West Country Steam 2025

Duration

6 Days

Departure Dates

23rd July 2025

Prices from

£975 Per person

Experience a fantastic steam tour to the West Country to explore remarkable rail heritage from the beautiful city of Exeter. Steam nostalgia over narrow-gauge lines, through stunning countryside, along magnificent coastlines, and past wild moorlands with heritage railway adventures every day. Cruise on the River Dart, ride the historic funicular at Lynton, and enjoy free time in Bodmin and Dartmouth to discover these vibrant and historic towns.

Overview
Itinerary
Further Information
Departure Dates
Useful Resources

Exeter ©AdobeStock

6 days from £925

DEPARTS

Wednesday 25 June 2025

Wednesday 23 July 2025

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Steam nostalgia on the Bodmin & Wenford line
Travel on the Dartmouth Steam Railway along the beautiful English Riviera coastline
Enjoy free time to explore Dartmouth, an historic naval town
Take in a circular cruise viewing sights from the majestic River Dart
Journey on the delightful West Somerset Railway
Experience the world’s highest and steepest water powered funicular
Ride behind steam on the narrow-gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
Journey on the scenic South Devon Railway to Buckfastleigh

Also included in your Tour Fare:

5 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Exeter and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Rougemont Hotel, our hotel for the next five nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

This morning, we travel by train over Brunel's Saltash Bridge into Cornwall arriving at Bodmin Parkway for a wonderful journey of nostalgia on the Bodmin & Wenford Steam Railway, a time-capsule of yesteryear's train travel. We enjoy some free time in Bodmin on our return, maybe grab a coffee in the café or browse the gift shops before we return to Exeter for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 3

Today, we travel by steam train alongside the English Riviera coastline to Churston, then on through the wooded slopes of Long Wood bordering the Dart Estuary to Kingswear. We take a short ferry crossing to the historic resort of Dartmouth where there is free time for some sightseeing and a gentle circular river cruise viewing Bayards Cove, Kingswear and Dartmouth Castles, Britannia Royal Naval College, Dittisham Village, and Sir Walter Raleigh's Boathouse. We return by steam train to Paignton and onwards to our hotel in time for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 4

After breakfast this morning, we travel by private coach to Bishops Lydeard for a ride over the delightful 20-mile long West Somerset Railway through stunning countryside to the seaside resort of Minehead. We enjoy time to explore the town before our coach journey to Lynton where we experience a ride on the Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, the highest and steepest water powered funicular in the world. Afterwards, we continue the short distance to Woody Bay for a ride behind steam over the narrow-gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Railway with wild moorland and rugged coastline views. Our coach returns us to our hotel in Exeter for our evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

Today, we travel to Totnes where we join the oldest preserved steam railway in the south-west, the South Devon Railway, and follow a scenic seven-mile rail journey connecting the beautifully maintained stations at Totnes and Buckfastleigh. We enjoy free time at Buckfastleigh where we can visit the Butterfly Farm and Otter Sanctuary, located next to the railway station and only a few minutes' walk from the platform or, alternatively, we can venture a little further and visit nearby Buckfast Abbey and Gardens. We return to Exeter and enjoy our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 6

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Exeter and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

HOTEL

Mercure Rougemont, Exeter

Ideally located in the heart of Exeter and close to the railway station, the Rougemont Hotel offers elegant Victorian features and beautiful views plus a restaurant and lounge bar. The stylish bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Paddington	£1,135	£1,069
Greater London	£1,145	£1,075
South of England	£1,165	£1,085
East Anglia	£1,145	£1,069
South West	£975	£959
Heart of England	£1,149	£1,055
Midlands	£1,169	£1,039
Yorkshire	£1,225	£1,089
North East	£1,279	£1,119
North West	£1,209	£1,075
South Wales	£1,235	£1,049
North Wales	£1,219	£1,069
Scotland	£1,369	£1,175

*Please Note: Some local and regional train services are Standard Class seating only and First Class ticket holders will travel in standard class accommodation for these sections of their journey.

£15 tour discount for holders of National Railcards

Join & Leave at Hotel £940

July Departure Supplement £50

Single Room Supplement £240 (June)

Single Room Supplement £290 (July)

5 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal

Rail travel & seat reservations from your Home Station to Tour Base (Standard or First Class)

Rail & coach travel, with transfers as described

All excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Important – Please select the number of passengers before proceeding to ‘Book Now’

Number of passengers:

Date	From Price	Book Now	Callback
23rd July 2025	£975 Per person	Book Now	Callback

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Mercure Rougemont, Exeter

Bodmin & Wenford Railway

Dartmouth Steam Railway

West Somerset Railway

Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway

Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

South Devon Railway

Butterfly Farm & Otter Sanctuary

Buckfast Abbey & Gardens

Brunel's Saltash Bridge ©Shutterstock

Bodmin & Wenford Railway ©Shutterstock

Dartmouth Steam1 ©Shutterstock

Dartmouth Steam2 ©Shutterstock

Dartmouth Harbour ©Shutterstock

West Somerset Railway ©AdobeStock

Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway1 ©Shutterstock

Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway2 ©AdobeStock

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