UK's Scenic Rail Journeys '24

Navigate this blog

As this is a Google blog, the last entry is always first and I haven't discovered how to change that, but this is about a rail tour and it's best viewed from start to finish.

If you merely wish to see the tour, from 5 June 2024 it would be best to click the Day 01 link below. At the end of each day's blog there's a similar link to the next day,

DAY 01

More useful info: here's a MAP of the tour and key to stations

However, if you feel the need to read some of my notes on researching and planning the tour its best to start at the beginning, which is the Planning link below.

Planning

Thanks for looking.

Keith

June 18: Hereford to Oxford

Two trains this morning to get to HFD and the scenic bit. The first to Crewe.

Carlisle station

The Pendolino train

See the horizon, note the tilt!

Crewe has a First Class lounge

Crewe station

That was a Transport for Wales (TfW) train that departed on time and arrived on time, the only such TfW of the last two weeks.

This is all trees and cuttings

First scenery is Worcester and River Severn

Rivers are the only places where there's a break in the trees

River Avon

Afternoon tea on GWR?

This GWR train has no food but plenty of wine.

That's it. Exhausted. 3,940 miles

I must say, I was very disappointed in the so-called scenic bit from HFD to Oxford. The vast majority of it seemed to be in cuttings or behind trees and bushes. Maybe it's only a scenic rail journey in the winter.

If I plan another such rail tour, this bit will not be included.

June 17: Settle to Carlisle

The plan for these two days is KGX to LDS where I change for a hopefully not cancelled train to CAR via Settle. There I've booked a room in the Station Hotel.

Tomorrow its a Pendolino from CAR to Crewe, then on to HFD and the final train to PAD, once again hopefully not cancelled.

Kings Cross First Class Lounge

Lunch

Long Preston

Settle in the rain

Horton-in-Ribblesdale, heavy rain

Ribblehead station

Ribblehead viaduct

Stone House

Dent

Clough

Clough station

Culgaith

River Eden

I've done the Settle line at last. Pity about the rain as the windows were too wet for photos much of the time.

My hotel doesn't serve evening meals. I looked out of my 3rd floor window and saw a pub serving food right behind this hotel. I walked round the corner and, surprise, it's a Wetherspoons. As in HFD eight days ago I considered going elsewhere but it was better the devil you know, again.

Day 14

June 16: Homeward bound

Just one daytime train gets me back to London from INV. On weekdays it departs at 7:55, far too early for me, but on Sundays it's a comfortable 9:40 and takes 15 minutes longer. That hardly matters on a 8-hour journey.

The scenic part is virtually all the way to Newcastle, so that's the bit these photos cover.

My seat for 8 hours

Breakfast

Dalwhinnie

Dalnaspidal

Pitlochry, Gateway to the Highlands

Wallace monument, Stirling

River Forth, Stirling

Lunch

Berwick-upon-Tweed and River Tweed

The pimple in the distance is Holy Island

Newcastle and River Tyne

From KGX it was bus (I don't much like the Underground), train, bus to get home before 8pm.

On the train from INV I looked into the possibility of partly retracing my steps to experience the two scenic routes I'd never previously covered which I'd had to miss because of cancelled trains. These are OXF to HFD (see Day 01) and LDS to CAR (see Day 06). There were two days remaining on my Rail Rover and, yes, it was possible:

See Day 13

June 15: The Kyle line

Probably the most scenic line in the UK when you have the weather, but that applies to all of them, doesn't it?

River Ness

River Beauly

Beauly station

River Conon

Beautiful Dingwall station

Dingwall station cafe & bar

Kyle line has three level crossings in Dingwall

Black Water

Loch Luichart

Loch Achanalt

River Bran

Achnashellach

Balnacra

Attadale station

Attadale gardens - wonderful

Some years ago had a great day here. The gardens are superb and there was food and drink too, just help yourself and put money in the tin. We only saw two or three other couples there all day. Had a chat with the owner on our way out, although we didn't know who he was until the man on the gate told us.