My husband and I want to take a train from Bath through Wales to Edinburgh as part of a trip from London, Bath, Wales stop over, Edinburgh, York, an then back to London. I would like a recommendation on where a good place to stop over one night via train would be in Wales. I am blind so the scenic train route is not quite the focus. I'd like a mid point for train travel where my feet are on the ground and we can explore a community on foot.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
I assume you mean Wales the country, and not Whales the large animal.
You've given two large challenges here
First I have no idea what would appeal to a blind traveller. The "sights" would I presume not appeal. What do you travel to experience (I nearly wrote "see" there)? Is it sounds an smells? Tactile? Or are you just short-sighted, you can see a few metres but not distant vistas? You have to help us here?
Second, Wales is a detour. The route from Bath to Scotland goes north. The routes into Wales all head West of it, you would end up doubling back along the same route to rejoin the route North.
Central Wales Line: Birmingham - Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth or Harlech/Pwllheli
North Wales Line: Chester - Conwy - Holyhead.
The obvious choice is Conwy. Or just stop in Chester for a night (not Wales but nice)
Sorry, you will have to help me here, I am handicapped in not knowing what would work for you (bad pun intended).
Posted by
OP
2 posts
My apologies for my mistake in adding the H to Wales. I have edited my post to reflect the proper spelling. As for my vision, I am in fact totally blind, but travel with a guide dog and my husband which is why I do not like coach or train tours, everything is behind glass and you just don't have enough time to explore a place that way. I wanted to make a stop in Wales because it is where my great grandfather is from so I realize the nonsensical nature of that travel route, but want to go there again. I've been to another town on the coast, that I will not even try to spell in this post, as part of a study abroad trip about 2 decades ago. We are now considering renting a car for the trip from Bath through Wales to York to drop the car there and then up to Edinburgh by train then back down to London. Would that make more sense?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
We are now considering renting a car for the trip from Bath through Wales to York to drop the car there and then up to Edinburgh by train then back down to London. Would that make more sense?
That makes a lot more sense. Also use the train from Edinburgh back to London. Train times and tickets for that route (York - Edinburgh and Edinburgh - London) direct from the rail company here: https://www.lner.co.uk/
You have got me thinking, how would I arrange a trip for a blind person? Maximise sound, smells and touch.
Welsh mountains will definately have a different smell to towns. Smell of the plants, fresh winds. Sea smell on the coast.
Conwy, the towns walls and castle are very tactile. Stones with history, not the brick or concrete used today.
The same in York, Minster (cathedral), shambles, both an "assault on the senses".
If you have time before dropping off the car in York, drive to Whitby on the coast. The drive over the moors (heather, wind). at Whitby sea smells.
Also listen to the different accents around the country. The south has long vowels: Baath
"up north" it is short vowels. And Welsh, very different accent. and some people speaking Wesh. Then you have Scottish accent.
This website has some restaurants in York: https://www.visityork.org/eat-and-drink
I hope you have a "whale of a time".
Posted by
2403 posts
It does not make sense to rent the car in Bath and drive through Wales & then to York before catching a train to Edinburgh. It would make sense to rent a car in Bath - drive up through Wales and then to Chester and then take a train to Edinburgh - you would need to change in Crewe or Warrington or ditch the car in one of these places. Once done with Scotland, take the train down the East Coast route to York and stay overnight. Finally, train down to London (Kings Cross). https://www.visitcheshire.com/chester
Alternatively, train from Bath to Newport - where you change for a line that goes north roughly following the Wales/England border. Suggest you spend a night in Chester. Then train to Edinburgh using the west coast route - though it is not actually on the coast.
If you said where in Wales your ancestors are from, it may have been possible to visit the place.
You will find that the rail fares can be much cheaper if pre-booked specific trains in advance. www.nationalrail.co.uk
(The cheapest fares are loaded around 11 weeks ahead).