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Lakes and Dales by Steam

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4.1 stars(16 reviews)
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Enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the spectacular north of England

You are viewing the 2021 itinerary. Select your departure year
20212022
5 days From £349 per person
Flexible Booking

Book your 2021 holiday before 30th April and you can transfer your holiday for free - no questions asked. T&C's apply

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2021 Tour code: 21LKL

About the tour

From your base in Carlisle, travel on heritage railways, enjoying the rugged countryside in the north of England, including the world-famous Lake District.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Carlisle

Begin your holiday at the Hallmark Hotel in Carlisle, where you meet your Tour Manager. Close to the Scottish border, Carlisle is a city surrounded by beauty. With the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and Hadrian's Wall just a train ride away, this is the perfect place from which to explore.

Carlisle dates back to Roman times and boasts a myriad of ancient buildings and beautiful architecture. Carlisle Castle, a sturdy fort built during the reign of William II, son of William the Conqueror, is well worth a visit. Many of the streets are also infused with more modern history, thanks to Carlisle's place as a centre of textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution, when Carlisle also became a hub for the railways. Your hotel is situated just outside the gorgeous Grade II listed station.

Includes
  • Dinner
Carlisle Castle
Day 2 - Windermere

Journey by steam train from Haverthwaite to Lakeside today, which sits on the southern shore of stunning Windermere. A delightful railway trip, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway winds through the beautiful sights of the English countryside, on a route that was part of the Furness Railway when it opened in 1869.

On arrival in Lakeside, board a boat and sail across the lake to Bowness. Windermere is one of the Lake District's most famous bodies of water and is recognised by UNESCO for its outstanding natural beauty, which has been inspiring artists and writers for centuries. Soak up the sights of sloping hills swathed in woods and moorlands.

You have free time in Bowness, famous for inspiring the fictional town of 'Rio' in Arthur Ransome's most famous series of novels, 'Swallows and Amazons'. There's also an attraction here dedicated to one of the Lake District's most renowned inhabitants, Beatrix Potter. On your way back to Carlisle, make a stop at the pretty village of Grasmere. Sat next to Grasmere Lake, the village was once home to William Wordsworth. Take a wander here, and perhaps treat yourself to a local specialty - some award-winning Grasmere Gingerbread, which has been made here using an authentic Victorian recipe since 1854.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway
Day 3 - The Settle to Carlisle Railway

Enjoy a spectacular journey on the wonderful Settle to Carlisle Railway to Skipton. It took seven years to complete this route before its opening in 1875, as the varied landscapes through which it travels made work difficult for construction workers. Cut through hills, mountains, and valleys, over marshland and rivers; the very scenery that made the line difficult to complete is exactly what makes it so worth experiencing today.

Enjoy miles of untouched beauty from your carriage as the line enters the Yorkshire Dales and passes over the majestic Ribblehead Viaduct, one of the undoubted icons of the Yorkshire landscape today. Watched over by atmospheric Whernside, one of Yorkshire's highest peaks, the viaduct opened in 1876 and stretches more than 1,300 feet over the boggy land below. After some free time in the pretty market town of Skipton, return to Carlisle by rail.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Settle to Carlisle Railway
Day 4 - The Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway

After travelling to Ravenglass by train, take a steam-hauled rail journey to Dalegarth aboard the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. One of the oldest minimum-gauge heritage railways in England, the line originally opened in 1875 and boasts some truly incredible scenery. Enjoy fantastic views across undulating hills and the highest mountain range in England, before disembarking in Ravenglass.

This afternoon, transfer to Muncaster to visit its castle. Owned by the Pennington family for over 800 years and set in picture-perfect surroundings, this fortress is almost Arthurian in appearance, with square towers topped by parapets. Enjoy some free time to explore before returning to the hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Day 5 - Carlisle & home

After a final breakfast, your holiday comes to an end.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Carlisle Cathedral

Additional information

Departure times

On many of our UK & Ireland tours, you may check in at the first hotel on your itinerary anytime after 14:00; your Tour Manager will be available between 16:00 and 18:00. However, if you are arriving later, you can meet your Tour Manager before dinner from 19:00.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Hallmark Hotel, Carlisle

Hallmark Hotel, Carlisle

View hotel

Trains

Haverthwaite Railway
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
Settle to Carlisle Line

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Upgrades

UK rail connections
Door to door luggage from £50
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Reviews

4.1 stars4.1 / 5 · 16 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (7)
  2. 4 stars
    (5)
  3. 3 stars
    (3)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Miss Jayne Eastwood

5 stars

Submitted 27 Oct 2020

I really enjoyed this holiday. Jacqui, the Tour Manager, was very good, friendly and approachable. She organised everything very well indeed.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mr Paul Freeman

5 stars

Submitted 25 Oct 2020

Well organised and very enjoyable

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mrs Charlotte Bulman

5 stars

Submitted 23 Oct 2020

Excellent program of trips, allowing for social distancing in these troubled times.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mr P Dyer

5 stars

Submitted 23 Sep 2020

every thing went like clockwork including the weather, We were looking forward to a break in these difficult times.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mr C Laurence

4 stars

Submitted 08 Nov 2019

A good holiday esp. Windermere* and the hawk display. I thought little of the guide. Hotel good and most convenient but food mediocre. By the way I asked for "assisted travel" for my journey to Carlile for the first time ad found it excellent. * The skipper was pleased to let me steer on learning I was a retired Master Mariner.

Collected by Rail Discoveries

Mrs P Powell

2 stars

Submitted 07 Nov 2019

Very poor evening meal every night

Collected by Rail Discoveries

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Europe & UK Escorted Holiday by Rail 2020 & 2021

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Lakes and Dales by Steam

Enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the spectacular north of England

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