| Scottish Dream Tours Presents Castles, Cottages and Countryside of England September 22nd - October 6th, 2013 Featuring The Vyne Tudor House, Salisbury and Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge and Avebury, Bradford on Avon, Bath and the Roman Baths, Broadway Tower, Chipping Campden, Bourton-on-the-Water, Tewkesbury, Offa's Dyke, Powis Castle, Chester and the Chester Rows, Chesterfield Market, Chatsworth, Haddon Hall, Peal District National Park, York and Yorkshire, Harrogate, Barton-upon-Humber, Lincoln and Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln High Bridge and Castle, Trent River Cruise, Cambridge and King's College, Windsor Castle and more! 15 Days on a small intimate tour of England through the autumn countryside and lovely villages, towns and cities of The Cotswolds, Herefordshire, Chester, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Cambridge. Taking time out for tea is a way of life than in Great Britain and have attempted to include every type of tearoom and teatime opportunity to give a full experience of this wonderful and fascinating ritual. There is much more about Britain than just tea and so we have included that as well but you have to eat somewhere! This tour is limited to 12 people in order to provide a more personal experience. In keeping the tour size small we are able to take advantage of accommodation, restaurant and sightseeing options that would not be available to a larger group. We will not rush you from venue to venue and each tour is designed to spend as little time on the minibus as possible. We will stay in delightful city guest houses and lovely country houses. Includes all accommodation, breakfast daily, all listed meals, all entrance fees and admissions, all taxes and guided minibus travel. $4995US per person. $995US single supplement. $500 per person deposit to reserve your spot on the tour. |
| Day 1 - September 22nd, 2013 - Arrive London Heathrow but our adventure begins in the Hampshire region of England. Our first stop is The Vyne, a great Tudor House visited by King Henry VIII on at least three occasions and later became a family home, cherished by the Chute family for more than 350 years. The house is filled with an eclectic mix of fine furniture, portraits, textiles and sculpture. We then take Afternoon Tea at Oakley Hall Hotel before we continue to Salisbury where you can relax at our accommodation before we meet for dinner. Welcoming Dinner and Overnight near Salisbury. (L,D) Day 2 - This morning we visit Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury is unique amongst medieval English cathedrals having been built in just 38 years (1220 - 1258) in a single architectural style, Early English Gothic. The tower and spire (Britain’s tallest) were added about 50 years later. Leaving Salisbury behind we venture to Stonehenge which has been described as a temple for sun worship, a healing centre, a burial site and a huge calendar. Surrounded by mystery, Stonehenge never fails to impress. Then we are off to Marlborough and Lunch at The Polly Tearooms. The High Street in Marlborough is one of the widest in Europe and lined on both sides with characterful old buildings housing an array of high quality shops. The Merchant's House is one of the finest 17th century middle-class homes in England and contains a wealth of period features, paintings and artifacts. After a visit to the house, we are off to Avebury, the largest known stone ring in the world. Older than the more famous Stonehenge, and for many visitors far more spectacular, the multiple rings of Avebury are cloaked with mysteries which archaeologists have only begun to unravel. Dinner and Overnight near Salisbury. (B,L,D) Day 3 - This morning we travel to the lovely wee village of Bradford-on-Avon. The magical position of the town on the banks of the River Avon gives visitors a wonderful setting for leisure, cultural and tourist activities. Bradford on Avon has delightful shops, restaurants, hotels and bed and breakfasts lining the narrow streets of the town centre. The surrounding hillside is covered with Cotswold Stone Houses and Cottages of every shape and size. Here we will Board the Train to Bath. Nourished by natural hot springs, Bath offers a unique experience with stunning architecture. While here, we will visit the Roman Baths, a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. We then return to Bradford for Afternoon Tea at the Bridge Tearooms and then some time to wander around this lovely town. From here we travel further into the Cotswolds where we spend the next two nights. Dinner on your own this evening. Overnight Cotswolds. (B,L) Day 4 - This morning we visit Broadway and Broadway Tower. Built in 1799, it is a perfect example of an 18th century Gothic folly. At 1024 feet above sea level you can see 13 counties! Next, we spend some time in the beautiful Old Cotswolds Market Town of Chipping Campden. Chipping Campden was the centre for wool trade during the 14th and 15th centuries and has retained its feel of a place stepped back in time. This afternoon finds us in Bourton-on-the-Water for Afternoon Tea at the Mad Hatter Tearooms. Bourton-on-the-Water has been described as the 'Little Venice' of the Cotswolds and we will take some time to investigate this lovely town. This afternoon we will visit the lovely market towns of Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton- in-Marsh, perhaps the best known of the small Cotswolds towns. Stow is an important shopping centre and has many fine Antique shops, Art galleries and Gifts and Crafts Shops. Moreton has been a traveller's town for at least 1700 years and the high street has many elegant eighteenth-century inns and houses. Dinner and Overnight Cotswolds. (B,L,D) Day 5 -This morning we visit Tewkesbury, an ancient settlement at the meeting of the Rivers Severn and Avon. The town has perfectly preserved Medieval Character that spans over 500 years. We then continue on to Leominster "The Town in the Marches" located in the heart of the beautiful border countryside where England and Wales nudge each other back and forth along Offa's Dyke. This historic wool town dates back to the 7th century. After some time to look around our next stop is Knighton just across the Wales Border. The Welsh name for Knighton is Tref-y-Clawdd which means "Town on the Dyke" and it is the only town that stands right on Offa's Dyke. We will Lunch at the Clocktower Tearooms before we visit Offa's Dyke Centre. We then make our way to Powis Castle and Gardens. High on a rock above the terraces, the castle, originally built circa 1200, began life as a medieval fortress. Remodelled and embellished over more than 400 years, it reflects the changing needs and ambitions of the Herbert Family – each generation adding to the magnificent collection of paintings, sculpture, furniture and tapestries. Dinner and Overnight near Chester. (B,L,D) Day 6 - Our morning begins in Chester, first settled by the Romans in AD 79. The main street is lined with timber buildings called the Chester Rows first built in the 13th & 14th centuries. Our next stop is Stockport and the Staircase House, a historic house dating back to 1460. Staircase House has been designed to make people feel at home - there are few rope barriers or signs forbidding people to touch objects so visitors can take a truly unique journey back in time. The Shallcross Family installed the cage newel staircase in 1618, which gives the house its name. The Jacobean Staircase is one of only three surviving examples in Britain. We will stop for Lunch in Buxton at No 6 the Square Tearoom. We then make our way to Chesterfield and the Chesterfield Market, one of the largest open air markets in England with over 200 stalls. We then make our way to Bakewell, the only market town in the Peak District National Park. Dinner and Overnight Bakewell, Peak District. (B,L,D) Day 7 - This morning we Chatsworth, home of the Devonshire Family. Chatsworth is one of Britain's most celebrated and best loved historic houses and estates with world famous works of art and spectacular fountains to elegant shops and more than a hundred miles of walks. We will have Lunch at the Bakewell Tart Shop famous for their Bakewell Tart, a shortcrust pastry with a layer of jam and a sponge filling with almonds. This afternoon we visit Haddon Hall, is a fortified medieval manor house dating from the 12th Century and is the home of Lord and Lady Edward Manners whose family have owned it since 1567. Avoiding fire, warfare, family misfortune and changing fashions, little has changed over the recent centuries and Haddon provides a unique view of early English life and history. You will have time to Investigate Bakewell on your own this afternoon. Dinner on your own in Bakewell. Overnight Bakewell, Peak District. (B,L) Day 8 - Our first stop today is Bawtry known as the Gateway to Yorkshire. Nestled on the border of South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire, this affluent market town remains a well guarded secret. Bawtry is a shopper’s delight with designer fashion boutiques, contemporary art galleries, stylish gift shops, interior boutiques and specialist retailers. We then make our way to Selby, a small Yorkshire Town with one of the most superb Abbey Churches to be found anywhere in England. With its iconic architecture it has been a place of worship for over 900 years. Selby Abbey is often called the Hidden Gem of Yorkshire as no other church has the size, the age or the beauty that makes this building so unique. We then continue on to Harrogate, a pleasant spa town to the south-east of the Yorkshire Dales, famous for its tea shops, flower shows, Turkish baths and antique shops. We will investigate Harrogate before finding our accommodation near York. Dinner and Overnight near York. (B,D) Day 9 - This morning we are off to York, renowned for its exquisite architecture, quaint cobbled streets and of course, York Minster. While here we will have a Guided Walk of the City with an introduction to York, with the best of the historic streets and snickelways plus the City Walls with unrivalled views over the city. Following our tour we Stop for Lunch at the Iconic Bettys Tearooms. In 1936 the founder of Bettys, Frederick Belmont, travelled on the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary. He was so enthralled by the splendour of the ship that he commissioned the Queen Mary’s designers and craftsmen to turn a dilapidated furniture store into his most sophisticated branch yet – an elegant café in the land-locked location of St Helen’s Square. Following lunch we will tour York Minster, one of the great cathedrals of the world. York Minster is a world-famous artistic and architectural masterpiece built between the 1220s and the 1470s. The Minster stands on a site where history has been made over the centuries. The Emperor Constantine began his progress to greatness here, and the foundations of the Roman buildings in which he lived can be seen under the central tower. St Paulinus baptised the local Saxon king on this spot, and many Archbishops, including St William of York, are buried here. Dinner on your own this evening. Overnight near York. (B,L) Day 10 - Our first stop today is Barton upon Humber, situated on the south bank of the river Humber right next to the south tower of the Humber Bridge in the county of North Lincolnshire. The town dates back to the 6th century and has many historic buildings and sites. On our way to Cleethorpes we see Grimsby, a port city located on the north-east coast of Lincolnshire where the Humber Estuary meets the North Sea. The Greenwich Meridian line runs through Cleethorpes as it travels round the globe from north to south, and a metal plate has been set into the coastal path to mark the exact location. You can have your picture taken with your legs astride the meridian, as they say! Cleethorpes is a popular and traditional seaside resort, with three miles of excellent sandy beaches and a wide promenade. There are numerous attractions and fine views of the ships entering the nearby Humber Estuary. While here we will stop at Steeles for a Fish and Chips Lunch. After a North Sea Coastal Drive we will make our way to our accommodation. Dinner and Overnight near Lincoln. (B,L,D) Day 11 - This morning we visit the City of Lincoln, an important stronghold in the Roman and Medieval times. William the Conqueror began the building of Lincoln Castle atop the steep hill that is the core of the city. In 1072 the church followed suit and the magnificent structure of Lincoln Cathedral was begun. The cathedral is the 3rd largest in Britain, with a vast nave supported by columns of limestone and marble. The stained glass windows set off a wonderful vaulted roof, and the interior is enhanced with intricate carvings in stone and wood. We will also visit High Bridge, the oldest bridge in England to have houses built upon it. The structure dates from the 12th century, and looks its age in the most complimentary fashion. We will stop on the bridge for Afternoon Tea at Stokes High Bridge Cafe. This afternoon we visit Lincoln Castle which still functions as a court, dispensing justice as it has for over 900 years. Within its walls you can see one of the original copies of the Magna Carta, signed by King John in 1215. Dinner on your own and Overnight near Lincoln. (B,L) Day 12 - This morning we leave Lincoln behind with a stop at Newark-on-Trent, an attractive market town situated along the river Trent. Its most famous period in history was during the Civil War in which it was a Royalist stronghold and withstood three sieges. Many reminders of that period can still be seen in the town, including its imposing 12th century castle. After investigating the town we will take a 2 Hour Tea Break Cruise on the Trent Lady Riverboat on the River Trent. Nest we visit the market town of Stamford, one of the finest stone towns in the whole of England. The town is best known for its medieval core of 17th-18th century stone buildings, older timber framed buildings and five medieval parish churches. Many of the buildings are constructed from Old Lincolnshire Limestone giving the town its unique appearance. After exploring the town we continue on to just outside of Cambridge where we find finner waiting. Dinner and Overnight near Cambridge. (B,L.D) Day 13 - This morning will be spent in the University and College city of Cambridge. We will take a Guided Tour of the City that will include entrance to the Magnificent King's College and Chapel and Beautiful Queens' College. We will hear fascinating stories regarding the famous people connected with Cambridge whilst looking at some of the best known and impressive sights Cambridge has to offer. Following our tour we will stop for Lunch at Aunties Tearooms. After lunch we will visit Lavenham, England's finest Medieval Village and Wool Town. Most of the buildings in Lavenham today date from the 15th century, many of these were never altered due to the fall of the weaving industry. Consequently the town is still very much on the same scale as it must have been in the 15th century. We will visit the Lavenham Guildhall, built on 1529. In its day the building has been a used as a prison, town hall, workhouse, almshouse, and a wool store. It includes a museum with exhibitions about local industry, farming, the former railway station, and the woollen cloth industry. Dinner on your own and Overnight near Cambridge. (B,L) Day 14 - This morning we journey into Bedfordshire and to Leighton Buzzard. We will take a short journey on the Leighton Buzzard Railway, one of England’s finest narrow gauge heritage lines. We'll journey just a little over an hour round trip from Page's Park to Stonehenge Works. This afternoon will find us in Windsor. Windsor is situated beside the river Thames in Berkshire and is arguably one of Berkshire's prettiest towns. Home to the Queen of England, Windsor has the largest permanently lived in castle in the world. We take a City Bus Tour of Windsor and Eton before visiting Windsor Castle. Windsor has been a Royal home for over 900 years. The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough. After our tour of the castle we will get settled into our accommodation before our final dinner together. Dinner and Overnight near Heathrow. (B,D) Day 15 - October 6th - This morning we are off home from Heathrow International Airport. |
|
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |