The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail tour

Snowdonia and the Northern Fells - July 2026

Snowdonia and the Northern Fells - July 2026, a rail journey with The Railway Touring Company

An 8-day escorted steam and heritage-rail tour based in Liverpool, Caernarfon, Portmeirion and Llandudno, covering the Settle & Carlisle line and the 'Great Little Trains' of Snowdonia.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Liverpool

    Exploring Liverpool

    Tour begins at a City Centre Hotel in Liverpool, opposite Lime Street Station, your base for two nights. Free time to explore the city; dinner at the hotel.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Liverpool

    The Settle to Carlisle Railway

    Join the 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' charter train at Lime Street Station; breakfast served at your seat. Steam locomotive taken on at Carnforth, via the Lake District and Lune Valley, ascending to Shap Fell summit, descending through Penrith North Lakes, with a two-hour break in Carlisle. Then the Settle and Carlisle Railway via Langwathby, Culgaith and Ais Gill summit through Dent Dale, past over twenty viaducts and fourteen tunnels including the 24-arch Ribblehead Viaduct. Four-course silver-served dinner on the return to Liverpool.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Caernarfon

    Steam along the North Wales Coast

    Reserved First-Class seat on the 'North Wales Coast Express' steam special from Liverpool Lime Street via Warrington and Chester, then along the Dee Estuary and Irish Sea coast past Prestatyn, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay to Bangor. Road-coach transfer to Penrhyn Castle for a short visit, then on to Caernarfon for dinner and overnight.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Caernarfon

    Llanberis Lake Railway and Snowdon Mountain Railway

    Transfer to Llanberis for a 5-mile return trip on the Llanberis Lake Railway along Lake Padarn, then free time in Llanberis village. Short visit to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch for photos at the railway sign, then a steam-hauled trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Return to Caernarfon via Menai Bridge for dinner and overnight.

  5. Day 5overnight: Caernarfon

    Caernarfon Castle and free afternoon

    Group visit to the 13th-century Caernarfon Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then a free afternoon to explore Caernarfon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Portmeirion

    Steam on the Welsh Highland Railway

    Journey on the Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon through western Snowdonia to Porthmadog, lunch at a local restaurant, then on to Portmeirion (filming location of 'The Prisoner') for a free afternoon, dinner and overnight at The Hotel Portmeirion.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Llandudno

    Ffestiniog Railway, Conwy Valley Line and Betws-y-Coed

    Coach transfer from Portmeirion Hotel (after breakfast) to the narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog, then coach to Betws-y-Coed in the Conwy Valley with free time and a visit to Swallow Falls, before transferring to Llandudno for dinner and overnight.

  8. Day 8

    Great Orme Tramway and return to Liverpool

    Ride the 3'6" gauge Great Orme Tramway, Britain's only cable-hauled street tramway, from Llandudno Victoria Station to Great Orme Summit Station, then coach back to Liverpool via Chester for the homeward journey.

Included

  • 7 nights' accommodation with breakfast in 3 or 4-star hotels
  • 6 breakfasts in hotels and one on the train
  • 6 dinners
  • 1 lunch
  • All train and heritage rail travel as detailed in the itinerary
  • All seat reservations and coach transfers
  • The services of a Tour Manager

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