Watchdog Briony Mason, who lives in Rowston, Lincolnshire, discusses travelling over 300 miles by train to Devon. She paints an honest picture of the obstacles along with the thrills of the ride. Her response comes in light of an article by Phoebe Taplin entitled “Coves, caves and Agatha Christie – a car-free tour along the English Riviera in Devon,” published on August 19. Mason, who frequently visits her in-laws in Devon from the East Midlands, shared her thoughts on the journey in a letter that highlights both the excitement and the practicalities of traveling by train.
Mason’s family trip to Devon takes about seven hours and six minutes, needing four different transfers to get there. The cost of the four people’s train tickets alone adds up to £450. With the significant cost in mind, one must ask how these changes will affect travel affordability. While the long train ride could easily be viewed as a burden, Mason envisions it as an opportunity for adventure. Unlike Taplin, another option to explore the region is car-free.
In her letter, Mason draws attention to the differences between her train journey and the scenic routes available by car. However, as she explains, the M6/M5 motorway does not offer travelers many scenic views. Many of the magical experiences and gastronomic rewards from the journey would be lost making a trip by train. Mason is especially nostalgic about all the cute towns and seafood shacks that will be limited or absent along the train route. He really enjoys the coast’s local specialties.
Mason and her family use a new mobile tickets app to simplify their travel plans. This app makes it easy to navigate the train schedule and complicated connections for them. This new tool helps them plan their trip so they can make the sometimes many connections needed to get where they need to go.
Mason’s thoughtful reflections point to a larger conversation we should be having about different kinds of travel and what it means to experience them. Taplin encourages readers to discover the best of the car-free English Riviera. At the same time, Mason succeeds in purveying the irresistible allure of train travel.