Steaming through Yorkshire & Settle to Carlisle Railway

For our first excursion we head to the historic city of York. Make time for the glorious York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe with world-famous stained-glass windows. Other highlights include the narrow cobbled streets of the ‘Shambles’ where the buildings date back to medieval times, the Jorvik Centre which tells the story of York’s Viking heritage and the ancient walls surrounding the city. The famous Betty’s tea rooms are also worth a visit, or why not head to the National Railway Museum? Home to a stunning range of famous locomotives including speedy Mallard, impressive Duchess of Hamilton and an authentic replica of George Stephenson’s Rocket, here we can also discover fascinating tales, relics and objects from centuries of railway history.

We take a trip on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, a preserved heritage railway that runs for four miles between the award-winning Bolton Abbey station and Embsay station, which was built in 1888. Both stations offer gift shops and tea rooms and most trains are hauled by beautifully-restored steam engines, the oldest one dating back to 1908. As you sit back and relax, imagine you are travelling in the Golden Age of steam while admiring the Yorkshire Dales landscapes.

Afterwards, we make our way to the market town of Skipton for a relaxing cruise on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, one of the highlights of the Yorkshire Dales and a lovely way to soak up the surrounding scenery. There is then some free time in the town itself, known as the ‘Gateway to the Dales’ and complete with a grand medieval castle as its centrepiece.

For our last stop we head to Grassington, a delight to visit with its bustling cobbled market square, fringed by shops offering local arts and crafts, all set against a beautiful scenic backdrop in the Yorkshire Dales.

Our memorable journey on the world-famous Settle to Carlisle Railway might well be the highlight of our break. Arguably the most scenic line in the country, it took 6,000 men seven years to build! The line cuts a 72-mile swathe across the Yorkshire Dales, over the 24 arches of the Ribblehead Viaduct, through the long tunnel at Blea Moor and on past the lush pastures of the Eden Valley. We arrive in Carlisle, where we enjoy some free time at leisure in this historic border city, before taking our return train.