Garsdale to Saltaire travelling on the Settle-Carlisle Railway Line

Not often I advocate leaving the glorious Yorkshire Dales when you’re here but just had to share this wonderful day with you all, our trip to Saltaire, near Bradford. 

Travelling on the Settle-Carlisle Railway will be a day to remember, perhaps it was the wonderful weather, perhaps the people I was with (our lovely walking group), perhaps the pretty walk along the canal side, the people we met, lunch in the impressive Salts Mill and exploring Saltaire, a World Heritage site, all these things made for a lovely day……

Park in Garsdale station, just a few miles from Hawes in Wensleydale, plenty of parking and no parking charges, and buy a return ticket for Shipley, all will be revealed, gaze at amazing scenery leisurely stopping at the little stations as you steam along. Dent the first and is the highest mainline station in England at 1,150 feet above sea level, crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct and eventually coming to Bingley, the station before Saltaire, where you need to alight.

Turn right out of the station and right over the bridge and then left down to the canal side and proceed along the canal path to look at the Three Locks and Five Locks. If you’re ready, which we were, call at the café here for delicious homemade cakes etc. Back track along the canal side, cross under the bridge and continue along the canal side until you reach Saltaire. It was such a pretty route with a couple more locks to see, wildlife, birds, the odd canal boat, as there would be, and in just over an hour we arrived, about three miles.

First stop the Tourist Information to pick up a leaflet and map and then we headed for lunch at Salts Mill, always good, afterward there was a little time to explore Saltaire itself. If you’re wanting to catch the three o’clock train home, there won’t be much time, otherwise take the later train and have plenty of time to take in this place, don’t forget to take a look in the church, have a stroll around Roberts Park, there may be a band concert going on if you’re lucky. When time to leave, back to the canal path and walk to Shipley, allow about twenty minutes to half an hour for this, no need to rush after such a relaxing day.

Back to Garsdale in no time at all and a good day had by all!