1. Change Bank Using an ethical bank that doesn’t support fossil fuels is the single most powerful thing you can do to help the environment. Ethical banks include Triodos, Starling, The Cooperative Bank and Nationwide. The credentials of your bank can be checked at bank.green and there’s a blog here with a list of suggestions: https://wise.com/gb/blog/ethical-banks-uk […]
Our roundup of what’s on in Cornwall and South Devon in November and December 2026
Christmas is fast approaching, read on to see what seasonal delights and special events Devon and Cornwall have to offer at this festive time of year. For ease of use, some of these events are listed twice; once in the diary listing, and again under separate headings. We hope this will make it easier for […]
How to help wildlife this autumn
I went to an excellent film recently called Derek vs Derek. It tells the story of two Devon farmers, diametrically opposed in their ways. Derek Gow is well-known for his wilding work, particularly for breeding native species and being at the forefront of reintroducing beavers to our waterways. His neighbour Derek Banbury is a dairy […]
Our Railholiday round-up of Autumn events in South East Cornwall
Wondering what to do for your autumn holiday while staying in our railway carriages in St Germans? It may no longer be the peak of summer, but there’s still plenty to do in our corner of Cornwall. Scroll down the page for our seasonal events listing. This year we have a few treats; there is […]
We Bought a Railway Station – Chapter 2 – Unexpected Hurdles
The station was finally ours on the 4th of May 1992. Because we were getting married on the 18th of July and intended to move in on our wedding night, there was no time to lose in preparations. The day we completed the purchase we slept in sleeping bags on the floor of the former […]
The Story of Railholiday – All Enquiries
Although the story of Railholiday officially began on the 20th June, 1998, when we welcomed our first guests into The Old Luggage Van, the true beginnings came much earlier. Perhaps the story starts in March 1996 when Dave, on a train trip to Truro, spied a derelict carriage in a builder’s yard in Liskeard. Perhaps […]
Day Trips by Train – A walk from the Barbican to Saltram House
Saltram House is a grand house just a few miles from Plymouth City Centre, with some superb art work, and plenty of parkland to roam around. This walk is an easy, flat meander from the centre of Plymouth; not the most scenic, but quite interesting as it takes in industrial areas and the TR2 theatre, […]
Back to the future – have we gone full circle with water quality?
Unfortunately in the last few months water quality has been in the news a lot. I wrote this haibun (a Japanese form, with prose followed by a haiku) for the May edition of our parish newsletter, The Nut Tree. I felt it would be a fitting framework for the subject of sewage pollution. I hope […]
The Railholiday What’s On Guide – Events Near and Around St Germans
All dates below are correct as of June 2026, but sometimes things change, so do check first. If you have an event you’d like us to include, please email office@railholiday.co.uk. There will be plenty going on that is not detailed. On this page we’ve picked out the best of events near St Germans. Plymouth has a […]
Your Railholiday guide to the Five Best Food and Drink Experiences while staying in St Germans
There’s much more to Cornish food and drink than just pasties and scrumpy (although we are rather fond of both). From foraging for food, to Punjabi cooking and wine tasting, we hope you’ll find something to suit your palette in our suggestions. 1. Wild food foraging with Vix Hill-Ryder A wild foraging course with Vix […]
Your Railholiday Guide to the Five Best Footplate and Driver Experiences while staying in St Germans
What better way to enjoy your train based holiday than to book a lesson in how to drive a train. Here are our recommendations. Driver Experiences: Bodmin Railway Nearest train station: Bodmin Parkway. Bodmin Railway stops at Bodmin Parkway station, but you’ll need to check times. They also run a cafe overlooking the line at […]
How to Explore the Barbican, Royal William Yard and Mount Edgcumbe by Train and Ferry
We are always looking for interesting ways to explore and enjoy our beautiful local area using public transport. So we were delighted in 2025 when Plymouth Boat Trips introduced a summertime ferry service from Saltash Waterside to the historic Royal William Yard, stopping at the Barbican on the way. From The Royal William Yard you can […]