The Heatherslaw Light Railway is England’s furthest northern steam railway. Travel between Heatherslaw and Etal Castle on the 15″ gauge railway pulled by the steam engines “Bunty” and “Lady Augusta” or the diesel engine “Binky,” a 6.4km return excursion that takes 20-25 minutes.
Heatherslaw Light Railway
The first train from Heatherslaw departs at 10.30 a.m., with trains departing every 1 1/4 hours. All tickets are for round-trip travel and can be purchased at the Ticket Office or from the guard at Etal Station. There are completely enclosed or partially glazed coaches available to keep you dry even on the wettest of days.
The railway follows the banks of the River Till, providing breathtaking views of the Northumberland countryside and the Cheviot Hills. Some of the many residents you may see along the trip are swans, herons, ducks, and the occasional otter.
Break up your travel by seeing Etal Castle or walking the short distance up to scenic Etal Village and stopping for refreshments at the Lavender Tearoom or the Black Bull Inn before catching the next train back to Heatherslaw.
A short stroll across the bridge takes you to the Ford and Etal Visitor Centre and the functioning watermill, Heatherslaw Corn Mill and stop for refreshments at the Lavender Tearoom or the Black Bull Inn before catching the next train back to Heatherslaw.
Browse through our Morpeth travel guide to find even more things to do in the area…