For this rail-travel focused feature, we take a look at three new holidays from Tailor-Made Rail which encompass the glens and peaks of Scotland, the valleys and mountains of Wales and the craggy coast and pristine beaches of the West Country.
Across the UK, many people will be eagerly waiting for the starter’s flag to be lifted and the opportunity to treat ourselves to a break in return for honing our ‘stay-indoors’ skills. To ‘whet’ your appetites, we are taking a look at the new collection of bespoke UK train tours from Tailor-Made Rail. These new adventures cover some of the most beautiful parts of the country, all of which can be reached easily from a local train station.
Wales by Rail
Here’s one for the serious scenic rail connoisseurs. A veritable banquet of heritage rail routes, this extraordinary 9-day tour setting off from Swansea treats tourists to some of the country’s most picturesque rail lines and heritage railways.
Classic scenic journeys to be enjoyed in one sitting on this tour include the Heart of Wales line, the Welsh Highland Line, the Snowdon Mountain Railway and the utterly sublime Ffestiniog Railway.
Departing throughout 2020, this holiday costs from £829 pp (two sharing), including all standard class rail travel from London (but fully bookable from any UK station, surcharges may apply) 8 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, a return trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway to the highest point in Wales, excursions to the Castles of Caernarfon, Harlech and Conwy, and the services of a professional tour leader throughout the trip. More details here.
Grand Tour of Scotland
This epic 10-day rail trip rattles through swathes of bonny Scotland, including the award-winning West Highland Line and the equally enticing Highland Railway and the Kyle of Lochalsh Line. Train travel fans can buckle up with cameras at the ready for prime views of Ben Nevis and the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
Visit the Isle of Skye and Loch Ness, with stays in Edinburgh, Inverness, Fort William and Glasgow. Frankly, it’s virtually impossible to conjure up a more alluring whistle-stop train tour of Scotland.
Departing throughout 2020, this holiday costs from £949 pp (two sharing), including all standard class rail travel from London (but fully bookable from any UK station, surcharges may apply) 9 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, transfers and an excursion to Loch Ness from Inverness, plus the services of a professional tour leader throughout the trip. More details here.
Highlights of Devon and Cornwall
Alright, my lover, this tour bundles up a bounty of the west country’s best beauts – charming fishing villages, stunning beaches, maritime history galore and funky, artsy locales all await your discovery.
In Penzance, explore the National Trust’s lush Trengwainton Gardens, where the mild micro-climate sees many exotic species blooming alongside magnolias, rhododendrons, and camellias.
The 10-day tour dodges the motorway traffic and whisks holiday-makers directly down to Devon by train, where they can experience the delights of the bygone era of steam on board the South Devon Steam Railway, before taking in three of Cornwall’s most charming coastal towns – Looe, Falmouth and Penzance.
Departing throughout 2020, this holiday costs from £799 pp (two sharing), including all standard class rail travel from London (but fully bookable from any UK station, surcharges may apply) 9 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast, a trip on the South Devon Steam Railway, a boat cruise from Dartmouth to Totnes, transfers and excursions as per the itinerary, and the services of a professional tour leader throughout the trip. More details here.
For the full range of Tailor-Made Rail’s 2020 train-based holidays, click here.
Read more travel news, guides and reviews in our dedicated section here.
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