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A restored steam engine and carriages stands alongside a platform in a small village railway station in a rural setting.

Steam Railway Holiday Cottages

It's full steam ahead for Britain's heritage railways this year. Many lines reported improving passenger numbers last year. With the UK looking forward to welcoming more overseas visitors as pandemic concerns recede, these attractions exemplify the essence of British tradition and are set for a bumper 2022. For some, it's a day of pure nostalgia; for others, it's the delight of discovering the fascination of Victorian steam. So enjoy the pleasure of steam-hauled trains through idyllic English countryside as engines puff and clank, their trailing entourage clattering behind at breakneck speeds of up to 40mph.

So, for all steam lovers, My Favourite Holiday Cottages has rural properties nationwide, many located within the haunting sound of a train whistle. Here are just a few cottages ideally placed to allow time for riding the rails.

Go West

Railway Cottage near Woolston on the West Somerset Railway.

Railway buffs to Somerset will love Railway Cottage (see picture above). It adjoins the West Somerset Railway, the longest of the UK's heritage railways. There is perhaps no better holiday cottage in the West Country to get up close and personal with passing engines that range from tiny tank engines to historic expresses.

The South Devon Railway runs along the stunning valley of the River Dart between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, offering a treat for people of all ages. Passengers can hop off en route to visit the Totnes Rare Breeds Farm and Dartmoor Otters & Buckfast Butterflies.

 

Gitcombe House Retreat. 4-bedroom luxury near Dartmouth

Guests staying at Gitcombe House Retreat are spoilt for choice when heading for the sound of steam. This is a superb holiday cottage sleeping up to eight guests in style in the heart of the South Devon countryside. The Dartmouth Steam Railway is located close to the Paignton-Kingswear line and The South Devon Railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh. Trains on this Dart Valley line puffs merrily between Buckfastleigh and Totnes. Alternatively, travel along the Torbay coast from Paignton to Kingswear. If you want to do it in style, catch a pleasure boat up the Dart to Totnes. From there (Dart  Valley Line trips optional), take a mainline train to  Newton and back to Torquay, from where you can enjoy another boat trip across Torbay to Dartmouth or to Paignton to return by steam to Kingswear. You can buy inclusive 'Round Robin' boat and rail tickets and times on the South Devon Railway website.

 

Go Wild in Wales

The final section of the Welsh Highland Railway, connecting the North Wales coast at Caernarfon through the heart of Snowdonia to Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog, re-opened a decade ago. It offers trips from the North Wales coast into the heart of Snowdonia.

Explore Snowdonia and the North Wales coast on foot or by steam train. Stay nearby at Bodalaw, a beautifully restored Welsh slate miners' cottage in Blaenau Ffestiniog in Gwynned. The cottage sleeps two adults and a child in 2 bedrooms.

 

Meanwhile, up north...

Pickering station is the perfect start to the North York Moors Steam Railway Whitby with traditional tea rooms. Just 15 minutes from the station, Keld Head Farm Cottages, a group of nine traditional stone-built barns restored by expert local craftsmen, provide an ideal family base for exploring the railway and the countryside beyond (7 nights from £364 sleeps 2 – 4).

 

A Southern Railway

Travel in the 1913 Observation Carriage for a panoramic view of bluebells on the Sussex Bluebell Railway in April-May. This railway runs through the prettiest East Sussex countryside for 11 sedately travelled miles from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead. The Bluebell was one of Britain's first preserved railways and, over time, has acquired an eclectic collection of locomotives. One of the line's attractive features is that each of its four stations is presented as it would have looked in different decades from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Stay at Cherrystone Barn, a superb rural retreat with a hot tub for couples near Lewes. In addition to travelling by train, it's also good for couples wanting to explore the East Sussex countryside by bicycle or on foot.

 

A Riverside Railway

One of the best places to admire the Severn River is from the train. The Severn Valley Railway runs 16 miles through beautiful countryside and knockout views from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster and back. Treat yourself to a luxurious holiday at The Tudor Crest, a luxury 3-bedroom, historic holiday cottage sleeping six near Bridgnorth that demands serious consideration.

The Tudor Crest at Upton Cressett sleeps six and is handy for riding trains on the Severn Valley Railway.

 

All the cottages above are available via our Railway Holiday Cottages page on www.myfavouriteholidaycottages.co.uk/railway-holiday-cottages. Contrary to most holiday rental sites, My Favourite Holiday Cottages offers direct access to a property owner's website. Select your favourite properties, and one further click links directly to the cottage owner's website.