Walking in the sky
Later this month, ramblers and rail enthusiasts will get the opportunity to experience a very unique walk – a quarter of a mile trek across the stunning Ribblehead Viaduct. A highlight of the 72-mile long Settle-to-Carlisle line that meanders through parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, the site will be open to the public on Sunday 26 July for one day only. The 24-arch viaduct is 104 feet high at its highest point, offering stunning views across the valley.
Actor Tom Lister and ITV weather man Jon Mitchell will join in the walk, and author WR Mitchell will be signing copies of his latest book Thunder in the Mountains – a fascinating account of the men behind this great feat of engineering. The Yorkshire air ambulance will also put in an appearance (as long as it is not needed for its day job) and the Clapham (North Yorkshire) Cave Rescue Organisation will show how they train their dogs to rescue people.
Jo Kaye, Network Rail’s route director said: “This year is an important anniversary in the history of the line, which is why we have decided to open the viaduct to the public.”
Tickets for the walk, which have to be booked in advance, are on sale at a cost of £15 per person for adults and children aged 14 years and over. Children aged under 14 years, and anyone with impaired mobility, will not be allowed across the viaduct. But as well as the viaduct walk, there will be free guided tours of the former shanty towns on the Ribblehead site, guided walks around the nature reserve, the Ribblehead Visitor Centre, exhibitions and attractions in the station area.
For more information or to book, visit www.settlecarlisle.co.uk or send a completed application form and cheque to SCRDC, Railway Station, Clifford Street, Appleby, CA16 6TT. All proceeds from the walk will go to charity.
- This entry was posted on: Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 2:52 pm
- Filed under: Latest News, News
- Tags: guided walks, railways, Views
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