Westmorland Train Lines
Train Lines
There are four rail lines that cross the Westmorland Branch area, though only two of them connect within the branch. Stops in Westmorland with a pub serving real ale within half a mile are shown in bold, stops outside the branch area are shown in italics.
Full details can be found at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
West Coast Mainline
London Euston/Birmingham New Street-Lancaster-Oxenholme-Penrith-Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley
Not much use for travelling around the branch area, but one of the main methods of getting to and from the rest of the country. Oxenholme is more properly called Oxenholme Lake District and is the junction station for the Lakes Branch line. From Oxenholme it is a walk of about 2½ miles downhill to Kendal Town centre though the Station Inn is just 10 minutes walk uphill from the Station.
Note that the stations at Tebay and Shap closed in 1968. Trying to join or leave a train at these places is now likely to involve serious injury.
Lakes Line
Oxenholme-Kendal-Burneside-Staveley-Windermere
This is probably the most useful train line within the branch. It is much cheaper than the bus if you have to pay the bus fare. Note that Burneside and Staveley are no longer request stops.
Furness Line
Lancaster-Silverdale-Arnside-Grange over Sands-Ulverston-Barrow in Furness
Again there is only one station within the branch on this line, but it can be used in combination with the X6 bus service to Grange over Sands, and is very useful for travel to the CAMRA Furness branch area.
Settle-Carlisle Line
Leeds-Settle-Ribbleshead-Dent-Garsdale-Kirkby Stephen-Appleby-Langwathby-Carlisle
Possibly the most scenic line in England, there are four stations within the branch, though both Dent and Kirkby Stephen stations are some distance from the places they serve. Dent station is the highest in England at 1,150feet above sea level, and is 1½ miles uphill from the Sportsman Inn at Cowgill.
The Moorcock Inn, which is just over the border in CAMRA North West Yorkshire Branch is 1 mile from Garsdale Station.