This place is a global treasure. One of us had been here 11(!) years ago with friends who live in…read moreNewcastle who brought her here, and she loved it so much that she insisted we all go again--so we did. After spending the morning at Alnwick Castle, we came to Barter Books for lunch and browsing. The cafe is adorable and cozy, and our party of seven was promptly seated. You order at the register and you do not want to sleep on the rarebit--it's so good! While it had just a tad too much mustard than remembered, it was still so gooey and heart-warming (and certainly more impressive than the pile of gloop that was our daughter's mac-n-cheese...let's just pretend that never happened). The beans on toast was also comforting and perfect in such a setting. Fries (chips!) are well-made, and the accompanying salad has a tangy vinaigrette. The whole bookstore is a converted train station and it's massive and we would have perused the titles for several more hours had we not had four children in our party. It was still a lovely time exploring the store, roaming the aisles, and getting lost in old books. We bought a few to bring home, as well as some other swag. And obviously you don't want to miss seeing the famed original "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster. This is just one of those magical places that you really can't describe, but once you go, you'll get it. Five unequivocal stars.

Love this place! Neat rooms to explore, fun model train, lots of used books a nice selection of…read morenew gifts AND a great and reasonable cafe. Their chips are so good I went back the next day for a snack.

This is a magical place: all sorts of wonderful books, a super, eclectic selection. Staff very…read morehelpful. And good value. Do call in, worth a special trip!

Good little shop for second hand books, I find myself in here a lot, whenever I walk past I can't…read moreresist popping in for a new (used) paperback. Characterful shop and as with all used books shops you never know what you'll find inside, which is half the fun.

A fabulous independent book shop in Corbridge market square that stocks loads of great books you…read morewon't find in high street shops. The displays are imaginative and attractive, showing off the books to a treat. There's a great little sunken area with a comfy settee for closer browsing and a great stationery corner too. Excellent for greetings cards I to the bargain.

Great little bookshop with a good range of books. Also stocks stationery including a range of the…read morewonderful Moleskine notebooks and diaries. Ordnance survey maps, local guide books and lots of local history titles too. Cheerful and friendly proprietor/staff. Nice little shop!

Books, books and more books. There really is nothing like a book store in England. NOTHING. Ok,…read moremaybe there is, but I digress. This is not your borders, not your B&N, I was a lovely book shop with wall to wall books, including the newest craze, Adult coloring books, and yes, I picked a new one up! They didn't have the foul language one I was looking for, but they did have Notes from the Universe, which was just as nice.

Very quaint little independent bookstore crammed into a very small space. Not somewhere to go for…read morethe latest Richard & Judy recommended travesty but a place to uncover a gem with some real character to boot. The owner is very helpful and friendly if you know what you're looking for and even if you have no idea. It might not be modern but I love places like this.

Support your independent bookshop. Knowledgeable staff. Great source of discounted children's…read morebooks. I always use Bookends to order books in. They get them for you the next day, and I can order in advance over the Internet and collect them and pay at the shop. They have a loyalty scheme, so you can collect stickers in exchange for a voucher which you can use at Bookends or at Bookcase (their sister shop which sells second hand books and classical music CDs).

This book shop is situated betwen the Town Hall and the Cathedral and from the outside looks quite…read moresmall but looks can be very deceiving! Once you go inside you will find lots of books about Carlisle and the local area as well as books that have just been published too. There is a wonderful children's section that has lots of different and discounted books to choose from. They have a great children's section too. They also sell calendars and notelets and address books and other things that make ideal presents for those people who are sometimes hard to buy for. This floor is just the tip of the iceburg. Downstairs there are three more rooms crammed with books. You could spend ages just browsing around. the staff are very knowledgeable and very helpful. They are also good at stepping back and letting you look without feeling pressured into buying. I always come here for my books as I feel it is important to support your local independent book shop.

Nice big book store with 2 floors of books for everyone. They have a Costa coffee shop on the 2nd…read morefloor.