Have you noticed any hints of autumn yet? I have but they’re so slight, I’m choosing to ignore them and make the most of the last few weeks of summer 2024.
So far I’ve had a grand summer.
Especially when it comes to train adventures.
Days out by train in Devon and Cornwall
This year I’ve travelled far and wide by train, and taken part in all kinds of activities. From finding secret river swim locations in Cornwall to a train ride across Europe, my summer has been all about finding out where trains can take me and what outdoor adventures they can help me find. It’s been enormous fun but wherever I go, one thing is always true.
I enjoy coming back to Devon and Cornwall.
There’s something wonderful about the Southwest of England. I can feel it in the air as soon as I get off the train at Newton Abbot. Not only are Devon and Cornwall the perfect locations for outdoor activities, thanks to GWR they have a fantastic network of train lines with stations in some of the UK’s most beautiful locations.
Perfect for creating your own train adventures.
You can have an adventure by train from any train station (I use Ordnance Survey’s OS Maps app to plan walking routes and the GWR app for most of my travels) but it’s not always easy to think of an adventure idea off the top of your head.
But I am here to help.
Sustainable car-free adventures
If swapping the car for the train is new to you, hopefully I can give you confidence. Planning your own train adventure is easier than you think. There are so many advantages to going car free.
- No traffic queues
- No driving stress
- No multi-laned motorways
- No tiny country lanes
- No car park finding
- No driver tiredness
Depending on where you live, you’re also likely to have shorter travel times to Devon and Cornwall if you arrive by train. During the summer months, the train journeys from London below are all quicker than travelling by car.
Plus you get to enjoy the views and look after the planet as you travel.
How my train trip from Sweden to the UK saved 0.98 MT of CO2.
Devon and Cornwall adventures by train
If you’re not feeling confident about outdoor experiences by train, I’ve put together this list of train experiences for you to enjoy as summer 2024 rolls into autumn 2024.
Let’s hope it’s a gentle transition. I do love a sunny September.
1. River swim and walk in Cornwall
- Location: Cornwall
- Activities: Gentle walking and river swimming
- Train station: Bodmin Parkway
- Time from London: 4.5 hours
The kids might be on their way back to school but Devon and Cornwall are still busy. Perhaps the best way to avoid the Cornwall crowds, traffic queues and parking hassles is to travel by train. This Cornish train adventure might not include white sand beaches and sunburn but it does have leafy avenues and cooling river dips. Perfect for a late summer day out.
2. Canoe on the River Dart
- Location: Devon
- Activities: Canoeing (all abilities)
- Train station: Totnes
- Time from London: 3.5 hours
It’s hard to think of a more sustainable way to travel than by canoe. Use the tide as well as paddle power (you don’t need much) to journey where walkers can’t go and enjoy a fascinating exploration of the tidal River Dart. On my trip, I met plenty of local wildlife including deer, a seal, egrets, and cormorants. I can thoroughly recommend this canoe tour from Totnes with Dewerstone Adventures.
3. Wild camp on Dartmoor
- Location: Devon
- Activities: Walking, wild camping
- Train station: Ivybridge
- Time from London: 4 hours
It’s amazing to think that just four hours from London you could be hiking your way up to a beautiful Dartmoor wild camping spot but this outdoor train adventure is entirely possible, and will leave you with a story to tell. You could even try solo wild camping on Dartmoor but friends are also welcome.
4. Walk across the Tamar Bridge
- Location: Devon and Cornwall
- Activities: Gentle walking, history discovery
- Train station: Saltash
- Time from London: 4 hours
Most of us have driven into Cornwall. Some of us have arrived by train or ferry but not many people cross the Cornish border on foot. This is a great train adventures that takes you across Brunel’s famous Royal Albert Bridge by train and then back over its neighbour the Tamar Road Bridge on foot. Don’t worry, there’s a great walking and cycling lane that’s completely separate from the cars. There’s also a fascinating visitor centre on the Devon side.
5. Cornwall’s Cremyll and Cawsand ferries
- Location: Devon and Cornwall
- Activities: Ferry rides, walking, pub lunch
- Train station: Plymouth
- Time from London: 4 hours
There’s something magical about crossing the water on a small passenger ferry, and this circular walk includes two different ferry rides. Walk from Plymouth train station, catch the ferry to Cremyll in Cornwall, walk through the park at Mount Edgecombe, enjoy a beachside lunch in traffic-free Kingsand, then catch the ferry from neighbouring Cawsand back to Plymouth’s famous Barbican.
6. Low tide walk along the River Teign
- Location: Devon
- Activities: Walking (station to station)
- Train stations: Teignmouth and Newton Abbot
- Time from London: 4 hours
This station-to-station walk along the foreshore of the tidal River Teign takes you into an ever-changing world. It’s a wonderful place to be but you can only access it at low tide. This walk includes a section of the Templer Way, which, if you want it to, will take you along an old trade route up onto Dartmoor. On the way, it’s worth stopping at historic Coombe Cellars pub for amazing views and a bite to eat.
7. Sea swim along South Devon’s Riviera Line
- Location: Devon
- Activities: Walking and sea swimming
- Train stations: Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren
- Time from London: 4 hours
Devon’s Riviera Line has to be one of the most beautiful in the UK and it’s hard to decide whether it’s more enjoyable on foot or by train. Luckily you won’t have to choose because this station-to-station walk includes both. Even better than that, the track-side walking route runs right along the beach so you’ll also have the chance to enjoy several delicious sea swims.
8. Visit Falmouth by train
- Location: Cornwall
- Activities: Walking, sea swimming, ferry rides, lunch, weekend breaks
- Train station: Falmouth Town
- Time from London: 5 hours
Whether you’re looking for a family day out or a weekend break away from it all, Falmouth really does have something for everyone. With walks on the South West Coast Path, sandy beaches to swim from and ferry rides to lonely corners of Cornwall, Falmouth might just be the ultimate gentle adventure by train location.
9. Walk Marsh Barton station to Starcross station
- Location: Devon
- Activities: Walking, pub lunches
- Train stations: Marsh Barton and Starcross
- Time from London: 2.5 hours
Marsh Barton station is a relatively new addition to Devon’s collection of train stations in beautiful places, and it’s quite rightly become popular with locals and visitors because it gives fantastic car-free access to walks along the Exeter Canal. This walk from Marsh Barton station takes you along the canal and the stunning Exe estuary then past Powderham Castle to Starcross station. It’s a wonderful walk with two waterside pubs, Double Locks and Turf Locks to keep you fed along the way.
10. Walk Torquay station to Paignton station
Torbay’s seafront road between Torquay and Paignton train stations might not be long but it is busy and noisy. Most people don’t realise the woodlands just back from the seafront exist. Or that by walking through them from Torquay train station, you can bypass the holiday hustle and enjoy a countryside stroll through the beautiful thatched village of Cockington, all the way to the pier on popular Paignton beach. Just one reason Torbay is an excellent destination for a car-free holiday.
If you do decide to join me and try a more sustainable car-free way of enjoying your outdoor activities, I hope the ideas above have helped you think of something fun to do. Swapping the car for the train is just one way we can all do our bit for the planet; even one journey changed will make a difference.
And who knows? Like me, you might start preferring train adventures.
Let me know how you get on. I’d love to hear on Instagram.