Some might say this post is a bit overdue, being as we’re over a week into 2023, but it took some time to decide which stations to choose, and why they were chosen. I visited quite a lot of different places in 2022, some places I’ve been to in the past but also a lot more new places that I wanted to visit too. So without a huge introduction, here’s a list of my 5 favourite stations that I visited in 2022
5 – Bradford Forster Square
First on the list is Bradford Forster Square, a Northern station with regular direct services to Skipton, Ilkley and Leeds. The station technically has two entrances, one access point is off the main road and down a pavement which will take you to the ticket office. The other more unique entrance is higher up the hill, and once inside you then have to travel down quite a lot of stairs (or take the lift) until you reach the ticket office from a different angle.
The main reason I selected this station was because of the journeys I’ve enjoyed to Ilkley and Kirkstall Forge that started from here, and also the journeys made whilst ticking off a majority of the stations along the line from here to Skipton, Ilkley and also to Leeds. If you’re looking for a day out in Yorkshire, I recommend visiting some of the places you can get to with a train from Bradford Forster Square.
4 – Ardwick
Next up on the list is Ardwick, many travellers will be aware that this station only has one train per day in each direction. Situated around one mile from the much bigger and busier Manchester Piccadilly, Ardwick station is not the easiest to find if you plan to walk there. The entrance is hidden behind a wall with very basic signage.
I really enjoyed my walk from Manchester to get here, and also hanging around for half an hour watching the trains pass. It’s a very quiet and isolated station and just had a different atmosphere to many of the others I’ve been to.
3 – Stalybridge
Stalybridge made it to 3rd place on my list. It’s a larger station that what I expected, and (depending on the weather) has some really nice scenic views towards the hills in the distance. It’s just a short journey directly from Manchester to get to Stalybridge.
Another reason for visiting Stalybridge is the local park, a 5-10 minute walk will take you to Stamford Park, which is a very nice park to walk around in the middle of the Autumn. The town itself is the usual small quiet pedestrianised high street.
2 – Ravensthorpe
When I think of my favourite days out of 2022, my visit to Ravensthorpe always comes to mind. I actually arrived here after a long walk from Dewsbury Station to Dewsbury Country Park before heading South to Ravensthorpe station. There isn’t much nearby but it was a lovely quiet walk along the road and over the river to the isolated station. One of my favourite features is the footbridge.
It was a nice sunny day and after walking here I had around 40 minutes to wait for my train to Mirfield. It was relaxing to hang around here, and there is a chance to see passing trains along the tracks that run from a different direction alongside the station. A pleasant rural station to spend some time at.
1 – Entwistle
This had to be my most favourite one to visit and probably my favourite day out for the year too. A single platform request stop in a quiet rural location served by Northern, with trains to Blackburn/Clitheroe in one direction, and Bolton/Manchester in the other. I didn’t choose this one just for the station itself though, it does have all the basics – a ticket machine, a shelter, departure screen and step-free access. I chose this one because a short walk away you’ll find Entwistle Reservoir.
I highly recommend a visit to Entwistle Reservoir, it’s an extremely pleasant place to walk around away from the hustle and bustle of a city or town. I visited just before the beginning of Autumn and with the heatwave of the Summer the water levels were quite low at the time of my visit. I walked all around the outside and also took a detour up into the woodland and the hills, although I didn’t find any better views of the reservoir from there. The walk around was more than an hour and the overall experience was one of the highlights of my year of travels.
I had a really good year getting out to new places and I look forward to seeing where the next year takes me.
Thankyou for taking the time to read this post.