Yorkshire & Northumberland - Enjoy an 8-day rail holiday around Yorkshire and Northumberland

Scenic rail journeys bring to life the history and wild, natural beauty of Yorkshire & Northumbria on this wonderful 8 day tour. Follow in Viking and Roman footsteps, visiting historic York, Hadrian's Wall, Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne.Find Out More »

Tour highlights

• The spa town of Harrogate
• Historic York
• The North York Moors Railway
• The Settle to Carlisle line
• Hadrian’s Wall
• Chester’s Roman Fort
• Alnwick Gardens
• Bamburgh Castle
• The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Day 1 - Meet in Harrogate

Your tour starts in Harrogate, at the 4-star Kimberley Hotel, where you will meet your Tour Manager and the rest of the group. We meet this evening for a welcome drink before dining together in the hotel restaurant. (D)

Day 2 - Historic York

This morning we travel by train to York for a guided walking tour to discover some of the city's incredibly rich history which dates back to Viking and Roman times. Founded by the Romans in 71 AD, the evidence of 350 years of Roman rule can clearly be seen. The city was subsequently the Anglian capital of the Kingdom of Northumbria, before the arrival of the Vikings in 866 AD, when it was renamed Jorvik. Today, York is a beautiful walled city with Roman and medieval architecture in abundance. Your afternoon is free to explore the many sights of York, perhaps to take a stroll around the city walls, or visit York Minster, the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, consecrated in 1472 AD. The National Railway Museum (free of charge) is located close to the railway station and boasts many interesting exhibitions including a Japanese Bullet Train and a number of Royal Carriages. We return to Harrogate for dinner. (B,D)

Day 3 - The North York Moors Railway

This morning we travel by coach to the market town of Pickering to join the North York Moors Railway for a nostalgic return journey, by steam (or heritage diesel), across the breathtaking landscape of the North York Moors National Park to Whitby. Seated in heritage carriages, we pass through the 1912-style station at Levisham and Goathland, better known as 'Aidensfield' in TV's 'Heartbeat'. Some free time in Whitby allows a visit to the cliff-top abbey and time to explore the maze of narrow streets of this authentic fishing port's old town. (B,D)

Day 4 - The Settle to Carlisle Line

We leave Harrogate this morning and head north-westwards to Settle to join the scenic 72 mile Settle-to-Carlisle route across the magnificent Yorkshire Dales against the backdrop of the Three Peaks; Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. We cross the 24 arches of the Ribblehead Viaduct which at 104ft high and 440 yards in length is arguably the most impressive viaduct in Britain. Leaving the Yorkshire Dales, the train heads into Cumbria and the lush rolling hills of the Eden Valley en route to Carlisle. We transfer to the pretty village of Wetheral where we spend one night at the Crown Hotel, a charming old Coaching Inn. (B,D)

Day 5 - Hadrian’s Wall and Chester’s Roman Fort

This morning we join the Hadrian's Wall Line, crossing the country between Wetheral and Hexham, roughly following the line of Hadrian's Wall. On our arrival in Northumberland we visit Chester's Roman Fort, built to guard the Roman bridge which carried Hadrian's Wall over the River North Tyne. The site has the best preserved remains of a cavalry fort in Britain and a wonderfully preserved Roman Bath which demonstrates the ingenuity used by the Romans to survive and prosper in Northern England's cold winters. We continue by coach to the historic town of Alnwick where we stay at the 3-star White Swan Hotel for three nights. The White Swan Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of the town, and is famous for its atmospheric Olympic Restaurant which features the magnificent panelling, mirrors and stained glass windows from the Titanic's sister ship.

On selected dates we stay in the 4-star Linden Hall Hotel located close to the village of Longhorsely, some 11 miles from Alnwick. (B,D)

Day 6 - Alnwick Gardens

This morning we enjoy a guided tour around the beautifully landscaped Alnwick Gardens. The Ornamental Garden houses the country's largest collection of European plants, whilst the Poison Garden houses a collection of more unusual plants. Alnwick Gardens are a vibrant place; magnificent architecture and the lovingly tended plants and flowers are brought to life with a variety of water features. Your afternoon is free to further explore the gardens, or perhaps visit imposing Alnwick Castle the home of the Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. Alternatively you may wish to discover some of the history of the picturesque market town of Alnwick. (B,D)

Day 7 - Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne

Today we travel North to the pretty village of Bamburgh on the coast of Northumberland. Perched on a rocky seat dominating the village and surveying the North Sea is the imposing Bamburgh Castle. There has been a castle of some form on this site since 427AD, the current castle being predominantly Norman. We visit the castle and there is free time to explore the village. At low tide we travel across the causeway to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Once on this beautiful island we visit the famous priory, founded by St Cuthbert, and the base from which he spread Christianity through Northern England. (B,D)

Day 8 - The journey home

After breakfast in the hotel, we transfer to Alnmouth station where we join the East Coast Mainline route back to York where our tour ends. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your holiday

Yorkshire and Northumberland - Luxury Escorted Rail Tours - Rail Holidays

Enjoy the natural beauty of Yorkshire and Northumberland including, The Moors, York, Harrogate, Settle, Chester, when you join this 8 day Luxury Escorted Rail Tour. Frequent departures, Find out more.
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