When life presents you with the opportunity, you should always take the scenic route. There are so many reasons why you should take a scenic train travel route, besides for your own enjoyment, namely mindfulness, price point and to expand your horizons. We’ve even provided you with a few locations to consider too, that you would never normally hit on a train journey, but perhaps you could detour past.
You’ll see places you’ve never seen before
It’s true! When you plan a scenic travel route you’ll take in places in the UK that you didn’t even know existed. For example, when you travel from London Paddington to Penzance, you will take in some spectacular coastal views, in places such as Liskeard, St Austell, Truro, St Erth and more! You more than likely wouldn’t have even heard of any of these places, if you hadn’t decided to take the scenic route to one of the UK’s most iconic beaches and surfing locations.
It’s usually cheaper
Typically, when you book train tickets with National Rail and take the scenic route, it is slower and includes more stops, meaning you’ll benefit from paying a significantly lower ticket fare. This is because the slow train is usually more inconvenient than the fast train, as it passes through so many small towns and villages on the outskirts of major cities. However, you’ll also get the added benefit of taking in many scenic views, including Yorkshire’s countryside, the highlands of Scotland and the valley’s of Wales.
Enjoy the road less travelled
If you don’t take the scenic route, who knows what beautiful sight you might miss. In Scotland, for example, if you take the scenic route from Mallaig and Oban to Glasgow, you will pass over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was famously featured in the Harry Potter films. From there, you will get stunning views of Loch Shiel, which was the basis for the Black Lake in the movie series.
Sharpen your senses
When you go via the road less travelled, you’ll need to keep an eagle eye out for those “blink and you’ll miss it” moments. Consider the Settle-Carlisle Railroad, which is 73-miles of Yorkshire Dales, Cumbrian Fells and North Pennines, culminating with Ribblehead Viaduct. If you did not take the scenic route, you would most certainly miss out on this amazing feat of engineering, above the River Ribble. There is nothing that will peak your wanderlust like a trip on a brand new path.
You’ll be able to check out
Sometimes, it can be hard to switch off from the world. Taking a step away from the most direct path can allow us to regain a sense of self and control of time, by simply stepping away from it. You don’t have to worry about what you have to get done at work or home, or think about what you have to get done and how there is no time to do it. You can simply live in the moment, enjoying the scenery and taking in all of the beautiful places you are passing through.
