Avon Valley Railway (Bitton Station)

Steam trains pull away from Bitton Station with a screech and hiss that takes you straight back to the 1950s. It's a proper working heritage railway run entirely by volunteers, and you can feel that passion the moment you arrive. The station itself is lovingly restored - painted signs, period fittings, the whole works - and the trains trundle along the Avon Valley on a scenic four-mile route that's genuinely lovely on a clear day.

You'll spend a couple of hours here realistically: thirty minutes exploring the station, then the return journey takes about an hour depending on which train you catch. Families with kids under ten will get the most out of it, though train enthusiasts of any age find plenty to absorb. The volunteers are chatty and clearly know their stuff, which adds real colour to the experience.

It's only four miles from Bath, so couples staying at Bath Mill Lodge Retreat nearby could easily slot this in as a morning activity without derailing their wider trip. Admission isn't steep, and the refreshment facilities are decent without being fancy. Fair warning though: if your group isn't remotely interested in heritage railways, an hour here might feel like a stretch. But if steam trains appeal at all, this beats the sterile theme-park versions hands down. Go on a weekend when volunteer numbers are highest and services run most frequently.