The Isle of Man Adventure 6

Terminal and the short walk back to your hotel to enjoy a sumptuous three course dinner in the hotel restaurant. (B D)

Sunday 25th September Manx Electric Railway, Groundle Glen Steam Railway Following breakfast, you walk to the Sea Terminal to take the horse tram to the Derby Castle station, so named because of the vast entertainment complex of the same name that used to be sited nearby. You then take the Manx Electric Railway, this time to Groudle Glen, two miles north of Douglas on the coast road. On arrival you walk to Groudle Glen Steam Railway for a full round trip of this narrow gauge (610 mm) railway, owned and operated by a small group of enthusiastic volunteers. Afterwards a group lunch is served in the tearoom. You depart Groudle Glen by Manx Electric Railway heading to Ramsey, on the north of the island. You will have free time to explore Ramsey, perhaps visiting the Grove Museum of Victorian Life, Milntown House and Gardens, or simply strolling along the seafront. Later you return to Douglas and a 3-course dinner served in the hotel restaurant. (B L D)

Monday 26th September Coach Tour of the Isle of Man, Jurby Transport Museum Today you experience an exclusive coach tour travelling down the scenic roads of the famous TT race course. Your coach first takes you from your hotel in Douglas to the Calf of Man on the south tip of the island, with photo stops on the way. The Calf of Man is a small island separated from the mainland by the Calf Sound. Travel along the beautiful west coast of Man to the town of Peel. Your excursion includes a visit to the 11th century Castle Peel, a ruined castle originally built by the Vikings, sited on St Patrick’s Isle, which is connected to the town by a causeway. You’ll have a group lunch in a nearby restaurant before continuing by coach to Curraghs wildlife park, and a private charter trip on its miniature railway. You then travel to the Point of Ayre to view and take pictures of the lighthouse. Here you are at the Island’s most northerly tip and closer to Scotland (14 miles) than you are to Douglas! You travel back southwest to visit the Jurby Transport Museum. You then return to Douglas and a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B D)

Tuesday 27th September Free Day to Explore Isle of Man using your Travel Pass You are free today to use your railway rover to revisit any of the railways you have already seen (Isle of Man Railway, Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway). Why not visit the fascinating Cregneash Medieval Village or you can use the time to relax and explore the island at your own pace. Dominated by sky and sea, the island has a stunning natural landscape with everything from rolling hills to patchwork fields and sheltered bays. Today is an ideal opportunity to take some unique and memorable photos. You can also use your visitor’s pass to enjoy any of the included island attractions. Dinner is again served in your hotel restaurant. (B D)

Wednesday 28th September Isle of Man Railway, Castle Rushen Your tour gathers in the hotel reception after breakfast, and you transfer from the hotel to the Isle of Man Railway. Your first stop is Castletown for a visit to mediaeval Castle Rushen, once used as a prison before being restored, and now a Manx National Heritage site. Afterwards you continue on the Isle of Man Railway to Port Erin, a lovely seaside resort on the south of the island. On arrival you’re free to explore the area at your leisure. The heart of the village is around Station Road and Church Road. There are shops, cafes, bars and activities operating from Shore Road by the beach, with views to the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland past Bradda Head. At Port Erin Railway Museum, you’ll discover the history of the Island’s steam railways over the last 140 years. You can then enjoy multiple rides on the different engines and services with your complimentary rail rover tickets. Dinner is once more at your hotel in the evening. (B D)

Thursday 29th September Ferry from Isle of Man, Northern Rail from Heysham to Lancaster, Avanti West Coast from Lancaster to London Euston After breakfast at the hotel, you check out and transfer to the ferry terminal. Your ferry departs Douglas at 08:45 am and arrives Heysham ferry port. From Heysham port you join the Northern Rail service to Lancaster, where you change trains to take the Avanti West Coast Service to London Euston for an approximated arrival of 17:10 hrs.

Please note that this tour is not suitable for those who have restricted mobility as the hotel does not have lift facilities.

Tour Summary

Tour price £1695 Single supplement £195

Price includes:

• 6 nights accommodation • 6 breakfasts • 6 dinners • 1 lunch • First Class Travel from London to Liverpool and from Lancaster back to London • All visits, train, coach and ferry travel as detailed in the itinerary • The services of a tour manager

All prices shown are per person based on two persons sharing. Meals included each day are shown as: B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D = Dinner

September 2022

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2

Approx. timings Outward Return London Euston 09:30 17:10 Lancaster 12:49 14:39 Heysham 13:17 13:20

Northern Service from Lancaster to Heysham and Heysham to Lancaster is standard class only.

Georg Trueb Georg Trueb

Swiss Bernese Oberland

Wednesday 28th September to Wednesday 5th October 2022

Discover the outstanding natural beauty of Switzerland on this tour to the Bernese Oberland, famed for its shimmering lakes and soaring Alpine peaks, including the towering Jungfrau and the magnificent Eiger. • Based in the mountain village of Wengen, you’ll explore the Bernese Oberland on Switzerland´s outstanding railway system. • Enjoy extensive scheduled travel on famous mountain rack railways, including the Brienz Rothorn Railway and Jungfrau

Railway to the ‘Top of Europe’. • Discover the Swiss capital Bern on a two-hour steam tram tour, and enjoy peaceful boat cruises on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. • There’s also a thrilling excursion to the Schynige Platte mountain area to enjoy, famous for its outstanding views and wildflower gardens. • Experience unrestricted travel on Swiss trains, trams and buses in tour free time thanks to your complimentary Bernese

Oberland Regional Pass.

Wednesday 28th September London to Wengen via Basel You travel First Class by Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. Transferring to Paris Gare de l’Est you then journey to Basel in Switzerland via Strasbourg. You join a high-speed service at Basel to Interlaken Ost, before continuing on the narrowgauge lines of the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB) to Lauterbrunnen and the Wengernalp Railway (WAB) to the mountain village of Wengen. Here you check into the 4-star Sunstar Alpine Hotel, your base for the tour. A light dinner will be served at your hotel this evening. You’ll also receive your 6-day Bernese Oberland Regional Pass for easy exploration of the surrounding areas. (D) Thursday 29th September Free day for exploration in and around Wengen After breakfast, you can either relax at the hotel and make use of its wonderful facilities or take a stroll through the village where the British allegedly ‘invented’ downhill ski racing. A more energetic option is to hike to one or more of the incredible local viewpoints. Another alternative is to use your Regional Pass to visit the Trümmelbach Falls, a series of ten illuminated glacier-waterfalls inside a mountain, accessible only by a tunnel-lift. Yet another option is to visit the car-free village of Mürren by cable and mountain railway from Lauterbrunnen, with views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Dinner is served at your hotel this evening. (B D) Friday 30th September Lake Brienz Cruise; Steam on the Brienz Rothorn Railway This morning you travel by train to Interlaken to enjoy a leisurely steamship cruise on Lake Brienz to Brienz at its eastern end. You join a steam train on the 800mm gauge Brienz Rothorn Railway (BRB), Switzerland’s oldest rack railway and climb 1,678 metres (5,505 ft) from Brienz to Rothorn Kulm Station, just below the summit of Brienz Rothorn Mountain. After free time at the summit to enjoy lunch, you return to Brienz for an exclusive visit to the BRB depot to view the locomotives and workshop facilities there. In the afternoon you return to Wengen by train where you can relax before dinner is again served in your hotel restaurant. (B D)