Exploring Northern England by Train

May 3

I love visiting the United Kingdom! I can’t explain it, but it feels like home to me. My first visit was via a Royal Caribbean 12-night British Isles Cruise in 2018 and I was hooked. The cruise gave my family a glimpse into eight different ports in the U.K. and we also got to experience a few days in Amsterdam. I highly recommend this itinerary! But this trip is not what this blog is about!

In 2019, we took our second trip to the U.K. and spent a week in London. I just couldn’t wait to go back, so this trip was only eight months after the cruise. We stayed near the Tube station in South Kensington and explored as much of this amazing city as we could during the week. We also took a bus trip to Windsor Castle, Bath, and Stonehenge which I highly recommend. But this trip is not what this blog is about either!

Like many travelers, we had to cancel trips due to Covid. As soon as restrictions were lifted, I knew where I wanted to go for Spring Break in April of 2023. England! More specifically northern England. I had to see York. I wanted to see several places during our week, but I didn’t want to worry about navigating the roads and looking for parking. I took to the Internet to look for tours. During that search, I learned that as a visitor you can purchase an unlimited-use rail ticket at a nice discount through BritRail. England has a great rail system that is very easy to navigate. We purchased an 8 Day pass and all our rail travel was covered (except for one Tube ticket to get us to the train to York). We enjoyed riding the train; it was a relaxing way to get around northern England.

OUR ITINERARY

I’d suggest more time in each place, but we only had the week and I was adamant to cram it all in. You can also save a few hours of travel time by flying in and out of Manchester.

Flew into Heathrow. Took the train to York.
Stayed in York for 2 nights in an adorable guest house. They delivered breakfast to your door in a hamper! York is a wonderful, walkable city. We enjoyed walking the city walls, touring the Mister, visiting the Shambles, relaxing and drinking coffee, and eating lots of good food. This was my favorite city.
Liverpool for 1 night. The Hop-On Hop-Off bus gives you an excellent overview of the city. Embrace the Beatlemania! Climb to the top of the Cathedral for 360-degree views of the city.
Windermere in the Lakes District for 2 nights. We stayed in this town because that’s where the train station is! And there are many guest houses within walking distance of the station. We did an all-day guided tour that allowed us to explore so many beautiful areas. You can visit Castlerigg Stone Circle (one of Britain's earliest stone circles) go hiking, boating, paddleboarding, learn about famous writers and eat great food. I suggest you buy enough Grasmere Gingerbread to take home. This place is a paradise for outdoorsy people.
Manchester for 1 night. We didn’t have much time in the “worker bee” city but we did enjoy the Hop-On Hop-Off bus and spent time just hanging out with a friend. I wish we had been able to get tickets to a Manchester United game!
Train to London and a night in a hotel by the airport.
Flew out of Heathrow.

Outside York City Center

The Shambles in York

At Windermere Station

My Train Travel Tips

You must pay for and activate your train pass before you leave the U.S.
Take a screenshot of the ticket code and put a shortcut to it on your phone’s home screen. You’ll need to show your pass to get in and out of some stations, in addition to showing it to the conductor on the train.
Once you get to England, go to the train ticket office and book seats for your future rides. You don’t always need a reservation, and some trains don’t take them, but it’s nice to have them to make sure you get a seat. We booked seats facing each other with a table so we could prop up the tablet or have a snack.
Keep your charger cord and adapter handy as the trains are equipped to charge your devices. Some are USB and some are plug-ins.
The views are pretty amazing, so don’t look at your device, look out the window!
Pack a duffel bag if you can. Luggage space is limited and can fill up fast. We were easily able to store our duffels above our heads (the shelves can be small) or between the seats.
Download maps so you can use them offline. Still, you may want to purchase a data plan from your mobile phone carrier if you don’t already get data abroad. You’ll probably want it for navigation.
Get familiar with Google Maps and how to look up directions using the train.
Always double-check the platform number for your train when you get to the station. We almost missed a train because the platform had changed.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help at the station. The larger stations can be confusing.