Flight free England to Iceland holiday

Planet

We have put together a selection of our favourite rail journeys including some truly epic trans-continental adventures. A welcome by-product is that it also allows us to consider our impact on the environment when we travel. Maintaining a balance between looking after the planet and supporting the 10% of the global population who depend upon tourism for an income, often in countries where their culture is a viable asset, demands some significant soul-searching. By choosing to travel by combination of train and sea, rather than flying, we can promote the role of responsible tourism as a way forward for the future. Our adventures are based on taking regular scheduled train and ferry services which form vital connections, linking countries and communities. And we avoid using so-called ‘cruise trains’ which carry far fewer people and operate for tourists only.

The hotels used on this tour have been carefully selected for their environmental policy. In this respect hoteliers in Scandinavia often lead the way with some of the most ambitious goals in the industry to reduce CO2 emissions and waste. For example our preferred hotel chain in Denmark has introduced initiatives such as cleaning rooms on request, rather than each day. And for those wanting to explore on two wheels some properties will lend guests a bike.

People

We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of group departures – usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries or we may offer private trips only. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we aim to avoid ‘over tourism’ whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to large numbers of tourists. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.

This particular tour operates on a private basis only and for most of the journey you will travel unaccompanied. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Hotels have been chosen for their close proximity to the railway stations and ferry terminals, therefore reducing the need for a road transfer to/from your accommodation. We have purposely chosen not to include all of the meals as part of the price of your tour. On most days this will leave you free to choose where you would like to eat.

When taking any sightseeing tours such as in the Faroes Islands, you will be guided by a local guide. Often born and bred in the town or region that you are visiting, they will have an intimate knowledge of their local area and environment. Given the flexibility that you will have to dine where you choose, they will be pleased to offer restaurant recommendations and they will only suggest locally owned establishments with menus based on regionally sourced produce. We encourage you not to only spend your money in the hotels, but that your visit should always benefit other businesses in the local community.