Appleby Horse Fair in a van
Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria. The annual gathering of Gypsy and Traveller families in the Eden Valley — one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with horses washed in the River Eden and driven on the lanes.
The main days are Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 June. Visit Eden says there is very little to see after the Sunday.
What the organiser says about vans
- The 2027 dates are Thursday 3 June to Wednesday 9 June. [1]
- In past years the authorities have used Traffic Regulation Orders to prohibit roadside parking on the approach routes, and have closed roads in the town during the day. The 2027 traffic plan was not published when we checked — read it on the official site before you travel. [2]
- Even if you are not going: the roads around Appleby and Kirkby Stephen carry horse-drawn traffic for days before the fair. If you are driving through the Eden Valley that week, allow for it.
Numbered points come from the sources listed below. Points without a number are our own advice, not the organiser's.
Our plain advice
This is not an event to arrive at in a motorhome and hope. Stay well outside Appleby, expect temporary no-parking orders on verges and laybys for miles around, and read what a Traffic Regulation Order is before you rely on a layby.
Where to stay nearby
Within 15 km on our map: 25 campsites & caravan sites — unverified, from OpenStreetMap. Ring before you rely on one, especially out of season.
Open the map around Appleby Horse Fair →
The rules round here
England: no right to sleep on access land, and honeypot car parks are heavily managed — but the pub and farm network here is one of the best in Britain. More on The Lake District →