Coach holiday with Harwell Out and About Club.
Monday. We travel north to our hotel with a pleasant stop at Trentham Garden Centre. A chance to stretch our legs and browse its lovely shops and gardens.
The River Trent, with a little egret, flows past the gardens
Most of the original buildings have been demolished, but at the north end, are the remains of Trentham Hall: former stable block and service quarters. 1840’s.
The Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel is/was 700-year-old historic country manor: now described as substantially nineteenth-century but incorporating parts of c. 1600 construction. Worth reading about Baroness Petre, 1697-1785, a rich Lancastrian heiress. [Wikipedia]. The staircase is imposing (shame about the lack of lifts) with a fine domed ceiling.
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Tuesday. A short visit to the atmospheric ruins of Bolton Abbey set in one of Yorkshire’s most picturesque landscapes. Then we board the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Train for a nostalgic return journey in beautifully restored Victorian and Edwardian carriages. In the afternoon we visit the postcard-perfect town of Pateley Bridge, home to an award-winning high street full of charm and character.
The Abbey, a 12th-century Augustinian monastery and technically a priory, closed in 1539 and is now a ruin. Since the mid 1700 it has been owned by the Dukes of Devonshire,although it is now placed with the Chatsworth Settlement Trustees to steward.
On the banks of the River Wharfe, complete with iconic, and tempting, stepping stones.
A short distance away is the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Train, providing trips up and down the short 4 mile track.
2890 ‘Douglas’ from Andy Booth/East Lancashire Railway
Built in 1943 as Hunslet works no. 2890, this Austerity saddle tank entered service with the War Department as WD 75041, later renumbered 107 and named Foggia at Longmoor Military Railway.Sold to the National Coal Board, it worked at Maesteg Washery as Maureen until 1973.
Privately preserved in 1976, it was restored at South Devon Railway and renamed Barbara. In the late 1990s, it was converted into a tender locomotive to run as Douglas from Thomas the Tank Engine.
After stints on the Mid Hants, Ribble Steam, and Spa Valley Railways, it returned to steam at Ribble in 2017 and is now based at the East Lancashire Railway. [source]
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Wednesday. We head into the Yorkshire Dales for a scenic circular tour by coach. Our first stop is the Ribblehead Viaduct for a photo opportunity, followed by a visit to Hawes, one of Englands highest market towns and home of Wensleydale Cheese. We end the day in Grassington, a charming village with a cobbled market square.
440 yards (400m) long and 104ft (32m) at highest point.
semi-circular arches
1.5 million bricks are used
Hawes has an active group of Yarn bombers. Commemorating the railway
And AA Milne 1926-2026.
Last stop was Grassington. Walk down “Snake Walk” to Linton Falls
River Wharfe
At the top of Grassington is Garrs End Lane, a cobbled street
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Thursday. Today we explore the historic Leeds-Liverpool Canal departing from Skipton on a relaxing cruise. As we glide past scenic countryside, old mill buildings and swing bridges, our skipper shares the fascinating 200-year old history of the canal. Tea, coffee and biscuits are served onboard. After free time for lunch, we board a train to Carlisle travelling along the legendary Settle to Carlisle Railway. This 72 mile journey takes us through the dramatic Yorkshire Dales across the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct and through the lush Eden Valley – a truly unforgettable experience.
Photographically both the canal ride and the train journey were a disappointment.
But we did find the Skipton Castle Woods, with the “Medieval Huntress”, a willow sculpture.
And on the train at Settle (a large, complex Type A station) we could admire the Derby Gothic design elements: pointed arches, steep gables, decorative wooden bargeboards, and custom ironwork.
We think we stopped at, Dent, the highest (1150ft above sea-level) mainline station in England
Carlisle station, while not in the same style, still has an attractive roof which dates back to 1847. It was refurbushed by Network Rail in 2017 for £14.5M. Contractor was Galliford Try, who built the Harwell Link Road. The glass was replaced with ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) – as used in the Eden project.
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Friday. We begin our journey home with a stop in the historic town of Shrewsbury, known for its timber-framed buildings and riverside setting.
Hercules, and a Lime Tree Avenue, planted by Percy Thrower after WWII to replace trees which, because of age were falling over.
Riverside bench in Quarry Gardens. Two sided.
The coach left us at St Chad’s church, whose foundation stone was laid on St Chad’s day, 2 March 1790 The naturalist Charles Darwin was baptised in St Chad’s church in 1809, and as a young boy attended the church with his mother. The graveyard has the ‘Grave’ of Ebenezer Scrooge, a prop from the 1984 film A Christmas Carol which was kept in situ after filming was completed
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Not sure why the trip was called Pennine and Dales. If we visited the Pennines, I missed them. Sorry. But did enjoy the Dales, and we only got caught in the rain once.
The end.
One reply on “Pennine & Dales Explorer”
OK, it’s true, I’m jealous! It looked a fantastic trip, especially with its included railway emphasis.