The Eden Viaducts

David and Chris Stewart

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Explore the impressive stone viaducts that carried trains over deep valleys to the south of Kirkby Stephen on the now-closed Stainmore railway.

The viaducts are looked after by the Northern Viaduct Trust (www.nvt.org.uk) who have worked hard to open a pathway along the railway line. The circuit is made possible by the opening of the millennium footbridge at Stenkrith, which offers fantastic views of the Eden as it swirls through the rocks below.

The Stainmore railway used to provide an essential link between the coalfields of South Durham and the iron and steel industries in Lancashire and West Cumberland. It was closed following the Beeching Report in 1962, despite strong opposition.

We return along the banks of the River Eden to Kirkby Stephen via small country paths.

The section along the railway line is accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. You can see another of the viaducts on this railway, just a few miles away at Smardale on Walk 3375.

England - North England - Cumbria - Eden Valley