A Cotswolds Weekend 25th - 28th July 2025 - FULL

                              Join us on this varied and interesting tour based at the 4* Blunsden House Hotel, Swindon.    

                                     The highlights of the weekend will be a visit to Sudeley Castle & Gardens, SS Great Britain & Rugby School.                                                                         

ITINERARY

Day 1:  After the pick-ups we will travel towards Swindon stopping at Croome Court (NT) for our visit of the weekend. There’s more than meets the eye at Croome. Owned by the Coventry family since the 16th century, Croome has a fascinating history. The Coventrys used their wealth – from successes as statesmen and lawyers, colonial connections and advantageous marriages – to create this magnificent place.

A secret wartime airbase, now a visitor centre, was once a hub of activity for thousands of people. Outside is the grandest of English landscapes, ‘Capability’ Brown’s masterful first commission, with commanding views over the Malverns. The parkland was nearly lost, but is now great for walks and adventures with a surprise around every corner. At the heart of the park lies Croome Court, once home to the Earls of Coventry with four floors to explore. The 6th Earl of Coventry was an 18th century trend-setter and today Croome follows his lead by using artists and craftspeople in the house to tell the story of its eclectic past in inventive ways, perfect for making new discoveries..After our visit to Croome we continue to the Blunsden House Hotel, Swindon for check-in and dinner.

Days 2-4: Sudeley Castle & Gardens:  Home to Elizabeth, Lady Ashcombe and the Dent-Brocklehurst family, Sudeley Castle and Gardens is a Tudor jewel with 1,000 years of history, formal gardens, events, tours and exhibitions.  Sudeley is the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within its grounds – Katherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s six wives. Today visitors can explore the intimate 15th-century church where she lies entombed. The castle rooms and exhibits contain many fascinating treasures, from ancient Roman times to the present day.  Outside, the castle is surrounded by a breath-taking 1,200-acre estate and ten award-winning gardens. The centrepiece is the Queens Garden, so named because four of England’s queens – Anne Boleyn, Katherine Parr, Lady Jane Grey and Elizabeth I – once walked upon the original Tudor Parterre.

SS Great Britain: Voyage back in time at Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner. As Bristol’s No.1 Visitor Attraction (TripAdvisor 2025) Brunel’s SS Great Britain Bristol offers an unforgettable day out for families, history fanatics and engineering enthusiasts alike.  Designed by famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the iconic steamship SS Great Britain is at the heart of this multi award-winning visitor attraction. Step aboard the ship to explore the sights, smells and sounds of Victorian life at sea. Discover the ships incredible story and the man behind the design in two interactive museums and go ‘underwater’ for a unique view of the ship’s original iron hull in the Dry Dock. 

Bristol: A city straddling the River Avon in the southwest of England with a prosperous maritime history. Its former city-centre port is now a cultural hub, the Harbourside, where the M Shed museum explores local social and industrial heritage. The harbour's 19th-century warehouses now contain restaurants, shops and cultural institutions such as contemporary art gallery The Arnolfini

Cotswold Farm Park: Sitting in the heart of the Cotswolds, Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park has a long-standing reputation for a fun-filled day out. Visitors of all ages can interact closely with the animals and learn about farming, past and present. As the home of rare breed conservation, visitors can meet over 50 flocks and herds of farm animals, including Gloucestershire Old Spot Pigs, Suffolk Punch Horses and Highland cattle. The Animal Barn, Adventure Barn and Discovery Barn can be enjoyed all year round, as they are under cover and protected from the elements. The on-site restaurant, serving locally sourced seasonal food and Adam Henson’s own beer, is a hit with the all ages. There’s plenty to offer outside the Farm Park too. Experience the stunning diversity of animals and plants by completing our two mile wildlife walk.

Historic Rugby School:   One of the oldest public schools in England it is steeped in a fascinating history and positively crammed with old world charm, a tour of Rugby School and its museum is not to be missed. Top of many international visitors’ ‘must–see’ venues in the UK, the grand school buildings and hallowed rugby ground alone never fail to impress. In fact, there’s so much to see, a tour of the school’s highlights takes up to two hours with one of our knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides. After the tour you will be treated to afternoon tea.  After visiting Rugby School we will make our way back to the Manchester Area, arriving early evening.

Your Hotel: Blunsden House Hotel, Swindon -  Blunsdon House is a 4* independent hotel with fantastic leisure facilities. Our hotel is set in 30 acres of beautifully maintained grounds with views to the Cotswolds. Relax beside green fields and country views, that you won't have to pay for in journey time. Located in the heart of the hotel all rooms include: King or Queen size beds, en-suite bathroom with power shower, heated towel rail & hairdryer, 32” LCD TV’s, FREE high speed internet access, tea & coffee making facilities and a working desk with ergonomic leather chair. Blunsdon House Hotel | Luxury 4 Star Hotel in Swindon

 Price per person (Based on 2 Adults sharing Twin/Double Room):

• Member Plus Adult - £439
• Member Adult - £454                    
• Non Member Adult - £469                 
• Single Supplement - £93

Price Includes:

• 3 Nights Accommodation including Full English Breakfast and 3-course, choice menu dinner with tea/coffee
• Executive Coach & Professional Tour Driver throughout the tour as per itinerary                   
• Entry to Croome Court 
• Entry to Cotswold Farm Park
• Entry to Sudeley Castle & Gardens
• Entry to SS Great Britain & Free Time in Bristol
• Tour of the Rugby School with Afternoon Tea    

Not Included:

• Single Supplement
• Any items of a personal nature such as meals, drinks, etc
• Guide/Driver Gratuities
• Travel Insurance

For further details and bookings, you can either use the  or contact  Bob Walker

Please include your Name, Home Address, Contact Telephone Number, Membership Number and the Number Places Required (Member/Non-Member)

                                  Walking or Leisure in The Malverns 28th - 31st March 2025 - FULL

Join us on this tour based at the Abbey Hotel at Great Malvern. Great Malvern has been recognised as a tourism destination since the days of the Victorian Water Cure which is very evident with all the Victorian architecture across the town. People used to visit from far and wide to take Malvern Spring Water for medicinal purposes in the form of hydrotherapy, including Florence Nightingale, Charles Dickens, and Charles Darwin.

ITINERARY

Day 1:  After the pick-ups we will travel towards Great Malvern stopping at Upton upon Severn for our first walk of the weekend. This 5.7 mls clockwise circular walk starts and ends in the car park in Upton upon Severn. The paths and tracks are generally good throughout, but some of them do go through wooded areas or across fields and these may be muddy or wet depending on the ground conditions on the day.

For the non-walkers there will be time at leisure in Upton Upon Severn to explore its unique and varied history which you can discover at Tudor House Museum and The Pepperpot Heritage Centre with stories, artefacts and photographs from days gone by.  The Battle of Upton – one of the final battles in the English Civil War took place on 28 August 1651 a few days prior to the final Battle of Worcester. After our visit to Upton Upon Severn we continue to the Abbey Hotel, Great Malvern for check-in and dinner.

Day 2: After Breakfast we travel by coach to the starting point of our linear walk from Little Malvern (British Camp car park) to Gt Malvern via the Malvern Hills (6 mls approx) back to the Abbey Hotel. This is a fairly challenging walk and does involve significant uphill sections, but the views along the way are certainly worth the effort !

For the non-walkers you will have a day at leisure to explore Great Malvern. Head to Malvhina fountain in Great Malvern where you can sample some Malvern Water straight from the hills. With the increase in travellers, the Winter Gardens now Malvern Theatres opened in 1885 to entertain the wealthy. The Theatre became famous for its George Bernard Shaw productions along with the works of Sir Edward Elgar. Today, Malvern Theatres hosts world-class theatre productions straight from the West End as well as music, comedy, children’s entertainment and much more! There is a Town walk (approx 1.2 mls)  which takes in many of the fine buildings to be found around Great Malvern, many with connections to the Victorian water cure which brought the town much fame and investment in the nineteenth century. Alternatively you could hop on a bus or train to Worcester which is situated approx 9 miles away. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 3: After breakfast we travel to Broadway for our final walk of the weekend. This circular walk from the coach parkin Broadway to Broadway Tower (4.5 mls) which has one steep uphill section and a corresponding downhill section.     For the non-walkers you will have time at leisure in Broadway. At the heart of the Cotswolds lies the quaint, picture-postcard village of Broadway. Peacefully dwelling at the base of the Worcestershire hills in a region of England that is nationally recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Broadway is a beautiful and historic village ideal for those who love picturesque landscapes, excellent cuisine, and rich cultural heritage. The image of Broadway today remains as it has done for centuries; a charismatic spectacle of rolling wolds, overlooking a gathering of ancient honey coloured limestone period buildings with orderly horse chestnut trees lining the grass-fringed verges of the historic 'broad way' High Street.

In the afternoon we will re-join the coach for the short journey to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway for our train from Broadway to Cheltenham Race Course. The Friendly Line in the Cotswolds' offers a unique opportunity to sample train travel from 50 years ago hauled by steam, diesel or diesel railcar. Your  trip from Broadway to Cheltenham Racecourse has glorious views westwards of the Vale of Evesham, the Malverns and Wales, and eastwards the Cotswolds. After a relaxing ride on the train, the coach will meet us at Cheltenham Race Course and take us back to the hotel for Dinner.

Day 4:   After breakfast and check-out we depart for the Morgan Factory for our tour. At the Morgan Motor Company, we witness how a family-owned enterprise was able to keep its ethos over the years. Operating for more than 110 years, authentic design, engineering, and manufacturing have made Morgan Motor renowned worldwide for its ability to build and deliver products tailored to each owner’s specific needs.  Meet the craftsmen at work on a factory tour – highlights include gaining access to workshops and seeing a Morgan Sports Car being handmade from start to finish.  After visiting Morgan we will make our way back to the Manchester Area, arriving late afternoon.

Your Hotel: Abbey Hotel, Great Malvern - The setting of the Abbey Hotel is by far one of the most perfect in the country, situated right in the heart of the countryside at the foot of the Malvern Hills.  All the bedrooms are en-suite and have TV, ironing centre, hairdryer and tea/coffee making facilities.  The hotel offers a lift, the Priory View Restaurant, 1848 Lounge Bar and the Courtyard Café. https://www.sarova-abbeyhotel.com/

 Price per person (Based on 2 Adults sharing Twin/Double Room):

• Member Plus Adult - £399
• Member Adult - £414                   
• Non Member Adult - £429                 
• Single Supplement - £45 

Price Includes:

• 3 Nights Accommodation including Full English Breakfast and 3-course, choice menu dinner with tea/coffee
• Executive Coach & Professional Tour Driver throughout the tour as per itinerary                   
• Single journey on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway from Broadway to Cheltenham Race Course
• Tour of the Morgan Factory    

Not Included:

• Single Supplement
• Any items of a personal nature such as meals, drinks, etc
• Guide/Driver Gratuities
• Travel Insurance

For further details and bookings, you can either use the  or contact  Bob Walker

Please include your Name, Home Address, Contact Telephone Number, Membership Number and the Number Places Required (Member/Non-Member)

  The Hebrides & More - 25th September - 2nd October 2025 - FULL

Coupled with its intricate network of island ferries, Scotland hosts spotlessly clean, deserted beaches with cream coloured sand accompanied by the sound of gulls as they ride the currents.  This fantastic island-hopping holiday travels the full length of the Outer Hebrides, covering the most southerly island of Barra to Lewis in the North.

ITINERARY

Day 1:  After the pick-ups you will travel to the Loch Lomond/Arrachar area (Hotel TBC) for your overnight stay.

Day2:  Embarking on a captivating journey through the mesmerizing landscapes of Glencoe, your adventure unfolds with a northward trajectory, where the grandeur of towering mountains and tranquil valleys sets the stage for a truly immersive experience.  Catch the ferry to Uist from Mallaig arriving at Lochboisdale before travelling north to the Dark Island Hotel for 2 nights. https://www.isleshotelgroup.co.uk/

Day 3:  Today a guide has been arranged for a tour if Isle of Eriskay.  Eriskay is known to many as the site of 'Whisky Galore! '. In 1941, the SS Politician ran aground carrying 28,000 cases of malt whisky. The wreck was looted by the islanders, who hid the whisky all over Eriskay and South Uist – thought to amount to 24,000 bottles! Make the short ferry crossing to the Island of Barra.  Barra is the most southerly of the inhabited islands and long famed for its beauty, boasting beaches, hills, machair and moor all in one small island.

Day 4:  Take the sea crossing to Harris, a rugged and mountainous island with moorlands, deep lochs and of course, glorious beaches.  Admire the beaches of Berneray, Nisabost and Horgabost before continuing along the spine of the island to Lewis with its history dating back 5,000 years.  2 nights at the Caladh Inn, Stornoway. https://www.caladhinn.co.uk/ Day 5:  Your Driver’s day off today so a local coach & driver will take over for today.  Be immersed in the folklore and history of the Isles as your local island guide takes you to see the impressive 5,000-year-old standing stones of Callanish (Scotland’s Stonehenge – but older!), ancient thatched ‘Blackhouses’, typical of crofting settlements, with entry included, and the imposing Carloway Broch, a fortified tower dating back over 2,000 years.

Day 6:  Board the ferry for the 2 ½ hour sailing to Ullapool.  Followed by a scenic drive across the sweep of the Highlands, with time free in the Highland capital Inverness (where ferry timings permit).   Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer - The Highland Hotel by Compass Hospitality | Strathpeffer

Day 7 : Breakfast and check out we make the short journey to Culloden. It stands as a monument and a guide to a pivotal day in history. Discover how a bloody fight that lasted only an hour changed life in the Highlands forever. Many people visit Culloden because they’re interested in the legacy of the Scottish clans, as well as to research their own ancestral past. We have resources to allow you to find out which clan you may have been part of, and where and if they fought during the Battle of Culloden. Our Families of the ’45 book is a unique collection of names from the Jacobite Rising and often holds surprises for visitors when they discover which side they fought on.

 After our visit to Culloden we travel down through the highlands to Scone. Here you can Immerse yourself in Scotland's history as you experience the crowning Place of Scottlsh Kings and stand on the Moot Hill, where King's of Scots were crowned on the famous Stone of Scone. Explore the palace's magnificent and extensive grounds which feature the Vlctorian Pinetum, Plant Hunters pavilion, Kitchen Garden, Murray Star Maze and Walled Garden development. Visitors can also see inside the staterooms and the place where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dined during their visit in 1842.  When you're finished exploring enjoy a bite to eat from the cafe or have a look around the shops filled with Scottish treats..

You will overnight at the Angus Hotel, Blairgowrie - Welcome | 3 Star Hotel in Blairgowrie, Perthshire | The Angus Hotel

Price per person (Based on 2 Adults sharing Twin/Double Room):   Member Plus Adult - £1109 Member Adult - £1129                     Non Member Adult - £1149                 Single Supplement - £205

Price Includes:

• Executive Coach & Professional Tour Driver throughout the tour as per itinerary
• 7 Nights half board accommodation with Breakfast and 3 Course Dinner
• Ferry Uig-Tarbert
• Full Day Guide on Lewis (with local coach & driver)
• Entry Blackhouses & Museum
• Entry Callanish Standing Stones
• Ferry Stornoway – Ullapool
• Entry & guided tour of Culloden
• Entry to Scone Palace & Gardens

Not Included:

• Single Supplement
• Any items of a personal nature such as meals, drinks, etc
• Guide/Driver Gratuities
• Travel Insurance

For further details and bookings, you can either use the  or contact Bob Walker

Please include your Name, Home Address, Contact Telephone Number, Membership Number and the Number Places Required (Member/Non-Member)