Wanderlust UK – September 2019

25 BESTEUROPEANRAILJOURNEYS

66 wanderlust.co.uk September 2019

11

LaLigne

des

Cévennes,

France

Bestfor...Gallicgrandeur

Thejourney:Clermont-Ferrand

toNîmes(304km;6.5hours)

Wesay...Everytwistandturnofthis

trainlineisanengineeringmarvel:

ittickso“amighty 106 tunnelsand

overathousandbridges,aswell

astheseriouslylofty(46mhigh)

Chamborigaudviaduct.With 29

long-leggedarchesarrangedin

asemicircularloop,Chamborigaud

isascene-stealer–althoughthe

trackreachesitspinnacleonthe

summitatLaBastide(1,023m).

Therearegentlerpleasuresstillto

befoundintherollingvineyardsof

theAuvergne,thechestnutforests

ofCévennesNationalParkand

thetrack’spicturesquedalliance

withtheRiverAllier.

Toptip:Visitinspringtimetosee

thearea’swild™lowersinbloom.

12 Derry/

Londonderry

toColeraine,

NorthernIreland

Bestfor...AbudgetIrishbeauty

Thejourney:Derry/Londonderry

toColeraine(55km; 38 minutes)

Wesay...Thisroutedoesn’t

need™ive-starcabinsorsteam

locomotivesforwow-factor:it’s

allaboutthescenery.Explore

abanquetofwindsweptbeaches,

razor-edgedcli“sandwildviewson

theno-frillsTranslink(translink.co.uk)

service.Sitontheleft-handside

(iftravellingeastwards)andsettle

inforaridethatSirMichaelPalin

hailedinhisGreatRailwayJourneys

seriesas“oneofthemostbeautiful

railjourneysintheworld”,asyou

hop-skipperegrinefalconhabitats

andthethreadthelongestrailway

tunnelsinIreland.

Toptip:Stopforayomponthe

wide,wildsandsofBenonebeach.

DID YOU

KNOW?

The railway tracks

of the Derry/

Londonderry-

to-Coleraine

train actually

run alongside

the sands of the

Benone Strand

(pictured right),

aˆording some

incredible views.

Shutterstock; Alamy

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