The South Tyne Railway and the River Tyne Trail

The South Tynedale Railway was built on the track bed of the southern section of the former Alston Line, a standard gauge branch line between Haltwhistle and Alston which was closed by British Rail in May 1976. The current 2 ft (610 mm) gauge line was built on this bed and runs from Alston in Cumbria, up the South Tyne Valley, via Gilderdale, Kirkhaugh and Lintley, across the South Tyne, Gilderdale and Whitley Viaducts to Slaggyford in Northumberland, a total length of just over five miles. The South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society has in its principal aims, a hope to completely reopen a branch line railway all the way to Haltwhistle as just about all of the bed is still intact so that could be something to look forward to.

I didn't actually travel on the train but just walked along a short section of The River Tyne Trail which runs adjacent to the South Tynedale Railway track at Alston. The full trail runs from the two sources of the River Tyne; one from near The Scottish Borders above Keilder Water and the other (The River South Tyne) from Tyne Head above Garragill in Cumbria. They both converge and reach the North Sea at Tynemouth, total of 137 miles.

It was a pleasant walk and a good short introduction to the South Tyne Valley but the real gem is the railway.