Hestercombe Express

About Us

Welcome aboard the Hestercombe Express! Enjoy a relaxing day out with the West Somerset Railway and Hestercombe - a rail travel adventure combined with the beauty of these internationally acclaimed gardens.

Your journey begins at 10.10am when you'll board the steam train at Minehead Station (you can also get on at the other stations along the route). You'll wind your way along the coast and through gentle countryside to the pretty village of Bishops Lydeard. Here, you will be met by our special heritage bus and travel in comfort to Hestercombe.

The gardens at Hestercombe are unique as they span three centuries of garden design. Set within 50 acres, the Victorian Shrubbery, the Georgian Landscape Garden and the Edwardian Formal Garden all offer a different experience as you explore Hestercombe.

In the main house you'll find Hestercombe Gallery, which showcases a changing series of contemporary art exhibitions. The gallery is made up of simple spaces, stripped to reveal their architectural heritage, providing an interesting and thought-provoking gallery space.

Head to the Stables Café for home-cooked lunches and cakes or the Column Room Restaurant in Hestercombe House (open Wed - Sun) for afternoon tea or a three-course meal. You'll find gifts galore in the Gardens Shop and blooms to fill your garden with in the Plant Centre.

Your vintage bus leaves Hestercombe for the return trip to Bishops Lydeard in time for your steam train journey home.

To find out more about Hestercombe go to www.hestercombe.com