Mosedale Viaduct

Mosedale Viaduct is a stone railway bridge with 12 arches spanning a valley between two villages, built from locally sourced materials. The arches are made of carefully placed stones designed to support the weight of passing trains over the beck below.

The structure was built in 1862 to serve a railway line connecting local towns across the Pennines. It remained in use through major changes to the rail network until service stopped in 1972.

The structure shows how railways changed connections between local communities and shaped daily travel patterns in the valley. Visitors walking beneath or around it can see how thoroughly Victorian engineering transformed rural landscapes.

The viaduct is located between two villages and can be reached on foot from either settlement. Sturdy shoes are recommended as you explore the area on paths and fields around the structure.

The structure narrowly escaped demolition in the 1990s when preservation plans emerged linked to proposals for reopening the railway. Few Victorian bridges have been saved by such optimistic visions of renewed rail service.

Location: Matterdale

Location: Threlkeld

Inception: 1862

GPS coordinates: 54.62356,-3.00025

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:23