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PTG Tours · Escorted tour

Bristol, Cider & Gorge-ous Cheddar

Five-day Bristol heritage tour with Cheddar Gorge, cider farm, and steam railway

Illustration of Bristol, Cider & Gorge-ous Cheddar

PTG Tours offers a five-day escorted tour centred on Bristol, a city where engineering heritage and contemporary culture intertwine. You spend four nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton, with all breakfasts and evening meals provided, and travel from your home station via Standard or First class rail (booked separately). The itinerary balances guided visits with downtime: Day 2 takes you by coach to Cheddar Gorge, where you walk into pre-historic caves and see where Cheddar Cheese matures, then tour Thatcher's Cider Farm for a tasting. Day 3 combines a boat tour of Bristol's Floating Harbour with visits to the SS Great Britain museum and a heritage steam journey on the East Somerset Railway. Day 4 features Brunel's Concorde at Aerospace Bristol and the Grade I listed Clifton Suspension Bridge, plus free time to explore the city. An experienced Tour Manager accompanies you throughout. This tour suits history-lovers drawn to transport heritage, food-and-wine enthusiasts keen on cider and cheese, and couples seeking a guided escape with a home base.

What to know before you look closer

  • Rail travel from your home station to Bristol is not included in the base price of 949 GBP; Standard and First class fares are quoted separately and vary by your home fare region
  • Only one departure date is published: July 2026

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Bristol (4 nights)

    Home station - Bristol

    Journey from home station to Bristol, check in to the DoubleTree by Hilton for the next four nights. Free time before the first evening meal together.

  2. Day 2overnight: Bristol

    Cheddar Gorge and Thatcher's Cider Farm

    Private coach to Cheddar Gorge, walk to the caves to see stalagmites and stalactites and where Cheddar Cheese is matured (alternative: Museum of Prehistory or the Shop at the Gorge). Continue to Myrtle Farm, home of Thatcher's Cider, for a guided tour and tasting.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Bristol

    Bristol Floating Harbour, SS Great Britain and East Somerset Railway

    Boat tour of Bristol's Floating Harbour, visit the Being Brunel Museum and SS Great Britain. Afternoon heritage steam journey on the East Somerset Railway with a look at the engine shed and workshop.

  4. Day 4overnight: Bristol

    Aerospace Bristol and Clifton Suspension Bridge

    Guided tour and talk on Concorde at Aerospace Bristol. Continue to the Grade I listed Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon Gorge. Free time to explore the city or relax at the hotel.

  5. Day 5

    Bristol - home station

    After breakfast, bid farewell to Bristol and make your way to the station for homeward journeys.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Walk into Cheddar Gorge's pre-historic caves to see stalagmites and stalactites where Cheddar Cheese is matured, then tour and taste cider at Thatcher's Cider Farm
  • Day 3Boat tour of Bristol's Floating Harbour followed by a visit to the SS Great Britain, Brunel's revolutionary ocean liner
  • Day 3Afternoon heritage steam journey on the East Somerset Railway with access to the engine shed and workshop
  • Day 4Tour Concorde at Aerospace Bristol and learn its history, then visit the Grade I listed Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the Avon Gorge

Included

  • 4 nights' bed, breakfast & evening meal
  • Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
No. The base price covers the hotel, meals, and guided activities in Bristol. Rail fares from your home station to Bristol are optional and priced separately, starting from 1005 GBP for Standard class (South Wales region) or 1035 GBP for First class, depending on your fare region.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. PTG Tours provides an experienced Railtrail Tour Manager throughout the five days.
What is included?
Four nights' bed, breakfast, and evening meal at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bristol, all guided activities (Cheddar Gorge, cider farm tour and tasting, boat tour, SS Great Britain, East Somerset Railway steam journey, Aerospace Bristol, and Clifton Suspension Bridge), and the Tour Manager.
Where do I stay?
The DoubleTree by Hilton in Bristol for all four nights.
What is not included?
Rail travel from your home station, lunches, and any activities during free time on Day 4.
When does this tour run?
One departure is currently published: July 2026.

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