Plymouth Sunderland Train

Plymouth is a city in the county of Devon in the south west of England. The city is roughly 190 miles from London and lies on the mouth of the rivers Plym and Tamar, where they join Plymouth Sound. Plymouth grew into a major commercial shipping port during the Industrial Revolution handling imports and passengers from the Americas while nearby Devonport grew as an important Royal Naval shipbuilding and dockyard town.

During the summer guided tours are available to the Royal Citadel which was built in 1666 to defend the port from naval attacks, to suppress Plymothian Parliamentary leanings and to train the armed forces. There is also Smeaton's Tower, built in 1759, and also there are 20 war memorials of which nine are on The Hoe including Plymouth Naval Memorial. A mile upstream and on the opposite side of the River Plym is the Saltram estate which has a Jacobean and Georgian mansion.

Plymouth is often used as a base by visitors to nearby Dartmoor, the Tamar Valley and the beaches of south-east Cornwall. Kingsand, Cawsand and Whitsand Bay are popular. Plymouth is also an important centre for watersports, especially scuba diving and sailing. The Port of Plymouth Regatta is one of the oldest regattas in the world, and has been held regularly since 1823. In September 2011, Plymouth hosted the America's Cup World Series for nine days.

The city of Sunderland in the north east of England has an enviable location, set right on the mouth of the River Wear next to a beautiful coastline and surrounded by easily accessible countryside. The city also has many heritage, cultural and sporting attractions and you will find that Sunderland has something for everyone. Sunderland has many things to see and do including the Sunderland Empire Theatre, St Peters Church which produced the Venerable Bede, Europe's greatest 8th century scholar, the award winning Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens and for energetic types, the Sunderland Wall and Silksworth Sports Complex offer climbing, skiing and snowboarding while Adventure Sunderland has facilities for windsurfers, kayakers and divers. Sunderland's green spaces and coastline make an ideal setting for a number of outdoor festivals and events. From the adrenaline rush of the Red Arrows at the Sunderland International Airshow to open air movies at the Sunderland Festival, to traditional ox roasting and fireworks at Houghton Feast, there is always something going on in Sunderland to suit all tastes. After a day exploring the city's museums and galleries why not take time out for a spot of retail therapy! The retail heart of the city is centred around The Bridges Shopping Centre, where over 100 top name high street sit side by side along the bright and airy walkways.