Newcastle to Carlisle to York

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Newcastle to Carlisle to York
Monday morning we set off on the train to Carlisle, and spent the afternoon sightseeing. There isn't a great deal of that to be done here; the castle, the cathedral, a museum and that is Carlisle done. Some big cycle race had set off from the town square an hour before we got there, which may have swelled the population for the day, giving an impression of bustle and activity which I suspect is not its usual character.
It's rather a depressed and seedy town; with buildings that once were elegant, now growing buddleia out of roofs and upper floor window ledges. The aspect of the town wasn't improved by the rain, which was fine, but thoroughly wetting. The main point of coming to Carlisle was to go on the Carlisle to Settle railway line, which was Tuesday's itinerary. Unfortunately bad weather last January had caused part of the line to collapse, so the first part of the journey, to Appleby, was via a replacement bus.
Appleby had a plaque commemorating some bishop, a railway enthusiast, who had died on the station some 20 or so years ago. I wasn't sure what I felt about that; I suppose he died doing what he liked doing, but is that Appleby's best claim to fame?
The line goes along cuttings, embankments, tunnels and viaducts through stunning vistas of the Yorkshire Dales. Dent is the highest mainline station in England and Wales - 1100 feet above sea level, which was probably why it was shrouded in mist.
The train carried on to Leeds where we changed and went on through a mostly flat landscape to York
station which was the largest station in the world when it was built in the 1870s.
Back on the east side of the country gave us better weather, clearer skies and some sunshine.

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