ALL SAMPLE ITINERARIES CAN BE TAILORED TO SUIT YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU -

ITINERARY 1 - 13days/12nights

DAY 1
Arrive London (Heathrow) where you will be met by your tour guide and escorted to your coach.

Leave the airport and take a leisurely drive south-west to the cathedral city of Salisbury. Your guide will conduct a tour of
Salisbury Cathedral—a magnificent Gothic Cathedral boasting Britain’s tallest spire. Take some time to explore the beautiful
houses in Cathedral Close, and then after an early lunch break, continue driving into Devon and via Dartmoor to the historic maritime town of Plymouth where you will spend the first night of your tour.
OVERNIGHT PLYMOUTH

DAY 2
Leave Plymouth and drive into Cornwall and to the pretty town of Fowey where there will be some time to explore the narrow lanes
and harbourside before driving to the nearby village of Charlestown which was developed by a local landowner as a Georgian ‘new town’ during the end of the 18th century for the export of tin and copper. Although still a working port, Charlestown is also home to a number of historic ships which are often used for film projects, and has remained remained largely untouched for nearly 300 years.

From Charlestown, continue your drive westward through the Cornish countryside and to St. Ives where you will spend the next
two nights.
OVERNIGHT ST. IVES

DAY 3
A full day tour visiting the bustling town of Penzance located on Mounts Bay which is dominated by the romantic St. Michael’s Mount — a tiny, rocky island which is linked to the mainland by a causeway and which has been home to the St. Aubyn family for over 300 years. Subject to tides, there will be an opportunity to visit St. Michael’s Mount before heading via Helston to Truro, Cornwall’s only city. From Truro take the passenger ferry down the River Fal to Trelissick, one of the finest gardens in England. Time to explore before your coach picks you up to drive back towards St. Ives, allowing you time to enjoy the town which has become a haven for artists from all over the world. Explore the narrow streets, full of galleries, and perhaps have dinner in one of the town’s excellent restaurants before returning to your
hotel.
OVERNIGHT ST. IVES

DAY 4
Leave St. Ives after breakfast and drive back through Cornwall, picking up the ‘Atlantic Highway’ along the north coast. A short stop in Padstow—made famous by its association with the world famous chef, Rick Stein—and then continue via Bude, on into Devon and to Barnstaple, the ‘capital’ of North Devon. Some time here for shopping and lunch before heading off to Exmoor and to the ‘twin’ villages of Lynton and Lynmouth. Lynton is a lovely village, known to the Victorians as ‘Little Switzerland’, and is linked to the small harbour of Lynmouth by an ingenious cliff railway.

Drive on along the coast into Somerset—take a short stop at Watchet, a delightful, small town with an attractive marina, and then head north via the motorway, passing Bristol and continuing into the Cotswold region where you will spend the night.
OVERNIGHT COTSWOLDS REGION

DAY 5
A full day touring the lovely Cotswold region—one of the prettiest areas in the country. Visit the ‘chocolate box’ villages of Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold and Moreton in Marsh before returning to your hotel via the elegant Georgian spa town of Cheltenham.
OVERNIGHT COTSWOLD REGION

DAY 6
Head north via the motorway to Barlaston to visit the world-famous Wedgwood factory, the finest china factory in England. Tour the Visitor Centre and take the opportunity to visit the factory shop which also stocks Waterford Crystal.

A short drive to the historic walled city of Chester—founded by the Romans who named it Deva—and time to explore the city
centre where you can still see some Roman remains, and maybe walk the walls or spend some time shopping in what is considered one of the best shopping areas in the North West.

From Chester, drive up the Wirral Peninsular to Birkenhead and then via the Mersey Tunnel into Liverpool—one of the most famous cities in the country. A brief panoramic tour of the 2008 City of Culture, which has undergone huge re-generation during the past few years, and then continue northward and into the Lake District—perhaps the most beautiful region in the country—and to your hotel.
OVERNIGHT LAKE DISTRICT

DAY 7
A full day’s touring in the Lake District. Enjoy a cruise on Lake Windermere—the largest natural lake in England—and spend some time in Grasmere where you will visit Dove Cottage, where William Wordsworth, one of the finest poets England has produced, spent 8 years. Tour the Western Lakes—an area that is less visited than Windermere and Grasmere — and Cockermouth, a beautiful Georgian town and the actual birthplace of William Wordsworth. Head south to Ravenglass and take a trip on the narrow gauge railway, the Ravenglass-Eskdale Railway, before returning to your hotel.
OVERNIGHT LAKE DISTRICT

DAY 8
Head north across the border into Scotland; a brief stop at Gretna before continuing via Moffat, to Edinburgh, Scotland’s magnificent capital city. Balance of day free.
OVERNIGHT EDINBURGH

DAY 9
This morning there will be a guided tour of Edinburgh which will include a visit to Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence when in Scotland. Edinburgh is a fascinating mix with the Old and New Towns. The Old Town is dominated by the Royal Mile which stretches from the Castle, perched high above the city on its rocky crag, down to Holyroodhouse. See the narrow Wynds (alleyways) that run between the streets, imposing St. Giles Cathedral, and the new Scottish Parliament
building. The New Town is a magnificent example of Georgian architecture and town planning, built on the ‘grid’ system, and is home to the city’s shopping centre.

This afternoon can be spent at leisure in the city or for those that wish to drive the short distance to the port of Leith, a visit to the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA can be organised. The Yacht was ‘home’ to the Queen on numerous overseas visits until it was
de-commissioned and gives a fascinating glimpse into how the Royal Family lived whilst on board.

DAY 10
Drive south from Edinburgh, back across the border into Scotland, and to Durham where there will be time to explore this historic city which is set in a bend of the River Wear. Visit Durham Cathedral—a masterpiece of Norman architecture—and see Durham Castle, which is now part of the university.

From Durham, drive into Yorkshire and via the North Yorkshire Moors to the city of York—considered to be the finest mediaeval walled city in Europe—which has been the country’s Northern spiritual ‘capital’ for 2000 years. The city is dominated by magnificent York Minster, famed for its beautiful stained glass. Explore the maze of narrow streets, the Shambles, that twist through the centre of the city and where you can enjoy the fine shops and restaurants.
OVERNIGHT YORK

DAY 11
Drive from York to the attractive market town of Beverley, crossing the river Humber into Lincolnshire and to Stamford where there will be a short stop before visiting nearby Burghley, the finest Elizabethan house in the country. Built by William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth I’s trusted adviser, the house is full of magnificent treasures and is set amongst beautiful parkland and gardens.

From Burghley continue eastward into Norfolk and to your hotel.
OVERNIGHT NORFOLK

DAY 12
A full day’s touring in Norfolk visiting Sandringham House, the favourite country residence of the Royal Family, the attractive town of Swaffham (recently used as the location for the TV series KINGDOM) and Norwich, the county town and the most complete mediaeval city in England. The cathedral boasts the largest cloisters in the country and charming Elm Hill, with its timber-framed houses, is a delight.

Return to your hotel via the coastal towns of Cromer, Wells Next The Sea and Holkham.
OVERNIGHT NORFOLK

DAY 13

Drive to the university city of Cambridge where there will be the opportunity to take a walking tour around the historic colleges and visit beautiful Kings College Chapel. Some free time before continuing towards London and to Heathrow for your return flight. Subject to the time of the return flight, an afternoon visit to Windsor Castle could be included.

Tour terminates at Heathrow Airport.