Not so much a location as an event, the Appleby Horse Fair takes place over 4 days on the first weekend in June. The Horse Fair has taken place since at least the 12th Century and today attracts about 10,000 Travelers, along with many other visitors. One of the main sights is the washing of horses in the River Eden, which was traditionally performed to prepare the horses for sale.
The main Traveler camp site is located about 1.5 miles north of the river, and is reached along a narrow country lane. Many Travelers ride their horses and carts at high speed along the narrow road to show off their horsemanship. Care is obviously needed along this stretch of road, but it does give photo opportunities to catch the horses in action.
Location and Parking
Postcode: CA16 6XH
There are numerous car parks around Appleby to cater for the large influx of visitors. On our visit, we parked in the grounds of Appleby Castle, which is the postcode given above. To view the washing of the horses, walk through the town centre and turn right onto Bridge Street which crosses the River Eden where the horses are washed. To reach the main camp, continue on the main road north before turning off on a minor road under the A66. There are continuous crowds of people and horses coming and going between the camp and the town centre, so it is difficult to go wrong!
Washing The Horses
The horses are ridden through the River Eden close to the bridge in the centre of Appleby. Photographs can be taken from either bank of the river, or from the bridge, but the views from the east bank are better as this gives a less cluttered background and the horses can be photographed as they are coming out of the water. It is also possible to get down to the riverside where there are numerous gravel spits. Some of the Travelers will pose for photographers. Pictures of the horses in the water make a good subject for mono images.
Posing On The River
Taking A Dip
The River Crossing
Washing The Horses
River Conversations
Towing The Line
The Traveler’s Camp
The Traveler’s camp is about 1.5 miles from the centre of Appleby. It is very easy to find as there are a constant stream of Travelers and their horses going to and fro between the camp and the centre of the town. Some of them ride at quite high speed along the road, giving the chance of a few action shots. There are also a few characters around to photograph.
Full Gallop
Striding Out
The Horse Traders