The Lake District
Three-Night Journey

Your Lake District adventure begins at London Victoria, where the Britannic Explorer waits to carry you north in considerable style. Barely have you settled into your suite before afternoon tea arrives, and what a tea it is. Chef Simon Rogan draws on his Cumbrian upbringing to create a spread that feels genuinely rooted in the region, with Kendal mint cake and Grasmere gingerbread alongside more familiar fare.

The afternoon is yours to spend as you please. A restorative treatment in the Wellness Suite, a quietly competitive game in the lounge, or simply a gin and tonic while Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire scroll past the window. The train winds through the heart of England, and the further north you travel, the more the landscape opens up.

Dinner is an occasion in itself. Simon Rogan and Head Chef Alexander Wyn Lewis have designed a menu that puts exceptional British produce at the centre of every plate, cooked with the kind of technique that earns restaurants serious recognition. Afterwards, the Observation Car beckons, where music and company make for a fine way to see the miles pass. The train rests overnight on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, a beautifully preserved heritage line at the heart of Bronte country.

An early departure rewards early risers with one of the finest rail journeys in England. Breakfast is served as the train passes through the Yorkshire Dales, the landscape gradually giving way to the sweeping expanse of Morecambe Bay. Crossing the Arnside Viaduct brings the first dramatic views of the journey: wide tidal flats, distant Lakeland fells and the glittering bay below. Grange-over-Sands makes a fine backdrop for a second cup of tea.

Ashore, the morning takes you to Graythwaite Estate, a handsome lakeside manor with gardens and ancient woodland that have been tended for generations. The activities on offer are considerably more spirited than a gentle stroll, should you wish. Off-road driving across the estate, clay pigeon shooting in the grounds, or a RIB boat ride across Lake Windermere all make for a memorable morning in some of the finest scenery England has to offer.

The afternoon brings a visit that few travellers ever experience. Simon Rogan's farm in the Cartmel Valley is where much of what ends up on the dining car table begins its journey. A guided tour gives genuine insight into his farm-to-table approach before a seasonal late lunch makes the philosophy rather delicious in practice. The train collects you again at Grange-over-Sands for a relaxed evening on board, with light dining and entertainment before an overnight stop on the Settle and Carlisle line.

Breakfast on board this morning comes with one of the great rail views in the country. The Settle and Carlisle line is regularly voted England's most scenic route, and the crossing of the Ribblehead Viaduct is the kind of moment that stays with you. The train continues south through the Peak District, a landscape of moorland and limestone valleys that offers a striking contrast to the lakeland scenery of the day before.

By the time Buckinghamshire is reached, thoughts have turned firmly to the evening ahead. A short transfer brings you to Bray and The Waterside Inn, where Alain Roux presides over one of only a handful of restaurants in the United Kingdom to hold three Michelin stars. Set on the banks of the Thames, it is a restaurant with genuine history and a kitchen of extraordinary ability. Dinner here is a proper occasion, the kind that people plan around and remember for years.

The Britannic Explorer is waiting when the evening draws to a close, providing a quiet and comfortable overnight stay in the Chilterns.

The final morning brings a last breakfast in the dining car as the train makes its way back through the Chilterns towards the capital. There is no rush. The countryside is pleasant, the coffee is good, and the conversation tends to turn to which journey to book next. London Victoria arrives rather sooner than anyone would like.

Itineraries and timings shown may be changed for seasonal or operational reasons.