LAKESIDE & HAVERTHWAITE RAILWAY
Steam Train Rides in the Cumbria Lake District
Steam
billows from the stack pipe as the locomotive pulls vintage rail cars
up the steep grade through
the thick Cumbria forest
following the river course until
the glistening waters of Lake Windermere appear, the cruise boats waiting
to continue the journey through the heart of North England’s Lake
District. A ride on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway is a trip
through time and natural beauty. There are other railways in the Lake
District from Ravenglass Erksdale to a private riding railway
in a local rail enthusiasts back yard, 
but
the Lakeside and Haverthwaite is the only surviving operating standard
gauge steam railway among the lakes.
Originally built in 1846 as the Furness Railway line to carry iron ore
and slate from the Cumbrian mines to the sea port at Burrow-in-Furness
and Roa Island, then passengers, hauled by the Furness rail lines first
steam engine the “Old Copperpot”, now on display in York
(see York
National Railway Museum). Over the years
the rail line through Ulverston to the coast was closed but the line
from
the
village
of Haverthwaite
to the southern end of Lake Windermere remains.
The
Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway can be enjoyed on its own or in combination
with the Windermere Lake
Cruises that operates three of the
former railway “steamer” ships connecting with the rail line
at the Lakeside terminus. The beautiful boats named the Teal, Tern and
Swan after the birds that folic on the lake waters were originally constructed
on the lake from kits brought by train and now carry passengers on scenic
cruises along the length of Lake Windermere from Lakeside to Bowness-on-Windermere
and Ambleside at the north end of the long narrow lake (see Lake Windermere
Cruises). A
ticket on the steam train alone for adults is under £6 for a round
trip and £12
to £18 combined with a Windermere Cruise depending on whether you
go to Bowness or Ambleside. 
The station at Haverthwaite, where the maintenance
yard, car park and tour couch parking is located has a full service Station
Restaurant. At the Lakeside end of the line you can visit the Aquarium
of the Lakes with exhibits of lake water life, otters, diving ducks seen
in action from below surface, and underwater tunnel and a quiz trail
for children. In Bowness-on-Windermere you can follow the trail of the
lake district’s most famed resident, children’s storyteller
Beatrix Potter (see Touring
Beatrix Potter Lake District). Arrive early
at the Haverthwaite yard and watch the engine operating crew stoke and
light the fire and clean and polish the engine before the day of rail
steam begins.
The
Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway has a number of special weekend events
throughout the year. Thomas
the Tank Engine comes in March and
November. The kid’s favorite makes a tour of most of England’s
rail tourism sites (see Didcot
Railway Center). In July is the Steam
Gala Weekend with four steam engines running. In August the Victorian
Evenings feature a ride behind the FR20 Engine, the oldest standard gauge
engine still running in England, a Ghost Train runs in October and Santa
Christmas Trains in December.
The Haverthwaite Station terminus parking is reached via the A590 where
it crosses the northern tip of Morecombe Bay near Newby Bridge west from
the M6 motorway south of Kendal. The former rail lines of the Furness
railway from Carnforth to Ulverston are now part of the national railway
system, but do not connect to Haverthwaite. The nearest station to the
south is Cark Rail near Holker Hall, about ten miles or Ulverston. If
traveling by rail you can catch the Windermere Cruise boat from Bowness-on-Windermere.
Other nearby attractions are Holker Hall and its Gardens and the Lakeland
Motor Museum and farther west on the Cumbria Coast is haunted Muncaster
Castle and the Owl Preservation Center. © Bargain
Travel Europe
Compare the best hotel deals in Cumbria
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Lakeside & Haverthwaite
Railway
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See Also:
OLD
ENGLAND HOTEL BOWNESS-ON-WINDERMERE
BEECH
HILL HOTEL LAKE WINDERMERE
LOCOMOTION NORTH ENGLAND RAIL HISTORY
NORTH
YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILROAD
LLANGOLLEN
STEAM RAILWAY - WALES
