Wonders of the Waterways

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Telford and, on arrival, we will make our way to the Valley Hotel, our hotel for the next two nights. We enjoy an orientation walk with a local guide before meeting for our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

Today, we continue our tour of Ironbridge with a visit to Blists Hill, a recreated Victorian town and time capsule of a bygone age. Afterwards, we enjoy a steam excursion on the Severn Valley Railway through 16-miles of beautiful countryside closely following the River Severn from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster before returning to the hotel in time for our evening meal together.

DAY 3

After breakfast this morning, we travel by train to Chester and transfer to the Mill Hotel, our hotel for the next three nights. We take an afternoon stroll along the ancient city walls to the River Dee for a relaxing river cruise enjoying charming views of the town before returning through the attractive city centre for our evening meal together.

DAY 4

Today, we experience one of the most iconic waterfronts in the world as we travel to Liverpool and make our way to the Royal Albert Dock where we board our river cruise explorer and learn the fascinating history of the city and its waterway connections. Afterwards, we enjoy free time to explore the historic and celebrated sights of this vibrant city using our included hop-on/hop-off bus ticket before returning by rail in time for our evening meal together.

DAY 5

After breakfast, we make the short journey by road to the Llangollen Canal for a breathtaking aerial cruise across one of the 'Seven Wonders', the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Crossing 126ft above the River Dee, it is the highest and longest aqueduct in Britain and a World Heritage site. Afterwards, we continue by road to Llangollen with time to look around the delightful town before a thrilling return train ride along the beautiful Llangollen Railway through the Dee Valley returning to the hotel in time for our evening meal.

DAY 6

Today, we enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Bridgewater Canal, constructed over 250 years ago and considered to be the first true canal in England. Our route takes us through Morton, Patricroft, and Barton before crossing the Manchester Ship Canal via the famous Barton Swing Aqueduct and we enjoy an afternoon tea on board. Afterwards, we travel by road to Bury for a steam journey on the East Lancashire Railway through the picturesque Irwell Valley before continuing to the Oaks Hotel in Burnley for our evening meal and overnight stay.

DAY 7

This morning, we visit the Weavers' Triangle, located on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal where many buildings from the cotton industry remain, and our local guide escorts us along the towpath to walk part of Burnley Embankment which carries the canal 60ft above the town centre. We continue to the nearby Queen Street Mill Textile Museum for a fascinating guided tour to learn of the days when cotton was king at the world's last surviving 19th century steam powered weaving mill. Afterwards, we travel by private coach across the Pennines from Lancashire to Yorkshire and arrive at the Midland Hotel in Bradford for our three-night stay and evening meal.

DAY 8

After breakfast this morning, we make the short train journey to Huddersfield and, changing trains, we climb into the Pennines to Marsden where a short walk along the towpath brings us to Standedge Tunnel. Here, we enjoy a boat trip into the longest, deepest, and highest canal tunnel in Britian before retracing our steps to the hotel in time for our evening meal together.

DAY 9

Today, we travel by train to Keighley for a return steam ride on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, a unique 5-mile branch line railway set in the heart of Yorkshire, and we alight at Bingley for a towpath walk along the Bingley Five Rise Locks during our return journey. This afternoon, we enjoy free time at the fantastic industrial village of Saltaire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before returning to the hotel for our final evening meal together.

DAY 10

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Bradford and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, LR=Light Refreshments, D=Dinner