Staycation jaunts with added style

Trips in Britain are going to be much in demand – and rail operators are stepping up to the plate

With early forays back into the world of travel likely to be overwhelmingly within this country, rail operators are laying on a range of enticing prospects – from day trips to the seaside to full-blown tours of the Scottish Highlands or the valleys and castles of Wales.

Very much at the glamorous end of what’s in store, luxury train specialist Belmond (belmond.com) is staging a series of summer outings from London Victoria to some of southern England’s loveliest seaside resorts on board the iconic British Pullman.

The first of the new day trips – which will involve fine dining (and drinking) along the way – kicks off on June 19 with a journey to Margate, hometown of artist Tracey Emin and site of the Turner Contemporary Gallery, which this year celebrates its 10th birthday.

Next up will be Whitstable, a working port with colourful beach huts and the Whitstable Oyster Company. Then comes Broadstairs, the “jewel in Thanet’s crown”, famed for its picturesque sandy beaches and stunning cliffs and a place of inspiration for Charles Dickens no less.

Fancy something with a bit of historical gravitas? The final tour will take you to Hastings, famous for an awardwinning pier, a wonderful observatory – and a certain battle. Ah, yes, 1066 and all that.

At a slightly more modest price point, an inviting prospect in the north west of England comes in the form of the “Staycation Express”, a service along the Settle-Carlisle line that remarkably proved one of the very rare travel success stories in the year of coronavirus.

Launched by Rail Charter Services (railcharterservices.co.uk) last summer, the Staycation Express proved a big hit with visitors to the Lake District wanting to branch out for a day trip along one of Britain’s most spectacular stretches of railway. Running six days a week from July 17 to Sept 9, the train – an Inter City 125 with bespoke British Racing green – will be all first class seating – suitably spaced out – and offer a dining service, which on Sundays includes the possibility of a full roast.

Because there is something very pleasurable about eating well and catching up with loved ones while glancing out of a window at a constantly changing panorama of landscapes – or coastline. It’s a quintessentially civilised experience that chimes so well with a growing desire to recapture some of the glamour of the rail travel of yesteryear (see right).

It may not yet have old school dining cars, but LNER (lner.co.uk) is upping its food offering by introducing more locally-sourced products served to the seat and encouraging travellers to make the most of a line that, in addition to covering London to Edinburgh (including the stunning stretch of coastline

‘There is something very pleasurable about eating well while glancing out at a changing landscape’

north of Newcastle), carries on to Aberdeen and Inverness.

The lochs and hills and open spaces of Scotland will exert a strong pull on those seeking beauty closer to home – and for rail lovers, some of the most dramatically beautiful routes on offer in the country.

Great Rail Journeys ( greatrail.com) is currently looking to put on extra tours to Scotland as for many the continuing question marks about travelling abroad provide a good reason to explore the treasures on our own doorstep.

One of GRJ’s most popular tours involves journeys on the Aberdonian Tornado Steam Train and Royal Deeside Steam Train, with stops in Dundee, Arbroath (famous for its haddock “smokies”) and the Royal Lochnagar Distillery for a whisky tasting and tour.

After the year we’ve all had, these memorable train trips will have a very welcome medicinalcomponent.