Belmond Royal Scotsman October 10–21, 2021
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Fabled Rail Journeys of WALES, ENGLAND and SCOTLAND With two nights aboard the Belmond Royal Scotsman October 10–21, 2021 SPECIAL PAYMENT TERMS For peace of mind, your payments are 100% refundable until July 7, 2021. See inside for more details Dear National Trust Traveler, We are thrilled to offer this deluxe itinerary for rail aficionados, combining day trips by historic train in Wales and Yorkshire with the grand finale of a two-night Scottish Highlands journey aboard Belmond Royal Scotsman, one of the most luxurious trains in the world. Discover the castles and mountains of North Wales, the romantic abbey ruins and scenic allure of Yorkshire, the cultural highlights of York and Edinburgh, and the Scottish Highlands’ remote glens and islands, with views of craggy coastlines and towering mountains reflected in mirror-still lochs. Classic, historic hotels reflect the best of Great Britain’s culture and character and provide an exquisite home base throughout: Bodysgallen Hall & Spa, a historic National Trust country house just outside of Llandudno, surrounded by award-winning gardens; the Grand Hotel & Spa in York, housed in former railway headquarters and evocative of the golden age of travel; and The Balmoral in Edinburgh, a five-star 1902 landmark which fittingly enough began life as a grand railway hotel. This unique program accommodates just 36 passengers, so I encourage you to reserve your space now! Sincerely, Meg Annacone-Poretz Director, National Trust Tours For information on this or other National Trust Tours, call (888) 484-8785. Find us on National Trust Tours THIS PHOTO: EDINBURGH ON THE COVER: FORTH RAILWAY BRIDGE; YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY; BAGPIPER; FOUNTAINS ABBEY BACK COVER: FFESTINIOG RAILWAY IN PORTHMADOG Highlights t Savor a three-day journey aboard the privately chartered Belmond Royal Scotsman, a beautiful moving country house on rails. t Take day trips on two heritage railways: from Wales’ slate quarries to the sea aboard Ffestiniog, the world’s oldest narrow-gauge railway, and across the moors aboard a vintage steam train of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. t Meet the owners of a Welsh country estate, visit the Yorkshire village of Kirkbymoorside on market day and learn about Scottish tartans during a private demonstration. t Give clay-pigeon shooting or fly-fishing a try at Rothiemurchus Estate in Scotland’s stunning Cairngorms National Park, and sample Scotch whiskies at a historic distillery. The NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to saving historic places and revitalizing America’s communities. For more information, visit the Trust’s website at www.savingplaces.org or phone (800) 944-6847 or (202) 588-6000. Boat of Garten CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK SCOTLAND Dundee North Sea Edinburgh Whitby Pickering Fountains Abbey York Llandudno Manchester Conwy Porthmadog Ffestiniog CONWY CASTLE ENGLAND WALES Itinerary LLANDUDNO Sunday & Monday, October 10 & 11 Wednesday, October 13 Cathedral, the Gothic rose U.S. • MANCHESTER, LLANDUDNO • FFESTINIOG window dates from around ENGLAND • LLANDUDNO, RAILWAY• PORTMEIRION 1500 and commemorates WALES The Ffestiniog Railway is the union of the houses of Depart the U.S. on overnight the world’s oldest narrow- York and Lancaster. Also flights to Manchester. Upon gauge railway, built during walk along York’s beautifully arrival on Monday, transfer the Industrial Revolution preserved city walls, the to Llandudno in Wales, to transport slate from longest medieval town walls and check in to our classic mountain quarries to the in England. country house hotel, situated harbor in Porthmadog. Visit THE GRAND HOTEL & SPA (B,L,D) amid meadows and award- the Llechwedd Slate Caverns Friday, October 15 winning gardens. Gather for to learn about the history of YORK • FOUNTAINS ABBEY a welcome reception before slate production in Wales, Explore the National Railway dinner this evening. then enjoy a scenic journey Museum, which tells the BODYSGALLEN HALL AND SPA (R,D) down the mountain in a story of rail transportation privately reserved vintage Tuesday, October 12 in Britain and its impact on carriage. Continue by coach society. This award-winning CONWY & SNOWDONIA to nearby Portmeirion, a museum is home to the Explore the walled market charming Italian-style village national collection of 400- town of Conwy, including built between 1925 and 1975, plus historically significant a visit to Plas Mawr, an the location for numerous railway vehicles, as well as unusually well-preserved films and television shows. other artifacts and ephemera Elizabethan house dating BODYSGALLEN HALL AND SPA (B,L,D) from 1580, as well as the related to the railways. In magnificent harbor-side Thursday, October 14 the afternoon, drive through castle, part of the UNESCO LLANDUDNO • YORK, the scenic Yorkshire Dales, World Heritage Site, “Castles ENGLAND stopping for lunch at a private and Town Walls of King Enjoy a meandering drive country estate, then visit Edward in Gwynedd.” from Llandudno to York, a Fountains Abbey, one of the After lunch, drive through walled city at the confluence largest and best-preserved the beautiful Snowdonia of the Ouse and Foss Rivers. Cistercian monasteries in mountain region, stopping at Stroll along the Shambles, a England and part of the the village of Betwsy-Coed narrow lane with overhanging UNESCO World Heritage Site with its stone cottages and timber-framed buildings, of Studley Royal Park. cascading waterfalls. Enjoy some of which date back THE GRAND HOTEL & SPA (B,L) a special private visit and to the 14th century. Once Saturday, October 16 afternoon tea at Gwydir lined with butcher shops, the YORK • PICKERING • Castle, hosted by the owners, Shambles and a surrounding WHITBY whose ancient abode is maze of ancient, narrow, Mix with locals at the weekly regarded as one of the finest cobblestoned streets now market in Yorkshire then Tudor houses in Wales. feature shops, cafes and continue to nearby Pickering BODYSGALLEN HALL AND SPA (B,L) restaurants. Inside the to ride the North Yorkshire impressive York Minster Moors Railway, one of the YORK MINSTER CATHEDRAL CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM SHAMBLES ALLEY EDINBURGH busiest steam heritage lines residence and a military oldest continuously operating in the world, to the seaside barracks. Its many roles distillery. Learn about the town of Whitby. Visit the ruins today include housing the craft of whisky making and of Whitby Abbey, located at Scottish regalia, including the the art of blending during a the top of the East Cliff and Scottish Crown Jewels. After tour of this beautiful facility. home of England’s earliest lunch, board the Belmond This evening, celebrate our recognized poet, Caedmon. Royal Scotsman and depart railway adventure at a formal The town itself has been for our rail journey among dinner aboard our train. Our featured in many literary the rolling hills of Perthshire train stables overnight at the works, including Bram and the dramatic peaks station in Dundee. Stoker’s Dracula. and valleys of the Scottish BELMOND ROYAL SCOTSMAN (B,L,D) THE GRAND HOTEL & SPA (B,L,D) Highlands. After dinner, meet Wednesday, October 20 in the observation car with a Sunday, October 17 DISEMBARK BELMOND local clansman who recounts YORK • EDINBURGH, tales that help bring Scottish ROYAL SCOTSMAN • SCOTLAND history to life. Our train EDINBURGH Travel by local train to remains overnight at the quiet Travel south through the Edinburgh, the capital of Boat of Garten station. former Kingdom of Fife Scotland since at least the BELMOND ROYAL SCOTSMAN (B,L,D) and across the imposing 15th century, current home Forth Railway Bridge to of the Scottish Parliament, Tuesday, October 19 Edinburgh. Disembark for and the seat of the monarchy CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL an exclusive private visit to in Scotland. A center of PARK ABOARD BELMOND Hopetoun House, the stately education, finance and ROYAL SCOTSMAN and expansive home of the culture, Edinburgh boasts Visit the Rothiemurchus Marquess of Linlithgow, on an Old Town and New Estate this morning in the the south bank of the River Town named together as a heart of the Cairngorms Forth. Check in to our hotel UNESCO World Heritage Site. National Park. This superb and enjoy time at leisure in After lunch, walk along the Highland estate offers town before a festive farewell Royal Mile, Old Town’s main stunning landscapes of lochs, dinner. thoroughfare, and learn about rivers, and moorlands, plus THE BALMORAL (B,L,D) the intricate art of tartan one of the largest remnants Thursday, October 21 weaving from a special guest of the ancient Caledonian EDINBURGH • U.S. expert. forest that once covered THE BALMORAL (B,L) most of Scotland. Give clay After breakfast, transfer to pigeon shooting or fly fishing the airport for flights home. (B) Monday, October 18 EDINBURGH • EMBARK a try, with the help of qualified instructors as needed, or PHOTO CREDITS: Forth Bridge © Elxeneize; BELMOND ROYAL Cairngorms © Chromoprisme; Edinburgh opt to go on a tour of the © Lukaszkochanek; York Minster © SCOTSMAN Waiheng; Porthmadog © Gail Johnson; estate. Return to our train for Royal Mile © Mrdoomits; Bagpiper © Anon Enjoy early entry to lunch, then stop in Inverness Luengwanichprapa; Conwy Castle © Tomas Marek; Llandudno © Martin Mullen; Engine Edinburgh Castle for a private to visit Culloden Battlefield Driver © Doric1950; North York Moors Railway tour. This historic fortress © Fhithich; Fountains Abbey © Mauro Bighin; and at Strathisla, Scotland’s Shambles © Vichaya Kiatyingangsulee; Railway has served as both a royal Museum © Christoph Lischetzki Belmond Royal Scotsman Our two-night journey on the Belmond Royal Scotsman takes us straight into the heart of the Highlands, past towering mountains reflected in mirror-still lochs. The sleeping cars offer deluxe single-, twin-, or double-bed accommodations for a total of just 40 guests and are beautifully outfitted in rich woodwork. All cabins have fixed lower beds; private bathroom facilities with shower, wash basin and toilet; dressing table; full-length wardrobe; individually controlled heating; and windows that open.