Solitude, peace and tranquility...

Every now and then, it is nice to just escape to a place that offers a quieter moment in life, away from the noise, hustle and bustle. I am sure that most of us know somewhere we can go to achieve this. I do not think you have to go to the most remote locations, as often we hear of secluded corners in large towns and cities which a lot of folk do not even know it is there.
For me there is one special place you need to get to by either car down narrow lanes and over hills and valleys or, my preferred choice, to arrive by train. No ordinary train, but one that takes you back to another age, namely the early 1900`s.

Levisham is a small country station on the wonderful North Yorkshire Moors Railway, a few miles north of the busy market town of Pickering ,hidden away at the bottom of a deep glacial valley carved out in the ice age. There is probably no more than five houses dotted around the station itself and its placement in the valley affords panoramic views particularly to the south as the railway line strides away in a dead straight line for over a mile or so.

I once had the opportunity to travel in the cab of the engine over this line and on our return trip north from Pickering at dusk, as we came round the corner of the distant valley in the photo and entered the straight section, an owl came down from the trees and flew level with the cab for most of the approach to the station. A moment of true wonder and amazement I will never forget.

Looking northwards, the line curves away into the valley at Newtondale. There is a popular walk from the tiny wayside halt there which is a request stop, where the opportunity exists to explore in all directions the wooded hillsides spotting wildlife and plants, fantastic views and wild muntjac deer if you are quiet enough.

If the weather is against you, the waiting shelter is there to keep you dry and it is nice to just stand and watch the rain fall. Generally though, Levisham is quite often in a micro climate of good weather all of its own and so the platforms are adorned with original North Eastern railway seats, many of which are fitted with a plaque of gratitude by those no longer with us who gave their time and money to restore the station to what it is now, a mirror image of how it was in the early 20th century. All these seats have of course been sat upon by those who did just the same as I and many others like to do, just sit in peace and quiet............