September 2017
Ideas & inspiration for groups & families
5 friends + you = the best group rates!
Fit for a king The UK’s top royal castles & palaces
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EXPLORE THE GATEWAY TO PARIS
CRUISE THE DANUBE
The
BRITAIN’S GREATEST HERITAGE RAILWAYS
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best
WHAT’S ON IN THE WEST END
attractions for schoolkids
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Days out
VISIT ENGLAND
ATTRACTIONS IDEAL FOR SCHOOLKIDS
of the
SIX best
Every day’s a school day when you head to the UK’s top museums, parks and attractions
real life role-play activities, becoming everything from a pilot to a surgeon for
Fighting talk
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre
Bosworth Battlefield in Leicestershire is the
KidZania is a child-sized city where youngsters can try out more than 60
Words: Naomi Mackay
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The kids have taken over
the day. Based in London’s Westfield Shopping Centre, find out more at kidzania.co.uk
Workshops and activities are for all ages
site of one of the country’s most famous
and levels, from early years foundation stage
battles, which resulted in Henry Tudor winning
to university students, as well as children
the English crown from Richard III.
with special needs. A highlight is a session
House & Garden at Donington Le Heath (see
Bosworth’s sister site is the 1620s
Visitors young and old can expect to meet
with Hawkwise Falconry, which uses birds
www.doningtonleheath.org.uk/learning),
costumed characters and see real life artefacts
of prey to capture children’s imaginations,
where you can learn about the gunpowder plot
as they interpret one of the biggest events
encourage them to work as a team and
– another major historical event. Find out
in our history – the Wars of the Roses.
and help develop communication skills.
more at www.bosworthbattlefield.org.uk
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Coming to Edinburgh Zoo this winter
HILL CLOSE GARDENS A unique local attraction including 16 hedged Victorian gardens with summerhouses
THE
GIANT LANTERNS OF CHINA
Large Glasshouse Tearoom Guided tours £8.40pp (inc refreshments) Plant & Gift Sales Venue Hire
Open weekdays Nov- March: 11-4pm
View some of our world famous animals in a new light. Over 450 dazzling giant lanterns including giant pandas, lions, penguins and more...
edinburghzoo.org.uk/lanterns #EdinburghZoo
Open every day April-Oct: 11am-5pm with cafe Sat, Sun and Bank Hol Mon Entry: Adult £4, Child (5-17) £1 T: 01926 493339 www.hillclosegardens.com Bread and Meat Close, Warwick, CV34 6HF
Discover northern England’s dramatic history with a group visit to Newcastle’s imposing Norman fortress. n Dedicated Groups Coordinator n Guided tours available upon request
www.newcastlecastle.co.uk T: 0191 230 6300 E: info@newcastlecastle.co.uk
GROUP EXPERIENCES n Bespoke packages for a minimum of 40 persons. Options include: n Be greeted by a knight on horseback and/or medieval foot soldiers n A guided tour led by costumed guides n Demos of medieval food and music n Try on armour, handle weapons and watch knights do battle
GROUP RATES Discounted rates available for groups of over 10 persons. (Must be booked in advance) Newcastle Castle is operated by, and a trading name of, The Heart of the City Partnership. The Heart of the City Partnership is a company limited by guarantee #06373460 and a registered charity #11165434.
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Tate that...
2 We’re being invaded! Penshurst Place & Gardens
One of the most exciting events for schools at
cartographer how the Spanish prepared for the
this Kent location is the living history Armada
Armada. They can meet Elizabeth I and also try
presentation, which runs each spring. Around
on Elizabethan style clothes from the period.
There are four galleries in the Tate family – London’s Tate Modern and Tate Britain, plus the Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives in Cornwall. All offer guided tours – find out more at www.tate. org.uk
1,500 school children attend over three days
The house, which has a medieval Barn
to witness the Elizabethan residents preparing
Hall built in 1341 and Grade 1 Elizabethan
And when they’ve had their fill of history they
the household for invasion. Visitors will have
gardens, is just 10 minutes away from the
can let off some steam on the woodland trail,
the opportunity to watch the household
M25, making it convenient for coach trips. As
head to the adventure playground or find their
take up arms and join the local militia in a
well as the historical home – the Baron’s Hall
way around the maize maze (in summer). Find
musket and pike drill, before hearing from the
looks much as it did back in the 14th century
out more at www.penshurstplace.com
VISIT BRITAIN/ROD EDWARDS
Days out
– pupils can also enjoy the toy museum.
student groups to take self-guided learning journeys around the museums, or enjoy hands-on workshops and activities. At Blists Hill Victorian Town (pictured here) schools can choose between the Victorian school session – where they dress in historic costumes and take part in authentic lessons – try dipping candles, or even do the laundry with a dolly tub and mangle. At Coalport China Museum pupils can learn how to decorate ceramics or sculpt with clay, and across at Jackfield Tile Museum they’ll learn the Victorian art of tube lining
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on tiles. While if it’s an insight into the world
Any old Iron
of design and technology you want, there’s
Ironbridge Gorge Museums
a choice of design and build workshops at Enginuity. You could be building pneumatic
Around 70,000 students visit the Ironbridge
of science, technology, geography, maths and
cranes, bridges or wind turbines – or finding
Gorge Museums in Shropshire every year
English, as well as learn new art and design-
out how to drop an egg wearing a parachute.
to discover more about the history of the
based skills. Working under the ethos of
Ironbridge area and develop their knowledge
‘to experience is to understand’, it enables
Find out more and plan your group visit at www.ironbridge.org.uk
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Return of the Vikings Discover the multi-million pound reimagining special group rates available www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk/groups jorvikviking tr k/groups | Coppergat Coppergate, York, Y YO1 9WT JORVIK is owned by York Archaeological Trust, a registered charity in England & Wales (No. 509060) and Scotland (No. SCO42846)
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Opening 21 November 2017
HELEN ALLINGHAM A leading Victorian watercolour artist of iconic rural and garden scenes.
WATTS GALLERY - ARTISTS’ VILLAGE Galleries • Chapel • Artists’ Home & Studios • Tea Shop • Discounted admission for groups • 10% discount in the shop • Exclusive tours and talks with guides Surrey GU3 1DQ • wattsgallery.org.uk • 01483 813589 MayTemplate.indd 2017 copy.indd18 1 FP
BOOK NOW 23/08/2017 15:30 13:57 29/08/2017
Days out
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Take the study of our greatest playwright out
All a-bard...
Shakespeare’s Globe & Shakespeare’s London bus tour
of the classroom and bring it to life with a visit to a production at Shakespeare’s Globe on London’s South Bank. It’s a chance to see the performance as the original audiences might have experienced it, and students can also take part in Lively Action workshops and lectures – which include an exploratory tour of the theatre. There are workshops for every key stage and ability, including special educational needs, international groups and those with English as an additional language. Special workshops can introduce you to the skills of stage fighting, how the plays were originally printed, or the secrets of Elizabethan dressing. Continue the literary theme with a trip on Golden Tours’ Shakespeare’s London bus tour (pictured here). Explore London life around Shakespearean times with the help of live character guides in full costume, who combine stories of the bard and tales of the time alongside the sights, sounds and smells of the city. Learn about the treachery of the infamous gunpowder plot or feel the realistic lumps and bumps of a plague victim’s skin (maybe after lunch...). Find out more and plan your visit at www.shakespearesglobe.com and www.goldentours.com
5 Go wild
Longleat Safari Park
Home to a world-famous safari park and stunning 16th century stately home, Longleat is hugely popular with groups keen to explore its history, gardens and wild animals. The Wiltshire attraction has been a family home for more than 400 years, and its safari park – which was the first of its kind to open outside of Africa back in the 1960s – celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Today, Longleat welcomes groups of all sizes – from safari-loving schoolchildren to history lovers keen to explore the house and its many exhibitions – with a benefits package for group travel organisers. This includes free entry for GTOs and coach drivers if they bring a group of 30 or more, free coach parking, a free safari park commentary CD, and at least 30% off tickets for groups of 12 or more. Tours of Longleat House can be arranged for groups from just £5 per person on top of the normal admission price (call 01985 844328 to book).
Save £££s For the best ticket deals to museums, attractions and top London shows, click on www.group traveloffers.com
For a Groups at Longleat brochure see www.longleat.co.uk/groups SEPTEMBER 2017 GROUP TRAVEL WORLD
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Days out
6 Award-winners Bristol Museums
Bristol Museums is made up of five council-run museums sites, including the hugely popular Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and M Shed, which has just achieved the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education. This award is an independently judged, quality assured assessment of education programmes at heritage sites, museums, archives and collections across the British Isles (and Bristol Museum & Art Gallery achieved the award last year). The ideal base for school and educational trips, all five museums are well worth a visit. Highlights for groups include M Shed’s Bristol history lesson, and Bristol Museum & Art Gallery’s inspiring school workshops, featuring everything from Ancient Egypt to dinosaurs. Plus, look out for Dinosaur Takeover! at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in November, featuring a week of school workshops with special dino-related activities, working with experts from the university of Bristol. The museums also cater for Cubs, Guides, Brownies and Scout groups, home educating families, EFL groups and adult learners. Find out more about all five, free to enter museums at www.bristolmuseums.org.uk
Book now...
...to save 60% or more on your next group trip at www.grouptraveloffers.com
OUR LATEST OFFERS INCLUDE:
42
%
off tickets to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Museum in London
21
%
off a ride on the Coca-Cola London Eye
33
%
off entrance to Shrek’s Adventure London
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Days out Co nt a
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Engage your class with a local history session:
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Chocolate
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Ships and sailors
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First World War and Second World War
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Bristol through time
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Significant Bristol people
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Bristol and theTransatlantic slave trade
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Brilliant Bristolians school assembly
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Amazing animals
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Wildlife photography
Liven up your lessons with our inspiring school workshops:
• • • • •
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Stone Age to Iron Age Ancient Egypt Ancient Greeks Dinosaurs Rocks and fossils
•
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Art Chinese New Year school assembly Anglo-Saxons or Archaeology in your school
What’s keeping you in the classroom?
Find out more and sign up to our Teachers’ newsletter at bristolmuseums.org.uk/learning
Enquiries: museumbookings@bristol.gov.uk Tel 0117 922 3567
get up close to the precious Viking artefacts. You’ll have the chance to dig deeper into the Viking story of York using the latest in cutting-edge technology located throughout the centre. Plus, the centre’s Viking hosts will be on hand to help bring the period to life, with hands-on learning and engaging talks on life in Jorvik and the continued influence of the Vikings in the modern world. With new school packages on offer at JORVIK, supporting a wide range of cross-curricular studies, there has never been a better time for you and your pupils to explore the Viking Age.
Following a multi-million pound re-imagining, JORVIK Viking Centre is ready to welcome groups back to Viking-age York...
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Workshops are also available from just £2 per child. For more information visit www.jorvikvikingcentre.
OP ABOARD THE improved
transforming itself. The streets
people and goods that came to
co.uk/education or call
ride experience and be
of 10th century York are bustling
Jorvik from all walks of life.
01904 615505. For a hard
transported back to the year
with the hum of everyday life
The attraction’s gallery
AD960. Eric Bloodaxe, the
and work. Here, you’ll discover
experiences have been completely
Group learning programme
last Viking King in Jorvik, has
the impact of international trade
updated, with new display cases
email schools@yorkat.co.uk
been expelled and the city is
on the city and the fascinating
allowing you to
and quote ‘GTW2017.’
copy of the latest JORVIK
GTW
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Days out & holidays
Whitby Abbey has a unique link with the Easter celebrations
Happy Easter T
VISIT ENGLAND
Plan now for Easter 2018 and ditch the chocolate in favour of a mini adventure... HINK YOU KNOW all there is to know
deep into the past 13 centuries of history,
a 15% discount at English Heritage properties
about the Easter celebrations? Think
with artefacts, interactive displays and
and events – 10% off at Stonehenge. Visit
again... Did you realise, for example that
digital reconstructions of the abbey
www.english-heritage.org.uk/whitbyabbey
Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire was
through time. A life-size statue of a Roman
the place where the Synod of Whitby
gladiator greets visitors in the restored
WHAT LIES BENEATH
decided how the date of Easter would
mansion courtyard, and groups can also
For a regal history lesson – and an insight into
be calculated back in 644? Now there’s
unravel the mystique surrounding this
the fascinating life of one of history’s most
something for your next pub quiz...
Gothic site with a free audio guide.
controversial figures – pay an Easter-time visit
Now, the attraction’s best known for
Coach parking and drop off is available in
to Leicester’s King Richard III Visitor Centre.
its links with Bram Stoker, who chose the
the abbey’s headland car park, and walking
Perhaps best known as being the monarch
dramatic backdrop and gothic splendour
groups can combine a visit to Whitby Abbey
who was found buried under a car park, when
of Whitby Abbey as the fictional
with a walk along the Cleveland Way (the
the 500-year-old skeleton was discovered it
landing place for Count Dracula.
abbey is on the route, with the next stop Robin
made headlines worldwide. Now, the centre
Hood Bay). Groups of 11 or more people get
– which stands on the site of the medieval
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STEP INTO THE
FORBIDDEN FOREST
BOOK NOW VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A F U L L L I S T O F A P P R OV E D T I C K E T S E L L E R S W B S T U D I OTO U R . CO . U K / T R AV E L - PA R T N E R S TM & © 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. J.K. ROWLING’S WIZARDING WORLD TM J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
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With nearly 40 years’ experience, Jules Verne is one of the UK’s award winning tour operators offering innovative worldwide, cultural tours with a variety of themes, interests and unique special events.
Providing authentic travel to all seven continents, whether a private departure on an existing tour or a bespoke arrangement, expert guides will enrich your experience and show you the true character of each destination.
Options range from relaxing river cruises and rail experiences to unforgettable grand tours, hidden treasures and classic itineraries created with a particular focus on history, art and culture, or wildlife.
Days out & holidays Learn about the life – and death – of a medieval king
friary of the Grey Friars where the king’s
experience the magic of
remains were buried – tells the much-debated
filmmaking first-hand.
story of the king’s life and times in a medieval England racked by decades of fighting in the
cast and crew returned to
Wars Of The Roses.
reassemble the sets and
Visit in a group of 15 or more and enjoy
record their memories from
Get special rates if you’re a group of 10 or more
discounted rates, a personal welcome
filming, and the Studio Tour
by a members of the visitor services
opened its doors. It’s now become
team, free entry for the group leader
one of the UK’s best-loved attractions.
and coach driver and a free fam visit for
Find out more at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk
group leaders when they confirm their booking. Find out more at kriii.com
EASTER WIZARDRY
GET AWAY... Children’s Easter egg hunts, comedy nights and a host of themed treats are in store
The Easter holidays are just made for a trip
for holidaymakers on an all-inclusive Easter
to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The
break at Potters Resort in Hopton-on-Sea,
Making of Harry Potter. The world-famous films
Norfolk. Find out more about the
made Leavesden in Hertfordshire their home
four-night holiday, from March 30, 2018,
for 10 years, and as the books were still being
at www.pottersholidays.com
released while the films were being made,
Slightly further afield, walking and activity
the production crew saved many of the
holiday specialists HF Holidays have a host of
sets, props and costumes that were created
Easter breaks on offer to help you burn off all
especially for the films in case they were ever
those chocolate eggs. From a guided walking
needed later on in the series.
holiday in the Channel Islands to a sight-seeing
Once filming wrapped on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2010, the production crew were left with thousands King Richard III’s unlikely looking grave site in Leicester
Many of the original
trip to North America, the choice is huge. Find out more at www.hfholidays.co.uk If you want to see Easter in in style, Riviera
of artefacts... cue the arrival of the team
Travel is a specialist in European and
behind Warner Bros. Studio Tour London –
worldwide escorted group tours. It offers a
The Making of Harry Potter, who wanted to
selection of tours, river cruises, rail journeys
preserve and showcase these iconic props,
and tall ship adventures. Find out more at
costumes and sets so Potter fans could
www.groupsriviera.co.uk
GTW
Enjoy an Easter walking break with HF Holidays
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GREAT YARMOUTH Great for short breaks and day visits
Where the sea meets the Broads, Norfolk’s premier seaside resort will keep your group entertained, with excellent group rates at seafront and countryside attractions. For fun itineraries for your group to enjoy visit
www.great-yarmouth.co.uk/group-travel or call 01493 846346
ENJOY From theme parks to the model village, bowling alley, racing, bingo, casinos, zoos and a Sea Life Centre, great group rates are available all over the borough.
HERITAGE Discover fascinating maritime history at the award-winning Time & Tide, English heritage’s Row Houses, the National Trust’s Elizabethan House, the oldest gaol in the country and the Nelson Museum.
NORTH NORFOLK Follow the coast road to North Norfolk for stunning views, stately homes, big skies and big beaches, a myriad of quiet country lanes, traditional market towns and countryside villages.
NORWICH Just 45 minutes drive, this medieval city has a Norman castle and two cathedrals, excellent shopping and great al fresco dining, perfect for day trips inland from the coast.
THE BROADS Just inland from Great Yarmouth, charter a paddle steamer, pleasure craft or doubledecker passenger boat and discover the Broads National Park.
SUFFOLK COAST For fantastic country houses, maritime museums, charming seaside towns and the southern Broads, travel down winding country lanes south into Suffolk.
SHOPPING The busy market place is surrounded with all the usual high street chains as well as lots of different independent shops unique to Great Yarmouth.
SEASIDE The Greater Yarmouth coastline has fifteen miles of clean, wide, soft, sandy beach, perfect for sea views and settling down in a deckchair to enjoy the Norfolk sunshine.
FOOD Sea air makes you hungry and food always tastes better on the coast. Locally caught and smoked kippers, cream teas, & fresh local seafood are always on the menu.
THE PERFECT TOURING BASE FOR NORFOLK & SUFFOLK Norfolk’s premier seaside resort is the ideal touring base for your coach holiday. Norwich, North Norfolk, the Broads and Suffolk are all within easy driving distance with lots to do in Great Yarmouth as well. Arrive at your quality graded accommodation in Great Yarmouth for afternoon teas, sea views, beach walks and fun evening entertainment.
www.great-yarmouth.co.uk/group-travel 01493 846346
Don’t miss MARITIME FESTIVAL 9 & 10 September OUT THERE FESTIVAL 16 & 17 September
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