Review: Time travel at 10mph aboard La'al Ratty through the stunning Lake District
Embarking on the Ravenglass and Eskdale train known affectionately as La'al Ratty feels like travelling back in time at a gentle pace of 10mph back to a golden era.
There are plenty of options for staycation getaways for the family in the Lake District but few can more adventurous, nostalgic or relaxing than hopping aboard this wonderful steam and diesel railway service.
The railway was built on May 24 1875 and the iconic railway in the heart of west Cumbria is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
It felt like the right time to become acquainted with an old Cumbrian friend which forges its way through the most charming countryside. From the harbour to the hills it really does take in some exquisite countryside.
It's a balmy August morning in August and armed with rucksack containing a flask, sandwiches, biscuits and fruit I travelled with my family from North Cumbria down the A595 to Ravenglass. An hour's drive from Cockermouth and Keswick Ravenglass is a stunning harbour with cosy pubs and Roman bathhouse and is home to Cumbria's national treasure - La'al Ratty.
Shuttling back and forth from Ravenglass to Dalegarth the daily fleet of trains takes around 45 minutes each way and is the perfect getaway for a picnic.
If ever you were to doubt that the Lake District is a World Heritage Site then spend a few hours in Dalgarth and cast your eyes on England's highest mountain and Wainwright fell Scafell Pike. The rugged mountains and Eskdale Valley complete with a mill and local pubs, hotel and camping site has become a haven for tourists...but also respectably quite which makes it all the more endearing.
The iconic trains built between 1894 and 1963 are known as the A River Irt, River Mite, River Esk, Northern Rock and Whillan Beck.
A short break in Dalegarth and lunch in one of the nearby picnic pods makes for a serene midday break before hopping aboard and
At Dalegarth station there is a café serving homemade treats and a gift shop with plenty of pocket money gifts for the children.
If you have an hour to spare on the way back home you can do worse by dropping off to St Bees for an ice cream. West Cumbria is full of hidden gems for the family
It has been a lovely rewarding day out for locals and tourists for decades and remains a vintage evergreen attraction in Cumbria
A timetable and ticket information for the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway are available here
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Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
I took a 12-day solo trip to Nepal without my family. It's one of the best I've ever taken.
I used to love making travel besties with people I'd just met but instantly connected with. While enjoyable, traveling with family can make that part more difficult, so I booked a solo trip. I spent 12 days in Nepal with eight other solo travelers, and it was one of my best trips ever. Down-to-earth adventure seekers who are short on funds but high on energy and enthusiasm. Those are the best kind of people. Back in my 20s, I went on yearly hiking trips with my two best friends. We hiked the Inca Trail, trekked in Patagonia, Chile, and went to Angel Falls in Venezuela. We had little money, but a high sense of adventure, so we booked inexpensive hiking tours to take us to our destinations. It was on those trips that we met the best people. Fast forward 30 years. Here I am 53, married with two teenage boys. While I travel extensively with my family and love it, I miss those trips in my 20s where I didn't have to worry about anyone but myself. I also missed those "travel bestie" connections, when I instantly bonded with someone I'd just met, even though we might never see each other again. It's like kids who meet at summer camp and form an intense and fabulous, albeit sometimes temporary, attachment. I loved my travel besties, whom I met on those long-ago hiking trips. We spent 24/7 together and laughed and bonded in a way that's hard to duplicate when you're traveling with family. Love Business Insider? Log into Google and make us a preferred source. The nostalgia for those long-ago hiking trips made me think about taking a trip without the hubby and kids. Nepal has always been on my bucket list, so I started looking there. I wanted a solo trip, but I also wanted a built-in opportunity to meet new people, so I checked out solo tours from various tour operators and landed on G Adventures' "Solo-ish Nepal" package. I went during the off-season, when the tickets were more affordable — about $1,500 for 12 days — and I can honestly say it was one of my favorite trips ever. It was a motley crew of travelers My fellow solo travelers ranged from a 19-year-old college student from Sydney to a 64-year-old retired police officer. I quickly became best friends with an oncology nurse from Norway who was easily 20 years my junior. Adding to the mix was a geometry middle school teacher from the West Coast (who was hilarious and kept us laughing), a Fulbright scholar, an art teacher from New England, and a woman who worked at Trader Joe's. Four of us were older than 50, and four of us were younger, but the group didn't divide by age; we all mingled together. One person even had a radically different political perspective than the rest of us, and I still adored her and didn't talk politics. It was July, the middle of Nepal's monsoon season, when the eight of us met in Kathmandu on the first day of the trip. And yet, the rain and 90-degree heat didn't deter the crazy amounts of fun we had. One of the reasons I think the trip was such a success was because of the tour's price point. It wasn't luxury — it didn't attract those looking for five-star accommodations and fancy experiences. Instead, it attracted those on a budget, who were used to rolling with the punches and pivoting when things didn't go their way. It was similar to the vibe on my long-ago hiking trips in my 20s — exactly what I was hoping for. We instantly bonded over momo Our first day together was a cooking class making momos — a popular Nepali dish similar to a Chinese dumpling. I hate cooking, absolutely despise it. So, I wasn't looking forward to this activity. However, as my fellow travelers and I started opening up about our lives — who we were, why we decided on this trip to Nepal — the momo making was just something to keep our hands busy while we did the important work of getting to know each other. The poor momo chef kept trying to interrupt our conversation to tell us the history of momos and how to perfect our momo-making skills, but the group had instantly bonded. Conversation took off immediately, and we were on our way to becoming instant travel besties on day one. When we left our momo-making session, it was pouring rain outside, but we just laughed as we jumped through puddles and made our way back to the hotel. The tone of the trip was set. We had countless adventures together and a minor hiccup We started in Kathmandu, but every two nights we moved to a new city. That meant we had plenty of places to explore, plus plenty of van time for talking. In Bhaktapur, we explored Durbar and Dattatreya Square. We hiked through the forest up to the top of Champa Devi, where we took in views of the Himalayan mountains and learned that Nepal is home to eight of the 10 tallest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest. In Pharping, we visited religious landmarks at the Buddhist Asura Cave, Vajrayogini Temple, and Sheshnarayan Hindu Temple. We then drove on to Royal Chitwan National Park, one of my favorite spots and favorite days of the trip. Our plan was to bike through a village and end up on the water for sunset, enjoying drinks and appetizers. It was notably hot that day, and one of my new travel besties told me later that she saw me sweating profusely and smiling manically while I kept saying, "I love this so much." And I did. Like any trip, there were hiccups along the way — we all took turns having traveler's diarrhea (we pooled our Imodium and rehydration tablets) — but even the hiccups brought us together. We took turns making toilet paper runs to the front desk for our fellow travel companions. Why it was one of the best trips I've ever had When I returned and told my husband and kids what a great time I had, they kept asking why? It was monsoon season (yes, it rained a lot), it was super hot and humid (yes, I sweated a lot), it was not a luxe trip (we couldn't flush the toilet paper in the toilet, but instead had to throw it out in the trash can next to the toilet due to Nepal's sensitive plumbing situation). And yet, it was honestly one of the best trips I've ever taken. I got to go to my life-long bucket list destination, and I did it with my travel besties. Read the original article on Business Insider
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Travel + Leisure
15 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
I Retired Early and Now Travel the World Staying in Airbnbs
For Travel + Leisure's column Traveling As, we're talking to travelers about what it's like to explore the world through their unique perspectives. Burnt out from corporate America, Kelly Benthall got her finances in order and gave up her Texas lifestyle to retire at 53 and live around the world in Airbnbs with her husband, Nigel. Here's her story… I was living in Texas and working in oil and gas. As time went on, and the kids left, my job became extraordinarily stressful—to the point that I had to be wheeled out on a gurney through the lobby, hooked up to an EKG. After all those years of feeling like I needed to overachieve, my doctor said my job was trying to kill me. Once I realized that, my husband, Nigel, and I got a financial advisor who gave us some sound projections and advice. I always thought I would retire at 65 and play golf. Nigel didn't have a retirement plan. He was going to work forever, and it took me a couple of years to get him to turn the corner. But at 53 years old, I decided to retire. Once the job went away, all my stress dissipated and my levels returned to normal. I wasn't raised traveling. Our family would take our modified van from Texas to Ohio every year to see my grandmother—that was our big trip. I didn't even have a passport until I got married the first time in my 20s, and we just went to Mexico. Eventually, at work, I said yes to every single trip that came up because I was interested in seeing the world. I love foreign languages and talking to people from different countries. One time, one of my contractors was pregnant and couldn't go to Kalimantan, Indonesia. I knew nothing about what she was doing, but I went anyway. I find travel quieter and calmer [than being at home]. I'm attuned to every little thing because it's new and different, so I relax and take it in. I am not a playground tourist—I don't go to all the major tour sites. I might walk by and walk in, but I like just hanging out at a cafe and chatting with people. While I have lots of friends and family in Houston, it's not ultimately where I wanted to be, sof when Nigel and I both retired, we got the idea to travel the world, living for a month at a time in Airbnbs. Kelly and her husband while in Provence, France. We started with a trial run in 2023, spending a month in Mexico to make sure we could actually live with just each other. At the time, we had been married for about seven years. We stayed in the middle of the jungle in Tulum in a very intimate space—the door between the bedroom and kitchen was glass, so there was no privacy at all. But we did Pilates on the roof together every morning and cooked dinners. We bought a Christmas tree and decorated it. And we did a great job—I was very proud of us. So we came back and started planning our global travels. I watched all the YouTube videos I could find and listened to people's advice. Initially, I went to some local real estate agencies, but I like places that have local flair. What I found is that Airbnb, more than other platforms, is good with that because we can connect with local hosts. Plus, we can search easily for things that are important to us, like outdoor space. We've had some nice places with rooftop pools that weren't expensive. Being able to see all the ratings and not having to sign a lease makes it easy. It's also been affordable. We're now staying in this place in Aix-en-Provence, where we've been for eight weeks, and got a 70 percent discount for a long stay. So we could stay for a week somewhere, or we could stay for six weeks for the same price. I thought, how did no one ever tell me about this? That really is the thing that's made this all possible, and I'm grateful for it. Kelly and her husband while lounging in the pool at their Airbnb. We started in Dubrovnik, and took Nigel's 87-year-old mom with us. It was interesting because the language is so different. We did a walking tour with someone who spoke English so we could get the lay of the land. The city was amazing, like a movie set. We learned to walk up and down its hills. We stayed in a neighborhood that had these local bodega-type shops. The older guys would play buće (bocce) in the evenings, and we would go out and sit with them. We asked our Airbnb host what we could do for the community even though we don't speak the language, and ended up helping harvest grapes at this small winery. They can't hire too many people because of tax issues, so they rely on volunteers. It was hot and difficult work, but a fun way to learn about the culture. Since then, we've also picked up trash on beaches in Mauritius. When you're a tourist, you might not think about it, but when you're visiting for longer, it's different. That's one of the things that helps us connect with the locals. They know we're not just using and leaving. We hope to get more involved with our community work. We would eventually like to work with kids, but we'll have to stay longer to earn that trust and get the language down. When we get to a new place, we'll usually start by finding a local market. We'll explore and find the things locals do. In Seville, for example, we were across the street from a community center, so we'd go and see all the classes people were taking. It was easy to get involved with the neighborhood because they would all gather outside in the evening, so we joined them. That's usually how we acclimate ourselves. We also like to walk around and get lost. Since we're in places for so long, we have time to ask around. A few times a week, we'll do day trips. The other day, we took the train to Avignon and went wine tasting in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Kelly and her husband while traveling together. In Mauritius, we got really close with our Airbnb host. They lived across the street and invited us over to use their property. We spent New Year's Eve with them. It was just lovely. We stayed in Lecce for a month and would drive to the different coasts. We spent a few days south of there, and I met a woman who took my photograph from behind while I was watching a sunset and drinking a glass of wine. She invited us to a dinner party the next night, so we extended our stay. No one spoke English, except for one kid. We sat in the middle of the table with the hosts, and everyone sat as far away as possible because they knew we didn't speak the same language. But by the end, we were able to communicate using Google Translate and through the child. That was memorable, and I still keep in touch with them. I find comfort in spreadsheets, so we use one to plan our travels. It's color-coded following the sun by region. Then, I have the cost of living compared to the U.S. We also don't want to spend a ton of money on flights, so we pick a general area. Right now, we're doing Europe, and we do a bit of the Schengen shuffle if we need to because we can't stay too long. Nigel's family is in England, so it's been our jumping-off point. We have six kids, and one daughter, two grandkids, and Nigel's mom are all there. Our other kids are in California, Utah, and Texas, so we do a U.S. round for about three months. We stay in each place for at least a month to get the discount. We wanted to spend some more time in Provence because neither of us had been, so we've been in the region for three months now. Next, we're going to go back to England since I've never seen my husband's home country. Then, we're going on a road trip and will spend a month in Ireland. Airbnbs there are about $65 a night, pretty cheap. You can't even get some hostels for that amount. We could stay in bed-and-breakfasts on this road trip, but I don't want to be put together and mingle all the time. I need my own space and a kitchen. We cook all the time with ingredients from the local markets. It saves us money, and it gives us a lot of privacy, which we don't get in hotels. In Mauritius, we did go to a hotel for a nice meal on Christmas Eve, and I was like, 'Oh, I forgot how nice hotels are because everyone is serving you rather than serving yourself.' But I don't think I could live in a hotel. After that, we'll go back to the spreadsheet and feel it out. I know we want to go to Asia, then New Zealand. We also want to go to Bali and South America. We've got all of these big-picture plans. Panoramic jungle views from an Airbnb rooftop. There are definitely challenges. I miss our friends and family, and being able to drop in on people. We always book a place with an extra room so we can have people visit. But it can also be a bit isolating if we don't make an effort. It's not just being in another country. Being retired is weird at this age. At first, I felt a little guilty doing nothing. Now, I realize it's OK to be bored. I enjoy it. I've gotten a lot more creative in this chapter, a lot more introspective. Nigel always wants to go and do things, and I have to remind him, we're here for a long time. You don't need to see everything right away. We're not here as tourists. We're here as kind of locals, while also doing a bit of touring. People will ask where we're from, and that's a complicated answer. They also ask what we do—not so much overseas as they do in the U.S. We're fortunate to have this lifestyle, but it's difficult to explain to people in a way that doesn't sound braggadocious. I tell people we're looking for places where we belong in the world and are exploring and looking for adventure. My background is in behavioral psychology, so I like that I get to walk in the shoes of other people and understand their perspectives. It's been eye-opening. In Texas, we say hello to everyone. In places like France, people are super-friendly, but they'll say bonjour and that's it. They don't automatically become friends with you. It depends on where we are in the world. Once we spend a month in a place, it feels like home. We always feel like we should spend more time there because just when we're getting to the point where we know where everything is, it's time to go. We have our local wine bar and fishmonger, and it's time to leave again. We can't stay during the high season because it's expensive and I don't like crowds. I've found observing and absorbing cultures to be very unifying. The world is giant, but also so small, and traveling really teaches us respect. I have so many friends and family members who just don't understand what we're doing. But if everyone would just go and explore, it would break down these perceived barriers we all have. You realize people have stereotypes about you that may not be true. I can't force my interests on other people, but I do feel strongly about it and think it's something everyone should do.
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Travel + Leisure
15 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
I Never Liked the Caribbean—but This Island Made Me Fall in Love With It
I've been to the Dominican Republic twice, yet it feels like I've never truly experienced it. The first trip was all Airbnb beachfront lounging, and the second ended with a resort security guard stopping me from going on a simple run outside. While my travel companions soaked up the sun, I've always been more of an explorer—someone who craves wandering, connecting, and discovering what makes a place tick. Long, lazy beach days just aren't for me. After similar trips to St. Martin and the Bahamas, I started to wonder if the Caribbean simply wasn't my scene—until I remembered a trip to the tiny island of Saba 15 years ago, where people kept telling me: If that's your travel style, you'd love Dominica. Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, the island nation of Dominica—tucked between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Lesser Antilles—rightfully earns its nickname, The Nature Island. While it has its share of white- and black-sand beaches, it's the lush rainforests, winding rivers, waterfalls, and volcanic hot springs that truly define it. A couple of months ago, I finally flew there, thanks to a new nonstop route from Newark International Airport (EWR) to Douglas-Charles Airport (DOM). The road to the capital city of Roseau twisted and turned past dramatic sea cliffs and through thick, verdant forest—every turn a surprise. We drove through rustic villages and the hills and canyons of a national park before eventually winding our way to Fort Young Hotel. Unlike other Caribbean waterfront accommodations, the site was built in a military fortress dating back to 1699. While it's served as a hotel for six decades, it ha snow transformed all that heritage into a contemporary, sleek, and comfortable space, complete with an on-site dive shop and art gallery. Embracing the island's natural assets and culture, and located right across from downtown, I was able to walk to local markets and coffee shops in under five minutes. Throughout my five-day stay, Dominica never stopped enticing and entertaining me with its endless activities showcasing its natural beauty. I was floored by the side-by-side twin cascades of Trafalgar Falls (read more about my visit to them here) and couldn't get enough time in the natural sulfur hot springs of the family-run Ti Kwen Glo Cho, Creole for 'little corner of water." Despite most of the terrain being endless shades of green, I was stunned to find the Calibishie Red Rocks on a barrier reef, an area filled with nooks of sea caves and crannies where waves crash high into the sky. We also sailed down the serene Indian River in a rowboat with Cobra Tours. The way the tropical foliage reflected on the glassy water made it feel like a real-life version of Disneyland's Jungle Cruise. Just as I had that thought, our skipper pointed out that the little shed to the left was the exact location used as the witch's house in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. It's no surprise Hollywood discovered this picture-perfect setting. Trafalgar Falls in Dominica. Rachel Chang/Travel + Leisure But what pulled at my heartstrings more than the nature were the people who have made Dominica home. With so many buildings still visibly impacted by Hurricane Maria in 2017, there's a quiet strength in the community's welcoming spirit, ranging from the locals and Indigenous people to a passionate expat community drawn to Dominica's natural beauty. Among them was Simon Walsh, owner of Nature Island Dive, who opened his shop more than three decades ago and is now pioneering new ways of rehabilitating coral infected by waterborne diseases. 'We've got corals out there with five or six scars from where we treated it … and you can see the rest of the coral is healthy and they're spawning, creating the next generation of corals,' he told Travel + Leisure . He's also launched a coral bank to preserve dozens of endemic species. Over at Paradise Valley Garden Nursery, Dominica native Dian Douglas spent years in New Jersey learning the art of landscaping, when he obtained this dream piece of land that was part forest, part farm. 'From the moment I purchased this place, I couldn't sit still in New Jersey,' he said. 'I had to come home and do something with it. I couldn't sleep because of the beauty I saw—it was an open slate to be creative with plants.' Now he's turned it into exactly that: a tropical oasis of botanic artistry, decorated with found items from gigantic wheels and oversized pots to dragon statues and ringable bells. Douglas has a story—and boundless passion—for every item and every leaf, recounting how he transformed his vision into a nearly 60-acre slice of, well, paradise. That same kind of love for the island was shared by everyone I met. From the members of the Indigenous Kalingo community, who showcased their culture with a recreation of a traditional village at Kalinago Barana Auté, to a Brooklyn couple who moved their young family to Dominica and now run a homestay while crafting small-batch gin with local botanicals through Sea Cliff Botanical Gin. The island's energy culminated with a stay at Secret Bay—a longtime T+L favorite that has graced the magazine's cover multiple times. The treetop villas offer such sprawling views of Dominica's oceans and cliffs that it feels like you've got your own private corner of the island. Add to that a botanic garden dining experience with the chef cooking al fresco right in front of us, pulling herbs and ingredients just steps away. With a quirky obsession for funiculars, I was instantly taken by the self-operated one on site, mesmerized by the shifting views as it glided uphill toward my villa. As Dominica-born Gregor Nassief, who owns Secret Bay, summed up best over dinner: 'In Dominica, it's the depth, authenticity, and the people element of the experiences that make it so unique in the Caribbean.'
