'Smardale Viaduct'

12 arches, 131 ft high, 237 yards long.

Location : Crosby Garrett / Kirkby Stephen
Map - Ordnance Survey - NY 733082

The highest viaduct on the S&C railway, towering 131 feet over Scandal Beck, and built entirely of grey limestone.

The old North Eastern Railway line (formerly the South Durham and Lancashire Union railway) from Darlington to Tebay also passed under this viaduct.

About a mile south along the old NER line is the another magnificent viaduct over Scandal Beck (NY 727069). The viaduct has been restored by the Northern Viaducts trust into its present excellent condition, and a public footpath utilises the viaduct to cross the valley. This can be accessed from near to Ravenstonedale station (NY 741082) where there is also car parking space.

Smardale Gill itself is a nature reserve under the care of Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

Aerial photos by Simon Ledingham. Other photos by Ann Bowker.

Links related to the old viaduct and the Nature reserve :

• Smardale Railway Walk 25/8/2004
• Smardale (S&C) and Smardale Gill (Stainmore Railway.)
• The Guardian - "Catch me if you can" - Smardale Gill, Cumbria
• Ravenstonedale community website
• English Nature
• Cumbria Wildlife Trust