Broken Gill Wood

Today's the day .................... to travel by train

Next time you are travelling through Cumbria either by train or on the M6 Motorway, look out for this distinctive heart-shaped wood in the Tebay gorge.

There are lots of tales about its origins. Some say it was planted as a memorial to a young soldier killed in World War I, others say it was the place where two ill-fated lovers met for the final time. In actual fact, it was neither of these although its history does have quite a romantic twist to it.

It was planted with larch in the 1700s as a commercial forest to supply wooden pit props. By the middle of the 19th century, however, the larch had all been removed. It was replanted with deciduous trees to celebrate the marriage of a local couple - Harvey Goodwin and Ruth Wakefield of Sizergh - in 1854.

And according to its present owners, it's a very popular place for couples to visit on Valentine's Day ..........................