Blue skies and wall-to-wall sunshine greeted Prince Charles as he stepped off the Royal Train onto the platform at Langwathby Station this morning.

The Prince had taken the unusual step to travel to the county on the Carlisle to Settle line, as part of a whistle-stop tour of some of the county's best-loved spots.

After being greeted by local dignitaries, including the Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria Claire Hensman, Prince Charles met volunteers who help to maintain the railway line's tiny stations.

"He was very disappointed not to be behind a steam locomotive," said chairman of Friends of the Carlisle to Settle Railway line, Douglas Hodgins.

"He had travelled to the county once before by steam, and had left sitting on the fireman's seat.

"I replied 'we are all boys at heart', and the Prince laughed."

Flag-waving schoolchildren from Langwathby School smiled and cheered when the Prince took a detour to speak to them.

Noah Rankin, aged 10 from Melmerby, said the prince asked him about his school and if he was looking forward to the Easter holidays.

"I was so excited I could barely speak. I told him I might be going away for the holidays," said Noah.

Mrs Hensman said the prince was very supportive of the farming communities in the county.

"He is very passionate about this part of the world," she said.

"He loves coming here and enjoys the wonderful landscape immensely, and through the Prince's Countryside Fund and his own private fund has put major investment into the west and east of the county."

The Royal Train was pulled by the Royal Sovereign diesel-powered locomotive. The train itself has been running for 150 years since Queen Victoria paid £1,800 for its constructions.

It consists of nine cars though it is rare for more than seven carriages to be in operation at once.

Prince Charles thrilled hundreds of schoolchildren and locals when he visited Keswick today.

He was there to unveil a plaque to celebrate the Lake District National Park becoming a World Heritage Site.

More than 600 schoolchildren and locals greeted him in the chilly sunshine.

Youngsters from St Herbert's School in Keswick sang a song from the Hired Lad by Melvyn Bragg and members of the Theatre by the Lake youth group performed a dance before he unveiled the plaque in Crow Park on the shores of Derwentwater.

The prince, who has visited Cumbria every year for the past 18 years, said: "I could not be more delighted to be with you on this very special occasion in what I happen to think is a particularly special part of the world."

He praised the work of Lord Clark as leader of the 25 organisations who campaigned to get World Heritage recognition and said he hoped the honour would provide local businesses with more opportunities to raise their profile, develop new products and pour more investment into the region, while helping to ensure traditional skills and crafts are maintained.

After unveiling the plaque inscribed on Honister Slate he thrilled the huge crowd by going on walkabout and meeting many of the children and locals before taking in the view of Derwentwater and Borrowdale.