Where Shall I Go?

[cjp]

Where shall I go?
I want to jump on train from London, probably with my bicycle, and arrive relaxed with somewhere reasonable to stay for night or two or three where I have things to amuse me in the day and perhaps also of an evening.

A decent train journey with say no more than one change for preference.

A short break.

I just fancy a change from my destinations of the last few years which have included such gems as Berwick on Tweed (Clovelley House @ 15 minutes walk or 6 by bike from the station scores 10 out of 10), Glasgow, and Penmere (Falmouth).

Easy pleasant travel – with decent accommodation in either a decent B&B or a good but inexpensive hotel so £35-£70pn .

I am prepared to walk or cycle during the day. Go for train ride even. Or if it rubbish weather to curl up with a good book. Museums and Art galleries while away an hour or three but are not essential. Scenery or history throw it at me.
Food to tempt is good . Not fussed about exotic beers. A show of some sort?

Where should I go?
Please share your hidden gems. Destination, hotels names B&B details.

It is not about train bashing or whatever but a wish to go somewhere by train to unwind for a bit

I did wonder if this ought to have been in Fares Advice & Policy to get me inexpensive travel – a bargain always appeals but here it is unless a Mod moves it.

 

[142094]

http://www.starstay.com/ahotels/showhotel.asp?hotel_id=351361

Get an East Coast service to Newcastle, then the train around 17.00 to Chathill. Short bike ride to Beadnell. Plenty of options for cycle rides, beach walks etc around that area.

 

[Trainfan344]

Get an Greater Anglia service to Norwich, then a train to Sheringham, There seem to be a good few B+B's, You have the seaside, you have Sheringham Park, you have the North Norfolk Railway.

 

[Clip]

Have you thought about the Kent East coast - some nice places in Thanet to both stay and eat and the Turner centre to have a browse around. Ramsgate harbour is great for food and a mooch about as is Broadstairs.

Some exceelt cycling to be done along the viking way too - all the way to Reculver castle on the sea front isnt a bada trip at all.

And you can use HS1 too. Are they still doing the Portas ticket? may be the best railway tenner x2 you ever spent.

 

[Yew]

Lincoln, see the cathedral and the castle, browse the historic high street. ALso there is a library and the Museum of Lincolnshire Life. In the words of Top Gears Jeremy Clarkson 'Thankfully we where in the magnificent City of Lincoln, where there are many things to see and do'

NB: I live in lincoln, so may be biased

 

[daniel78]

I would like to recommend Porthmadog in North Wales for a relaxing few days. I had a lovely short stay there last year. Beautiful small town in spectacular mountain scenery.

Travel
Virgin train to Birmingham New St, change onto an Arriva Wales train. Total journey time is about 6 hours include connection time, but you will get some beautiful sights on the trip along the Welsh coast. I think the cheapest advance singles are about £13, if you book a bit later reckon £55 for the return trip is realistic.

Accommodation
I stayed at the Travelodge in Porthmadog. I got it for £29 per night by booking in advance. Much what you'd expect from that chain, clean and comfortable but nothing fancy. There seemed to be a few B&Bs in the town if you'd rather try your luck with one of those.

Stuff to do
A visit to Portmeirion (3 miles away) is an absolute must. Fascinating little village, I happened to be there a few days before the annual Prisoner convention which was fun, they were setting up the human chessboard on the lawn.

Catch a heritage steam train to Blaenau Ffestiniog. More great scenery through Snowdonia National Park. Blaenau Ffestiniog is worth a short wander round. I went on a tour of the Slate Mines (including another minature train ride), that was fun and interesting, but not essential. There's another heritage line to Caernarfon, though I didn't do that one myself.

There's also a minature railway with a station close to the main station in town and a small museum. Worth just popping your head in for a quick look.

I'm sure you'd find it a nice place to go for a bike ride, very serene, the harbour is a nice place to sit and read for an hour or two.

Food
Can't offer much advice here. Travelling by myself I tend not to bother with restaurants. I think the town had the usual stuff, an Indian and a Chinese. I did get some nice fish and chips. I always think you have a better chance of getting good ones at a place near the sea.

Here's a photo album you can take a look a it you have a Facebook account. I'll leave it public view for a while for you.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150843540829314.473246.611099313

 

[deltic1989]

Lincoln, see the cathedral and the castle, browse the historic high street. ALso there is a library and the Museum of Lincolnshire Life. In the words of Top Gears Jeremy Clarkson 'Thankfully we where in the magnificent City of Lincoln, where there are many things to see and do'

NB: I live in lincoln, so may be biased

Seconded, there are some reasonably cheap hotels, boat rides on the Brayford Pool. There is a road transport museum too, tucked away on a trading estate.
As Yew menitions the High Street, (the longest in the UK IIRC), there are some beautiful shops at the top of Steep Hill (I'll let you find out why they called it that ) and the pubs up there serve some lovely food.
Oh and my Mrs has just reminded me about the Ice Cream shop oppsite the White Hart Hotel, Their rum and raisin is worth the trek up an almost vertical hill.
I lived there for 21 years before moving to Nottingham.

 

[cjp]

Daniel78 thank you for you thoughtful and well presented reply.
If I had not gone there a few years ago when I was in Llandudno for a week I would be packing my bags now although I am not sure about being flat for cycling as some of those Welsh hills are Welsh Mountains.
I did go to the slate quarry at Blanau Ffestignog (where one changes from Big Trains to the narrow gauge Ffestignog railway) and I did walk along the cob and the coast to Portmerion.
If anyone else is tempted:-

• There is a Ranger ticket covering buses and trains with a reduction on the Welsh Highlands railway.
• The Welsh Highlands railway from Portmadoc/Porthmadog goes to the Snowdon Ranger station/halt by a youth hostel at the foot of an easy (in my opinion) path to the summit of Snowdon - just allow four hours for the round trip.
• Cadwallers in Pormadoc and Portmerion sell their own delicious ice cream with many flavours.

I think of all the other suggestions Sheringham and Lincoln appeal most.
Although the steep hill bit worries me I think I will look for somewhere to stay in Lincoln for a long weekend in early May if not sooner.

Thanks everyone

 

[Trainfan344]

Enjoy your Holiday wherever you end up.

 

[cjp]

Pacer Heaven was the amongst my first thoughts as I finally made it into Lincoln.
A 153 is so noisy especially after the speed and quiet of EC air conditioned civilisation (cattle class down and first return to London). Enjoyed my stay so thanks for the suggestion - did touristy things like steep hill & the icecream shop, the ghost walk and the tour through the cathedral's roofs but also cycled along part of the line old railway track from Lincoln to Boston - interesting and this picture below comes from one of the information boards on the route.
For those who cannot be bother with opening it the 37 mile trip cost 1/3d (6p), and the journey took 80 minutes by train v 6 hours by boat, a trade it unsurprisingly killed