“God’s wonderful railway” stretches from London to Land’s End (well, almost), travelling west through some of the most beautiful countryside, towns and cities that England has to offer, and a heritage going back hundreds of years. Even at Land’s End your journey isn’t over; a 20-minute helicopter ride from Penzance will transport you even further west to the Scilly Isles.

Our journey on First Great Western is defined by the coast in many ways: the train travels a track that was opened in the 1840s and is as spectacular today as it was then. The stretch between Exeter and Teignmouth clings to the shoreline, with the sea virtually lapping at the railway.

Walking, scuba and wreck-diving, swimming in the newly restored Art Deco pool at Plymouth, visiting the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth or staying in a light-house keeper’s cottage, are just some of the coastal attractions.

If a trail across the clifftops does not appeal, there are other kinds — literary, artistic and gastronomic. Even ecclesiastical. Fowey has a literary festival in May when the Cornish bluebells are at their best, while St Ives, as well hosting the Tate, continues the traditions of the painting schools spawned by Turner.

For the foodies among you, look no further than Devon — home to Blue Hills and Celeste — where local producers have grasped the food revolution with both hands.

The South West has the largest concentration of organic farmers in the country and the plethora of food and drink festivals are ideal places to taste the revolution. This garden of Eden extends to the botanical variety, too, with the glorious autumn colours of Westonbirt Arboretum in the Cotswolds and the sub-tropical splendour of Tresco on the Scilly Isles, while dotted throughout are the soaring spires that depict many a pilgrim’s progress.

All this and Bath too. With its spa originally planned to mark the millennium and now expected to open at Easter, this is a good time to visit the classic city. Bristol is also en route. Next year, the engineering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who built the Great Western Railway will be celebrated with Brunel 200. Brunel’s GWR ran from London to Bristol and was extended to Exeter and Penzance.

The romance of rail conjured up 200 years ago remains very much alive as the evocatively named Night Riviera Sleeper transports you from the capital to Penzance.

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