Hi Everyone,
On our Lake District adventure we wanted to go on a steam railway and originally we were going to go on The Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway but it turned out to be really expensive for a really short train ride. We didn't think it was worth it because the we wanted something for the kids to enjoy. So, I did some googling and found Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and can I just say, this is one hidden gem hiding away in a small coastal village.
The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's has a fleet of heritage steam and diesel engines transports passengers from Ravenglass to Dalegarth for Boot, which takes around 40 minutes. This journey doesn't feel like 40 minutes but it was, I timed it.
A little history about this railway; it was built between 1873-1875 and was the first public narrow gauge railway in England. This railway is also one of the world’s oldest and longest surviving narrow gauge railways. The main terminus at Ravenglass sits within two UNESCO World Heritage sites, The Lake District National Park and Frontiers of the Roman Empire. It first started carrying passengers in 1876 but originally it was used to transport the iron ore that was mined in the hills above the village of Boot down to Ravenglass.
What's really special about this railway is that there are a lot of different types of carriages that you can choose from, all varying in price. You can choose between a fully covered carriage, half-open (no windows), and open-top carriages (has no doors or windows). Or you can upgrade to First Class which has comfy armchair like seats and the carriages are taller, or the top of the range is the special Pullman Carriage 'Joan'.
As you travel along this line there are stops along the way that have to be requested and I saw the cutest and maybe smallest train stop that was made of a boat. Also, if you want to travel on the steam engine make sure you check the timings of the steam engine as the diesel engine operates alongside.
For our journey we booked the fully closed carriage as I was worried about the weather not holding out seeing as it had rained majority of the time we were in the Lake District. It's safe to say this was very cramped as it is a small train on a narrow gauge and it was a little difficult to see out. The kids really enjoyed the sightseeing from the train as well as hearing the train whistle and other trains passing by. It's a really relaxing and enjoyable journey up to Dalegarth which is the end stop.
When you reach this station, it's up to you if you go for a walk in the area as they have lots of hiking trails or you can take the next train back, which would be the same train you came up on. We decided to take the same train back as the kids aren't old enough to do the trails but we treated ourselves to a upgrade. It was a very expensive upgrade but on the way back down we were in the Pullman Carriage 'Joan'. They said this is the poshest carriage they have and it has to be either booked as a half carriage or full carriage. As there were only 5 of us, my daughter didn't have to pay so we were allowed to take the half carriage.
This carriage was so spacious compared to the carriage we came up in and it had 4 armchairs as well as a table. We decided to grab some coffees and cake and have our lunch in the carriage on the way back down to Ravenglass. It's safe to say this was the best train journey I have done so far and everyone really enjoyed themselves.
Not many people know about this railway as it was not busy at all, but we spoke to the ticket sales office and they said during the summer holidays it gets a little busier. This place really is a hidden gem, and if you ever visit the Lake District I would highly recommend you going to this railway. Also, the drive to Ravenglass isn't the easiest as you go around and over the hills but it really is a beautiful drive.
I would go here again when the kids are older so we can explore Dalegarth more as I'm sure there are beautiful views from the hiking trails. Would you be putting this on your Lake District bucket list?
Until next time, stay tuned.