The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

The West Country Explorer - August 2026

The West Country Explorer - August 2026, a rail journey with The Railway Touring Company

A 6-day escorted steam and heritage rail holiday through Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, visiting St Michael's Mount, Land's End, the Bodmin & Wenford, South Devon and Dartmouth Steam Railways.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Exeter

    London Paddington to Exeter

    A steam train from London Paddington in 'Premier Dining' with breakfast served at your seat, via Reading, the Berks and Hants Line and Westbury, joining the West Somerset Railway at Norton Fitzwarren where a 'Manor' class 4-6-0 steam locomotive is attached for the run double-headed to Minehead. Coach to the Glen Lyn Gorge Funicular, then the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway at Woody Bay, before continuing by coach to Exeter.

  2. Day 2overnight: Exeter

    Free time in Exeter

    A free day to explore Exeter's Cathedral, Princess Hay, museums, galleries and city parks.

  3. Day 3railovernight: St Ives

    St Michael's Mount and Land's End

    Service train from Exeter to Penzance along the Dawlish sea wall and over the Royal Albert Bridge into Cornwall. Coach to St Michael's Mount, a tidal island in Mount's Bay, then to Land's End, the most westerly point of mainland England, before transferring to St Ives.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Torquay

    St Ives, the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, and South Devon Railway

    Coach to Bodmin Parkway for a steam-hauled return trip to Boscarne Junction on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, including a visit to Bodmin General Station, then the South Devon Railway for a 7-mile journey along the River Dart valley between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, before transferring to Torquay.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Torquay

    Steam on the Dartmouth Steam Railway and a paddle steamer cruise

    A steam train from Paignton along the English Riviera on the Dartmouth Steam Railway to Kingswear, then a ferry to Dartmouth and a cruise aboard the coal-fired paddle steamer 'Kingswear Castle', before returning to Paignton by steam train.

  6. Day 6rail

    A visit to Dawlish, the Seaton Tramway and return to London Waterloo

    Coach to Dawlish for free time on the sands and sea wall, then to Seaton for a return trip on the narrow-gauge Seaton Tramway, before a coach to Weymouth to board the 'Dorset Coast Express' steam train, with a four-course meal silver served in 'Premier Dining', for the journey to London Waterloo.

Included

  • Rail travel from and to London by special steam trains
  • 5 nights hotel accommodation with breakfasts
  • 6 dinners
  • All rail and road coach journeys as detailed in the itinerary
  • All visits as detailed in the itinerary
  • All seat reservations and transfers
  • The services of a Tour Manager

Similar journeys, different answers