Great British Railway Journeys with Railtrail Tours
Michael Portillo’s hugely popular ‘Great British Railway Journeys’ television series has sparked great interest in train holidays, reminding me of just how many of the great rail journeys in the UK that you can enjoy on holiday with Railtrail Tours. Following is a list of some of my favourites...
Enjoy!
Dave Felstead
Managing Director
West Highland Line – ‘Harry Potter’ & the Jacobite steam train
What a difference a film makes! Harry Potter has put it at the top of Scotland’s ‘must do’ list! Experience travelling over Glenfinnan Vaduct on both our Highland Adventure and Queen of Scots tours.
The Settle & Carlisle line
A few years ago the UK’s most famous rail journey, through wild Cumbrian hills, was nearly lost to the nation when it was threatened with closure. After a major publicity campaign, it was proven it was not necessary to replace the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct and today more people than ever now experience this amazing journey. Enjoy this route and more great rail journeys on our “all rail” Lake District & Cumbrian Mountains Rail Roamer tour.
Devon’s Dawlish Sea Wall line
The Cornish Riviera Express was, in the days of steam, the most famous holiday train in the country. Children from nine to ninety eagerly awaited departing Exeter and clinging to the Exe estuary before the drama of speeding alongside the sea wall through Dawlish knowing that your holiday had really begun. Although no longer with steam, this spectacular journey is a wonderful introduction to our tours: Devon Riviera Classic, Cornwall Classic and English Riviera & Cornish Charm, and also our NEW exhilarating rail and walking holiday: Devon Along Different Lines.
Kyle of Lochalsh – The original “Great Railway Journey of the World”
When I first made this journey three decades ago, following Michael Palin’s original ‘Great Railway Journeys of The World’ TV series, I fell in love with a railway journey!
Climb high above the tree line onto the great plateau through Achnashellach and Achnasheen, then descend for the coastal journey through Plockton into Kyle of Lochalsh, overlooking the Isle of Skye - simply the most memorable of rail journeys. Viewing the great herds of wild deer on the evening journey back to Inverness was the icing on the cake. You too can experience this most romantic of rail journeys on our short breaks Highland Rail Voyager, Golden Highlander and Highland Winter Wonderland holidays and on our Queen of Scots and Romantic Highlander tours.
Welsh Highland Railway
The newest of the UK’s great rail journeys is the recently opened Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarvon through the Aberglaslyn Pass, in the Snowdonia National Park. This narrow gauge line is the longest in Britain and whilst the trains may be small the vistas are immense; enjoy it – and many more lines - on our tour of Wonderful Wales.
If you are fascinated by Britain’s rich heritage and great engineering explore more by rail with our series of “Heritage & Explorer” tours to Chester, Lancashire, The Midlands and South Wales.