Arten Gill Viaduct

Today's the day .......................... to go to Dent

If you look on a map, the village of Dent seems to be right in the middle of nowhere. You follow the River Dee just to the south of Sedbergh - gradually climbing up Dentdale for about five miles. The road is very narrow and you have to squeeze into the side if you meet another vehicle - but when you reach the village itself, it seems to be a hive of activity.

Today we could have visited a couple of museums, had afternoon tea in at least three different teashops, had a drink (of the locally brewed ale) in one of the two pubs or gone on one of the guided walks. As well as all this - it is surrounded by the most wonderful scenery - it really is a walkers' paradise.

So - we did a tiny bit of walking and then had a delicious afternoon tea. Then we drove up to the top of the dale, where the Settle to Carlisle railway line (one of the most scenic railway lines in England) passes through. This is the Arten Gill Viaduct which carries the line over Arten Gill Beck. It was built between 1871 and 1874 of local stone known as Dent marble. It is 117 feet high, 220 yards long and has eleven arches.

Isn't it magnificent ...........................?