Brampton is a small red-sandstone market town on the edge of the northern Pennines, and just outside it, on the line of the old Stanegate road, lay Boothby, one of the Roman forts that guarded the frontier before Hadrian's Wall was built. There is nothing much to see on the ground now, only a field and a slight rise, but the location is a good jumping-off point for some of the best riding and the best Wall sites in Cumbria.
Brampton has a lively history. During the Jacobite rising of 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed in the town while his army besieged Carlisle, and after the rebellion failed several of his followers were hanged from an oak tree on the edge of town. The spot is marked by a memorial known as the Capon Tree. The octagonal Moot Hall in the market square is a distinctive landmark, and the parish church has stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris.
Nearby are some fine sights. Lanercost Priory, founded in the twelfth century, is a ruined Augustinian monastery partly built of stones taken from the Wall, with a church still in use. Naworth Castle, home of the Earls of Carlisle, stands in parkland nearby. A little further east, Birdoswald Roman fort has one of the longest surviving stretches of the Wall and a dramatic setting above the gorge of the Irthing.
For riders, the big attraction is the A689 south from Brampton towards Alston, climbing over the Pennines through Hartside. It is one of the classic motorcycle roads of northern England, with long climbs, hairpins and wide views over the Eden valley to the Lake District fells. The road crosses bleak moorland near the top, exposed to wind and weather, and can be closed by snow in winter. The famous café at the summit burned down some years ago, so do not rely on it. Beyond Alston, one of the highest market towns in England, the roads continue into the North Pennines, an area of wild, empty country.
Brampton has fuel, cafés, pubs and shops. It is a pleasant place to stop before heading into the hills. The weather can change quickly, especially on the high ground, so carry warm and waterproof layers, and check the forecast before crossing the Pennines.