Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

The vintage steam trains running between Lynton and Barnstaple feel like stepping into the 1890s - all polished brass, wooden carriages, and the proper smell of coal smoke. You're riding the same route the original line opened in 1898, though it closed in the 1930s and volunteers spent decades bringing it back to life. The journey takes you through Devon countryside that genuinely justifies all those holiday park bookings in the area.

It's about an hour and a half each way, so allow a full afternoon if you're doing the round trip. The railway attracts a mixed crowd - families love the novelty of it, history types geek out over the engineering, and anyone after a slower pace finds it genuinely therapeutic. Kids under five might fidget after forty minutes, but primary school age and up will stay engaged.

The line runs seasonally - typically Easter through October, with more frequent services in summer - so check before you plan around it. Entry isn't free but it's reasonably priced for what amounts to a half-day experience. Lynton itself is only two miles away, making this an easy add-on if you're staying at Lynmouth Holiday Retreat or Longlands Devon. The ride is genuinely worth doing on a decent weather day. Yes, you're basically sitting on a train, but the views as you dip into the valleys are worth the ticket price alone.