Lake District visitor attraction, the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, is stoking up support for one of Cumbria’s most iconic creatures, by putting a number of initiatives in place to directly assist red squirrel conservation. The narrow gauge, heritage railway is helping celebrate national Save Our Squirrels Week by laying on a special Red Express service on Saturday 9th October 2010. Passengers travelling on this train, departing Ravenglass at 10.30, can buy a ticket at the standard return fare of £11.20 per adult and £5.60 per child and see half of this fare donated to the Save Our Squirrels charity.
This delightful steam journey will take passengers from the station at Ravenglass – the only coastal village in the Lake District National Park – to Dalegarth, which nestles in the shadow of England’s highest mountains. The seven-mile journey traverses coastal areas and an estuary, hidden Miterdale and beautiful Eskdale, providing passengers with scenic pleasures, wildlife encounters, atmospheric travel and lots of nostalgia for days gone by.
Red squirrels live alongside the line near Muncaster Mill and have also been seen in the Beckfoot area. Other habitats in the valley also exist, with red squirrel sightings being a regular occurrence.
Passengers travelling on the Red Express will have time to explore the local area around Dalegarth Station, before their return journey. The can spend time in the well-stocked gift shop or Fellbites Eatery and also view a Romans in Eskdale exhibition.
Those wishing to further support Save Our Squirrels can purchase an exclusive soft Squirrel Nutkin™ toy, sold only by companies within the Wakefield Group to which the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway belongs. Every Squirrel Nutkin™ toy sold generates a £1.25 donation to Save Our Squirrels. Sums raised through this retail item will be added to those generated by the Red Express service, to generate as much as possible for a charity that is attempting to save a native British species from extinction. The new soft toy is only available at Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway’s shops at both Dalegarth and Ravenglass, at those of its sister attraction, Ullswater ‘Steamers’ (at Glenridding and Pooley Bridge), at four Peter Rabbit & Friends shops in Bowness-on-Windermere, Keswick, Hawkshead and York and at a brand new Peter Rabbit and Friends™ e-shop.
Paul Johnson is a Director at Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd. which offers luxury self-catering accommodation between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales
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