| Scottish Dream Tours Pubs, Castles, Tearooms, Gardens and Cathedrals of the Cotswolds, Devon, Cornwall and Wessex May 28th - June 10th, 2011 Stratford-upon-Avon, Ann Hathaway's Cottage and Gardens, Chipping Campden, The Cotswolds, Sudeley Castle and Gardens, Barnstaple, Cheddar Gorge, Cheddar Sweet Kitchen, Glastonbury Abbey, Arlington Court and Gardens, Devonshire Cream Tea, Tintagel Castle, Penwith Tour, Penzance, The Eden Project, Plymouth, Mayflower Stone and Step, Dartmoor National Park,Sherborne Old and New Castles, Salisbury and Stonehenge, Winchester Cathedral, Windsor and Windsor Castle, Theatre Royal Windsor and much more! A small intimate tour of The Cotswolds, The West Country featuring Devon, Cornwall and Wessex, Winchester and Windsor. Our tearoom tours are always so much more - filled with castles, historic sights and entertainment of all kinds. Tea is a way of life in Great Britain with more tearooms than any other place on earth. And you have to eat someplace anyway, so we try to incorporate as many of these tearooms into our tours as possible. Each tour is designed to accommodate only 8 - 10 people for a more personal experience and to allow you to get the most of your holiday. Keeping the tour size small gives us the opportunity to veer from the beaten path and take advantage of accommodations, restaurants and sightseeing that would not be available to larger groups. You may find yourself staying in a delightful city guesthouse, a small country house hotel, a comfortable farmhouse and an old coaching Inn all in the same visit. You will not be rushed from venue to venue and we spend as little time on the bus as possible. Tour includes all accommodation in 3 or 4 star British Tourist Board Approved accommodations. Full English breakfast each morning. All lunches and dinners as listed in itinerary. Porterage of one suitcase per person. Minibus travel including tour guide. Knowledgeable guide for all tourist venues. All sightseeing as indicated in itinerary including any entrance fees. All taxes and service charges. $4495US per person double. $795US per person single supplement. $500 per person deposit required to book your tour. Deposit by PayPal |
Day 1 - May 28th, 2011 - Arrive London Heathrow. As we make our way out of the city our first stop will be Stratford-
upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in culture and history in the beautiful rural
Warwickshire Countryside, on the banks of the River Avon. Afternoon Tea at Benson's in Stratford. This
afternoon we visit Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Gardens. The beautiful thatched farmhouse was occupied by
descendants of the Hathaway family until it's purchase by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1892 and still contains many
rare family items of furniture that date back to Anne's time. Welcoming Pub Dinner at the Shakespeare Tavern.
Overnight Chipping Campden. (L,D)
Day 2 - This morning you will want to explore this beautiful Old Cotswolds Market Town before we visit Badger's Hall
for Afternoon Tea in their quintessential English Tea Room. 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. After tea we visit Broadway and the
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! Back in Chipping Campden we will have Dinner at The Eight Bells, a traditional 14th century
Cotswolds Inn. Overnight Chipping Campden. (B,L,D)
Day 3 - Today our journey will take us to Winchecombe and Sudeley Castle and Gardens. Set against the beautiful
backdrop of the Cotswold Hills, Sudeley Castle is steeped in history. With royal connections spanning a thousand years,
it has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England’s past. We will stop for lunch at the Olde
Bakery Tea Room in Winchecombe. Then we are off to Malmesbury for Malmesbury Abbey and The Abbey
House Gardens. This unique garden is set against the backdrop of the Abbey with the River Inglebourne flowing
throughout. The 800 year old Abbey is magnificent and houses a Bible from the year 1407! Pub Dinner and Overnight
Malmesbury. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - This morning we are off to North Devon. On the way we will drive through Cheddar Gorge, a narrow winding
ravine with limestone rocks rising almost vertically on either side to a height of 400 feet! In the very heart of the famous
Cheddar Gorge you will find one of the most fascinating sights in Somerset, the Cheddar Sweet Kitchen. A tiny sweet
factory where visitors are invited in to watch craftsman at work. The Mizen family have been making sweets in this area for
five generations. Cheddar gives it's name to the rich cheese that was founded here. Further on we find Glastonbury and
Glastonbury Abbey. The Abbey presents itself as "traditionally the oldest above-ground Christian church in
the World" situated "in the mystical land of Avalon" and was begun in 712AD. Then on to Barnstaple for Pub Dinner at
the 15th century Chichester Arms. Overnight North Devon. (B,D)
Day 5 - This morning we visit Arlington Court and Gardens, a 2700 acre estate nestling in the thickly wooded valley of
the River Yeo. The house contains model ships, tapestry, pewter and shells. The stable block houses one of the best
collections of 19th-century horse-drawn vehicles in the country and we will take a Carriage Ride around the grounds.
We'll then stop for a Traditional Devonshire Cream Tea at Sir George Newnes Tea Room. We then will take a
lovely coastal drop with stops in the lovely seaside villages of Ilfracombe and Combe Martin. Dinner at Williams
Arms Thatched Pub. Overnight North Devon. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - Today we start our day journeying toward Truro in Cornwall. We'll travel the coast line to Tintagel and the
romantic and mysterious ruins of Tintagel Castle overlooking the sea. Some believe this is the birthplace of the legendary
King Arthur. We will stop at Wadebridge for Tea at Carnewas Tearoom and Garden with the most spectacular
view in Cornwall. This afternoon finds us in at The Eden Project, an unforgettable experience in a breathtaking location.
This global garden is a place of beauty and wonder with 1,890 different species and cultivars. We are then off to Falmouth
for a Seafood Dinner at Hunky Dory. Overnight Falmouth. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Today we will take the Penwith Tour offering spectacular, remote Cornish landscape, dotted with relics of the tin
mining industry, picturesque fishing villages and prehistoric remains. Our first stop is Lanyon Quoit, a prehistoric
chambered tomb. We will stop in Penzance for lunch and some exploration. Following lunch we continue to The
Merry Maidens, a circle of 19 stones said to be girls turned to stone for dancing on Sunday. We also stop at Lands End,
Britain's most westerly point. We then return to Falmouth for dinner on your own. Overnight Falmouth. (B,L)
Day 8 - This morning we are on our way to Plymouth which is the regional capitol for Devon and Cornwall. In Plymouth we
will visit Mayflower Stone and Steps from where the Pilgrims set forth to the New World in 1620. We will stop for
Traditional Fish & Chips Lunch before continuing to Dartmoor region of Devon. We will take a Dart River Cruise
this afternoon from Totnes to Dartmouth. We will pass Sandridge House, designed by architect John Nash and the
lush Greenway Estate, once the home of Dame Agatha Christie and now belonging to the National Trust. Pub Dinner
and Overnight near Exeter. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Today will be spent in the Dartmoor National Park which provided the eerie background for Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles. Our first stop will be Buckland-in-the-Moor, one of the most
picturesque thatch and granite villages in Dartmoor. We'll drive through Dartmeet at the confluence of the East and
West Dart Rivers. We will stop for a Picnic Lunch before continuing our journey. The next stop is Grimspound, an
impressive site of bronze Age huts built 4,000 years ago! We will also stop at Becky Falls with its delightful woodland walks
and a viewing platform over the 72 foot falls. Dinner on your own. Overnight Near Exeter. (B,L)
Day 10 - Our first stop today is the Bicton Park Botanical Gardens. While here we will board the Bicton Woodland
Railway, developed in the early 1960s, it takes you on a 25 minute ride round the gardens and is the only 18" gauge railway
in Britain. Our next stop is Bennets Water Gardens. The 8 acres of gardens hasof the most outstanding displays of water
lilies in Britain with a Monet style Japanese Bridge as the centrepiece. We will Lunch in the Tearoom well known for their
Dorset Cream Tea. We will arrive in Dorchester with enough time to do some proper exploration before we gather for
Dinner in Thomas Hardy's Historic 16th Century Acorn Inn. Overnight Dorchester. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Today we visit Sherborne Old and New Castle. The "Old" Castle was built by the Bishop of Salisbury,
Roger de Caen sometime early in the 1100s. The Castle then stayed in Royal hands until 1354 when it was granted to the
Earl of Salisbury. In 1592 the Castle was leased to Sir Walter Raleigh who began to make it more comfortable before
changing his mind and beginning work on what would become the "New" Castle. Although it has experienced many change,
today it is a beautifully preserved Jacobean house. We will Take Tea at the Georgian Tearooms in Blandford Forum
before we visit Lulworth Castle. Lulworth, built in the early 17th Century as a hunting lodge, became a country house at
the heart of a large estate in order to entertain hunting parties for the King and Court. Dinner and Overnight
Dorchester. (B,L,D)
Day 12 -This morning we head west with our first stop at Stonehenge just outside of Salisbury. Stonehenge is Europe's
most famous prehistoric monument dating back to 3,000BC. We will spend some time exploring here before heading further
east to Winchester and Winchester Cathedral. Once in Winchester we stop for Afternoon Tea at Forte
Tearooms. Winchester Cathedral dates from 1079 with a church on this site since 648. Jane Austen is buried here and the
cathedral possesses the only diatonic ring of 14 church bells in the world, with a tenor (heaviest bell) weighing almost 2 tons.
We are then off to Windsor for an evening free in the city. Overnight Windsor. (B,L)
Day 13 - The town of Windsor is dwarfed by the enormous Windsor Castle. Before visiting the castle you will board an
Open Top Tour Bus for a tour of the city. After the tour of the city you will return to Windsor Castle for a tour.
Windsor is the oldest continuously inhabited royal residence in Britain and makes a lovely visit. Your bus tour ticket is good
for 24 hours of hop on and off service and you may use it as you take in the sites of the city. After a tour of the castle we meet
for Afternoon Tea at the Harte and Garter before an afternoon free in Windsor. Farewell Dinner and
Performance at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. The Theatre Royal has gained a reputation for the quality of its
productions and is currently one of Britain's leading theatres. Overnight Windsor. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - Return to London Heathrow for the journey home. (B)
upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in culture and history in the beautiful rural
Warwickshire Countryside, on the banks of the River Avon. Afternoon Tea at Benson's in Stratford. This
afternoon we visit Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Gardens. The beautiful thatched farmhouse was occupied by
descendants of the Hathaway family until it's purchase by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 1892 and still contains many
rare family items of furniture that date back to Anne's time. Welcoming Pub Dinner at the Shakespeare Tavern.
Overnight Chipping Campden. (L,D)
Day 2 - This morning you will want to explore this beautiful Old Cotswolds Market Town before we visit Badger's Hall
for Afternoon Tea in their quintessential English Tea Room. 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. After tea we visit Broadway and the
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! Back in Chipping Campden we will have Dinner at The Eight Bells, a traditional 14th century
Cotswolds Inn. Overnight Chipping Campden. (B,L,D)
Day 3 - Today our journey will take us to Winchecombe and Sudeley Castle and Gardens. Set against the beautiful
backdrop of the Cotswold Hills, Sudeley Castle is steeped in history. With royal connections spanning a thousand years,
it has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England’s past. We will stop for lunch at the Olde
Bakery Tea Room in Winchecombe. Then we are off to Malmesbury for Malmesbury Abbey and The Abbey
House Gardens. This unique garden is set against the backdrop of the Abbey with the River Inglebourne flowing
throughout. The 800 year old Abbey is magnificent and houses a Bible from the year 1407! Pub Dinner and Overnight
Malmesbury. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - This morning we are off to North Devon. On the way we will drive through Cheddar Gorge, a narrow winding
ravine with limestone rocks rising almost vertically on either side to a height of 400 feet! In the very heart of the famous
Cheddar Gorge you will find one of the most fascinating sights in Somerset, the Cheddar Sweet Kitchen. A tiny sweet
factory where visitors are invited in to watch craftsman at work. The Mizen family have been making sweets in this area for
five generations. Cheddar gives it's name to the rich cheese that was founded here. Further on we find Glastonbury and
Glastonbury Abbey. The Abbey presents itself as "traditionally the oldest above-ground Christian church in
the World" situated "in the mystical land of Avalon" and was begun in 712AD. Then on to Barnstaple for Pub Dinner at
the 15th century Chichester Arms. Overnight North Devon. (B,D)
Day 5 - This morning we visit Arlington Court and Gardens, a 2700 acre estate nestling in the thickly wooded valley of
the River Yeo. The house contains model ships, tapestry, pewter and shells. The stable block houses one of the best
collections of 19th-century horse-drawn vehicles in the country and we will take a Carriage Ride around the grounds.
We'll then stop for a Traditional Devonshire Cream Tea at Sir George Newnes Tea Room. We then will take a
lovely coastal drop with stops in the lovely seaside villages of Ilfracombe and Combe Martin. Dinner at Williams
Arms Thatched Pub. Overnight North Devon. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - Today we start our day journeying toward Truro in Cornwall. We'll travel the coast line to Tintagel and the
romantic and mysterious ruins of Tintagel Castle overlooking the sea. Some believe this is the birthplace of the legendary
King Arthur. We will stop at Wadebridge for Tea at Carnewas Tearoom and Garden with the most spectacular
view in Cornwall. This afternoon finds us in at The Eden Project, an unforgettable experience in a breathtaking location.
This global garden is a place of beauty and wonder with 1,890 different species and cultivars. We are then off to Falmouth
for a Seafood Dinner at Hunky Dory. Overnight Falmouth. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Today we will take the Penwith Tour offering spectacular, remote Cornish landscape, dotted with relics of the tin
mining industry, picturesque fishing villages and prehistoric remains. Our first stop is Lanyon Quoit, a prehistoric
chambered tomb. We will stop in Penzance for lunch and some exploration. Following lunch we continue to The
Merry Maidens, a circle of 19 stones said to be girls turned to stone for dancing on Sunday. We also stop at Lands End,
Britain's most westerly point. We then return to Falmouth for dinner on your own. Overnight Falmouth. (B,L)
Day 8 - This morning we are on our way to Plymouth which is the regional capitol for Devon and Cornwall. In Plymouth we
will visit Mayflower Stone and Steps from where the Pilgrims set forth to the New World in 1620. We will stop for
Traditional Fish & Chips Lunch before continuing to Dartmoor region of Devon. We will take a Dart River Cruise
this afternoon from Totnes to Dartmouth. We will pass Sandridge House, designed by architect John Nash and the
lush Greenway Estate, once the home of Dame Agatha Christie and now belonging to the National Trust. Pub Dinner
and Overnight near Exeter. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Today will be spent in the Dartmoor National Park which provided the eerie background for Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles. Our first stop will be Buckland-in-the-Moor, one of the most
picturesque thatch and granite villages in Dartmoor. We'll drive through Dartmeet at the confluence of the East and
West Dart Rivers. We will stop for a Picnic Lunch before continuing our journey. The next stop is Grimspound, an
impressive site of bronze Age huts built 4,000 years ago! We will also stop at Becky Falls with its delightful woodland walks
and a viewing platform over the 72 foot falls. Dinner on your own. Overnight Near Exeter. (B,L)
Day 10 - Our first stop today is the Bicton Park Botanical Gardens. While here we will board the Bicton Woodland
Railway, developed in the early 1960s, it takes you on a 25 minute ride round the gardens and is the only 18" gauge railway
in Britain. Our next stop is Bennets Water Gardens. The 8 acres of gardens hasof the most outstanding displays of water
lilies in Britain with a Monet style Japanese Bridge as the centrepiece. We will Lunch in the Tearoom well known for their
Dorset Cream Tea. We will arrive in Dorchester with enough time to do some proper exploration before we gather for
Dinner in Thomas Hardy's Historic 16th Century Acorn Inn. Overnight Dorchester. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Today we visit Sherborne Old and New Castle. The "Old" Castle was built by the Bishop of Salisbury,
Roger de Caen sometime early in the 1100s. The Castle then stayed in Royal hands until 1354 when it was granted to the
Earl of Salisbury. In 1592 the Castle was leased to Sir Walter Raleigh who began to make it more comfortable before
changing his mind and beginning work on what would become the "New" Castle. Although it has experienced many change,
today it is a beautifully preserved Jacobean house. We will Take Tea at the Georgian Tearooms in Blandford Forum
before we visit Lulworth Castle. Lulworth, built in the early 17th Century as a hunting lodge, became a country house at
the heart of a large estate in order to entertain hunting parties for the King and Court. Dinner and Overnight
Dorchester. (B,L,D)
Day 12 -This morning we head west with our first stop at Stonehenge just outside of Salisbury. Stonehenge is Europe's
most famous prehistoric monument dating back to 3,000BC. We will spend some time exploring here before heading further
east to Winchester and Winchester Cathedral. Once in Winchester we stop for Afternoon Tea at Forte
Tearooms. Winchester Cathedral dates from 1079 with a church on this site since 648. Jane Austen is buried here and the
cathedral possesses the only diatonic ring of 14 church bells in the world, with a tenor (heaviest bell) weighing almost 2 tons.
We are then off to Windsor for an evening free in the city. Overnight Windsor. (B,L)
Day 13 - The town of Windsor is dwarfed by the enormous Windsor Castle. Before visiting the castle you will board an
Open Top Tour Bus for a tour of the city. After the tour of the city you will return to Windsor Castle for a tour.
Windsor is the oldest continuously inhabited royal residence in Britain and makes a lovely visit. Your bus tour ticket is good
for 24 hours of hop on and off service and you may use it as you take in the sites of the city. After a tour of the castle we meet
for Afternoon Tea at the Harte and Garter before an afternoon free in Windsor. Farewell Dinner and
Performance at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. The Theatre Royal has gained a reputation for the quality of its
productions and is currently one of Britain's leading theatres. Overnight Windsor. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - Return to London Heathrow for the journey home. (B)
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