Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway is a 15 inch gauge heritage steam railway. The 7 miles line runs from Ravenglass to Dalegarth Station near Boot in the valley of Eskdale and through some spectacular Lake District scenery.
The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway is one of the oldest and longest narrow gauge railways in England, known locally as La’al Ratty meaning “ little railway “ in olde Cumbrian dialect. It was 100 years ago in April 1913 that the original 3ft line closed and in 1915 the new 15in La’al Ratty was born.
The heritage steam engines transport passengers from Ravenglass , the only coastal village in the National Park and of huge significance in Roman times, being a significant last defence point of the infamous Hadrians Wall to Dalegarth for Boot some 210ft above sea level.
The journey crosses seven miles of spectacular scenery within sight of England’s highest mountains, the Scafell Range. The journey takes 40 minutes up the line from the protected nature reserves of the Ravenglass Estuary through ancient woodlands and fells of the Eskdale Valley. En route keep your eyes peeled for Greylag Geese, Curlew, Shelduck, Red Squirrels and Buzzards.
The cosy covered and open top carriages provide the best of comfort and views as you travel up the line. On arrival there is something for everyone, with a cafe serving home made treats and gift shop with plenty of trails and walks to explore in this beautiful corner of the Lake District National Park. ‘Britain’s Favourite View’, Wastwater is just around the corner.
It’s a bit of a long drive from most parts of the Lake District but well worth a visit and can be done at the end of the spectacular trip over Harknott & Wrynose passes.
Not only was this 1 of my favourite childhood places it apparently also was for the local guide book author and illustrator Alfred Wainwright (AW).
It’s also worth have a walk into Ravenglass village, a one street Lake District version of a Cornish fishing village-a lovely place!
