Vintage Train to Carlisle



At the end of May, I travelled to Carlisle via the Settle to Carlisle vintage train. We boarded the train at Darlington and passed through stations at York and Leeds before heading off towards Settle.  

During the journey, we were brought pastries and tea to eat whilst we enjoyed the views of the countryside out of the window. I did try to take a few photos, but it’s hard when you’re moving so fast, so they're a bit blurry.


The Settle to Carlisle line is a 73-mile-long railway line in northern England. The route takes you through the Yorkshire Dales and the North Pennines and crosses the impressive Ribblehead Viaduct just outside Settle. The stretch of railway was built in the 1870s and has several tunnels (which are quite scary!)

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Treasurer's House, York


It was pouring down when we visited the Treasurer’s House in York, so much so, in fact, that I couldn't get a photo of the entrance to the house. It’s a grade I listed building owned by the National Trust and is in the centre of York near York Minster. 

The first treasurer for the Minster was appointed in 1091, but the house was almost entirely rebuilt in the early 17th century. The house was built directly over one of the main Roman roads in Roman York; one Roman column base can be found in the cellar of the Treasurer’s House, with one being used in the main hall. The house is reportedly haunted by several ghosts, including a group of Roman soldiers who have been 'seen' in the cellar of the property.

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Goddard's House and Gardens, York


It was raining when we visited York a few weeks back to look around Goddard’s house and garden. Goddard’s is a grade I listed arts and crafts house in York, now owned by the National Trust, which acquired the house in 1984. However, it wasn’t opened to the public until 2012. It was built in 1927 for the Terry family of the famed chocolate manufacturing family, Terry’s.


The garden spans 4 acres and includes a tennis court and croquet lawn. Beyond the gardens, you can see York racecourse. As it was pouring down when we were there, we were the only ones out in the garden, so we got the whole place to ourselves. My favourite part was the rock garden in the pictures below.

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Rowing Boats, Preston Park


Here are some photos from the rowing boats at Preston Park near Stockton. You can opt for an hour or half an hour out on the water; we chose half an hour and this was plenty of time to row up and down the River Tees. Rowing boats are available for £10 per boat for 30 minutes or £15 for a full hour. 



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Cragside


Cragside has to be one of my favourite places that I’ve visited. We visited on the way home from Northumberland, only about 20 minutes from where we were in Alnwick. Cragside is a Victorian country house built in the 19th century and was the first house in the world to be lit using hydroelectric power. It is also National Trust property, and you can pay to go into the house, gardens or both.

The House
The house has been a grade I listed building since 1953. The Victorian kitchen features a lift and a spit, both run on hydraulic power. Other rooms include the library, which has amazing views over the bridge and the formal garden, the dining room, the drawing room and the billiard room. The dining room features a large marble fireplace.


Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is one of the house's main features as it was the first in England to use this.

The Iron Bridge
Built from steel made in Middlesbrough, the bridge allows you a different view of the gardens and house behind it.


The Gardens
There are several different walks and a selection of maps to follow. The most popular walk takes you around the lake, past the Archimedean screw and the bridge, to the pump house, and then back along through the trees to the house. The rhododendrons were just starting to bloom when we were there, but I’d like to come back when they’re out and take some photos.


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