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The Jurassic Coast

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20232024
5 days From £499 £449 per person
4.2 stars(9 reviews)
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A breathtaking adventure on the Jurassic Coast, discovering seaside towns, ancient castles, and natural wonders by heritage rail.

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Mobility Rating 2

2024 Tour code: 24DJS

About the tour

Discover the gems of the Jurassic Coast, by steam train and heritage railway. As you experience England's only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, visit ancient Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck, explore amazing historic towns, and travel through striking natural beauty by charming rail.

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Unforgettable Experiences

Rhododendron Line
Rhododendron Line
Take a steam train on the ‘Rhododendron Line’ through the colourful flora of Exbury Gardens in Hampshire’s New Forest.
Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway
Travel through the stunning countryside on the Swanage Railway to the battle-worn Corfe Castle ruins.
Beaulieu Palace House
Beaulieu Palace House
Visit the Beaulieu Motor Museum to explore the National Motor Museum, Palace House, and Beaulieu Abbey.
Watercress Line
Watercress Line
Experience idyllic landscapes on the famous Watercress Line, a restored heritage railway.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – The sandy shores of Bournemouth

Your Jurassic Coast adventure starts today at your hotel in the beautiful coastal town of Bournemouth. You have time to settle in and meet your Tour Manager before dinner with the rest of your group this evening. With check in available from 2pm, you could spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the seaside resort. Your hotel is within easy access to the beach and city centre, where you'll find the Bournemouth Aquarium and the Pavilion Theatre along with seven miles of sandy beaches and a mix of shops on the lively high street.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – The nostalgic Swanage Railway to battle-worn Corfe Castle

This morning your group heads by coach to Poole Quay for a boat to the Victorian seaside town of Swanage. Sailing the open blue sea, you pass Brownsea Island, the beaches of Studland Bay and the unique geological formations of the Jurassic Coast. The white chalk cliffs of Old Harry Rocks come into view as you drift closer to Dorset's eastern end of the Jurassic Coast.

Swanage is an atmospheric town with a long beach, interesting shops and delicious food. On arrival, you have time to grab some lunch before joining the Swanage Railway to Corfe Castle. The heritage journey runs along the beautiful Purbeck countryside through waving green fields and charming village..

Reaching the Isle of Purbeck, you can look around the fascinating 1,000-year-old Corfe Castle at leisure. Sitting on a hill overlooking the peaceful village, the dramatic ruins have an intriguing history, having survived siege, destruction and the English Civil War. The keep of this fortress castle was built in the early 12th century for William the Conqueror's son, King Henry I. After exploring the ruins of the royal castle, your coach takes you back to your hotel before dinner this evening.

Trains are steam-hauled where possible, however due to timetable changes or weather conditions, heritage diesel locomotives may be running instead.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 – The beautiful Exbury Gardens Steam Railway and exciting Beaulieu Motor Museum

After breakfast, your coach takes you to Exbury Gardens in Hampshire's New Forest. Explore the gardens with a delightful journey aboard the Exbury steam railway, also known as 'the Rhododendron Line'. Departing from a charming replica Victorian station called 'Exbury Central', the train passes through a tunnel, over a bridge and meanders by beautiful areas of the gardens. It also circles the Dragonfly Pond, where you can keep an eye out for lovely local wildlife.

This afternoon, your group drives to the Beaulieu Motor Museum. There's plenty to see here, including the National Motor Museum, 'Palace House' - a medieval turreted house - and Beaulieu's serene grounds and gardens. With time at leisure, marvel at the vehicles that broke the land speed record, see the famous Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, and ride the monorail through the roof of the museum for a view from above. There's also a restaurant where you can enjoy lunch before returning to the hotel by coach. After some time to relax, your group meets again this evening for dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 – A heritage rail journey on the Watercress Line and historic Hampshire towns

Explore the bustling Hampshire market town of Alton this morning. Arriving by coach, you have time to wander the town's mix of historic buildings. You could seek out St. Lawrence Church, where you can still see the bullet holes from an English Civil War battle that took place here in 1642. Heading to the station, your group boards the charming Watercress Line. This steam-hauled heritage railway travels through ten miles of idyllic Hampshire countryside, skirting along the South Downs National Park, before arriving in Alresford, the UK's capital of watercress farming.

Wander around the pastel-washed houses of this Georgian town at leisure. With delightful pubs, restaurants and tea rooms, you could enjoy lunch followed by a leisurely riverside stroll before boarding the coach for your next stop - the coastal town of Christchurch. There are historic Quays, award-winning beaches, and ancient buildings to explore here. The 11th-century priory is one of the few monastery churches to have survived Henry VIII's rule and, if you fancy a challenge, you could take a tour of the tower and climb the 176 steps for panoramic views of the town and harbour. Later this afternoon, the coach takes you back to your hotel ahead of the final dinner with your group.

Trains are steam-hauled where possible, however due to timetable changes or weather conditions, heritage diesel locomotives may be running instead.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 – Homeward bound

After breakfast, your holiday comes to an end this morning. Once you've checked out and said goodbye to new friends, you can make your way home or continue to explore more of the fantastic Jurassic Coast on your own.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Hermitage Hotel, Bournemouth

Hermitage Hotel, Bournemouth

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Trains

Swanage Railway
The Watercress Line

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Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 9 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (4)
  2. 4 stars
    (3)
  3. 3 stars
    (2)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Brian Morgan

5 stars

Submitted 23/Jul

Good and interesting trip, well organised with the Hermitage Hotel on Bournemouth seafront. Two excellent steam journeys and visits to castles, gardens and the motor museum at Beaulieu. Very good tour manager

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Brian Morgan
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A Flux

4 stars

Submitted 21/Jul

Good but not enough trains

Collected by Trustpilot

j j soan

5 stars

Submitted 2/Jun

A very nice holiday to Bournemouth. The trips out enabled us to see a lot of the surrounding area particularly the New Forest and Poole Harbour. Good tour manager and coach drivers.

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keith tomlinson

4 stars

Submitted 1/Jun

excellent hotel first class hotel ,food and service !! hotel right opposite beach! only complaint on the "swanage ,corfe castle boat trip day",felt the day would been easier the opposite way round ! coach to swanage to catch earlest train get off at corfe castle to view village and castle then train back to swanage for boat trip back to poole people can also visit town /beach before boat trip back to poole !!passengers given train time table to plan day! kevin the manager held the holiday together well! we were told before holiday "watercress line was not running during our holiday!we infact found out it was !!! so we got it put back in !!!!

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Paul Hollingsbee

5 stars

Submitted 1/Jun

Very good - that was our 15th holiday with Rail Discoveries/Great Rail Journeys.

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Patricia Archard

4 stars

Submitted 1/Jun

A very good ho!iday but more time needed at Exbury Gardens.

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