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Originally published in The Telegraph.

“Great things are done when men and mountain meet,” wrote William Blake. He might have been describing this unique rail journey through the Swiss Alps. Winding across the Bernese Oberland that so inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it stops in chocolate box Meiringen with its spectacular Reichenbach Falls and Sherlock Holmes links. Here you are joined by Anthony Horowitz, author of two new Sherlock novels. Then it is on to the tranquil shores of Lucerne before heading up to Wengen and then Interlaken, where you can tour the surrounding Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau range by helicopter. A slower journey to the roof of Europe aboard the Jungfrau Railway is compulsory, however, not least because it is in the company of our greatest living explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes. A visit to the heroic Wilderswil Air Rescue team – called on during those moments when mountain overcomes man – provides a fitting finale to a trip truly worth writing home about.

Holiday Highlights

HOROWITZ AND SHERLOCK HOLMES

The best person to take you around Meiringen, the beautiful Swiss town closely associated to Sherlock Holmes? Elementary. Anthony Horowitz is carrying on where Arthur Conan Doyle left off as the author of the new Sherlock Holmes. He will accompany you through the town’s key attractions, including the Sherlock Holmes Museum set in the basement of a small English church in Conan Doyle Place as well as the nearby Reichenbach Falls which was the setting for the fictional sleuth’s final duel with Moriarty, and where Holmes eventually plunged to his death. Anthony will also give an exclusive talk to the group on his Sherlock Holmes connection.

JOURNEY TO THE ROOF OF EUROPE

This tour is a train-lover’s dream. Departing from London St Pancras by Eurostar, you will travel by rail throughout the journey, which culminates with a ride to the top of Jungfrau with Sir Ranulph Fiennes on board the cog wheel railway. Before your train ride, you’ll stop for coffee at the historic Bellevue des Alpes, a timeless hotel set in the shadow of Mount Eiger which became famous in the 1930s as the place people gathered to witness daring attempts to climb the most difficult wall in the Alps, the Eiger North Face.

RANULPH FIENNES AND THE EIGER

Over dinner at Hotel Silberhorn Sir Ranulph Fiennes will join you for the evening to talk about his epic expeditions including his scaling the Eiger’s fearsome North Face. The 13,000ft mountain has captivated the interest of mountaineers since the first noteworthy attempt in 1934. In 2007, Sir Ranulph succeeded in climbing the notorious wall, along with Kenton Cool and Ian Parnell. The climb was made harder for Sir Ranulph due to the frost bite on his left hand. The challenge raised £1.8 million for Marie Curie.

MOUNTAIN RESCUE

Travel to the nearby village of Wilderswil to visit the air rescue service, which serves the Eiger. The company performs search and rescue missions in the mountains, including those climbers that get in trouble on Eiger’s notorious North Face.

What's included

• The services of a professional UK tour manager from start to finish
• All train travel
• Seven nights’ accommodation at excellent hotels
• Talks by Anthony Horowitz and Sir Ranulph Fiennes
• Six dinners
• Walking tour of Meiringen
• Rega air rescue base in Wilderswil
• Excursions by rail to the "Roof of Europe"

Please note:

Single supplement: £185

Click here or contact 0333 005 9101 for further information.