I'm not one of these people. I take trains because, in the UK, they are often the most practical way to get from point A to point B. And I hate having to change trains mid journey
So when I discovered that, because of what the British call "planned engineering works" on the fast West Coast Line, I had to take an alternative route from Carlisle to London one Sunday, I was none too pleased. The journey meant a change at Leeds. It was also going to take twice as long because of lots of local stops. I buried my nose in a magazine and prepared for a long, boring trip.
Discovering a Great Railway Journey
The train climbed out of Carlisle. About 40 minutes later, we were traveling through some of the most beautiful and lonely country I had ever seen in the UK. In March, the great high, gently rolling pastures were wintry pale and sere. There was not an animal in sight. We seemed to be traversing a high valley with mountains rising on either side.
For several miles we crossed countryside marked and divided by stone fences. No houses, no trees. Just small fields, separated by dry stone walls, their kinks and curves defining centuries of divided inheritances and local property claims.
That's when I noticed people with binoculars and knapsacks, hiking boots and travel guides all around me. The couple across the aisle were perusing maps and brochures. I asked if they knew where we were and learned the story of the Settle to Carlisle Railway, one of the Great Railway Journeys of the World.
Next: A Great Rail Journey Between Dales and Fells
To Book a Rail Journey on the Settle to Carlisle Line
Northern Rail operate the Settle to Carlisle line and tickets can be booked through them, online. For the best information on the schedule for this great railway journey, visit the Settle-Carlisle Partnership website and click on their "Timetables & Fares" page.
