Explore the very best of Britain by rail

With plenty of day-trip destinations right on London’s doorstep, Simon Calder discovers the joy of travelling cross-country
First Great Western20 January 2016

The 21st-century Londoner is spoiled for choice, because the capital is the world hub of travel. Yet with so many options available for great escapes, it is possible to overlook the opportunities within a few stress-free hours of London.

Go west from Paddington and you can travel on the world’s fastest diesel trains to some of Britain's most alluring destinations. To see what the Romans and Georgians together ever did for us, you need venture only 90 minutes along Brunel’s Great Western line to the fine city of Bath.

Or aim gently north-west into the Cotswolds, its languid landscapes decorated by honey-coloured cottages wreathed in roses. The handsome cathedral cities of Worcester and Hereford stand a little further down the line, linked with each other – and Oxford – by the early evening Cathedrals Express.

Devon's non-identical twin cities, Exeter and Plymouth, are also an easy stretch – as is Totnes, where the Great Western line meets Middle Earth, giving you a glimpse into an alternative universe – with Tudor architecture and sustainable everything. And Torquay, the home town of Agatha Christie, is accessible on the Torbay Express.

On the other side of the Bristol travel, you can pick up the trail of the writer, Bruce Chatwin. The "Black Hill" in one of his finest works can be found just across the Severn within the Brecon Beacons, an easy journey from London to Newport and a hop north.

For more ideas for great escapes to Cornwall, Bristol and South Wales, read on...

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