bookish reputation, the town definitely merits a special journey. We didn’t stay overnight as we have family who live fairly close-by but the area is very unspoilt and perfectly positioned between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. If you’re looking for a break in a beautiful, little-known part of Britain then Sedbergh is as good as it gets.

Sedbergh Accommodation
If you’re looking Sedbergh accommodation, there are a number of options both in the town and nearby, some of which we’ve listed below. We haven’t stayed in any of these personally so do make sure that you check reviews before booking.
A luxurious mix of vintage and modern, The Black Bull can be found in the centre of Sedbergh. The hotel also serves gourmet food made from locally sourced ingredients. See more on Coolstays.

Six luxury hot tub lodges in the Lake District’s Eden Valley on the edge of Yorkshire Dales National Park. The lodges have a have a cosy Alpine aesthetic and are only twenty minutes’ drive from Sedbergh. Discover more on Coolstays.

Lovely 😍
Author
It’s a brilliant day out!
Author
It’s a gorgeous town Carol & has the potential to become a real bookish destination 🙂
oooh I love the look of this shop, how very quaint. Such gorgeous shelves and so many books x
Author
It’s a condensed Hay in many ways – I hope the town manages to grow! x
Thanks for the brilliant guide. We’ve driven through a number of times and I’ve always wanted to make a day of it. Will put it on my outings list. 🙂
Author
Aw that’s fantastic! The town has a really unusual atmosphere – a bit Brigadoonish. I’d be interested to find out what you think of it 🙂
Oh, Dear! Thank you so much for this post, it is indeed a valuable information! I don´t know if I´ll ever have the chance to visit Sedbergh, but as I didn´t even know about its existence, I feel glad just to know there´s such a place in the world hahaha.
P.S.: Little M looks absolutely cute sitting on that bench!
Author
It’s one of those hidden places that you think you’ve almost dreamt up! Little M was very at home there 🙂
Great pictures, glad you had a good time visiting Sedbergh! A literary trip sounds like the perfect way to start the summer.
Author
Thanks Michael – it’s the kind of place where you feel you could totally chill out. Britain 30 years ago but with mod cons!
What a charming little town! I love how despite its size it boasts so many beautiful book shops.
Author
It has a really calm atmosphere – almost like going back in time!