West Somerset Railway


The steam trains of this vintage railway are a fine way to see the Somerset countryside. The 20-mile route runs from it's base at Minehead to Bishops Lydeard, stopping at Dunster, Watchet, Williton, Crowcombe Heathfield and several other stations en route. There are four to seven trains daily from May to October, with a more limited service in March, April and December.

There are discounts (adult/child £2/1) if you book online.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. St George's Church

1.91 MILES

Dunster’s beautiful church dates mostly from the 15th century and boasts an intricately carved fan-vaulted rood screen. Just behind the church is a 16th…

2. Dunster Castle

2.03 MILES

Rosy-hued Dunster Castle crowns a densely wooded hill. Built by the Luttrell family, which once owned much of northern Exmoor, the oldest sections are…

3. Watermill

2.12 MILES

Most of the original cogs, wheels and grinding stones continue to rotate in this working 18th-century mill. There's a picturesque riverside tearoom…

4. Holnicote Estate

3.56 MILES

The 50-sq-km Holnicote Estate sweeps southeast out of Porlock, taking in a string of impossibly pretty villages. Picturesque Bossington leads to charming…

5. Exmoor Owl & Hawk Centre

4.76 MILES

Catch the owl and bird-of-prey flying show (2pm), book your own hour-long private flying session (from £45), or have the kids hitch a half-hour ride on…

6. Cleeve Abbey

5.83 MILES

Most visitors buzz straight past tiny, tumbledown Cleeve Abbey, but it’s one of the best examples of traditional Cistercian architecture in southwest…

7. Porlock Weir

6.97 MILES

Porlock Weir's stout granite quay curves around a shingly beach, which is backed by pubs, fisherfolks' storehouses and a scattering of seasonal shops. The…

8. Bakelite Museum

7.04 MILES

The endearingly weird Bakelite Museum, 7 miles east of Dunster, houses the nation’s largest collection of Bakelite (otherwise known as…