My family is planning a trip to England then going to Scotland. We would like to stop by the Lake District or Hadrian's Wall on the way from London to Edinburgh. Can that be done within the day and on our way up? If so, which rail do we take? (This is our first trip to UK, so it seems that there are a lot of rail lines with no central management.) If both can't be done on the way up, we could do one on the way back. We understand that a rail line goes between Carlisle and Newcastle and we can get off there. However, we aren't sure if that is the fast line LNR. Does it make any stops? We may be trying to pack too much into one trip up, and if that is the case, please let us know too!....Anyway, if we could be directed to the set of rail lines and a website, we would be very appreciative!...thank you!
Posted by
Singapore
309 posts
The problem is, you're heading up the east coast to Edinburgh, while Carlisle is on the west coast, and these are two separate lines and train operating companies coming from London. It's LNER or Lumo for Edinburgh and I think Avanti West Coast for Carlisle.
You're right in saying there's a line between Newcastle and Carlisle, trains operated by Northern Rail. It's a 90 minute journey with seven or so stops, so I can't see it working as a day trip. You would also have to check that your London to Edinburgh ticket allows you to break your journey en route.
Personally I would say London to Edinburgh is a fairly long trip anyway.
FYI, you can book rail trips for any route with any of the train operating companies, but if you're not sure which one operates which route, the journey planner on the National Rail web site is a good starting point.
Posted by
Lake District, England
5792 posts
The answer is yes with an early start as Avanti, who operate the West Coast route run from London Euston to Edinburgh every two hours, a fact which is regularly denied on this forum. As someone who lives here and uses those trains regularly, including later today and on Thursday I know otherwise.
It is not clear exact!y what you want to do in the Lakes and on the wall, so I would suggest doing the Lakes on the way up and the wall on the way back south.
I would suggest getting an early train out of Euston (whether Glasgow or Edinburgh bound is immaterial), get off at Oxenholme, from there train to Windermere. Buses meet the train at Windermere to all points in the Lakes. Wind your way up to Keswick during the day. Then eventually a bus to Penrith Railway Station. The last is at about 7pm. Then a train to Edinburgh.
Take the 0730 from Euston, with an advance ticket for about £30. Get off at Lancaster. Buy a Lakes Day Ranger ticket for £28. Board the 1000 train to Windermere, arrive 1041.
Your Ranger ticket covers the train from Lancaster, al! Buses in the area and the boats on Windermere. Excel!ent value.
From that last bus ex Keswick the train from Penrith is at 8.37pm, arrive Edinburgh at 10.21pm, there is an even later train and lots of earlier ones. On an advance, train specific ticket, Pen to Edi is about £10.
There are other ways to work a Lakes itinerary as well.
PM me for more information if you wish.
Will write later about doing the wal! when on my Edinburgh to London via Carlisle train.
Oh, and there are a lot more than 7 stops Newcastle to Carlisle, though most through trains are fast ones, and have even less than 7 stops.
Posted by
Lake District, England
5792 posts
For Hadrians Wall on your southbound journey I recommend train Edinburgh to Carlisle, change for Haltwhistle. EDI to Carlis!e is broadly hourly. Carlisle to Haltwhistle is twice an hour.
Leave EDI at 0652. You are in Haltwhistle before 9am. Leave ED I at 0812, in HW by 1020.
Use the Hadrians Wall bus which stops at Haltwhistle station entrance. Last year it ran every 2 hours. The hope is that hourly service will be restored in 2024. Hope springs eternal.
There are usually good value advance fares from EDI to HW.
Eventually end at the larger town of Hexham where the bus also stops at the station entrance. Then book an advance, train specific, fare Hexham to London Kings Cross. You will change trains at Newcastle. Hexham has plenty to do If you have time to kill.
Or leave your luggage at Carlisle, train back to Carlisle, then Carlisle to Euston.
The last is as late as 8pm from Carlisle though clearly earlier would be better and easily achieved.
That late train is an Edinburgh to London service.
If all you wanted to do is a sightseeing trip you can combine the two in one day.
The 0730 train from Euston as above but buy a through advance fare to Windermere. Bus 555 to Keswick at 1109, arrives 1215. Have lunch there in Booths supermarket cafe at the Bus Station, bus 554 to Carlisle direct at 1315, arrive 1438. Train Carlisle to Haltwhist!e at 1537, arrive 1609. Advance fares about £3. Last Hadrians Wall bus through from Haltwhistle to Hexham. Book an advance ticket from Hexham to Edinburgh via either Carlisle or Newcastle (scenery rise I recommend Newcastle). You should be at Edinburgh by soon after 8pm.
That is a whistlestop drive by sightseeing day, but if it's all you have time for then so be it.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thank you so much for your responses! We thought it could be done by looking at some of the rail lines and stops; we just weren't sure how!....Since this is our first trip, we are just experiencing, so going to the lake district to visit for a short time is sufficient for us. At Hadrian's wall, we just want to see it and visit for a short time. ....So it sounds like going to one on the way up would be best, and on our way back visit the other. We have things scheduled in the evening already for Edinburgh, so we can't dilly dally! LOL