Val
Edwards and Myra Higgins Call +44(0)117 924 5757 / +44(0)117 968
1350 email
us
Tour Britain - Choosing your Itinerary..............
"A tailor-made tour suited to our interests and schedules without the hassle of renting a car, reading maps and driving on the
opposite side of the road"
John Eaton - Marshfield Hills, MA, USA
With literally hundreds of places to see and things to do, we need to ascertain your personal preferences, so we can
prepare an individual itinerary especially for you.
Interested in transport? Try a ride on a preserved railway or visit vehicle and aircraft museum collections
The Antiques Trail – so many exciting items to see and buy
Take a country walk to a pub for lunch, a visit to the theatre or concert hall
Tracing your ancestors? - we could probably help
Some suggestions of trips from Bristol
The Roman City of Bath - A
world heritage city – with so much to see!
The Roman Baths
The elegant
Pump Room is "a must"
Regency Assembly Rooms
The
c15th Bath Abbey
The Splendid Royal Crescent
Nearby Bradford -on-Avon with its Saxon Church and 14th
Century Tithe Barn
Exmoor National Park
-
Famed for its wildlife and hardy little ponies
The isolated moorland scenery is spectacular, with pretty villages to
explore
We could take in Dunster with its Woollen Yarn Market and hilltop Castle
The
lonely Doone Valley (the setting for R D Blackmore’s book ‘Lorna Doone’) and.....
Some
picture postcard villages with thatched cottages and coastal villages with stunning sea views
The Cotswolds -
A memorable tour of quintessentially English towns and villages we can
select to see
Cottage gardens
Historic houses as well as strolling through the picturesque streets
Browsing the exquisite little shops and honey-coloured stone built houses
that typify the area. It’s a "must do" day out
Bristol -
An important historic port
with its harbour at its centre
Bristol is now the
economic centre of the West of England
John Cabot sailed from
here in 1497 in the ‘Matthew’ (you may see the replica ship) and discovered North America
We can wander along King Street
to see where men were press-ganged and where inspiration came for the novels 'Robinson Crusoe' and 'Treasure Island'
With Brunel's famous Suspension
Bridge and SS Great Britain to view, there's plenty to see and do
Somerset -
Cheddar Gorge and Cheese Factory
Wells Cathedral – the smallest city in
England
Glastonbury – the Abbey, Chalice Well and
Tor
Iron age lakeland dwellers site
The Legends of King Arthur -
Explore
the myths and legends of King Arthur – we’ll spend time at Glastonbury Abbey founded by Joseph of Arimathea who was claimed to be the man who took down
Jesus’s body for burial and brought the chalice cup from the Last Supper to Britain. King Arthur and his wife Guinevere were buried at the abbey
We’ll see the Chalice Well where legend says that the cup is
hidden and from where water with a reddish colour (blood?) is seen
We can walk up Glastonbury Tor to see the countryside Arthur would
have known. Camelot – King Arthur’s ‘castle’ is said to be at Cadbury in South Somerset – we’ll visit this hill-top fort and walk where the
Knights of the Round Table waited until orders came to ride out with their king
We could visit Winchester here the Round Table can be
seen
Cathedrals -
With several magnificent cathedrals in
this area, we can arrange a visit to include some of these wonderful ecclesiastical buildings with their ancient treasures
Choose from
Wells – magnificent West elevation and historic clock
Salisbury – the tallest spire in
England and home of the Magna Carta
Gloucester – superb c13th window –
also a location for the Harry Potter films
Hereford – home of the Mappa Mundi
dated 1290– the first map of the worldand
the priceless, 1500 volume chained library
Worcester – houses the tomb of King
John and the Civil War Museum is nearby
Ancient Stone Circles-
Stonehenge (5000 year old), sited on Salisbury Plain, is will see a
truly awe-inspiring and thought-provoking place.
Avebury Circle with 200 standing stones is the largest megalithic
ceremonial monument in Europe.
Nearer to Bristol there is a smaller circle at Stanton Drew,
complete with a Cove.
South Wales -
There are mixed interest possibilities after we cross the Bristol
Channel into the Principality of Wales
Caerwent, the very first Roman town in Wales
Chepstow has the first Norman stone Castle
Tintern Abbey is the first Cistercian abbey in Wales and was begun c125
For book lovers we can call at Hay on Wye – a small town crammed
with second hand book shops
Then
there are the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons
"The country of Wales needs Myra and Val as PR agents! From the picture-perfect town of Hay-on-Wye to the
ancient Roman ruins of Caerwent we found Wales to be more scenic and more interesting than we expected. These are places we would never have been able to
find on our own and are off the tourist path.
MaryLou Ventre - Scituate, MA, USA
Wiltshire -
First stop: an idyllic “picture-book” village, which typifies the
postcard impression of England.
Quaint old cottages, a stone canopied market cross, delightful church and
triple arched bridge over the stream await our visitors.
The film Doctor Doolittle was made on location here.
Next, a fabulously preserved small medieval town with
buildings dating back to the 13th century - prosperous times when wool was a major commodity.The
National Trust owns most of this village, including the abbey. One of the foremost pioneers of photography, William Henry Fox-Talbot, lived here, and there
is a museum of his work in the 16th century barn.
Finally, stand in the room where Joseph Priestly
discovered oxygen in 1774. The house is long, low and classical, beautifully proportioned and set in about 100 acres of stunning grounds - with its
centrepiece 40 acre lake - landscaped by Capability Brown in the 1760s.
Uffington Horse from the air
Wiltshire White Horse
The Uffington Horse is the oldest surviving horse, about 3000 years old
detail of the horse's head on the chalk hill
Longleat House
-
This is one of the grand houses of
England. Built in Elizabethan times in Italian Renaissance style, this estate also comes complete with a Capability Brown landscape. The house is festooned
with gorgeous decorations, from gilded and painted Italian ceilings to inland marquetry work and sumptuous marble. The rooms are full of treasures from
early 16th century tapestries and paintings. Rare books and manuscripts located in the Library include the first folio of Shakespeare and
letters of Queen Elizabeth I.
Oxford -
One of the most famous university cities in Britain. We can show you
some of the many colleges and historic churches and buildings before, perhaps, enjoying a quiet walk by one of the rivers
Outside the city we can visit the grand c18th Blenheim Palace
birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill – Also his tomb at the little church in Blagdon
Additional places we could consider in the area are Burford- a charming Cotswold town and the Great Coxwell Barn
Shakespeare Country and the Heart of
England -
Stratford-upon-Avon, the home of William Shakespeare, is a market town located on the River Avon.
Our tour will take in his birthplace and
museum; Mary Arden’s House (his mother's home), which is now an excellent farming museum; Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (home of his wife before they married).
It is a charming building with a fine garden.
Finally we’ll look at his burial place
in the parish church.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre. We could book seats
for a matine performance at the RST
Warwick Castle is a formidable c14th
stronghold – there’s lots to explore here.
Overnight Tours
In Plymouth, you can actually call in at the
hostelries frequented by Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh. See where the Pilgrim Fathers left England for America in 1620. And where The Golden Hind
shipped with Sir Walter Raleigh to circumnavigate the globe for the first time in 1577, and also where he left to fight the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Feel the desolation of nearby Dartmoor, a
granite plateau - remote and rugged but with peaceful wooded valleys - a contrasting landscape. Widecombe in the Moor is a good example of an isolated moor
community.
Whatever you choose, we mustn't forget to try
a Devon Cream Tea: scones with strawberry or raspberry jam and clotted cream.
Cornwall –
the southwest peninsula of England – has its own beauty, and the rugged
north coast boasts the best surfing beaches in the UK. The coastal landscapes are superb: the south coast
provides visitors with a host of quaint harbours, sea inlets and broad beaches to explore. There is something compelling about standing on the most
south-westerly point of the Britain.
The Eden Project is a New Millennium project
where plants from all over the world are housed in giant biomes. Because it only opened in 2001, the plants have some way to go before maturity; however,
it’s worth a visit for those so inclined. Cornwall boasts numerous exquisite houses and gardens that are open to the public – for garden lovers we’ll
have no difficulty preparing a horticultural extravaganza.
Dorset – The Jurassic Coast and
Countryside -
Visit the quaint old smugglers town of
Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep filmed The French Lieutenant’s Woman; this picturesque town is also featured in Jane Austen's Persuasion after she stayed
there in 1803/4. This coastline is well known for fossils – you may want to wander along the stony beaches in search of these.
We can view Poole Harbour; visit the famous
Poole pottery factory shop and then cross by chain ferry to the Isle of Purbeck.
At Lulworth Cove, you can see how the erosion
has eaten into the rocks and visit the Castle ruins at nearby Corfe.
The author Thomas Hardy was born locally, and
the cottages where he was born and later lived are open to visitors.
Also, the Tolpuddle Martyrs – pioneer trade
unionists - are commemorated at their museum in the village of Tolpuddle.
In the ancient town of Shaftesbury, we can
probably see Britain's most photographed street, and at Sherborne, the castle and abbey can also be included in your itinerary.
The New Forest -
It is
far from new! It was established as preserved woodland for hunting in the time of William the Conqueror over 900 years ago and covers over 90,000 acres, it
is home to the hardy New Forest ponies that wander freely through the ancient oak and beech trees.
Nearby is Beaulieu, home of the National Motor Museum with over 250
vehicles. Beaulieu Abbey and grounds is also worth a visit with its variety of attractions.
We should also visit Bucklers Hard, where the maritime museum shows
how this village was once a major shipbuilding centre for about 100 years starting in 1745.
In this area we could visit Winchester – you can see the cathedral
and the Great Hall, which houses the 18-foot Round Table of King Arthur fame.
Themed VisitsHere are just a few ideas – let us know your interests
Antiques Trail
-
Browse through selected antiques shops, arcades and emporiums to
find something of interest to buy or ship home. We’ll try to choose the locations to suit any specific interests you have.
Theatre Visit -
Take in an evening performance at the Bristol Hippodrome or historic
Bristol Old Vic Theatre (the oldest theatre in England) or Theatre Royal, Bath.
Transport Museums -
Visit nearby museums for cars, aircraft, army tanks and helicopters.
The Naval Dockyard at Portsmouth houses the 400 year old‘Mary Rose’ which was recently lifted from the sea
bed, HMS Warrior –the earliest iron warship and Nelson’s flagship c18th ‘Victory’. A harbour boat tour is optional.
The Life and Times of Jane Austen -
Jane Austen, the author of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’ to name but two of her novels,
lived in Hampshire and Bath.
Wales Mining History -
Visit Big Pit: National Coal Museum
Go 300 ft. underground with a real miner and see what life was like for the thousands of men who worked at the coal
face.
The
list of places to see and things to do is endless….. we’re here to help - just email
Historic Houses and Gardens - With
many properties and gardens in the area beautifully With
many properties and gardens in the area beautifully
We could visit Barrington Court, a c16th century house with Gertrude
Jekyll designed gardens,
The medieval house at Lytes Cary,
Romantic gardens at Tintinhull House and
The Elizabethan mansion house at Montacute with superb paintings and
furniture.
The restored gardens at Hestercombe House might be another choice, as
could
The medieval ruins of Farleigh Hungerford castle
Wilton House, near Salisbury is a "must do" with its priceless
furnishings and paintings.
Thomas Hardy’s Wessex Country -
The author Thomas
Hardy lived in Dorset, so we can visit his cottage and birthplace as well as some of the locations featured in his novels.There are pretty villages to photograph and glorious countryside to see as well as the prehistoric Giant of Cerne Abbas.
Tyntesfield -
A spectacular Victorian house and estate
surrounded by 500 acres of landscaped gardens.
Opened to the public recently - experience the
property in the early stages of its renovation
A Local day out...............For a shorter day out we could visit one or two of the
following places-
Clevedon Court - c14th manor house
, Clevedon Pier, a beautifully restored c19th pier in this pretty Victorian seaside town.
Berkeley Castle – dates from
1117 – King Edward II was murdered here.
Edward Jenner Museum – shows the history of human vaccination -especially smallpox
.
Slimbridge Wildfowl Centre –
home to thousands of migrating birds, on the banks of the River Severn – a must for bird watchers.
The more you let us know about
what's of interest to you, the better we will be able to prepare your personal itinerary and fit in as many attractions as we can. Alternatively, you can just
tell us which of these recommended tours you would like to experience and we will build a tour especially for you.