BEST OF BRITAIN

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• Day 1 - London - Stonehenge - Salisbury - Looe - Plymouth (2 nights) Greetings this morning from our Tour Director as we travel to Salisbury Plain to visit the ancient monoliths at Stonehenge. We stop in Salisbury to see the Cathedral - the tallest in Britain before driving through Thomas Hardy country to Dartmoor where we cross the river Tamar into Cornwall and the 12th century smugglers' village of Looe. Then we are off to Plymouth where we enjoy a Welcome drink and Dinner with our Tour Director and fellow travelling companions. (Welcome Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Jurys Inn/Future Inn (2 nights)



• Day 2 - Cornish Excursion First our orientation of the city shows us the Mayflower steps, the place where the Pilgrim Fathers set off for the New World and the Citadel overlooking Plymouth Sound. Maybe take a cruise around the historical harbour before making our way to Land's End the most westerly point of the British mainland. Then we drive to the famous artists' colony of St Ives, filled with galleries and charming houses. There's also the chance to photograph St Michael's Mount near Penzance before a drive across Bodmin Moor - made famous by Daphne du Maurier's 'Jamaica Inn' - to return to our hotel. (Full Breakfast)



• Day 3 - Plymouth - Glastonbury - Wells - Bath - Cardiff Today we make our way to Glastonbury, where we will visit the Abbey ruins to see King Arthur's tomb. Then on through Wells with its majestic Cathedral to Bath, where orientation includes a visit to the Roman Baths as well as a drive through the city to admire its Georgian architecture. Next, we cross the Severn Bridge into Wales and its capital Cardiff. (Full Breakfast/ Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Thistle



• Day 4 - Cardiff - Tintern - Chester We enjoy a scenic drive along the beautiful Wye Valley, stopping to view the ruins of Tintern Abbey. Then on through Hereford and the unsung beauty of the Welsh Marches to the Tudor market town of Ludlow in Shropshire, with its bustling market place and charming pubs. Next off to Chester where a walking tour take us along the Roman Walls, to the amphitheatre, to the Cathedral and to the arcaded, back and white shops known as the 'Rows'. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Holiday Inn South



• Day 5 - Chester - Lake District - Glasgow A day of glorious scenery as we travel through Lancashire and to the beauty of the Lake District. We drive along the shores of England's largest lake - Windermere and through countryside, which inspired Wordsworth to Lake Grasmere, where he is buried. We continue north to Gretna Green where eloping couples married in secret against their parents' wishes and into Scotland and the borders to the great city of Glasgow. Before checking into our hotel we will dine on Scottish fare in a typical local restaurant. (Full Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Jurys Inn



• Day 6 - Glasgow - Glencoe - Scottish Highlands (Grantown on Spey) (2 nights) First we will enjoy an orientation tour of the city taking in the Cathedral, George square and the River Clyde - heart of the ship-building industry before we head into the Highlands. We will travel along the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond on our way to Glencoe, where we will be able to take pictures of the site of the famous 1692 massacre. Next to Fort William to stop at the Commando Memorial for breathtaking views of Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis. We continue up the Laggan valley, Monarch of the Glen country, to our hotel in the charming Highland town of Grantown on the river Spey for the next two nights. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Craiglynne (2 nights)



• Day 7 - Highlands & Skye Excursion A remarkably scenic day begins with a stop at Culloden Moor where Bonnie Prince Charlie was defeated by Butcher Cumberland so ending the hopes of a Stuart Monarchy. We drive along the shores of Loch Ness where we stop at Urquhart Castle for pictures and to see if we can spot 'Nessie'! Then 'over the sea to Skye' where we have time for lunch and a short drive toward the high and beautiful Cuillin mountains before we return to our hotel via more stunning scenery. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)



• Day 8 - Scottish Highlands - Balmoral - St. Andrews - Edinburgh (2 nights) We start our day with a drive to the roof of the Scottish Highlands, and over the grouse moor where the Royal family shoot, to visit Balmoral Castle, the Queen's highland home. We also visit nearby Craithie Church where Princess Anne was married. We continue our journey through pretty Braemar, host of the Royal Highland Games, to St Andrews, where we stop by the famous 18th hole of the golf course. We also visit the town with its University - the oldest in Scotland - and the ecclesiastical ruins. Finally across the splendid Forth Bridge and to Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, for two nights. During the Festival, we include tickets to the spectacular Edinburgh Tattoo. (Full Breakfast)
  
  Hotel: Holiday Inn/Marriott (2 nights)



• Day 9 - Edinburgh sightseeing & at leisure Our morning sightseeing tour with a local guide includes a visit of Edinburgh Castle perched high above the city on the Crag and Tail, which is the Royal Mile. At the other end of this picturesque cobbled thoroughfare we will see elegant Holyrood House in the shadow of Arthur's seat. We will drive along Princes Street admiring views across the Princes Street gardens to the Castle and we will also see the new Scottish Parliament building. Later a drive through the ironically named New Town with its perfect Georgian architecture and later you will have the opportunity to visit to the Roslyn Chapel, situated just south of the Scottish capital. The chapel has recently become more famous due to the book 'The Da Vinci Code' but has always had mysterious connections with the Knights Templar and the Freemasons. Tonight, why not enjoy an optional night our including haggis, whisky and bagpipes (Full Breakfast)



• Day 10 - Edinburgh - York This morning after breakfast, we travel to the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey and follow the old Roman road to Hadrian's Wall - built by the Roman Emperor to keep the Scots out of England! We continue through the magnificent scenery of the Northumberland National Park to Viking York. Here we will enjoy a guided walking tour of this - the most haunted city in England - where we will see the Mansion House, the old walls, the picturesque 'Shambles' and the awe-inspiring Minster, where this evening we will enjoy an Evensong service. (Full Breakfast / Dinner)
  
  Hotel: Holiday Inn



• Day 11 - York - Sherwood Forest - Stratford - Oxford - London Our day begins with a scenic drive into the heart of England to Sherwood Forest where we see the Church where, according to legend, Maid Marion and Robin Hood were said to have been married. From here our journey takes us to Stratford-upon-Avon where we visit Shakespeare's birthplace and see Anne Hathaway's thatched cottage. We drive through the rolling Cotswold Hills, dotted with honey coloured stone built villages and thatched houses. On our journey we travel, via Blenheim to Oxford, city of dreaming spires. We enjoy a walking tour through the city where students such as JRR Tolkein, CS Lewis and Lewis Caroll once lived and worked and enjoy a guided visit of one of the Oxford Colleges to re-live the life of a typical Oxford student. (Occasionally a visit to a college may be replaced by a visit of the Sheldonian Theatre). Later, we return to London. (Full Breakfast)



• Note: Day 8 When Balmoral Castle is closed, we will visit Glamis Castle, the childhood home of the Queen Mother.
  

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