cheap but fun uk holiday via train?

chocdonuty

I'd like to take myself and dd on holiday this summer for a 2/3 nights, preferably near a beach but somewhere where theres plenty to do. I love camping but taking all the equipment on train is a tad impossible lol
I live in redditch and basically to go anywhere I have to travel via birmingham but I guess theres a good choice of places to go to
I hoping for an almost last minute deal, obviously I need to get the tickets in advance to get them cheaper (still not got my family railcard! )
Im hoping to go either a weekend near the end or start of term or I have two weeks off in august.
Any suggestions for a good holiday place to go?
Next year we might go abroad on a last minute booking so its cheaper but neither of us have passports yet :cool:
Although the train doesnt have to go right tothe destination It needs to be fairly close so a taxi doesnt cost a fortune at the other end
Thanks, michelle.

greenface

Like you its not just about getting there its how you get there that can be the best part of a holiday . Travelling through some of Britians train pathways means you get to see things no one else can get to . We are on the Welsh Coast and from Redditch B/Ham -Shrewsbury - Bangor is stunning . There is also a run called the Cambrian Line from B/ham to Aberystwyth then use the coastal railway . Redditch is a far east as west with good links to the south also.

chocdonuty

I do like travelling on the train, when I was little I used to go to my nans local station just to watch them yeah, im a bit in the middle so a bit too much choice lol

FatAndy

If you fancy North Wales it's possible to travel quite cheaply from Birmingham by booking advance. A normal open return from Birmingham to Llandudno is priced at £57.90 but it's possible to book advance singles in both directions (at sensible times) for £17.00 so with a bit of planning you could do the trip for £34.00 (please the cost of travel from Redditch to Birmingham).

You could try somewhere like the Moorfields Hotel which is a reasonably short (and flat) walk from the station and which is about five minutes walk from the town centre, the beach, the pier, etc.

lindens

The cambrian line to Aberystwyth is beautiful and you can stay in Aber then, and New quay is nearby with a lovely beach

greenface

So North Wales it is then i will pop the kettle on

shrewdmum

We love north wales but sadly can't go this year, its great for children, loads to do. How about trying to get a cheap haven deal, the greenacres site is next to the beach at black rock sands and its a massive beach, (I've seen loads of haven offers recently). Its really near criccieth and you could catch the train to portmadog and go the rest of the way by bus. or train to Caernarvon and a gorgeous 2 hours steam train journey to portmadog on the welsh highland railway through stunning landscapes (highly recommended) from portmadog you can also catch the steam trains of the ffestinniog railway to portmeirion for a day out. You could just do the steam train one way as it is pricey but a lovely experience.
But there again Llandudno is also very nice as is a lot of north wales though I personally aren't keen on Rhyl and Prestatyn so would head south of there.

FatAndy

shrewdmum wrote: »

We love north wales but sadly can't go this year, its great for children, loads to do. How about trying to get a cheap haven deal, the greenacres site is next to the beach at black rock sands and its a massive beach, (I've seen loads of haven offers recently). Its really near criccieth and you could catch the train to portmadog and go the rest of the way by bus. or train to Caernarvon and a gorgeous 2 hours steam train journey to portmadog on the welsh highland railway through stunning landscapes (highly recommended) from portmadog you can also catch the steam trains of the ffestinniog railway to portmeirion for a day out.

Haven's Hafan-y-Mor site near Pwllheli effectively has it's own on-site railway station. The station is called Penychain and although it's really a throwback to the time the site was a Butlins it's still in operation. You can get a train direct from Birmingham New Street to Penychain but it takes almost five hours so you'd need plenty of magazines and games to keep yourself entertained on the journey.

artichoke

FatAndy wrote: »

Haven's Hafan-y-Mor site near Pwllheli effectively has it's own on-site railway station. The station is called Penychain and although it's really a throwback to the time the site was a Butlins it's still in operation. You can get a train direct from Birmingham New Street to Penychain but it takes almost five hours so you'd need plenty of magazines and games to keep yourself entertained on the journey.

ahhh - that explains things now!

We found this railway station by mistake when at Hafan Y Mor recently - we turned into the station looking for somewhere to turn around and could not understand why the train station had no car park!

Is there a cut through to get to the Haven site from the railway station or do you have to go up the road and round on the main road and through the main haven entrance? You would need cases on wheels if so as its a bit of a treck.

Art

artichoke

Lots of Haven sites are not too far from train stations - eg Haven Marton Mere - a short bus or taxi away from Blackpool train station.

Presthaven Sands - there is a bus into the site, i think Primrose Valley has a bus to it from Scarborough..

As most places are accessible from Birmingham i would look for a deal and then see if you can travel to it by train.

Haven have holidays for £240 for school holidays.

http://www.breakfreeholidays.co.uk/

Art

FatAndy

artichoke wrote: »

Is there a cut through to get to the Haven site from the railway station or do you have to go up the road and round on the main road and through the main haven entrance? You would need cases on wheels if so as its a bit of a treck.

Art

I'm not sure if there is cut through although I'd imagine that as the site has been there for decades there must be a well worn path to follow by now. Looking at Google maps there are certainly paths in that part of the site but it's impossible to see if they link up with the station because of the tree cover.

Interesting though Haven's website lists the nearest station as being Pwllheli so maybe they don't encourage using Penychain. I suppose if you have a load of luggage it would be easier to stay on the train as far as Pwllheli and then get a taxi back to the site rather than try yomping through the woods.