When it comes to nighttime entertainment, there’s a low-key DJ set in the Observation Car one night and a live guitarist and singer the next, who eventually gets us all to join in with a singalong to the chorus of Hey Jude; however, I get the feeling that there are some kinks to be ironed out here, with a background soundtrack of Britpop classics from George Michael to the Spice Girls planned for future trips. But really, the best entertainment is to just watch the scenery slide by past fields of beaming sunflowers or stubbly golden hay like a Viking’s beard, and rusty coastal stacks and seaside towns.
SALVA LOPEZ
Where did it go and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?
There are three stops on each route, each of which have a different theme: Wales has a focus on outdoor pursuits, such as hiking and clay pigeon shooting; the Lake District is tailored for gourmands, with a visit to Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire for dinner at Raymond Blanc’s restaurant; and Cornwall has an artistic bent. On day one we crawl along the coastal Riviera Line past sailboats and swans, and even the unpredictable British weather can’t dampen our spirits as we disembark and make our way to the seaside town of St Ives for a private tour of the Tate gallery and the sculptor Barbara Hepworth’s heart-stopping studio and gardens. Other excursions include a boat trip around Fowey, the former home of author Daphne du Maurier, and exclusive, after-hours access to the Hauser & Wirth gallery in arty Bruton, with drinks in Piet Oudolf’s sensational garden that shifts with the seasons before we dine on ingredients foraged and sourced from the farm at restaurant Da Costa.
Finally, give a sentence or two on why the train is worth booking.
It’s early days for Bex, with a London welcome lounge, on-board wellness carriage, yoga and wellbeing rituals, more experiences like beach barbecues, and an evolved music and entertainment programme still to come. But whether you’re a native like me or have never ventured further than London, there’s something about travelling this way, slowly and intentionally, that reframes your way of seeing the British countryside and elevates it to new heights. As a brave and bullish statement about the future of train travel, for now the Britannic rules the rails.
Itineraries are available to book now at belmond.com.
First published in CNT UK
English