Railholiday

• Sleeps: 2-6
• Bedrooms: Varies
• Bathrooms: 1 per carriage
• Minimum stay: 3 nights

Award-winning, eco-friendly and regularly featured on TV, it’s fair to say that a Railholiday break comes with a certain pedigree attached, whether you happen to be an avid trainspotter or not.

With four charmingly restored carriages, all set at stations along the main railway line in the East Cornish village of St Germans, you can sit back and enjoy the view from your own privately enclosed, landscaped garden. With ten acres of flourishing woodland also available for you to stroll breezily through, you’ll be spoilt for choice of fresh catch-up locations with your loved ones.

Choose your ideal carriage from Millpool, Mevy, The Old Luggage Van and The Travelling Post Office. Each carriage is self-contained, steeped in comfort and boasts its own individual magic.

Accessible for everybody, including wheelchair users, Millpool is the newest addition to the Railholiday family. Originally built in 1897, you’ll enjoy exploring all the original features of this 31-feet carriage, including the cosy guard compartment.

Sleeping two guests, you’ll find everything you need inside, from cosy furnishings to a galley kitchen and a generous wet room with hand painted stained glass panels – not to mention WiFi for those who like to browse the internet on long train journeys!

Meanwhile Mevy is a luxury-lover’s paradise. Formerly a slip coach attached to the back of fast trains, these special carriages needed to cater for all classes in one coach…so you’ll find first, second and third class compartments on board, together with a guard’s room. Mevy, like Millpool, is set apart from the railway line.

No matter which compartment you decide to spend time in, you’ll find luxurious furnishings (including Italian velvet upholstery, a claw-footed bath and a traditional cooker) and captivating views over the surrounding countryside. Mevy sleeps up to five people, and includes bespoke triple bunk beds for children.

At a glance

• Four self-contained, authentically restored railway carriages located on the main railway line at St Germans, East Cornwall. Ideal for couples, families and groups.
• Choose from wheelchair-accessible Millpool, opulent Mevy, authentic The Travelling Post Office and cosy The Old Luggage Van. Each carriage sleeps between 2-6 people and all except Mevy are pet-friendly.
• Towels, bedding and heating are included, along with a welcome pack and a selection of books and games. Children are welcome, with cots/highchairs available on request.
• Each carriage contains its own private garden, with access to ten acres of woodland. There are shops nearby, with plenty of access to walking, hiking, cycling and birdwatching opportunities. Bikes can be hired and delivered directly to your chosen carriage by a third party, Go By Cycle.
• Railholiday has been awarded the Visit England Gold Award for Excellence for most sustainable tourism business of 2016.

Features

• Disability Accessible
• Dog Friendly
• Family Friendly

More information

You’ll find The Old Luggage Van, originally built in 1896, nestled in a trackside garden beside the station at St Germans. Perfect for single travellers or romantic couples, you’ll find a warming woodburning stove to cosy up with by evening, and a camellia-filled spring garden to enjoy by day.

Finally, history-rich The Travelling Post Office, once featured on the BBC show ‘Michael Portillo’s Great British Railway Journeys’ and ITV1’s ‘Holiday Home Sweet Home’, is much loved and incredibly popular!

The characterful 48 feet carriage sleeps up to six people, complete with wonderful views of passing trains. You’ll find cosy furnishings, authentic décor, and plenty of hints of the carriage’s former life as a mail coach with the original letter boxes still beautifully intact.

By day, take a ramble through the private woodland, complete with sweet-scented seasonal foliage – or why not set off to discover the beauty of St Germans? Just a few miles from the fishing villages of Looe and Polperro, you’ll find this unspoilt village is perfect for families, couples and pets alike.

Surrounded by cliffs and trails, there is certainly plenty of opportunity for you to exert some energy! The surrounding countryside is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and The Old Luggage Van and The Travelling Post Office are minutes away from the famed Port Eliot Estate. You’ll find plenty of bird life around here, too – so don’t forget your binoculars.

With so much to offer, we recommend you claim your favourite carriage and get that booking in nice and early for a truly unique and refreshing holiday. Next stop: Cornish countryside luxury!

Things to note

Pets are welcome in all units except Mevy, upon prior arrangement, enquire for details. Millpool is wheelchair friendly and mobility aids are available on request. Minimum booking 3 nights off peak, weeks only in summer (except in Millpool).

Railholiday Sustainability from David Stroud on Vimeo.