The West Country Explorer 44

and from John O’Groats in northeast Scotland. Later you return to Penzance with time to look around the town, with its Regency and Georgian architecture, working harbour and terminus railway station. You transfer to St. Ives and book in to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. (B D)

Tuesday 15th August St Ives, the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, and South Devon Railway After a leisurely breakfast and time to have a look around St Ives, you travel by road coach to Bodmin Parkway Station for a steam-hauled return trip to Boscarne Junction on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. This includes a visit to the beautifully restored Bodmin General Station, the headquarters of the railway, where trains reverse direction of travel. In the afternoon you continue to the South Devon Railway for a return journey on the 7-mile track which runs along the stunning valley of the River Dart between Buckfastleigh and Totnes. Afterwards, the coach transfers you to Torquay in Devon, again crossing the road bridge over the River Tamar at Saltash, with great views from a different vantage point of Brunel’s famous railway bridge. You check in to a hotel in Torquay for dinner and overnight stay. (B D)

Wednesday 16th August Steam on the Dartmouth Steam Railway and a paddle steamer cruise After breakfast you join a steam train at Paignton Railway Station for a scenic journey along the English Riviera on the Dartmouth Steam Railway. This standard gauge heritage railway runs from Paignton to Kingswear, connecting with ferries crossing the River Dart to Dartmouth. There are expansive views over Torbay as the line climbs to Churston before it descends, passing Agatha Christie’s Estate at Greenway Halt, to the River Dart. It’s an aptly named Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You then take the ferry to Dartmouth and board the coal-fired paddle steamer ‘Kingswear Castle’ for a leisurely estuary cruise. On returning there’s time to explore the narrow lanes and stone stairways of Dartmouth and discover its magical history. You return to Paignton by steam train and your hotel in Torquay. (B D)

Thursday 17th August A visit to Dawlish, the Seaton Tramway and return to London Waterloo This morning you travel by road coach to Dawlish for a few hours of free time. You can stroll on the expansive sands and along the famous sea wall right beside Brunel’s railway line. There will be time to watch and photograph the trains or simply enjoy the beaches and traditional refreshments. You continue by coach to Seaton, on the South Devon coast, to visit the Seaton Tramway. There’s a return trip on this narrow-gauge electric tramway, which operates open top double-deck trams over part of the former railway branch line to Seaton. In the afternoon your road coach takes you to Weymouth. Here you board the ‘Dorset Coast Express’ steam train for the journey to London Victoria. En route you travel in the comfort of ‘Premier Dining’ and have a four-course meal silver served at your seat, an appropriate finale to your glorious ‘West Country’ tour. (B D)

Tour Summary

Tour price £1595 Single supplement £295

Price includes:

• 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

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

August 2023

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Bob Green

The Cock O’the North

Thursday 24th August to Wednesday 30th August 2023

Discover the outstanding natural beauty of Scotland’s northern outposts on our ever-popular ‘Cock O’ the North’ rail and road tour. • Explore this rugged terrain by extensive train, road coach and ferry transport, starting with a First-Class journey on the

‘Highland Chieftain’ from London to Inverness. • Steam on ‘The Jacobite’ from Mallaig to Fort William, taking in the famous 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct on one of the greatest railway journeys in the world. • Enjoy two heritage rail trips in one day, on the Strathspey Railway in the shadow of the Cairngorms, and on the Keith &

Dufftown ‘Whisky Line’, the most northerly heritage railway in the UK. • Discover the Kyle of Lochalsh on a trip along the most scenic line in Britain, followed by a fascinating two-day stay on the

Isle of Skye, including a guided tour highlighting its vibrant culture and spectacular attractions. • With overnight stays at comfortable hotels, outstanding cuisine, and point-to-point road coach transport for your luggage included, this is a Scottish holiday tour not to be missed!

Thursday 24th August ‘Highland Chieftain’ to Inverness From the comfort of the First-Class Lounge at London’s King’s Cross Station you join the ‘Highland Chieftain’ for the scenic journey to Scotland. This train follows the route of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) via historic connections and through magnificent landscapes. A light lunch will be served at your seat as you speed on in First Class comfort. Stopping at York to take on passengers who have travelled by service train from Peterborough, you continue via Newcastle, Edinburgh and Perth, and join the Highland Main Line to travel through the beautiful Scottish Highlands to Inverness. At Inverness you check in to The Best Western Hotel and Spa for two nights. Dinner will be served this evening in the hotel restaurant. (L D) Friday 25th August Strathspey Railway; Keith & Dufftown Railway This morning you travel by road coach to Aviemore to join a steam train on the Strathspey Railway. This heritage railway line shares the main line railway station at Aviemore and runs to Boat of Garten and Broomhill (‘Glenbogle’ in the BBC series Monarch of the Glen). The return trip affords outstanding views of the Cairngorm Mountains. You re-join your road coach to travel from Aviemore to Dufftown, and have lunch in the ‘Buffer Stop’, a railway restaurant car. The return trip by vintage diesel rail car takes you on the 11-mile long Keith and Dufftown Railway, the most northerly heritage railway in the UK. This so-called ‘Whisky Line’ passes through dense pine forests, by the tranquil waters of Loch Park, and along the winding valley of the River Isla. You re-join your coach and return to the hotel in Inverness for dinner. (B L D)

Saturday 26th August Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh by Train After a traditional Scottish breakfast your luggage is collected from the hotel and transported by privately chartered road coach to your next hotel. You then leave Inverness and travel by train to Kyle of Lochalsh, an idyllic location on the northwest coast of Scotland at the entrance to another sea inlet, Loch Alsh. This line has been voted one of the most scenic in Britain and passes through forests, alongside lakes overshadowed by mountains, and along the shores of Loch Carron, a sea inlet. A road coach then takes you over the Skye Bridge to