The most Scenic line on the UK

[Nacht-Zug-Fahr]

Hi group ,
I'm on a quest to make a top ten of the most scenic lines in the UK. I so far have a top 3...
1) Oban branch
2) West Highland Line
3) Whitby branch

Anyone else care to share their most scenic lines ?

 

[alansheppard77]

Hi group ,
I'm on a quest to make a top ten of the most scenic lines in the UK. I so far have a top 3...
1) Oban branch
2) West Highland Line
3) Whitby branch

Anyone else care to share their most scenic lines ?

Cumbrian coast

 

[AlastairFraser]

Hi group ,
I'm on a quest to make a top ten of the most scenic lines in the UK. I so far have a top 3...
1) Oban branch
2) West Highland Line
3) Whitby branch

Anyone else care to share their most scenic lines ?

Hope Valley (Sheffield - Manchester) is pretty scenic from my POV

 

[SeanG]

Settle & Carlisle is always up there. As are Exeter - Newton Abbot, Edinburgh - Aberdeen ( I think this line is the most underrated), the highland mainline, far north line and Kyle of Lochalsh line.

The Heart of Wales line is nice, as is the Cambrian Coast and to some extent the North Wales Coast.

The ECML from Newcastle to Edinburgh is worth a shout, as is the WCML over Shap and Beattock.

Going across the Pennines, The Calder Valley and Hope Valley lines are also scenic, indeed as is the line to Buxton.

Turning to preserved lines, the top one must be the Welsh Highland, followed by the Ffestiniog, North York Moors and Snowdon Mountain Railway (in no particular order).

Honourable mentions must go to the line across the King Edward Bridge over the River Tyne and the lines crossing the Thames in central London if you find urban landscapes scenic (there will be others too)

It depends what type of scenery you are into I suppose, and it is all very subjective. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Exeter St. David's to Plymouth Via the Coast / Sea Wall from StarCross, Dawlish, Teignmouth to Newton Abbot, also as mentioned some of the preserved/heritage railways, including the Paignton to Kingswear / Dartmouth Rail & Boat Route. Plus the Extention from Fort William to Mallaig which as well as Scotrail Service Trains, there is also a steam service called the Jacobite that runs along that route as well, the journey time is about 2 hours each way and well worth doing. Other good lines in Scotland are From Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and from Inverness to Thurso and the end of the line at Wick.

 

[JamieL]

The West Coast Mainline as it twists and turns near Shap is fantastic - especially on a Pendalino - although the odds of finding one actually running with Avanti in its current state is a challenge. I also think the canals and lochs visible on the WCML in the escape from London always looks very nice. Beyond that line, the West Highland line gets another vote from me - but the picturesque scenes start before it branches off from the North Clyde line - the views over the River Clyde and Firth of Clyde from a little after Dalreoch are wonderful.

 

[yorksrob]

St Erth to St Ives without a doubt.

 

[AndrewE]

WCML for me too. Carlisle to Carstairs is beautiful - in good weather. Lune Gorge section also among the best, so just say Preston to Glasgow or Edinburgh.

 

[_toommm_]

Cambrian Coast line from Machynlleth to Pwllheli.

 

[Ken H]

The WCML through the lune gorge is my favourite.
Settle/Carlisle is a close settle.
The bentham line is vastly underrated
The leeds-Harrogate line after Bramhope tunnel. The views up and down Wharfedale are nice
Dont know if people who said 'Cumbrian Coast' included Carnforth - Barrow. The bridges over the esturies are lovely.

 

[Galvanize]

All good suggestions mentioned above!

Quite a few down South too!
*Arun Valley Line between Horsham and where it meets the West Coastway line is amazing.
*Swanley to Sevenoaks as the line emerges into the Darenth Valley crossing the impressive Lullingstone viaduct.
*Folkestone Central-Dover Priory, skirting along the Coast, past Samphire Hoe, and on a clear day you can see the French side.

 

[yorksrob]

All good suggestions mentioned above!

Quite a few down South too!
*Arun Valley Line between Horsham and where it meets the West Coastway line is amazing.
*Swanley to Sevenoaks as the line emerges into the Darenth Valley crossing the impressive Lullingstone viaduct.
*Folkestone Central-Dover Priory, skirting along the Coast, past Samphire Hoe, and on a clear day you can see the French side.

I always think that Ashford to Brighton is very scenic, when you consider the Romney marshes, the seafront and coastal area around Bexhill - Pevensey, and the South Downs.

Would it make top ten ?

Well, it would make mine, anyway.

 

[Galvanize]

I always think that Ashford to Brighton is very scenic, when you consider the Romney marshes, the seafront and coastal area around Bexhill - Pevensey, and the South Downs.

Would it make top ten ?

Well, it would make mine, anyway.

That’s a good shout! Get a bit of everything on that route, including the viaduct over Brighton the view of the multicoloured terrace houses and the Sea some way to the south.

 

[Nacht-Zug-Fahr]

That’s a good shout! Get a bit of everything on that route, including the viaduct over Brighton the view of the multicoloured terrace houses and the Sea some way to the south.

Yes Ashford to Brighton is most certainly in my top 10

 

[yorksrob]

That’s a good shout! Get a bit of everything on that route, including the viaduct over Brighton the view of the multicoloured terrace houses and the Sea some way to the south.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that. Finished off nicely by the magnificent train shed at Brighton.

 

[mrcheek]

My own choice for No 1 would be Exeter to Newton Abbot.
No 2 would be Inverness to Kyle.

Hope Valley gets a deserved mention above. and Newcastle to Edinburgh deserves a mention too.

The Cambrian and the Cumbrian coasts, as already mentioned.

Perhaps the most under rated are the Cardiff Valley Lines, especially the Rhymney branch.

Has nobody mentioned Ayr to Stranraer yet? shocking omission!

 

[Dr Hoo]

I love the Hope Valley. It's why I retired here.

But 'scenic' can mean many things. I love the chance for a visually exciting ride on the Docklands Light Railway when I'm in London.

 

[Iskra]

West Highland Line Extension
West Highland Line
St Erth-St Ives
Kyle Line
Settle-Carlisle
Cumbrian Coast
Boulby Branch
West Coast Mainline
Edinburgh-Aberdeen
GWML from Penzance to Exeter

 

[jupiter]

Have done a lot of the lines mentioned but by no means all, my favourite would be Pickering to Whitby NYMR and Whitby to Middlesborough, the Esk Valley line. Beautiful and in combination see the competition off I think.

 

[Bletchleyite]

How has nobody mentioned the Conwy Valley? It's utterly spectacular and crams more into an hour than the ECML does into four. One of the nicest little tours you can do in the UK is a loop of Chester-Llandudno Jn-Blaenau-Porthmadog-Machynlleth-Shrewsbury-Chester, though you'll probably need to use a bus rather than the FfR for the middle bit at present.

For mainlines I agree WCML, I always recommend tourists go that way - the scenery basically tells the story of Britain, and the Lune Gorge is one of the biggest unsung heroes. But not at the moment due to Avanti's issues.

 

[W-on-Sea]

Would agree with almost all of these, although I was a bit underwhelmed by the Heart of Wales line, and not only because I was on a 153!

A few others to suggest:

The stretch of the line to (London)derry that runs alongside the coast is probably the equal of the coastal section of the ECML.
Carlisle to Newcastle, especially at the Carlisle end, has its moments.
The short stretch of the South Cotswolds line between Kemble and Stroud is quite stunning, both in terms of landscape and the buildings amid it all. The rest of the line doesn't come close, but that stretch is really amazing.
The main line through Fife is quite underrated, both on its coastal and inland sections

 

[Bletchleyite]

I too was a bit underwhelmed by the HoWL. Not unpleasant, but if you're going to spend 4 hours on a train London to Glasgow on the WCML is loads better in terms of scenery and interest. It was mostly fairly comparable to the Chilterns section of the south WCML.

 

[30907]

I too was a bit underwhelmed by the HoWL. Not unpleasant

Inclined to agree - it scores for being a long, slow and fairly remote route with all those middle-of-nowhere halts - I'd happily do it yet again but I wouldn't take my wife (indeed, I decided against, the day we went from Chester to Cardiff and returned on Gerald).

 

[Iskra]

Totally agree about the HOW, it is very over-hyped for what it is. I'd put it on a par with the Bentham Line. Glad to see a number of others feel the same way, as I was thinking it was just me!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Totally agree about the HOW, it is very over-hyped for what it is. I'd put it on a par with the Bentham Line. Glad to see a number of others feel the same way, as I was thinking it was just me!

Bentham is boring too, yes, just generic rolling hills. Worth putting up with it to do the Carlisle-Lancaster-Hellifield-Carlisle circuit, though, which contains some of the nicest scenery the UK has to offer. Though if you have more time and money, widening the circuit to Carlisle-Lancaster-Manchester-Leeds-Carlisle adds a lot to it.

I found Newcastle to Carlisle largely similar, was quite surprised given the way some rave about it.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Charing Cross to New Cross for city views , even better the South London line towards and beyond Peckham Rye for Victorian London over the rooftops with great views on a clear day towards the City , West Hampstead (North London Line) to Camden Road for a great perspective over the city. All very affordable and frequent.

Nice train rides do not have to be bucolic

 

[miklcct]

The ECML from Newcastle to Edinburgh is worth a shout

It's really spectacular. I've done it earlier this year.

Cambrian Coast line from Machynlleth to Pwllheli.

I tried to do this line last year but unfortunately it was closed and bustituted for the whole season.

Charing Cross to New Cross for city views , even better the South London line towards and beyond Peckham Rye for Victorian London over the rooftops with great views on a clear day towards the City , West Hampstead (North London Line) to Camden Road for a great perspective over the city. All very affordable and frequent.

Nice train rides do not have to be bucolic

Thanks for your suggestion. These lines will be my next targets for train bashing.

*Arun Valley Line between Horsham and where it meets the West Coastway line is amazing.

Thanks for the rail sale - also did this as well on the £1.75 Southampton - London tickets.

 

[Old Shire]

Severn Beach line, for its change of scenery
Bath to Bradford on Avon and beyond

 

[mm333]

I liked the Gloucester to Newport line as it skirts along the north bank of the Severn

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Severn Beach line, for its change of scenery
Bath to Bradford on Avon and beyond

Yes, Bath to Bradford on Avon and beyond is a very scenic line, I did it a lot on SWT Waterloo / Bristol services when they run.