Prepare for a back-roads adventure that journeys deep into Britain’s history and culture. In England trace the footsteps of writers and poets, while in North Wales and Scotland, the journey will take in spectacular scenery and dramatic castles.
Day 1: Arrive in London. A driver will meet and transfer you from the airport to the hotel. Overlooking Buckingham Palace and within easy walking distance to Victoria Station, the historic hotel has been fully renovated and offers a host of restaurants and bars.
Day 2: Today you will journey to the ancient Neolithic monument at Stonehenge during the day and explore the fantastic lights of London during the evening. See some of the best views and notable landmarks in London beautifully lit up against the night sky.
Day 3: This morning, meet your fellow group of travelers and leave the capital behind. Set course for the ‘dreaming spires’ of Oxford – where a walking tour awaits. Next, off to the Cotswolds to spend time exploring charming villages full of honey-colored cottages. Tonight’s dinner at the world-famous Pudding Club promises to be a memorable one!
Accommodations for the evening are at a warm, welcoming, comfortable and quirky Cotswold village hotel.
Day 4: There will be plenty of time to enjoy this morning at your leisure before boarding the mini-coach. Make tracks to Stratford-upon-Avon – the picturesque Tudor market town where William Shakespeare was born.
Day 5: After breakfast it’s time to discover more about the crusades of saints and kings on a tour of Worcester Cathedral before the road turns towards the rugged ancient landscapes of Wales. Wales is known for its natural beauty and quaint Welsh charm. The scenic countryside features rugged windswept coastlines, deep lush valleys, and ancient castles. This evening includes dinner together in Denbighshire.
Day 6: Prepare for a soul-stirring sight this morning – the magnificent Snowdonia National Park (an area of outstanding natural beauty) is our next stop. Tonight, we’ll meet back at the hotel for a sumptuous gastropub dinner.
Day 7: Today’s itinerary has a distinctly musical theme. After breakfast, leave Wales behind and move on to Liverpool – the welcoming (and fiercely proud) city that gave birth to The Beatles. What better way to get into the ‘Beatlemania’ spirit than with a bus tour and visit to The Beatles Story museum.
Day 8: Start the day with a walking tour of the Old Town. York is a history lover’s dream destination. An impressive circuit of 13th-century walls continues to encircle the city and its web of narrow medieval streets lined with chic cafes, specialist shops and an excellent range of museums and galleries.
The hotel this evening is located in York’s city center. It features a brassiere, the Dewnaps, serving traditional Yorkshire menu options, and The Wellington Bar for after dinner drinks.
Day 9: Today rewind to the glory days of the English country estate with a tour of magnificent Castle Howard. Journey through Yorkshire Dales National Park, passing by rivers, tiny villages and centuries-old stone walls. The invigorating Lake District will be the spectacular conclusion to the day’s journey.
Accommodations for the evening are located on the shore of Lake Windermere. Here you will find the ideal location for a relaxing getaway.
Day 10: The first stop on the shores of Lake Windermere will be Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm – the place where she wrote many of her beloved children’s stories. Visit Hawkshead Grammar School, which was attended by none other than William Wordsworth, before dropping by his former home, Dove Cottage. This afternoon, there will be just enough time to take to the water on a lake cruise before returning to hotel for the evening.
Day 11: Today visit Birdoswald Roman Fort in Cumbria before pressing on to the Scottish Borders. Scotland is a land of hilltop castles, formidable fortresses, and mist-cloaked glens. A traditional haggis dinner and bagpipe demonstration will be a grand ending.
Tonight the hotel is a country house with elegant interior features set in 45 acres Dumfriesshire estate including woodland and extending down to the banks of the River Nith.
Day 12: After breakfast, make stops at the grand Abbotsford House and beautiful Rosslyn Chapel before reaching Edinburgh, where the tour will finish.
For the final evening of the trip, after saying goodbye to the group, a driver will meet and transfer you to the five star boutique hotel just twenty minutes from the airport and a ten minute walk to central Edinburgh. The hotel has a restaurant serving food available all day, offering a spin on classic Scottish dishes alongside timeless favorites. The vintage whisky cabinet is a connoisseur’s dream of rare and vintage single malts and blends; while the selection of artisan gins means you could stay for a week and never have the same G&T twice.
Day 13: After breakfast, a driver will transfer you to the Edinburgh airport for the return flight home.
Cairn Travels 