Train travel is one of the easiest ways of getting around in the South West, and there’s no denying that First Great Western’s train network gives us the opportunity to visit a huge variety of different places. Whether it’s surfing in Newquay or shopping in London, it’s easy to enjoy a break outside of Bristol from either Parkway or Temple Meads.
First Great Western are currently running a campaign called “I’m a Great Westerner”, which aims to highlight some of the great places that you can travel to with the train network during the winter months.
From a food and drink point of view, my first port of call on the FGW network would definitely be Plymouth. It’s a city that’s on the rise when it comes to food and drink – and it’s easy to access by train, which is even better! Trains to Plymouth only take around 2 hours from Bristol Temple Meads, with no need to change.
A trip over there wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Black Friars Distillery (home of Plymouth Gin), where visitors can enjoy tours and tastings. I’d also make sure that I got in a trip to Le Vignoble (a bit of a boozy theme here so far…), where you can enjoy over 200 different wines, liqueurs and champagnes from all over the world.
Food-wise, there’s loads of choice. Mitch Tonks opened a new Rockfish restaurant in Plymouth earlier this year, and the Rock Salt Cafe & Brasserie is supposed to be fantastic. I’d also love to try Bistro One, and have heard great things about Veggie Perrins – the city’s well-reviewed vegetarian Indian restaurant, which looks great for those on a budget.
Cap’n Jaspers sounds like a heart attack on a plate but is apparently one of the best takeaways in the city, and delis such as the BLUEBEAR and Il Pezzettino would make sure that I didn’t go home empty handed!
Where would YOUR ideal First Great Western train destination be? Wherever you want to visit, you have a chance to win a pair of first class tickets to the destination of your choice in their current competition, which is closing on December 16 – be quick! Simply click this link to be taken to a form where you will need to enter your details…and sit back and wait to see if you are a winner! Good luck!