Up early on New Year's morning and drove the car over to Wolsingham to ride on the first train of 2008 up the scenic Weardale line. A dreich drizzly morning, but the train was already warmed up and waiting in the station with its engines idling, the deisel exhaust blowing slowly away in the light wind.
Plenty of other like minded people on the train, with similar intention to combine the train ride with some walking. The ticket inspector was the first person to wish me a Happy New Year. He said "You are obviously not a true Scot.............................................. ."
then after a pause he added
".....................................or you would have been too hung over to be here this morning."
So not the whats under comment that I might have expected from the first part of his statement.
Off the train at Stanhope which as far up the valley as it runs at present, and continued on foot via the Weardale Way.
Future kilts perhaps.
The River Wear above Stanhope.
Weardale was a centre of lead mining, coal mining and quarrying during the industrial revolution and many of the old workings have been allowed to flood.
Another view of a flooded quarry.
The Weardale Way continues to follow close to the river, crossing over the railway track where the railway bridges over to the opposite bank. This section of the line does not currently see regular trains.
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