Best of Britain Escorted Tour

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If Britain is a patchwork of cultures, landscapes, and rich regional history, this 11-night escorted tour is the thread that stitches them all together. Beginning in London, travelers can examine the exhibits of the British Museum or politely elbow their way to the front of the crowd for the daily Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. From there it’s on to the kingdom of the Bard, where your client will wander the Tudor-style cottages of Shakespeare’s hometown, Stratford on Avon. Visitors will have a chance to explore UNESCO-listed Ironbridge Gorge, visit the medieval castle of Conwy in North Wales, and feast their eyes on the exquisite mountain views of Snowdonia National Park. A scenic drive through the Peak District National Park takes visitors to Chatsworth House, home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Your client can visit the National Railway Museum in York, have lunch in the bustling fishing village of Whitby, and see the grammar school in Hawkeshead attended by William Wordsworth. The tour ends in Edinburgh, where your client can decompress in Old Town before boarding a flight back home.

Inclusions:

Private transfer from airport to London hotel
2-night hotel accommodations in London(Pre-tour)
2-night accommodations in Shrewsbury or Chester
3-night accommodations in York
2-night accommodations in Keswick
2-night hotel accommodations in Edinburgh(Post-tour)
Private transfer from hotel to Edinburgh airport
Escorted sightseeing by luxury coach throughout
Breakfast as noted on itinerary

Please Note: The hotels listed on the escorted tours may be subject to change up until 07 days prior to departure.

City Taxes are not included.
A city tax on hotel stays may be charged and collected directly from you at the time of checkout. These taxes vary by hotel category and city, and may change at any time based on local legislation.

	Itinerary	View Itinerary Map
	Tour Highlights: Shakespeare country; Stratford upon Avon; Ironbridge; Chester; Snowdonian Mountains in Wales; Conwy Castle; Peak District; Chatsworth House; Scottish Border;Hadrian's Wall; Lake Windermere; Wordsworth's Cottage; Derwent Water; Honister Pass; Moffat Explore the Highlights of England, North Wales and Scotland: including Shakespeare country, the World Heritage site of Ironbridge, the mountains and Crusader castles of Northern Wales, the refined elegance of Chester and Chatsworth House, the scenic beauty of the Peak District, historic York and York Minster, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, the Yorkshire Dales, Lake Windermere, Wordsworth's Cottage, Hadrian's Wall and the Scottish Borders. Please note: This is a combination tour, which joins our ‘Heart of England' tour from London and our ‘York, the Dales and Lake District' tour from Edinburgh together. Because of this there will be a point where you will leave one bus and join another, with a new driver and group. There may or may not be other passengers also switching tours. Day 1: Depart USA Your trip begins with an overnight transatlantic flight to London. Relax and enjoy the in-flight meal service and onboard entertainment. Day 2: London Touch down at one of the London International Airports and transfer to your hotel. Accommodation: London hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 3: London Spend your day at leisure, exploring, shopping, or take an optional tour (own account). Accommodation: London hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 4: London - Shrewsbury or Chester: Start of Escorted Tour Depart from London and make your way to William Shakespeare's birthplace Stratford on Avon, home to the Tudor thatched cottage and gardens of his wife, Anne Hathaway. You will have time to explore the magnificent village of Stratford and enjoy lunch, before continuing to the World Heritage site of Ironbridge. Set in a stunning forested gorge on the river Severn this historic valley boast the world's first ever iron bridge and a host of attractions to choose from. It was once described as the most extraordinary district in the world! From here you travel to the beautiful riverside town of Shrewsbury for the next 2 nights. (on some dates the accommodation may be in Chester). Accommodation: Shrewsbury or Chester B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 5: Shrewsbury or Chester* This morning your tour will take you into the heart of North Wales You will travel through beautiful green valleys and lovely little towns and villages then visit the picture book medieval castle of Conwy, built by Edward I in the late 13th Century. You will also explore the impressive mountain scenery of the Snowdonia National Park including the huge Dinorwic slate quarries and the dramatic Pass of Llanberis in the shadows of Snowdon- Wales' highest peak. You will hear tales of Owain Glyndwr and the Welsh struggles for independence before travelling back through the borderlands into England. Accommodation: Shrewsbury or Chester B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 6:Shrewsburyor Chester - York To the northeast of Shrewsbury lie the hills of the Peak District National Park with a mixture of stunning scenery and beautiful little villages. You will take a scenic route through the Park to the village of Castleton then in the afternoon you can visit the famous mansion house and gardens of Chatsworth, home to the Cavendish family, Duke of Devonshire. Chatsworth is often named the UK's favourite country house and a visit will reveal some of the finest collections of furniture, priceless paintings, Old Master drawings and neo-classical sculptures. From here you will travel east out of the hills to the wonderful historic city of York where you will spend the next 2 nights. Accommodation: York B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 7: York Today you have a choice of things to do. You can spend the whole day at leisure exploring the medieval heart of York, a city whose rich history goes back to the time of the Romans, Vikings and Normans. Visit some of the fascinating museums, the amazing York Minster or just lose yourself in the maze of narrow streets and ancient city walls. Alternatively you could join your guide on a half day excursion into the Yorkshire dales visiting the historic market towns of Knaresborough or Ripon and some of the attractive little villages and beautiful countryside of the Eastern Dales, followed by a free afternoon in York. Accommodation: York B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast You will leave the London based tour here and be picked up tomorrow by the tour from Edinburgh. Day 8: York This is a leisurely day that gives you the flexibility to spend time exploring the medieval heart of York, a city whose rich history has been shaped by the Romans, Vikings and Normans before joining our excursion to the North Sea coast of Yorkshire. Our journey begins in the late morning when we head for the magnificent North Yorkshire Moors National Park. Lunch will be in Whitby, a bustling fishing port and the inspiration for the fertile imagination of author Bram Stoker, who stayed in the Royal Hotel on the western side of Whitby while writing his famous novel Dracula. After lunch, and free time in Whitby, we travel to the fishing village of Robin Hood's Bay , a perfectly preserved conservation village of winding lanes and narrow alleys before returning towards York. The minicoach cannot access the main village because of local restrictions. The coach will drop you at the top of the village and you must walk down (and back up!) a steep hill to reach the old village centre Accommodation: York B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 9: York - Keswick* You will be collected from your accommodation and head west into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Established in 1954, the Yorkshire Dales National Park has outstanding scenery, a range of wildlife habitats and a rich cultural heritage. It really is a special place, comprising fantastic outdoor arena for recreation and peaceful relaxation and a haven for wildlife. Continuing west our route takes us through the Northern Dales an area of outstanding natural beauty that is the centre of the Dales cattle trade. Throughout the day you will have the opportunity to taste the flavours of Yorkshire when we visit the town of Masham, home to two of Yorkshires best known breweries, and the cheese-making centre in historic Hawes. Our final leg of day five takes us high up into the remote hills of the Yorkshire Dales before descending into the lively market town of Keswick where you will be dropped off at your accommodation, free to explore this charming town. (In July accommodation may be in Windermere rather than Keswick). Accommodation: Keswick B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 10: Keswick* After breakfast you head a short distance out of town to the mysterious Castlerigg standing stones, thought by many to have been built over 5,000 years ago and the scene of ancient rituals. You then travel on to the shores of Ullswater, described as England’s most beautiful lake, where you can take a forest walk to see the mighty Aira Force waterfall. Continuing south over the narrow and winding Kirkstone Pass you stop at Windermere where you have the option to take a leisurely cruise on the water or simply eat lunch while enjoying views of the mountains and lakes. After lunch you travel around the southern tip of Windermere and on towards Coniston Water after which you arrive at the picturesque conservation village of Hawkeshead, where the poet William Wordsworth attended Grammar School. After free time to explore the village you take the narrow country lanes north towards Grasmere, which Wordsworth described as “the loveliest spot that man hath found”. There is free time to visit Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage or enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Wordsworth Daffodil Garden by the River Rothy. In the late afternoon you return to Keswick. (In July accommodation may be in Windermere rather than Keswick). Accommodation: Keswick B&B or hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 11: Keswick - Edinburgh* Leaving the Lakes behind us we start our climb of Hartside Pass which stands at over 1900ft. On a clear day the hills and mountains of Scotland and the English Lake District are clearly visible as we follow the route of the old sheep drovers between England and Scotland. Stopping at Hadrian’s Wall, built by Emperor Hadrian to keep the Scots out of the Roman Empire, there is an opportunity to explore some of the Roman remains and walk in the footsteps of the Roman Centurions who patrolled this desolate frontier. Following the ancient Roman Dere Street, we cross into Scotland and continue on to the Border town of Jedburgh for refreshments in the shadow of the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey. Our final stop is at the world famous Scott’s View, encompassing outlooks of the River Tweed and the Cheviot Hills that broadly form the Scottish-English border before continuing north to Edinburgh arriving approx at 19.00. Accommodation: Edinburgh hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 12: Edinburgh Spend the day in Edinburgh at leisure, exploring, shopping, or take an optional tour (own account). Accommodation: Edinburgh hotel Meals: Breakfast Day 13: Edinburgh-USA Check out of your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. Accommodations include: 2-night hotel accommodations in London (Pre-tour) 2-night accommodations inShrewsbury or Chester 3-night accommodations in York 2-night accommodations in Keswick 2-night hotel accommodations in Edinburgh (Post-tour) Please Note: The hotels listed on the escorted tours may be subject to change up until 07 days prior to departure. Escorted Tour Details: Escorted Tour Departs: Set departures on Friday Departure time: 9:00am from Stance 3, Greenline Coach Terminal, Bulleid Way, Victoria, SW1W 9SH. If coming on foot access is through the building at 4 Fountain Square, 123-151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SH. Return time: 6:30pm to Waverley Bridge opposite Waverley Train Station Services includes: Transportation by top of the range 16 seat Mercedes minicoach for a more personal experience. Services of a professional Rabbie's driver/guide Breakfast as noted in itinerary Entrance fees as listed in itinerary Discount Card - money off restaurants, shopping and attractions Because we believe in time off the bus and give you opportunities to take nature walks we recommend you bring suitable clothing and footwear for your tour. Accommodation on this tour is dispersed around Chester. If you have mobility problems or special requirements please let us know when booking. Tour does NOT include: Lunch, dinner or beverages Entrance fees not listed in itinerary Gratuities for Drivers and Guides Incidentals or Expenses of a personal nature

	Itinerary Map	View Itinerary

London

Chester

York

Keswick

Edinburgh

Notes & Restrictions

Tour does NOT include:
Transfers
Lunches, dinners or beverages
Entrance fees

This trip does not run from November to March

Please Note: The hotels listed on the escorted tours may be subject to change up until 07 days prior to departure.

Travel Options

Check out our optional sightseeing. Save time and money by pre-booking your sightseeing tours before you travel.