ACCOMMODATION
Splendid isolation!
In words and pictures, Gareth Evans shares the experience of a recent short break with his fiancée in the restored snow huts at Dent, England’s highest main line station.
The snow huts are located alongside the Settle-Carlisle line. Helped by the 30mph speed limit through the station, the trains pass quietly and can be easily observed from the old sleepers which help retain the earth bank. Northern’s Class 158 DMU No. 158872 heads for Carlisle on August 13.
THE very mention of the Settle- Carlisle (S&C) line is likely to invoke a warm, positive feeling – a romantic idyl, far removed from the bustle of modern life. Crossing the ‘roof ’ of England, the route is synonymous with stunning scenery – including the wilderness of the moorland, the spectacular mountain peaks and the charming Victorian railway architecture. It is a combination which resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds – and what better way to take it all in than from the comfort of a railway carriage. We are forever indebted to those who successfully fought British Rail’s well-documented plans to close the Midland Railway’s Anglo-Scottish route.
Having enjoyed numerous journeys on the ‘S&C’ over the years, I was delighted to explore one of the more remote points along the line with my fiancée in mid-August. Sarah and I stayed in one of the old snow huts at Dent. Small intermediate stations in an area where the sheep appear to outnumber humans could easily be forgotten – but Dent is special. At 1150ft above sea level, it is England’s highest operational main line railway station. Broadly halfway between Leeds and Carlisle, the views are unforgettable.