The sleeper train might provide an overnight escape from the capital, but here
are some quicker routes to rural bliss, not just from London but also from
Britain’s other urban jungles. And in August, when the roads are jammed with
other evacuees and the car parks are all full when you get there, it’s the
perfect time to take the train.
THE NEW FOREST
(90 minutes from Waterloo)
The New Forest is perfect cycling country. Get off the roads — which are,
anyway, clogged with cars in the summer — and you’ll find 150 miles of
(mostly flat) tracks and paths that take you through sun-dappled woods and
quaint villages with inviting pubs.
The forest is well geared up for cyclists. There is a good rail service to the
village of Brockenhurst, with most trains allowing bikes on board. Or you
can rent from Cyclexperience (01590 623407) in the village. If your legs
tire, take the hop-on, hop-off New Forest tour bus, which has a cycle
trailer and an open top; adult day passes £8, under-16s £4 (0871 666 0000,
www.city-sightseeing.com). For lunch, head to the High Corner Inn (01425
473973) at Linwood, which has a large garden set in seven acres of woodland,
a children’s playground and local specialities such as venison with wild
berries (£14.95).
How to get there: a direct train to Brockenhurst from
Waterloo (90 minutes) or Reading (70 minutes). For downloadable maps and
details of cycle routes, go to www.hants.gov.uk/cycling.
Where to stay: the family-run Cottage Hotel (01590 622296,
www.cottagehotel.org) in Brockenhurst began life in the 17th century as a
forester’s cottage and today boasts six cosy bedrooms and five AA diamonds.
Double rooms cost from £90, including New Forest breakfast — eggs from local
hens and bacon from local porkers.
HEART OF WALES LINE
(An hour from Birmingham)
The best way to see the hills and valleys of central Wales is aboard the Heart
of Wales Line, which takes almost four hours to wind its way through 121
miles of breathtaking countryside between Shrewsbury and Swansea. The train
ducks through six tunnels and crosses seven bridges — including the viaducts
at Cynghordy and Knucklas — as it takes you from the English marches through
the Shropshire Hills, the Radnor Forest and the Loughor estuary near
Llanelli.
Part of the fun is jumping off along the way. At Llanwrtyd Wells you can rent
mountain bikes and head into the hills. At Llandeilo, walk up to Dinefwr
Castle for views along the Tywi Valley and return for lunch at the Cawdor
Arms (01558 823500), an old coaching inn.
How to get there: direct trains to Shrewsbury take 55 minutes
from Birmingham or 67 minutes from Manchester. Call 0870 900 0772 for a free
guide.
Where to stay: Lasswade Country House (01591 610515,
www.lasswadehotel.co.uk) occupies a handsome Edwardian pile near the railway
station in Llanwrtyd Wells and has won awards for its organic food. Its
eight rooms cost from £75 for two, B&B.
MINNIS BAY, KENT
(90 minutes from Victoria)
When the sun comes out, tens of thousands of Londoners pile into their cars
and head for the coasts. Result: traffic jams, road rage, nowhere to park.
Here’s a better idea: take a direct train to Thanet, where sandy, Blue
Flagged Minnis Bay has safe bathing, a children’s play area, coastal paths
and Turneresque sunsets. Steady breezes and shallow seas make Minnis Bay a
great place to learn kitesurfing. For lessons, try Clydach Marine (01732
462213, www.allgoodfun.com). At lunch, repair to The Minnis Restaurant
(01843 841844, www.theminnis.co.uk), which has panoramic sea views and
serves sautéed scallops (£5.95) and beer-battered plaice fillets (£8.95).
How to get there: a direct train from Victoria to
Birchington-on-Sea takes 90 minutes, then walk (20 minutes) or catch the No
9 bus to Minnis Bay.
Where to stay: Green View B&B (01843 844737), an
Edwardian house a minute’s walk from the beach in Minnis Bay, has four
diamonds from the English Tourist Board, five ensuite bedrooms and a pretty
cottage garden. Doubles cost £60, B&B.
ST CYRUS, ANGUS
(Two hours from Glasgow or Edinburgh)
Renowned for its spectacular sunrises, St Cyrus, near Montrose, is set within
a national nature reserve that is home to stonechats and skylarks, orchids
and dozens of species of butterfly. The beach is a dreamy two-mile strip of
golden sand, with, at one end, the remains of a 15th-century castle perched
on a sea stack. Walk along the water’s edge and you’ll see fishermen’s
bothies, herons, wild rabbits and fulmars nesting in the red granite cliffs.
For lunch, head to the only pub in the village, the St Cyrus Hotel (01674
850356), open for lunch and dinner, Wed-Sun, and serving locally caught
haddock (£9.50).
How to get there: a direct train from Glasgow (1hr 50min) or
Edinburgh (1hr 44min) to Montrose, then a 101 or 113 bus, or taxi, to St
Cyrus (10 minutes).
Where to stay: the Woodston Fishing Station (01674 850226,
www.woodstonfishingstation.co.uk) in St Cyrus is a family-run B&B that
sits on the clifftops within the nature reserve. Each of its rooms has sea
views. Doubles from £60, B&B. Sightings of seals and dolphins are
free.
KING EDWARD’S BAY
(30 minutes from Newcastle)
Surrounded by cliffs and overlooked by the ruins of an 11th-century
Benedictine priory, King Edward’s Bay boasts a beautiful sandy beach, grassy
banks and a Blue Flag. You can rent a board and try your hand at surfing.
The priory is run by English Heritage and opens daily from 10am to 6pm
(adults £3.30, children £1.70). For lunch, Sidney’s (0191 257 8500,
www.sidneys.co.uk) in Tynemouth has a Michelin Bib Gourmand and serves
dishes such as North Sea halibut with pancetta and wild mushrooms.
Set menus are available — two courses for £9 at lunch.
How to get there: it’s 12 stops to Tynemouth on the Metro
from Newcastle (trains every 10 minutes, 15 minutes on Sundays), then a
short walk to King Edward’s Bay.
Where to stay: Martineau House (0191 296 0746,
www.martineau-house.co.uk), a Georgian town house, has doubles with views of
the sea or Tynemouth Priory for £65, B&B.
SUDBURY
(75 minutes from London Liverpool Street)
Sudbury in Suffolk is a historic market town set in an area of outstanding
natural beauty. It is also the birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough. To immerse
yourself in Gainsborough country, take the three-mile willow-and-poplar
lined Valley Trail, which runs along a disused railway line by the River
Stour to Long Melford. It’s open to walkers and cyclists and begins in the
Kingfisher car park beside the railway station in Sudbury.
Back in Sudbury, visit Gainsborough’s House (01787 372958,
www.gainsborough.org), the artist’s former home, now a museum devoted to his
work (adults £3.50, children £1.50, closed Sundays, except bank holidays).
For lunch, the French-run cafe, Secret Garden (01787 372030), is good, but
closed on Sundays.
How to get there: trains from Liverpool Street to Sudbury,
changing at Marks Tey.
Where to stay: the newly refurbished Boathouse (01787 310036)
in Sudbury has a stylish restaurant and bar with an outdoor terrace so close
to the river that you can flick bread to passing ducks. Upstairs, the four
double bedrooms have river views and contemporary furnishings and cost £80, B&B.
WEST PENNINE MOORS
(33 minutes from Manchester)
The Ribble Valley Line crosses the Irwell Valley, climbs over the West Pennine
Moors then follows the Ribble Valley up to the market town of Clitheroe. It
would be tempting to stay on the train, soaking up all that magnificent
scenery, but try to resist. Alight at Entwistle, where you step off the
platform directly onto the moors. From there, the Warpers Trail, a
delightful 8½-mile walk, takes you through woods, along the banks of
reservoirs and past abandoned mill buildings. Order a printed guide on 01254
53277.
How to get there: direct trains to Entwistle take 33 minutes
from Manchester.
Where to stay: The Strawberry Duck (01204 852013) is a
renowned real-ale pub a minute from the station. It’s famous for its
heart-warming bangers and mash (£7.65). Less well known are its cosy rooms
upstairs: doubles cost £40, B&B.
A free booklet, Scenic Britain by Train, is published by the Association
of Community Rail Partnerships. To get a copy, send an SAE to TML, Freepost
MID17597, Solihull, B90 4BR. Check train times on 0845 748 4950
