Highlights
- Visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum, Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm and William Wordsworth’s home
- Become a dessert connoisseur at the world famous Pudding Club
- Explore the Cotswolds, Snowdonia National Park and the Lake District
Itinerary
Day 1 – London – Oxford – Cotswolds
We’ll leave the capital behind for the ‘dreaming spires’ of Oxford, where a guided walking tour awaits. Then, it’s off to the Cotswolds, where we’ll spend some time wandering around charming villages full of honey-coloured cottages. Tonight’s dinner is at the world famous Pudding Club. (D)
Day 2 – Cotswolds – Stratford upon Avon – Cotswolds
There’s plenty of time to enjoy this morning at your leisure before we leave to visit Stratford-upon-Avon. This medieval market town is famous as the 16th-century birthplace of William Shakespeare. (B)
Day 3 – Cotswolds – Worcester – Denbighshire
This morning we’ll follow the crusades of saints and kings as we tour Worcester Cathedral. Our road then turns towards the rugged, ancient landscapes of Wales. This evening, we’ll dine together in Denbighshire. (B, D)
Day 4 – Denbighshire – Snowdonia National Park – Denbighshire
It’s time to soak up the splendour of Snowdonia National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Tonight, we’ll meet back at the hotel for a delicious dinner. (B, D)
Day 5 – Denbighshire – Chester – Haworth – York
Today’s walking tour of Chester will take us along streets lined with striking black-and-white Tudor buildings. After paying homage to some of Britain’s literary greats at the Brontë Parsonage Museum at Haworth, we’ll continue on to York. (B)
Day 6 – York
This morning, your Tour Leader will introduce you to the Old Town of York before leaving you free to explore for the rest of the day. (B)
Day 7 – York – Castle Howard – Lake District
Today we’ll experience the glory days of the English country estate at Castle Howard. Our path then takes us through Yorkshire Dales National Park where we’ll pass rivers, tiny villages and centuries-old stone walls. The spectacular conclusion to the day’s journey is the Lake District. (B, D)
Day 8 – Lake District
Our first stop on the shores of Lake Windermere is Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm – the place where she wrote many of her beloved children’s stories. We’ll also visit Hawkshead Grammar School before dropping by Dove Cottage, which was once home to William Wordsworth. This afternoon, we’ll take to the water on a lake cruise before returning to our accommodation for a relaxing evening. (B)
Day 9 – Lake District – Scottish Borders
Today we’ll visit Birdoswald Roman Fort before arriving at the Scottish Borders. A traditional Scottish dinner of haggis and a piper demonstration will provide us with a grand ending to our final night. (B, D)
Day 10 – Scottish Borders – Abbortsford – Rosslyn Chapel – Edinburgh
We’ll visit Abbotsford House and Rosslyn Chapel before reaching Edinburgh, where our tour ends. (B)
Images courtesy of Back-Roads Touring
BR-BEHHBLE
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