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Ravenglass

The only coastal village within the Lake District National Park, Ravenglass is set beside the estuary of three rivers - the Esk, the Mite, and the Irt. It is not surprising that Ravenglass was an important port frm prehistoric times. The Romans built a naval base here around 78AD, which served as a supply point for the military zone around Hadrian's Wall. They also constructed a fort, Glannaventra, on the cliffs above the town, which was home to around 1000 soldiers. Little remains of Glannaventra except for the impressively preserved walls of the Bath House. Almost
12 feet high, these walls are believed to be the highest Roman remains in the country.

One of the town's major attractions is the 15-inch narrow gauge Ravenlass and Eskdale Railway, which runs for seven miles up the lovely Mite and Esk River valleys to the foot of Scafell. Better known to locals as "La'al Ratty", it was built in 1875 to transport ore and quarried stone from the Eskdale Valley and opened the following year for passenger traffic. Since then, the railway has survived severalthreats of extinction. The most serious occurred at the end of the 1950s when the closure of the Eskdale granite quarries wiped out the railway's freight traffic at a stroke. However, at the auction for the railway in 1960, a band of enthusiasts outbid the scrap dealers and formed a company to keep the little railway running.

Today, the company operates 12 locomotives, both steam and diesel, and 300,000 people a year come from all over the world to ride on what has been described as "the most beautiful train journey in England". There are several stops along the journey and at both termini there is a café and a souvenir shop. At Ravenglass Station there is also a museum that brings to life the history of this remarkable line and the important part it has played in the life of Eskdale.

A mile or so east of Ravenglass stands Muncaster Castle, which John Ruskin described as the "Gateway to Paradise". The 77-acre estate has been in the ownership of the Pennington family since 1208. In 1464 the Penningtons gave shelter to King Henry VI after his defeat at the Battle of Hexham. On his departure, Henry presented them with his enamelled glass drinking bowl, saying tha as long as it remained unbroken the Penningtons would survive and thrive at Muncaster. Apart from the many treasures, the stunning Great Hall, Salvin's octagonal library and the barrel ceiling in the drawing room, Muncaster is also famous for its gardens. The collection of rhododendrons is one of the finest in Europe, gathered primarily from plant-hunting expeditions to Nepal in the 1920s, and there are also fine azaleas, hydrangeas and camellias as well as many unusual trees.

For many visitors the chief attraction is the World Owl Centre, where endangered owl species are bred. More than 200 birds are on display, including the Snowy owls, which have become great favourites on the back of the Harry Potter films. There have been many enquiries about keeping them as pets but, as the staff at the Centre point out, the snowy owl is a mighty predator with a five-fet wingspan. Mighty as he is, he is not the mightiest of the owls at the Centre: that honour goes to the European eagle owl, whose full splendour can be seen at the daily demonstrations. Muncaster's latest attraction is the Meadow Vole Maze. These little creatures are the staple diet of barn owls, and visitors can find out what it's like to be a vole on the run from a hungry owl.

Originally part of the Muncaster Castle Estate, Muncaster Water Mill can be traced back to 1455, though it is thought that this site may be Roman. The situation is certainly idyllic, with the mill race still turning the huge wooden water wheel and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway running alongside. In November 1996, Pam and Ernie Priestley came to the mill and Ernie put his years of enineering experience to use as the miller. Until January 2008 the mill was open every day, working just as it has done for hundreds of years. Sadly, it is currently not open to the public.