A real ale enthusiast has created his own trail for West Cumbria.
Iain Bisset has created the route, using the Cumbrian Coastal Railway.
He said: I’ve long been a fan of real ale and railways, the pinnacle combination of which is Transpennine Real Ale Trail – the hop-on-hop-off pub crawl along the Manchester to Leeds line beloved by stag do parties and James May.
“I’ve often looked at our coastal train here in West Cumbria and thought the potential exists for a similar idea route here. After some hard thinking (and drinking) I settled on the stretch of trainline between Ravenglass and Maryport– scenic, quiet, and with pubs serving real ale near almost every stop.
“It took a few years (and a global pandemic) to pull it together, but I’d finally mapped out the West Lakes Real Ale Rail Trail – seven stations, seven pubs, and about four miles of walking in total. It’s just enough to feel you’ve earned a pint at each stop.
“The trail runs from Ravenglass to Maryport (although I did the route in reverse).
“I chose this direction partly because it’s easier to get home from Maryport if the trains let you down – and they might.
“Between pub opening times, train delays, and the occasional lost watering hole (RIP Drigg), it’s not an exact science. But that’s part of the fun.
“One pint in each venue (I ended up having two in Harrington and St Bees) it’s better to have a full breakfast in Maryport before you start and I also ate in Workington to make sure I wasn’t sozzled by the end.
“Thursday to Sunday are the only days that all the pubs are open and from a practical side Saturday and Sunday are the best days.”
The route Iain took (with pubs) was:
- Maryport – Captain Nelson Tavern
- Maryport 12:49 – Workington 12:55 – Henry Bessemer
- Workington 13:58 – Harrington 14:03 – George and Dragon
- Harrington 15:03 – Whitehaven 15:16 – Harbour Master
- Whitehaven 15:50 – St Bees 15:59 – The Manor
- St Bees 16:30 – Seascale 16:45 – Calder House Hotel
- Seascale 17:59 – Ravenglass 18:07 – The Inn
He added: “Other real ale pubs are of course available in most stops (notably not Harrington or Seascale) and the CAMRA group is worth checking out their website for which pubs are currently serving real ale. Members get discount vouchers useable in various pubs across the UK including on this route.
“You’ll want a Coastal Ranger ticket available from the staffed stations or on train guard (although some of the staff may not have heard of it) which allows hop-on travel between Carlisle and Barrow for £26.40 – it’s also £17.70 with any discount card – the best being the MyCumbria card which all Cumbrian residents should have.
“Personally, the highlights included the George & Dragon in Harrington, where I got roped into a horse racing sweepstake (all my horses lost), and the Manor in St Bees, where a chap called Stevie insisted on buying me a pint thus I was honour bound to return the favour and ended up having two pints in 30 minutes.
“The final stop was the Inn at Ravenglass, with a pint in hand looking out across the estuary in the evening sun – a long-held plan finally ticked off.
“If you fancy giving it a go, wear decent shoes, check pub times, and don’t forget your Coastal Ranger ticket!”
For more information check out https://westlakesaletrail.co.uk
