The surrounding area and river is a magnet for wildlife. Watch grey heron, wagtail, red squirrels and robins. Less than five minutes walk downstream you can access the river for a paddle or to feed the ducks.

You can walk from the cottage to the railway path in just a few minutes.

The railway path extends from just beyond Keswick Leisure Pool close to Fitz Park and runs for 5km to Threlkeld.

At Brigham Forge there is a narrow shelf of land on the south bank that is about 20ft above the river level - a great attraction to industrialists looking for waterpower and the reason for the development of the Brigham Forge mill complex.

Its upper end is now spanned by the modern Keswick by-pass road, from which there is an excellent view of this secret hamlet. 'Brigholm’ had a bridge here in the 13th century, and the area was in Fountains Abbey hands until the Dissolution. In 1541, John Williamson took over the rents of the area. Today, the Speddings are gradually selling off parts to the occupiers here.

In 1840 Bridge Cottage was a spade/edge tool forge as marked on the map (ref. no. 17).