Nostalgic Yorkshire: Heritage & Herriot 2026

Duration

5 Days

Departure Dates

21st April 2026, 29th September 2026

Prices from

£795 Per person

Discover the heritage and history of Yorkshire on this nostalgic tour in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate. Journey on unique and scenic railways, explore the fascinating world of James Herriot, visit magnificent gardens, and enjoy free time to explore the quaint market town of Thirsk.

Overview
Itinerary
Further Information
Departure Dates
Helpful Links

Harrogate 1 ©AdobeStock

5 days from £795

DEPARTS

Tuesday 21 April 2026

Tuesday 29 September 2026

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Stay in the heart of the Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate
Journey through the Yorkshire Dales on the Embsay & Bolton Railway (April)
Ride the unique Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (September)
Visit the beautiful RHS Harlow Carr Gardens
Journey on the scenic Wensleydale Railway
Explore the historic market town of Thirsk
Step into the remarkable World of James Herriot

Also included in your Tour Fare:

4 nights’ bed & breakfast plus 2 evening meals
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 1

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

DAY 2

April - Today, we travel by coach to the lovely market town of Skipton, where we enjoy a guided tour of the historic Skipton Castle, one of the best preserved medieval castles in England, with over 900 years of history to explore. We have time for lunch before making our way to the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway for a return journey across the Yorkshire Dales, passing rolling countryside and traditional stone-built farms. You'll have time to soak up the beautifully restored stations at Embsay and Bolton Abbey, each reflecting the golden age of railway travel.

September - Today, we travel by train to visit the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, a unique 5-mile branch line railway set in the heart of Yorkshire where you can ride to your heart's content with your day rover ticket. Journey through countryside made familiar through film, The Railway Children, or perhaps take a break to alight at the Brontë heritage town of Haworth with its cobbled main street and curio shops.

DAY 3

After breakfast this morning, we board our private coach and travel the short distance to RHS Harlow Carr Gardens where we enjoy a guided tour, take a walk along the colourful streamside plantings, admire the lavish herbaceous borders and wildflower meadows, and relax in the sweet-scented garden. Afterwards, we return to Harrogate and have the rest of the day at leisure, you may wish to relax at the hotel, explore this beautiful spa town, or indulge in an afternoon tea at Bettys Tearoom.

DAY 4

Today, we visit the Wensleydale Railway for our return journey through spectacular scenery to the meticulously restored Leeming Bar Station, home to the staff offices and engine shed where the locomotives and rolling stock are maintained and restored. This afternoon, we transfer to Thirsk, the birthplace of renowned author James Herriot and the fictional town of Darrowby. Here, we visit the World of James Herriot Museum, a unique and immersive experience where we can explore the TV set of 'All Creatures Great & Small' and 'The Yorkshire Vet' before returning to Harrogate for our final evening meal together.

B, D

DAY 5

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

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner

HOTEL

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Harrogate

Ideally located in the centre of Harrogate, the Crowne Plaza Hotel offers the elegant Springs Restaurant serving delicious local and international dishes, a relaxing bar, and a fitness centre. The modern bedrooms provide an en-suite bathroom, a hairdryer, flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities.

FARES

Fare Region	First*	Standard
London: Kings Cross	£1,019	£925
Greater London	£1,039	£935
South of England	£1,089	£959
East Anglia	£1,105	£965
South West	£1,195	£1,015
Heart of England	£1,079	£955
Midlands	£995	£895
Yorkshire	£929	£875
North East	£1,065	£949
North West	N/A	£879
South Wales	£1,125	£985
North Wales	£1,069	£949
Scotland	£1,055	£945
Join & Leave at Hotel	£810
Single Traveller Supplement	£240
Deposit	£80

*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

September Departure Supplement £30

4 nights’ bed & breakfast plus 2 evening meals

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
21st April 2026	£795 Per person	Book Now	Callback
29th September 2026	£825 Per person	Book Now	Callback

Can't see a date that suits you? Please register your interest for additional departures on this tour.

Register interest

Enter your details to receive updates on upcoming departure dates for the Nostalgic Yorkshire: Heritage & Herriot 2026 rail tour.

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Harrogate

Skipton Castle

Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

RHS Harlow Carr Gardens

Visit Harrogate

Wensleydale Railway

World of James Herriot

Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway ©Shutterstock

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 1 ©CS-Oxenhope

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 2 ©Shutterstock

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 3 ©AdobeStock

Haworth ©AdobeStock

RHS Harlow Carr 1 ©Shutterstock

RHS Harlow Carr 2 ©Shutterstock

Harrogate 2 ©AdobeStock

Bettys Tearoom ©Shutterstock

Wensleydale Railway ©Shutterstock

Thirsk ©AdobeStock

Roses Battle by Steam plus Settle & Carlisle Line 2026

Celebrate the steam and rail heritage of the north country with our very own 'Battle of the Roses' tour based at an iconic railway hotel. Journey on the fabulous Settle & Carlisle Line, steam nostalgia on fantastic heritage railways, visit fascinating museums, and indulge in a distillery tour and tasting. You are sure to come up smelling of roses!

8 Days Choice of Dates from £1,359

Wonderful Railways & Waterways 2027

Explore the wonders of the waterways and railways on this fantastic tour starting at the very heart of the industrial revolution and discovering the masterpieces of Victorian engineering with boat trips and steam trains galore. Cruise remarkable canals, tunnels, and aqueducts, visit famous locations and fascinating museums, and steam nostalgia on scenic railway journeys.

10 Days 05/06/2027 from £1,975

Roses Battle by Steam plus Settle & Carlisle Line 2027

8 Days Choice of Dates from £1,395

Yuletide Yorkshire 2027

Enjoy a fantastically festive tour to Yorkshire staying in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate. Discover Castle Howard in all its Christmas glory, sail through the beautiful countryside at Skipton, indulge in a festive afternoon tea, and experience the enchanting glow-winter illuminations at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens plus free time to explore the medieval city of York.

4 Days 24/11/2027 from £735

Wonderful Railways & Waterways 2026

10 Days Choice of Dates from £1,935

Classic Yorkshire Gold 2026

Discover the delights of England's most diverse county with our Yorkshire Gold tour staying in the charming, spa town of Harrogate. Stroll through the medieval streets of York, steam nostalgia across the North Yorkshire Moors, and explore the beautiful Harewood House & Gardens plus enjoy free time in Whitby with the best fish & chips in Yorkshire!

5 Days 21/09/2026 from £775

Nostalgic Yorkshire: Heritage & Herriot 2027

5 Days 20/04/2027 from £895

Yuletide Yorkshire 2026

4 Days 25/11/2026 from £695

What our customers say

Sounds like the holiday for you?

View Dates and Book

Why Book with Railtrail

Railtrail Tours is a family firm with an ethos of honesty and integrity. Our passion for delivering quality escorted holidays by rail at great value fares along with consistently excellent customer service has stood us in good stead for over 40 years – Big on Quality, Small Enough to Care

Unique Experiences

Our tours are unique to us, created by our team of rail travel experts who each have a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the rail holiday industry

Financial Protection

Railtrail Tours are members of ABTOT and ATOL, meaning you can relax knowing that you are fully protected when booking any holiday with us.

Loyalty Rewards

For every pound spent you will receive Loyalty Points on return from your holiday, which can then be used as a discount on future bookings.

Award Winning Team

We were proudly awarded Silver at the British Travel Awards for ‘Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays’ in 2024.

More about us

Destinations

Tour Types