YORK TO BERWICK

This is the East Coast Main Line’s best section, with each portion eclipsing the last. Sheep-dotted pastures follow York’s elegant station before Durham’s castle and cathedral eventually materialise. After a dramatic crossing of the Tyne in Newcastle, look out for the postcard-pretty estuary town of Alnmouth on your right, g , and then the fortress on Holy y Island (aka Lindisfarne). Now chugging alongside the coast, you’ll soon twist into Berwick. Just ahead of the station, which borders Berwick’s ruined castle, elegant bridges span the Scotland-bound River Ri Tweed. T dN Next stop? Elegant Edinburgh.

Sit on: Nothing beats the right side’s Holy Island vistas but scoot about if you can.

Stay overnight: York’s gaslit Guy Fawkes Inn has four-poster beds and a position by the Minster (from £120 B&B, guyfawkesinnyork.com).

Look north: Durham Cathedral is among the landmarks on the line

Next stop Scotland: The River Tweed