Large areas of moorland lie within the parish, extending 5 miles (8 km) south west of the village to the northern side of the Howgill Fells.

[1] Historically also known as "Russendale", the parish is divided into four parts (known as 'angles'): Town, Newbiggin-on-Lune, Bowderdale and Fell End.

Slightly to the south east of the village centre are the buildings of the former Ravenstonedale Endowed School.

It has an interesting interior where rows of box pews face a central aisle in the collegiate style.

The village was served by Ravenstonedale railway station (located to the west of Newbiggin-on-Lune), but it closed to passengers in 1952, and to goods traffic in 1962.