Somerset Stopover
Step aboard our Great Garden Escape for a day immersed in Somerset’s beauty and stay a little longer with our new Somerset Stopover. This experience pairs your London to Somerset train adventure with a restful night at The Newt, allowing time to savour the gardens, the land, and the rhythm of rural life.
2026 Escapes Now Booking
The Great Garden Escape is back for 2026! A uniquely Newt experience for friends and family, as well as a fantastic team day out. See below for this year's dates, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact our dedicated team. We hope to see you aboard soon.
What's Included?
Tickets:
Running Fridays and Saturdays from March to December 2026
The Great Garden Escape ticket includes First Class return travel from London Paddington to The Newt in Somerset; guided tours, talks and tastings; meals from breakfast through to afternoon tea; plus 12-month Newt Membership (for a return visit under one’s own steam!)
Ticket price £375pp for adults, £325pp for children (ages 5-15)
Group bookings and exclusive use are available, with the option to tailor your escape with bespoke experiences.
Example Itinerary:
- Meet & Greet at Paddington Station, First-Class Lounge, Platform 1 at 8.30am
- Train departs from Paddington Station at 9.04am
- Breakfast on board at leisure
- Train arrives at Castle Cary Station at 10.26am/10.29am*
- Transfer to The Newt in Somerset
- Welcome and refreshments on arrival
- Garden Tour at 11am
- Lunch in The Garden Café at 12.15pm
- Exploration & Shopping at 2pm
- Cyder Tour & Tasting at 3pm
- Transfer to Castle Cary Station
- Train departs Castle Cary Station at 4.02pm/4.28pm*
- Afternoon Tea onboard at leisure
- Train arrives at Paddington Station 5.29pm/6.06pm*
- Fond farewells
*Friday/Saturday times. Please note, Great Garden Escape operates within the constraints of the National Rail network and timings may be subject to change.
Gift An Escape
Give the gift of The Great Garden Escape with a Golden Ticket voucher. The perfect present for friends and family, the Great Garden Escape will be boarding again from March 2026.
A Team Day Out
Our Great Garden Escape offers corporate teams a one-of-a-kind day out that begins with a luxurious train journey from London and unfolds into an immersive countryside experience of gardens, food, and craft. From breakfast on board to cider tastings and afternoon tea, it’s a seamless, restorative escape designed to inspire connection, creativity, and a fresh perspective.
Please email/call on [email protected]/ 01963 577777 for any questions regarding corporate bookings.
The Finest Food from the Land
Throughout the day, guests will enjoy the bounty of our Somerset estate. From croissants baked that morning to a freshly prepared lunch at the glass-walled Garden Café, plucked from the soil beneath your feet. We celebrate the tradition of growing apples and making cyder with a private tasting at our Cyder Cellar, before serving an estate baked afternoon tea picnic for the return journey to Paddington
If you're not the planning type, The Newt in Somerset's Great Garden Escape is a fun-filled pre-organised day trip that shows off the best of the British countryside.
