Heart of Wessex Line
Bristol Temple Meads – Weymouth
Soak in the cityscapes, classic English villages, lush rolling countryside, and sea views along your journey. There is some awesome history to find out about and exciting attractions to discover along the way.
Bristol Temple Meads is the start of the line, boasting an international arts centre and gallery Arnolfini, a picturesque harbourside, the historic SS Great Britain and plenty more to explore.
Continuing along the line you’ll reach Bath Spa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s famous for its hot springs, Roman Baths and medieval heritage.
Explore a timeless English town, with cobbled streets, waterways and charming tearooms at Bradford on Avon.
Yeovil Country Park and the beautiful area of Ninesprings can be accessed from Yeovil Pen Mill station.
Keen walkers will enjoy access to the Macmillan Way and Wessex Ridgeway long distance paths from Maiden Newton Station and the next stop at Chetnole will provide walkers with access to the village of Cerne Abbas, famed for its ancient Saxon naked giant figure sculpted into the chalk hillside.
Further along the train line at Dorchester West, you can visit National Trust Max Gate, former home of Thomas Hardy, walk to one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in Europe and explore rich grassland, ancient hedgerows and the wet woodlands of Kingcombe Meadow.
At the end of the line, you’ll come to Weymouth. Here you can spend a day on the golden beach or walk along the 17th century Weymouth Harbour lined with sailboats and fishing boats, a perfect spot for crabbing too. Nothe Fort Musuem is a must do and you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views across Weymouth and the peninsula.
