The Settle & Carlisle Railway: England’s Most Scenic Line?

August 18, 2026August 18, 2026 Koen 0 Comments

This destination guide takes you on a trip along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, one of England’s most beautiful train journeys, and shows you what there is to see and do along this highly scenic line.

A journey along the Settle & Carlisle Railway

After a fun night in Dewsbury, it was time to head to my next destination on my train travels across England.

I was planning to travel from Leeds to Carlisle along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, which is said to be one of the most scenic lines in the whole of the United Kingdom.

During my train trip, I would also make a stopover at Ribblehead to admire its famous stone viaduct and go on a hike in the Yorkshire Dales.

However, to start my trip along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, I first had to get to the starting point in Leeds.

From the railway station in Dewsbury, I took a morning TransPennine Express train to Leeds.

dewsbury station train leeds — *Waiting for the arrival of the train to Leeds at the platform of Dewsbury station. ©Paliparan*

dewsbury station transpennine express train leeds — *The TransPennine Express train to Leeds arrives at the railway station of Dewsbury. ©Paliparan*

transpenine express train — *Getting ready to depart to Leeds. ©Paliparan*

leeds railway station — *Arrival in Leeds. ©Paliparan*

Changing trains in Leeds

At Leeds, I had about half an hour to make the connection to my train to Carlisle.

This was more than enough time to explore the railway station a bit, snap some pictures of trains, and buy some snacks and drinks as supplies for the hike I was planning to do in the Yorkshire Dales.

I then walked towards platform 5B, one of the terminal platforms on the northern side of Leeds station, to board my train to Carlisle.

northern terminus platforms leeds — *Walking towards the platform to catch my train to Carlisle. ©Paliparan*

Northern train

Train services along the Settle & Carlisle Railway between Leeds and Carlisle are operated by Northern Trains, generally using Class 158 Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs).

Also called the Express Sprinter, these DMUs can reach top speeds of up to 90 miles per hour (145 kph), although we won’t even get close to that on the Settle & Carlisle Railway, as the line has an operational speed of just 60 miles per hour (97 kph).

The Northern train I was travelling in from Leeds to Carlisle along the Settle & Carlisle Railway was second class only.

The seats on this air-conditioned train are all arranged in a 2+2 configuration, either two abreast or in bays of four.

Although I thought the seats were quite comfort, I could imagine the legroom being a bit tight, especially when seating in a bay of four with three other passengers.

However, that would fortunately be no issue whatsoever on my journeys today along the Settle & Carlisle line, as each train I took was only around half full at most.

class 158 dmu northern train leeds settle carlisle railway — *Class 158 DMU of Northern Trains used on the Leeds to Carlisle route. ©Paliparan*

northern train second class settle & carlisle railway line — *Second class on the Northern train running along the Settle & Carlisle line. ©Paliparan*

northern class 158 dmu seats second class — *Bay of four seats on the Class 158 DMU of Northern Trains. ©Paliparan*

train interior class 158 — *Overall, I thought the train offered decent comfort. ©Paliparan*

About the Settle & Carlisle Railway

Before I start my journey, let’s first look at some important information and a bit of history about the railway line we will be travelling on today.

The Settle & Carlisle Railway, often abbreviated as the S&C, is a railway line between the town of Settle and the city of Carlisle, covering a distance of 73 miles (117 kilometres).

Most trains along this railway line to Carlisle actually depart from Leeds, from where they first head west along the Leeds–Morecambe line (also known as the Bentham line) to Settle Junction, before turning north towards Carlisle on the actual Settle & Carlisle Railway.

The train journey from Leeds to Carlisle along the Settle & Carlisle Railway takes around 2 hours and 40 minutes, covering 113 miles (182 kilometres) in total.

Currently, the railway line only sees semi-frequent Northern regional train services, with around 8 trains a day between Leeds and Carlisle, along with freight traffic and the occasional tourist train.

In the past, the Settle & Carlisle Railway was also used by long-distance and sleeper trains.

The Settle & Carlisle line was built by the Midland Railway and opened in 1875 for freight traffic and in 1876 for passengers.

The Midland Railway decided to build this line through the remote moors of Northern Yorkshire in order to have its own dedicated line to the Scottish border north of Carlisle, given that the London & North Western Railway put too many restrictions on its West Coast Main Line to Scotland for rival operators like Midland.

Midland Railway ran both daytime express trains and sleeper trains from London to Scotland, routing them along its own railway line from London St Pancras via Leicester, Sheffield and Leeds, and then across the new Settle & Carlisle line towards Scotland.

However, this third main line between England and Scotland could never quite compete with the faster West Coast and East Coast Main Lines, as they were more direct and could therefore offer faster travel times.

Express trains to Scotland ran on the Settle & Carlisle Railway until 1976, when British Rail downgraded it to the status of a local line.

The Settle & Carlisle Railway even faced complete closure, but a major public campaign to save the line was launched in 1981 with the formation of the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line advocacy and volunteer group.

The group was lucky to find an unlikely ally in Ron Cotton – the man whom British Rail tasked with preparing the closure of the Settle & Carlisle Railway, but who instead transformed its fortunes by revitalising the line, cutting fares, adding services, and massively increasing passenger numbers.

In 1989, rail minister Michael Portillo, another advocate of keeping the line open, formally announced that the government would reject British Rail’s application to close the Settle & Carlisle line, with the railway therefore officially being saved.

For more information about the Settle & Carlisle line, check out the dedicated page about it on Seat61, which is the best rail travel source to begin with.

settle carlisle railway line map — *Route map of the train journey between Leeds and Carlisle along the Settle & Carlisle line, with the most important railway stations depicted. ©OpenStreetMap/Paliparan*

Departure

At 09:19 on the dot, my train departed from the railway station in Leeds on its journey to Carlisle.

The first part of the route is easily the least exciting, as the train travels through the Leeds suburbs and the towns and villages of the surrounding urban area.

We made stops at stations such as Shipley, at the junction with the railway line south to Bradford, and Bingley.

From here, the urban build-up slowly started to give way to more rural landscapes, with the hills of the Yorkshire Dales appearing in the distance.

One thing I always enjoy about train travel in the UK is the beautifully kept stations, especially those in the countryside.

This was also true of the beautiful Skipton railway station, with its stone station building and cast-iron columns with ornate brackets supporting the glazed platform canopy.

bingley station — *Bingley station. ©Paliparan*

train view keighley — *View from the train just north of Keighley. ©Paliparan*

farmland chimney old factory — *Farmland and a chimney from an old factory. ©Paliparan*

train view leeds settle carlisle railway line — *Gradually, the scenery became more pleasant as we approached the next stop at Skipton. ©Paliparan*

skipton railway station — *Skipton railway station. ©Paliparan*

Skipton to Hellifield

After the stop in Skipton, the journey continued through the countryside.

From the train window, there were plenty of typical rural English scenes to admire, including grazing sheep and picturesque cottages dotted across the fields and rolling hills.

Just outside Gargrave, the railway line crosses both the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in quick succession.

Although the weather on this summer day was rather cloudy, I did enjoy the views over the verdant hills of North Yorkshire.

A while later, we arrived at Hellifield, another beautiful rural station similar in style to Skipton.

Built by the Midland Railway in 1880, the station also features a beautiful glass-and-cast-iron platform canopy.

Hellifield is a junction station on the Leeds–Morecambe line, with the Ribble Valley line branching off to the south towards Clitheroe, Blackburn and Manchester.

countryside skipton — *Countryside just outside Skipton. ©Paliparan*

gargrave viaduct river aire train leeds carlisle railway line — *View from the train as it crosses the viaduct over the River Aire just outside Gargrave. ©Paliparan*

scenery dark clouds — *Scenery between Gargrave and Hellifield. ©Paliparan*

train window view — *Train window view. ©Paliparan*

green hills north yorkshire — *Verdant hills of North Yorkshire. ©Paliparan*

hellifield railway station leeds settle carlisle line — *Stop in Hellifield, another beautiful rural railway station. ©Paliparan*

Hellifield to Settle

From Hellifield, it’s just a short distance to Settle.

Just before reaching Settle, the Northern train branches off from the Leeds–Morecambe line, which continues towards Carnforth on the West Coast Main Line.

The railway station at Settle marks the official beginning of the Settle & Carlisle line.

Settle is also one of the few fully staffed stations I would pass on today’s train journey between Leeds and Carlisle along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, the others being Leeds, Skipton, Appleby, and Carlisle.

Settle itself is a pleasant market town and could make for a good place to break up your journey, as there are a handful of tearooms, coffee shops, pubs, restaurants, and accommodation options within easy walking distance of the station.

hellifield settle scenery — *Scenery between Hellifield and Settle. ©Paliparan*

settle scenery — *Approaching Settle. ©Paliparan*

settle station — *Arrival at Settle station. We’re now 236 miles from London, as the sign shows! ©Paliparan*

settle railway station — *Settle station building ©Paliparan*

settle and carlisle railway line train statoin — *At Settle station, the Settle & Carlisle line officially starts. ©Paliparan*

Settle to Ribblehead

Right after departing Settle, the journey along the Settle & Carlisle Railway begins in earnest.

Almost immediately, you’ll notice the scenery changing as the railway enters the dramatic landscape of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The hills become more rugged and gradually rise into mountains, while the verdant grasslands and agricultural land give way to bleak moors and pastures strewn with rocks.

The railway line passes alongside empty roads, stone cottages, and fields with grazing sheep separated by traditional dry-stone walls marking the boundaries between the plots of land.

About 15 minutes after departing Settle, the train arrived at Ribblehead station, seemingly built in the middle of nowhere.

I would break up my journey in Ribblehead, so I disembarked here and watched from the platform as the train continued its journey towards Carlisle.

The views were certainly stunning, as the bleak moors around Ribblehead railway station even reminded me of the Scottish Highlands.

settle houses — *Riding north out of Settle. ©Paliparan*

hills settle — *Outside Settle, the hills begin to rise higher. ©Paliparan*

train views scenery settle & carlisle railway — *Although the best of the scenery was yet to come, I was already enjoying the views from the Settle & Carlisle Railway. ©Paliparan*

Horton-in-Ribblesdale railway station settle & carlisle line — *The historic Victorian station building at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. ©Paliparan*

scenery countryside view leeds carlisle northern train settle & carlisle railway — *Countryside of the Yorkshire Dales as seen from the Northern train between Leeds and Carlisle. ©Paliparan*

dry-stone walls countryside fields pastures — *I love the traditional dry-stone walls in the English countryside. ©Paliparan*

yorkshire dales settle & carlisle railway line — *The landscape became increasingly rugged as we ventured deeper into the Yorkshire Dales. ©Paliparan*

northern class 158 dmu ribblehead yorkshire dales settle carlisle railway line — *The Northern Class 158 DMU from Leeds to Carlisle arrives at Ribblehead station in the Yorkshire Dales. ©Paliparan*

ribblehead station yorkshire dales settle & carlisle railway line — *Ribblehead station is beautifully situated on the moors of the Yorkshire Dales. ©Paliparan*

ribblehead railway station building — *Station building. ©Paliparan*

northern dmu train ribblehead station — *Leeds to Carlisle Northern Class 158 DMU departs from Ribblehead station. ©Paliparan*

northern train class 158 dmu settle & carlisle railway ribblehead station — *The Northern train departs from Ribblehead station as it continues its journey along the Settle & Carlisle Railway. ©Paliparan*

Ribblehead Viaduct

One of the main reasons to make a stopover at Ribblehead is to admire the stunning Ribblehead Viaduct, which is without doubt the most famous landmark along the Settle & Carlisle Railway.

Trains on the Settle & Carlisle Railway cross Ribblehead Viaduct shortly after departing Ribblehead when travelling north towards Carlisle, or shortly before arriving at the station when travelling south towards Settle and Leeds.

Although the views from the viaduct over the bleak moors of the Yorkshire Dales are stunning, you cannot really appreciate the impressive structure itself from the train, so it is worth making a stopover at Ribblehead.

Ribblehead Viaduct is an easy 10-minute walk from Ribblehead station, and when you stand in front of the structure, or under one of its 24 large stone arches, you really get a feel for just how impressive it is.

Also known as Batty Moss Viaduct, Ribblehead Viaduct measures 440 yards (400 metres) in length and stands 104 feet (32 metres) above the ground.

Construction of Ribblehead Viaduct began in the summer of 1870 and was completed just over four years later.

The viaduct was built largely by hand with simple tools and cranes, with more than 100 workers losing their lives during its construction.

During the construction of Ribblehead Viaduct and other parts of the Settle & Carlisle Railway, the predominantly Irish workforce lived in rudimentary camps along the line.

Many of these makeshift camps, with names such as Batty Green, Sevastopol, Inkerman, Belgravia, Jerusalem, and Jericho, were built around Ribblehead Viaduct.

This was a convenient location for the camps, as besides its proximity to Ribblehead Viaduct, it was also close to Blea Moor Tunnel, which, at a length of 1.5 miles (2,404 metres), was another major engineering project that required a large workforce.

The foundations of the rudimentary workers’ camp of Batty Green can still be seen right next to Ribblehead Viaduct.

ribblehead station railway viaduct walk — *Walking from Ribblehead station towards the railway viaduct. ©Paliparan*

ribblehead viaduct settle & carlisle railway line — *Ribblehead Viaduct. ©Paliparan*

freight train ribblehead viaduct settle & carlisle railway line — *A freight train is crossing Ribblehead Viaduct. ©Paliparan*

ribblehead viaduct settle & carlisle railway line train trip leeds yorkshire dales — *Ribblehead Viaduct is stunningly situated on the bleak moors of the Yorkshire Dales. ©Paliparan*

Yorkshire Dales hike

Ribblehead is also a great starting point for hiking through the beautiful landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales, with several routes beginning at the station.

These range from relatively easy circular walks around Ribblehead Viaduct and the surrounding area, to a hiking path along the Settle & Carlisle railway to Dent station further up the line, as well as more strenuous routes taking you to the top of nearby peaks.

When hiking to Whernside or following the path along the railway line to the next station at Dent, you will pass several other historic Settle & Carlisle Railway structures, such as the old Blea Moor signal box and the southern entrance to Blea Moor Tunnel, so these hikes can definitely be interesting for rail enthusiasts as well.

I decided to make a circular hike to Whernside, the highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales at 2,415 feet (736 metres) above sea level, which I will cover in detail in the next chapter of this trip report.

It’s quite a climb to the top of Whernside, and you need to be in at least moderately good shape for it, but it was absolutely worth it, with gorgeous views throughout the entire route.

BR Class 37 diesel locomotive Settle & Carlisle Railway — *From the footpath along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, I saw this BR Class 37 diesel-electric locomotive passing by. ©Paliparan*

Blea Moor signal box Settle & Carlisle railway line — *Blea Moor signal box. ©Paliparan*

blea moor tunnel settle & Carlisle railway line — *The southern entrance of Blea Moor Tunnel. ©Paliparan*

whernside hike yorkshire dales travel 2022 — *Hiking up to Whernside, the highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales. ©Paliparan*

whernside peak mountain yorkshire dales fog — *The top of Whernside was covered in fog, which is rather common in the Yorkshire Dales. ©Paliparan*

whernside hike yorkshire dales ribblehead viaduct — *Hiking back down from Whernside, with Ribblehead Viaduct visible in the background. ©Paliparan*

Back at Ribblehead station

After my hike to Whernside, I stopped at the Ribblehead Station Inn for a well-deserved pint of beer before returning to the station to continue my journey along the Settle & Carlisle Railway.

The Ribblehead Station Inn is located just 200 yards or so from the actual station and is a great place to stop for a drink or lunch if you’re travelling along the Settle & Carlisle line, as it serves tasty homemade food, has a good selection of real ales, and offers an overall homely and welcoming atmosphere.

The inn also has rooms available, making it a popular accommodation option for hikers and railway enthusiasts alike.

Unfortunately, I could only stay for a single pint, as I had a train to catch.

At 16:37, exactly six hours after I first arrived in Ribblehead from Leeds, I continued my train journey to Carlisle.

ribblehead station inn settle & carlisle railway line — *The Ribblehead Station Inn. ©Paliparan*

pint of beer ribblehead station inn — *A well-deserved pint at the Ribblehead Station Inn. ©Paliparan*

ribblehead railway station access road — *After the much-needed pint of ale, it was back to the railway station to continue my train journey along the Settle & Carlisle Railway. ©Paliparan*

leeds carlisle train northern ribblehead railway station — *The southbound train from Carlisle to Leeds has just arrived at Ribblehead station. ©Paliparan*

northern train ribblehead carlisle — *I took the next northbound train to Carlisle from Ribblehead station. ©Paliparan*

Ribblehead to Dent

Although I really enjoyed my stopover in Ribblehead, I was quite happy to be sitting back on a train.

The weather had turned rather damp and misty this afternoon in the Yorkshire Dales, and on Whernside I even had to deal with some rain.

That said, I didn’t really mind the bad weather.

The bleak, rugged landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales look just as beautiful in moody weather as they do under clear blue skies – dare I say it, they might even look better.

On the stretch of railway line between Ribblehead and Dent, you will travel across Ribblehead Viaduct and through Blea Moor Tunnel, both of which I had already admired during my stopover.

At this beautiful part of the Settle & Carlisle line, there are great views of the Yorkshire Dales from both sides of the train.

Dent is another noteworthy stop along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, as this station is the highest railway station in England, at an altitude of 1,150 feet (350 metres) above sea level.

However, Dent is not the highest station in the UK.

That distinction either goes to Corrour on the West Highland Railway in Scotland, which is the highest main line station in the UK, or to the rack-and-pinion mountain railway station at the summit of Mount Snowdon in Wales, which is the highest station overall in the UK.

leeds carlisle northern train ribblehead viaduct view settle railway line — *View from the Leeds–Carlisle Northern train as it crosses Ribblehead Viaduct. ©Paliparan*

yorkshire dales scenery — *Scenery of the Yorkshire Dales as seen from the train. ©Paliparan*

settle carlisle railway line scenery view — *Even in the gloomy weather, the views from the train were breathtaking. ©Paliparan*

train view yorkshire dales — *View from the train. ©Paliparan*

yorkshire dales view northern train leeds carlisle railway line — *Yorkshire Dales view from the train. ©Paliparan*

dent railway station — *Dent railway station is the highest in England. ©Paliparan*

Dent to Garsdale

The journey from Dent to the next station along the line, Garsdale, is a short one.

Around here, the Settle & Carlisle line straddles the border between North Yorkshire (historically the West Riding of Yorkshire) and Cumbria.

Garsdale is another noteworthy stop along the Settle & Carlisle Railway, as there is quite a bit of interesting history behind this station.

This station was known as Hawes Junction until September 1932, when it was given its current name, Garsdale.

As its old name suggests, this used to be a junction station, where a branch line to Hawes (closed since 1959) once diverged from the Settle & Carlisle.

It is also the location of an infamous train accident, as the Hawes Junction rail crash happened just a mile or so north of Garsdale station in 1910.

On Christmas Eve that year, a northbound Glasgow-bound express train collided with two light locomotives that had been mistakenly allowed onto the same track near Hawes Junction due to a signalman’s error.

The express, travelling at around 60 miles per hour (97 kilometres per hour), struck the two locomotives from behind just north of Moorcock Tunnel near Aisgill summit, with the crash and resulting fire killing 12 people and injuring another 17.

Just outside Garsdale station, you can see some old Midland Railway cottages where the station and railway staff used to live in the past.

Also a short walk from Garsdale station is the Moorcock Inn, where the official inquiry into the Hawes Junction rail crash took place on 27 December 1910, and today people still stop here for a beer, a meal, or even an overnight stay in one of its rooms.

dent garsdale railway line scenery — *Scenery between Dent and Garsdale. ©Paliparan*

train view settle & carlisle railway line leeds train — *I was enjoying the sweeping views from the train. ©Paliparan*

window view train leeds settle carlisle railway line — *Window view between Dent and Garsdale. ©Paliparan*

garsdale station settle & carlisle railway line — *Arriving at Garsdale station. ©Paliparan*

garsdale railway station hawes junction — *Garsdale railway station was historically known as Hawes Junction. ©Paliparan*

Ruswarp the Dog

Whether you make a stopover at Garsdale or simply pass through the station by train, make sure to look out for the statue of Ruswarp the Dog (pronounced “Russup”).

You can see the statue on your right-hand side when travelling north to Carlisle, and on your left when travelling south to Leeds.

Ruswarp, a Border Collie, was the dog of rail enthusiast Graham Nuttall, one of the two co-founders of the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line, the organisation that was instrumental in saving the railway line from closure.

As a fare-paying passenger (always travelling with a dog ticket), Ruswarp was even one of the signatories of the petition to keep the Settle & Carlisle open, signing it with a print of his paw.

Sadly, Graham disappeared while walking with Ruswarp in the mountains of Wales on 20 January 1990, and his body was found on 7 April.

Remarkably, Ruswarp was found barely alive next to Graham’s body, having stood vigil beside his devoted owner all that time.

Heartbroken, faithful Ruswarp died shortly after Graham Nuttall’s funeral.

Although Ruswarp’s story is tragic, it also became an inspiration for the other people behind the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line, who managed to put up a bronze statue of the beloved dog at Garsdale station to mark the 20th anniversary of the railway line’s reprieve.

ruswarp the dog statue — *Statue of Ruswarp the Dog at Garsdale station. ©Paliparan*

Garsdale to Kirkby Stephen

Shortly after departing from Garsdale, the Settle & Carlisle Railway reaches its highest point at Aisgill Summit, at 1,169 feet (356 metres) above sea level.

From Settle, which sits at 425 feet (130 metres) above sea level, the railway has climbed more than 700 feet (225 metres) to reach this point.

This elevation gain was one of the main reasons why construction of the Settle & Carlisle Railway was such an engineering feat, as the gradients on the line could not exceed 1 in 100 (1%), as steeper gradients would have made it difficult for fast steam locomotives to maintain sufficient traction to pull heavy trains.

Once the train has passed Aisgill Summit, it’s downhill alongside the River Eden into Cumbria proper towards Kirkby Stephen.

Slowly, the bleak and rugged moors give way to more verdant hills, almost mirroring the scenery we passed on the way up.

Kirkby Stephen is another fine Victorian-era station, with part of it being a cottage that can be rented, making it another great accommodation option for rail enthusiasts travelling along the Settle & Carlisle Railway.

aisgill summit climb — *Climbing towards Aisgill Summit. ©Paliparan*

aisgill summit settle & carlisle railway line train view — *Approaching Aisgill Summit, the highest point of the Settle & Carlisle Railway. ©Paliparan*

settle and carlisle railway line train travel england — *View from my Northern train as we approach the highest point on the Settle & Carlisle line. ©Paliparan*

aisgill summit — *After Aisgill Summit, the railway line descends into Cumbria. ©Paliparan*

hills view train — *The bleak moors of the Yorkshire Dales slowly give way to more verdant hills. ©Paliparan*

view from the train — *View from the train. ©Paliparan*

Kirkby stephen railway station settle & carlisle line — *Kirkby Stephen station. ©Paliparan*

Kirkby Stephen to Appleby

After the stop in Kirkby Stephen, the railway line continues deeper into Cumbria.

On this stretch of the line, the Settle & Carlisle Railway crosses Smardale Viaduct, which measures 710 feet (220 metres) in length and, at 130 feet (40 metres) high, is the tallest viaduct on the entire line – even taller than the one at Ribblehead.

Smardale Viaduct should not be confused with the nearby Smardale Gill Viaduct on a now-disused railway line, which can actually be accessed by pedestrians and is certainly a pretty sight as well.

Just before reaching Appleby, the train crosses a bridge over the River Eden, which it will cross once more after Appleby station, near the village of Lazonby.

Appleby-in-Westmorland, as the town is known in full, is a market town, and therefore also has plenty of amenities for travellers, such as pubs and restaurants.

There are also plenty of accommodation options here, of which Appleby Castle might very well be the most unique.

krikby stephen appleby scenery — *Scenery between Kirkby Stephen and Appleby. ©Paliparan*

river eden viaduct great ornside — *View from the viaduct over the River Eden just north of Great Ormside. ©Paliparan*

leeds carlisle train settle railway river eden view — *River Eden as seen from my Leeds to Carlisle train on the Settle & Carlisle Railway. ©Paliparan*

appleby suburbs houses — *Approaching Appleby. ©Paliparan*

appleby station — *Appleby station. ©Paliparan*

The final stretch of the S&C: Appleby to Carlisle

After the stop in Appleby, the train commences the final stretch of the Settle & Carlisle Railway towards the line’s northern terminus at Carlisle.

This stretch of the line offers entirely different views, as, compared to the bleak landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales, this part of Cumbria has much more forest cover.

Between Appleby and Carlisle, the Northern train makes three more stops, namely at Langwathby, Lazonby, and Armathwaite.

At 18:00 on the dot, we pulled into Carlisle railway station, concluding a wonderful train journey from Leeds across the Settle & Carlisle line.

Carlisle railway station, also known as Carlisle Citadel station, dates back to 1847 and was designed by renowned Victorian architect Sir William Tite in an imposing neo-Tudor style.

Its grand sandstone façade, pointed arches and distinctive clock tower make it one of the finest historic railway stations in northern England.

Sadly, I didn’t have much time to admire Carlisle station or to actually visit the city, as I had a train south to catch on the West Coast Main Line – which I will cover in the next chapter of this trip report.

appleby houses — *Riding out of Appleby towards Carlisle. ©Paliparan*

Langwathby fields — *View from the train just south of Langwathby. ©Paliparan*

view leeds carlisle train — *Between Appleby and Carlisle, you can enjoy distant views of the peaks of the Lake District to your left and the North Pennines to your right. ©Paliparan*

cumbria forests — *After the bleak and rugged landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales, I enjoyed seeing the lush forests of Cumbria from the train. ©Paliparan*

Armathwaite forest hills — *View on approach to Armathwaite. ©Paliparan*

armathwaite carlisle train view — *View between Armathwaite and Carlisle. ©Paliparan*

approach carlisle station — *Approaching Carlisle. ©Paliparan*

northern train leeds carlisle — *The Northern train from Leeds has arrived in Carlisle. ©Paliparan*

settle & carlisle railway line northern class 158 dmu — *Last look at the Class 158 DMU after a fantastic train journey along the Settle & Carlisle line. ©Paliparan*

How to buy tickets for the Settle & Carlisle Railway?

You can book tickets for your journey across the Settle & Carlisle Railway – or for any British train route, for that matter – directly through Northern.

If you plan to make stopovers along the way, consider buying a Northern Explorer ticket, which costs £35 and gives you a day’s unlimited travel across the entire Northern network, including trains on the Settle & Carlisle line as far as Leeds, without time restrictions.

I travelled along the Settle & Carlisle Railway using my Interrail pass, which is extremely good value for any foreign visitor to the UK planning to do some serious train travel across the country.

carlisle railway station — *Carlisle railway station. ©Paliparan*

Which side of the train offers the best views on the Settle & Carlisle Railway?

Both sides of the train offer highly scenic views, so it doesn’t matter much which side you sit on when travelling along the Settle & Carlisle Railway.

Personally, I think the left-hand side of the train (when travelling from Leeds in the direction of Carlisle) offers slightly better views on the stretch through the Yorkshire Dales between Settle and Garsdale.

However, when crossing Ribblehead Viaduct, you will be able to catch glimpses of the structure from the train on your right-hand side, as the viaduct is angled in this direction.

northern class 158 dmu — *One of the Northern Class 158 DMUs that operate on the Settle & Carlisle Railway. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

The train journey along the Settle & Carlisle Railway is stunning, and the line’s reputation as the most scenic in all of England is certainly justified.

The absolute highlight of the Settle & Carlisle Railway is Ribblehead Viaduct in the Yorkshire Dales, as the impressive stone viaduct contrasts beautifully with the bleak moors and rugged peaks surrounding it.

Ribblehead is well worth a stopover to admire the viaduct up close or to go hiking in the Yorkshire Dales.

There are several other points along the Settle & Carlisle Railway worth a stopover, as the line passes through appealing market towns and remote villages in the stunning countryside of North Yorkshire and the Eden Valley in Cumbria.

Some of the stations on the Settle & Carlisle Railway feature stunning Victorian-era architecture, while others have an interesting history that is worth learning more about.

Garsdale, for example, is known for both the Hawes Junction rail crash and the touching story of Ruswarp the Dog, who is immortalised with a statue on the platform.

You can travel along the Settle & Carlisle Railway by taking one of the several daily Leeds–Carlisle services operated by Northern Trains, which runs Class 158 DMUs on this line.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘From Cornwall to Yorkshire: Train Travel Through England‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. My British Airways Cancellation and Compensation Saga
2. Review: Turkish Airlines Airbus A350 Business Class Bucharest to Istanbul
3. Review: Turkish Airlines Business Lounge Istanbul Airport
4. Review: Turkish Airlines Airbus A321 Business Class Istanbul to Birmingham
5. Review: CrossCountry Train Birmingham International to Reading
6. Thirsty in Tyburnia: Spending a Sunny Afternoon in London
7. London Paddington and the GWR First Class Lounge
8. Review: GWR Night Riviera Sleeper Train London to Penzance, Cornwall
9. Penzance: A Visit to Cornwall’s Down-to-Earth Seaside Town
10. By Train to St Ives: A Trip on the Branch Line From St Erth
11. St Ives: Cornwall’s Most Picturesque Seaside Town
12. St Michael’s Mount: A Visit to Cornwall’s Most Iconic Sight
13. Review: Great Western Railway (GWR) Penzance to Plymouth
14. GWR Pullman Dining: Great Food on One of Britain’s Best Trains
15. Review: Avanti West Coast First Class London to Manchester
16. A Dewsbury Lock-In: A Night in Britain’s Most Run-Down Town
17. The Settle & Carlisle Railway: England’s Most Scenic Line? (current chapter)