A restored railway building takes you right into the story of the Great Western Railway in Swindon: at STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, you can learn about the people who worked for the railway, operated its trains or travelled on them. The museum is housed in a Grade II listed building. Swindon Railway Works opened in January 1843 as a repair and maintenance facility for the new Great Western Railway. This lets you discover railway history not only through its trains, but also through the work behind their operation.
House history and parkland
On the western edge of Swindon lies Lydiard Park, a historic estate with a Palladian house, church and walled garden. The parkland covers 260 acres. Lydiard House is a Grade I listed building and was the home of the St John family for over 500 years; its history dates back to the Middle Ages. In the State Rooms, you can see elaborate plasterwork, original family furniture, and portraits and photographs of the family. Together, the house and collection offer insight into the estate’s long history, while the church and walled garden reveal further parts of the historic ensemble.
The paths are also part of what the park offers: its wide, accessible paths are suitable for walking, running, jogging and cycling. Lydiard Park hosts events throughout the year, including open-air theatre, live music and The Luna Cinema. If you want to attend a particular programme, check the specific event dates in advance.
Explore railway history on foot
You can also plan to walk to STEAM: it takes around 10 to 20 minutes from Swindon station, the town centre or the bus station. This is a guide only; your pace and route conditions affect the actual walking time. For a different perspective on railway history, visit the Railway Village Museum in a Victorian cottage at 34 Faringdon Road. There, you can find out how a Great Western Railway worker and their family would have lived in Swindon around 1900. Tailored heritage experiences are available for schools and groups throughout the year, but only by prior arrangement. Check the opening arrangements before your visit.
The Works Heritage Trail combines exercise with historical information: the route is mostly flat, 2 miles long and has 21 stops. Information panels focus on historic buildings. Unlike a visit to an exhibition, this trail takes you through a series of stops where you can discover the buildings’ history step by step.
Paths through nature and landscape
Coate Water Park is 5 kilometres southeast of Swindon town centre, near Junction 15 of the M4. Several flat, surfaced walking paths are suitable for wheelchair users. For a circular walk with a defined distance and duration, try the route around the lake: it is 1.75 miles or 2.8 kilometres long and takes around 45 minutes at a leisurely pace. This duration is an estimate; your actual pace and the conditions on the path may affect it.
Stanton Park also has a surfaced circular route suitable for wheelchair users. The nature reserve includes a lake, woodland and grassland across 36 hectares. Stanton therefore foregrounds its range of habitats, while Coate Water also offers a specific distance and estimated walking time for the circular route around the lake.
Another landscape attraction is Barbury Castle: its 60-hectare site includes chalk grassland and the wildlife associated with it. Wildlife watching, walking, mountain biking and horse riding are among the activities listed there; local conditions and rules for use may change. Liddington Castle offers a different focus: this Scheduled Monument is a hillfort associated with the ancient Ridgeway. It stands on a plateau on Liddington Hill and offers sweeping views across the Thames Valley and the Marlborough Downs. Barbury thus focuses on the landscape and its wildlife, while Liddington also offers historical context as a hillfort and scenic views.
Shaw Forest Park is a 40-hectare community woodland area, about 3 kilometres northwest of Swindon town centre. Its habitats include ash and willow woodland, scrub, juniper and alder. Paths, including a major cycle route, connect the park with Rivermead and the town centre to the south, and with Mouldon Hill, Rodbourne Cheney and Priory Vale to the north. The ranger team also organises fun and educational events; dates depend on the programme.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Swindon, Highworth, Liddington, South Marston, Broad Blunsdon, Bath And North East Somerset, Bracknell Forest, Torbay.
Back to the main travel overview: South West England.
