LA’AL RATTY (13/02/10)

  Better late than never, forgot about a map.

Funny title but it is the nickname of the Ravenglass/Eskdale narrow gauge railway. I’m not sure if it’s me but I really didn’t get a grip on things today so not only a funny title a funny day.  It started out much as normal got the paper, took Molly for her morning constitutional and whilst out realised the camera was all over the place. It does this once every few months and resetting sorts things out. It did but I left ISO and White Balance on auto…….Silly Billy that I am. Thank heaven I shoot in RAW!

We went off at half nine to purchase tickets for the first train up the valley at half ten, no problems here. For what it is, reasonable at £11.50p for me and £1.50p for Molly. For this you can travel all day, getting on and off as suits, sounds good but there is not really anything to get off for.

Decided on an open carriage as it would be better for pictures………………………..

           Had a quick look at the traction unit for my trip out, it was only built five years ago but one can’t be too careful. Gave it the benefit of my ignorance, kicked the tyres, made sure the windscreen was clean, it was spotless as is everything here.

Picked my seat, cursed the dog for knocking the camera bag over………Then the family from hell arrived, mum, dad, grandparents and two children, as wide as they were tall. We could hear them coming ten minutes before they arrived, upon arrival they had to try every carriage and every seat in every carriage. I’m not a religious man but I was praying….Please, please don’t sit near me. Near me! One decided to sit next to me, or on me, difficult to tell, the rest flowed or oozed in directly behind. Whistles blowing and flags waving our journey commenced.

           Not a breath of wind to ripple the water filling the salt marsh. We even have perfect upside down sheep.

          A pretty bridge but the overriding impression of the journey was of immature Birch to the left and mature conifers to the right. Correction, the overriding impression was of the dysfunctional morons behind bleating at sheep, only terminated by a heated discussion over whether seagulls were black and went Caw, Caw!

 There is the odd Alder.

    As I said it could just be me, this view of Scawfell…….Nothing wrong at all. Were it not accompanied by the kids echoing the train horn continuously and badly……Did I say kids, the whole bloody family were at it!

    It’s not a bad ride. Apart from being about minus three hundred the weather couldn’t have been better. I saw a pair of Buzzard and a Kestrel. Forty minutes later we arrived at Dalegarth and the end of the line. I must admit I thanked the Lord. may even head to church in the morning and thank him in person.

         The view over the head of Eskdale towards Cam Spout crag and Scawfell covered in snow, both a rare and beautiful sight. (It rains now and again in the Lake District).

 Power for the journey home, this fine locomotive is called The River Irt.

         Turning round for the run back down the valley.

That’s me on the left, what a Slim Jim! A little tip for any steam buffs out there, if you go to the signal box at Ravenglass they will give you a footplate pass so you can ride with the driver and keep your feet warm. No extra charge but they don’t advertise it. There is also a smashing little museum……Free…..This gives a comprehensive history of the line from it’s conception as a three foot gauge way built to transport hermatite. (Iron Ore). To it’s take over by Bassett Lowke and a reduction to fifteen inch gauge. Worth a visit. The cafe at Dalegarth is a real rip off, the one at Ravenglass is fine. To finish here is one of Bassett Lowke’s original locomotives it’s in the museum and with the sun streaming in was near impossible to photograph.

That’s all for today, hopefully I will wake with a less jaundiced view of the world tomorrow.