Next May, we plan to pick-up a rental car at Birmingham airport, go to York and Leeds for a day each. Then stay at one place and travel around the general Yorkshire Dales area for 4 days by car. How can we include a ride on the interesting part of the historic Settle/Carlisle train line - without doubling back on that train line to get to our car?
Then we would be off by car to the Lake District and back down to the South.
Thanks, Ted
Well, first, if it were me, I wouldn’t rent a car in Birmingham and drive to York. I would take the train to York and spend your day there, then when you leave, you could pick up a rental car and head on your way. It’s easier to stay in York without a car, and there’s plenty of good places in York to rent, including Arnold Clark, who I always rent with, and also Enterprise, which is another good option.
When you’re done with your tour of Yorkshire, you could drop the car off in York, then take the train down to Settle, get the Settle-Carlisle train to Carlisle and rent another car when you’re in Carlisle. Arnold Clark has an office there and possibly Enterprise.
Keep in mind it’s going to cost more, of course, to pick up and drop off in two separate locations, although usually the fee isn’t that much. Regardless of what you do, I would not pick up a car in Birmingham and drive to York. There’s just no need for a car in York.
The other option would be to again, take the train to York. And when you leave York, rent your car and do your four days around the countryside. Then drive to either Settle or Carlisle, leave your car there, take the train up and or down and then back, and pick up your car again. It’s not that long of a train ride and you could sit on the other side and see the scenery on the opposite side. I like trains so it would not be a hardship for me. But there’s really no other option that I can see.
"How can we include a ride on the interesting part of the historic Settle/Carlisle train line - without doubling back on that train line to get to our car?"
You can't really. The most efficient and comfortable way to get from on train station to another train station is not surprisingly, to take the train...
One other thought. And maybe you already have this in your itinerary. It was a little unclear from what you said. But I would stay in York for the day that you are in Leeds and just head to Leeds on a day trip. You sort of made it look like you’re planning to stay in both places. Leeds is only about 30 minutes from York by train, so a car is not needed, and it’s just going to add extra expense. Then, when you’re ready to start your four- day tour of Yorkshire, pick up your car in York.
What do you call the interesting part of the line?
A lot of the tour groups just do Settle to Appleby, leaving the Eden Valley (north of Appleby) and Skipton to Settle out, although even Airedale from Leeds to Skipton is interesting.
But Settle to Appleby is only an hour, you also really should stop off at Ribblehead to see the very good Exhibition Centre there and hopefully the remains of the Shanty towns (and southbound a quick leap off at Garsdale to see Ruswarp the dog, an integral part of the history of the line).
Because of the tour groups packing the train out on certain morning and early afternoon departures at Settle, I would join at Skipton (25 minutes earlier) to beat them to it.
But effectively, if you are driving then you really have to double back. Skipton and Settle are both more or less straight on to the A65 for Kendal.
If you were only going one way to Appleby the sensible way to do it would be to look around Appleby (which the tour groups often miss, but quite an interesting town), then the service bus to Penrith.
While you certainly don't need a car in the Lake District in May, you can rent one from Enterprise at Penrith.
This is where having a car is a significant impediment.
In season (usually high summer) there is also an infrequent Tuesday only return steam special from York to Carlisle, and back- which was £98 return this year.
Oh, and Carlisle has Arnold Clark, Avis and Enterprise.
Haha, isn31c, I did know Arnold Clark was in Carlisle, because, as you may remember, I had to drop off my car at AC, got held up in traffic and was almost too late for the train.
I only made it on thanks to you, for which I will always be grateful. 😊
Thanks to all. To Mardee's good suggestion.
If we get a "Off-Peak" or Rover ticket, can't we start at Birmingham, get off at Leeds for several hours, get back on to York for the night. Same day, same ticket, no extra expense to drop off at Leeds? Thanks
An Off Peak Single Birmingham to York (allowing a break of journey in Leeds) currently (from the 1 November fare revision) costs £85.50 per person (travel after 0930 on weekdays).
Buy a Two Together Railcard for £35 and that fare becomes £56.90 each.
There is no relevant day rover ticket.
However, looking in 4 weeks time (3 November) if you buy an Advance Ticket (fixed train) on the 1st applicable service (1003, arrive 1203) that is £30.30 each (£20.15 with railcard) then buy an Off Peak Single (valid any train) Leeds to York for £13.35 with railcard (£20.10 without).
In practice you would not do that, as there are almost always walk up Advance Fares for a specific train. It is now 2055 UK time, on the next train at 2106 there are £7.25 Advance Fares with railcard. The same principle applies for every remaining train tonight.(some, like the 2130 as low as £3.35.)
The last train of the day from Leeds to York is at 0240, then first train of tomorrow is at 0431.
If you did a full line single or return journey from York or Leeds to Carlisle you wouldn't buy a normal ticket. On line you will see a lot of references to a Settle and Carlisle Day Ranger- ignore those as the ticket no longer exists.
Instead you would buy a Northern Explorer for £60 for two people-any Northern train for the day, no time restrictions, but no railcard reductions. It can be bought on the day or on line up to 11 months before travel. Between York and Leeds you have to use the hourly Northern service, not Cross Country, LNER or Trans Pennine.
