Guide to pronouncing Cumbrian place names correctly

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 06:08 · Archive

Cumbria has notoriously difficult place names that visitors frequently mispronounce, from Torpenhow to Keswick.

Cumbria has notoriously difficult place names that frequently baffle visitors. Getting the pronunciation wrong could affect how well tourists get on during their stay in the region.

Torpenhow, one of the most common traps, is pronounced 'Tre-penna' by locals. The name derives from Old Norse and means 'hill of the meeting of the waters'. Keswick, a popular holiday market town, is pronounced 'Kezz-ick', dropping the 'w' entirely. Ulverston is commonly mispronounced with emphasis on the 'ver', but should be pronounced 'Ull-vuh-st'n'.

Places bearing the name 'Brough' present particular challenges as they have different pronunciations. The Brough near Kirby Stephen is pronounced 'bruff', while Brougham near Penrith is pronounced 'broom'. Milnthorpe places emphasis on the 'n' rather than the 'th'. The northern Cumbrian mountain Blencathra is often mispronounced, though the Cumbrian pronunciation is 'Blen-cath-ruh' or 'Blen-cath-er'.

How it is being reported

• The Cumbrian place names visitors always pronounce wrongA guide to the most commonly mispronounced place names, fells and villages across Cumbria, from Torpenhow and Keswick to Brougham and Blencathra.Westmorland Gazette · 23 Oct, 05:00
• The Cumbrian place names visitors always pronounce wrongA guide to the most commonly mispronounced place names, fells and villages across Cumbria, from Torpenhow and Keswick to Brougham and Blencathra.NW Evening Mail · 23 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Cumbria · Torpenhow · Keswick · Ulverston · Brougham · Blencathra · Penrith · Kirby Stephen

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