Get Your Kicks On The A66 Trivia Quiz

Answer: It was the first public railway in the world to use steam locomotives

The S&DR opened on 27 September 1825, when it was the first public railway in the world to use steam locomotives. Stephenson's engine (named "Locomotion No. 1") pulled a carriage (named "Experiment") and 21 coal wagons fitted with seats carrying about 500 people from Shildon Lane End to Darlington; excluding stops, the train travelled just over eight miles at an average speed of eight mph.

The train then went on to Stockton-on-Tees. The railway's presence led to the development of the port at Middlesbrough.

The first railway passenger fatality was William Huskisson MP, killed by Stephenson's "Rocket" on the Liverpool and Manchester railway on 15 September 1830. The first railway engine to travel at over 100 mph was "The Flying Scotsman" on 30 November 1934, while the first collision between two railway engines causing fatalities was in the US on the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad near Suffolk, VA, on 11 August 1837.

Answer: Scotch Corner

Scotch Corner, Junction 53 of the A1(M), is so-called because it represents a choice point for the traffic coming from the South on its way to Scotland: it can either carry on up the A1(M) for Edinburgh and Eastern Scotland or it can head up the A66 for Penrith and the M6 to Glasgow and Western Scotland.

It has been described as "the modern gateway to Cumbria, the North East and Scotland". Looking at the incorrect answer options, Spaghetti Junction is on the M6 in Birmingham, Hyde Park Corner is in Central London, and Gallows Corner is the junction of the A12 and the A127 in Romford, Essex.

Answer: Dominic Cummings, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister

Cummings' trip soon came to the attention of the media, with the Government suffering a sharp drop in its opinion poll ratings as a consequence - people felt that his behaviour reflected a "one rule for us, another rule for them" attitude in its upper reaches. Cummings gave a bizarre press conference in the garden of Number 10 Downing Street to explain his actions, after which the Prime Minister said that he backed his advisor who had acted "responsibly, legally and with integrity".

The County Durham police did not prosecute. Cummings left his position in November 2020, subsequently strongly criticising Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, the then Secretary of State for Health. Meanwhile Chris Whitty observed all the core values embodied in the Civil Service Code of Ethics - integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality - and behaved with complete integrity throughout.

Answer: Swan

The Silver Swan was manufactured in Paris in the mid-18th Century. It sits on the surface of a stream made of glass rods, while small silver fish "swim" in the stream. When the clockwork mechanism is activated the glass rods rotate and the swan turns its head from side to side.

It then lowers its head and seems to catch a fish, before lifting its head again. The whole performance lasts 32 seconds and is accompanied by music from a music box inside the swan. The daily performances are always well-attended!

Answer: The Appleby Horse Fair

Every year about 10,000 Travellers come from miles around (from as far as Ireland) to attend the Appleby Horse Fair; many of them arrive in wonderfully decorated horse-drawn caravans (lovely to look at but a bugger to be caught behind, especially on one of the many hills in the area).

Despite its age (dating back about 350 years) the Fair has no formal charter; rather, it's allowed to carry on through custom. As well as dealing in horses, Travellers attending the fair treat the event as a gala celebrating their culture, and many younger Travellers look for prospective spouses! Sadly, the other three answer options are all fictional - although I'd quite like to see the Eden Valley Naturists' Club Annual Get-Together!

Answer: Blencathra

The use of the old name Blencathra was popularised by Alfred Wainwright, referring to the three-mile long ridge of six separate peaks rising to 2,848 feet / 868 metres. The ridge does indeed resemble a saddle when seen from the East. Along the crest of an arete between two of the fell's crags is one of the most difficult and dangerous paths in the Lake District, Sharp Edge - it makes Striding Edge look like wee buns! The three remaining answer options are all fictitious, I'm afraid.

Answer: A Neolithic stone circle

Castlerigg Stone Circle is a beautiful site, surrounded by the high Lake District fells. Dating to about 3200BC - and thus one of the oldest such circles in the whole of Europe - it consists of about 40 volcanic rock megaliths, the largest being 2.3 metres high and weighing 16 tons.

In terms of the number of stones, the word "about" is used advisedly - it seems that some of the stones have been known to disappear and reappear!

Answer: It's the only body of water in the Lake District to have the word "Lake" in its name

Bassenthwaite Lake is the only body of water in the Lake District to have the word "Lake" in its name; all the others are referred to as "Meres" (eg Windermere), "Waters" (eg Derwent Water and Wast Water) or "Tarns" (eg Blea Tarn and Innominate Tarn).

While Bassenthwaite Lake is not man-made there are a number of man-made bodies of waters in the Lake District, eg Thirlmere. None of these bodies of water are tidal, and Bassenthwaite Lake is well-stocked with fish.

Answer: Osprey

The ospreys at Bassenthwaite are now famous; since they recommenced breeding in 2001 they've reared over 20 young. There are a number of well-laid-out viewing places around the nest sites, equipped by the RSPCA with binoculars, telescopes and knowledgeable, friendly volunteers. Watching an osprey carry a large fish back to its nest is a wonderful sight! In terms of the incorrect answer options, while cormorants are piscivores they can hardly be referred to as beautiful or rare - they're two-a-penny in the rivers near where I live. Blakiston's fish owl is a huge piscivore owl(!) with a six-foot-plus wingspan; however it lives in Siberia and Japan. Finally the red squirrel is neither a bird nor a piscivore, but the woods around the RSPC viewing sites are crammed with hundreds of the beggars, all posing for the camera!

Answer: 115 miles

The A66 goes for 115 miles across Northern England. However it's a very busy road with lots of heavy lorry traffic, especially on the stretch across the Pennines, so you're looking at a three-hour journey. And in the winter it can be a very demanding drive! Looking at the incorrect answer options, 44 miles is the distance from London to Southend-on-Sea, 478 miles is the distance from Land's End to Gretna Green, and 2448 miles is the length of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica.