Newquay (16

England - South West CORNISH CHARM

Mevagissey

Mon 6 - Fri 10 June 2022 4 Nights £669

The fascination of the Cornish coast is legendary. A dramatic coastline, pretty fishing villages and ancient tales of smugglers combine to attract visitors from the world over. Explore attractions associated with the top BBC Series ‘Poldark’ whilst discovering some of the region’s most picturesque landscapes.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Monday We depart during the morning and with a suitable stop for lunch en-route we arrive at our hotel, on the outskirts of Newquay, in time for dinner and our 4-night stay. Tuesday Today we visit Padstow with its fine medieval buildings including the 16th century courthouse of Sir Walter Raleigh. Now famous for its restaurants, including that of the famed chef, Rick Stein. We continue to enchanting Tintagel –forever associated with the legends of King Arthur. Explore the village and the more energetic can walk to the nearby Castle for dramatic cliff top views (English Heritage discounts apply but please note admission is not included). Wednesday A scenic drive west to Penzance travelling via Marazion with views of St Michael’s Mount. In the afternoon continue to the fascinating Geevor Tin Mine Museum to discover the history of mining in Cornwall. It was Geevor where the BBC came for advice about filming Poldark on the nearby coastline. Thursday We visit the historic village of Charlestown, an amazing unspoiled example of a late Georgian working port, constructed in response to the growth of the local mining industry. Charlestown is a popular filming location with credits including the BBC’s hugely successful Poldark TV series and there are often square rigger ships in the harbour. This afternoon we travel to the fishing village of Mevagissey with its eclectic mix of shops, craft workshops, art galleries, cafés, pubs and restaurants. Friday We travel home with a convenient lunch stop en-route.

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆ Door to Door Service ྆Our own courier service྆Club Class Extra Legroom Coach྆4 nights half board ྆Entrance to Geevor Tin Mine Museum. Not included: All lunches.

Padstow

The Esplanade Hotel

The Esplanade Hotel benefits from a great location overlooking Fistral Beach with outstanding views across the Fistral Bay. Restaurant. Bar. Regular entertainment programme. Indoor pool, jacuzzi & sauna. Mobility Grade: 4. Resort: Cliff top walks. Hotel: Level location. Lift to all floors.

Kitty Bellingham England - South West

Trebah Gardens

Mon 4 - Fri 8 April 2022 4 Nights £745

Once again, we are pleased to team up with renown Garden Designer, Writer and Broadcaster, Katarzyna (Kitty) Bellingham on this fully escorted garden tour to Cornwall, where we discover some of the most relaxing and exciting gardens that this grand Royal Duchy has to offer.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Monday We travel south pausing at Killerton Gardens (NT) - A beautiful Georgian House with a beautiful year-round garden with rhododendron, magnolias and formal lawns. After a Garden visit, we continue to our hotel for our 4-night stay. Tuesday Today we visit two gardens that are located close to each other but are, individually, very different. Penjerrick Gardens was created 200 years ago and is a peaceful 15-acre, sub-tropical, spring-flowering garden with fascinating views of the sea and considerable historical and botanical interest. We continue to Trebah Gardens - a spectacular 26-acre Cornish ravine garden, rated among the 80 finest gardens in the world. This sub-tropical paradise is home to a unique collection of rare and exotic plants, trees and shrubs. Wednesday We make our way to The Lost Gardens of Heligan. A genuine secret garden lost for decades. Now, with an incredible 200 acres of gardens and estate to explore we enjoy a guided tour. Relax in the afternoon in the quintessential Cornish fishing village of Mevagissey and discover its quaint streets lined with fisherman’s cottages, pubs, cafes, galleries and shops. Thursday Today we visit Trewithen Gardens - One of only 5 gardens in the UK that are recognised by the International Camellia Society as a ‘Garden of Excellence’ with a magnificent collection of not only camellias but also rhododendron, magnolias and many rare trees and shrubs. We continue to Trelissick Gardens (NT) – set in more than 400 acres of sweeping parkland with beautiful views of the Fal River and Estuary. Discover a vast collection of sub-tropical plants, shrubs and spring bulbs. Friday Departing St Austell we visit Mount Edgcumbe House & Gardens, a Grade 1 Historic landscape and 10-acres of garden in English, French & Italian styles of the 18th-20th century in a spectacular seaside setting by shingle beaches which includes a National Collection of Camellias as well as many other shrubs and plants. We return to the Midlands during the late afternoon.

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆A fully escorted tour throughout with Kitty Bellingham ྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Club Class Extra Legroom Coach྆4 nights half board྆Entrances to Killerton Gardens (NT), Penjerrick Gardens, Trebah Gardens, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Trewithen Gardens, Trelissick Gardens (NT) & Mount Edgcumbe. Not included: All lunches.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Popular Favourite

Carlyon Bay Hotel

The hotel is set in 300 acres of grounds overlooking St Austell Bay and has truly inspiring views. Bay View Restaurant, Bar and lounge, Spa bath, Sauna and Solarium. Mobility grade: 4. Locality - fairly level. Hotel – minor steps to main entrance with ramp alternative. Lift to all floors.

Supplements

Single Room: Nil | Inland Double for Sole Use: £200 | Sea View: £80 Sea View Deluxe: £160 | Holiday Insurance: £29.50 Reductions Available for (NT) National Trust members

England - South West CARLYON BAY HOTEL, ST AUSTELL

Padstow

Mon 17 - Fri 23 October 2022 4 Nights £689

With its extraordinary location, Carlyon Bay is a truly special hotel. Stunning views are to be had all year round, especially from the Bay View Restaurant. During your stay at Carlyon Bay, you can enjoy free use of the hotel’s stunning spa or relax in the lounge.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Monday A comfortable journey south, pausing for lunch enroute. Settle in and enjoy a drinks reception before taking your place in the restaurant to enjoy first class cuisine. Tuesday Today, we visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan for a guided tour. There is so much to see in this secret kingdom including a sub-tropical jungle, vegetable, flower & fruit gardens and the ‘Lost Valley’. Later we continue to picture postcard fishing village of Mevagissey where pubs, cafes, galleries and shops cluster around the harbour walls and line the pretty streets. Wednesday We enjoy a full day with a blue badge guide for our Poldark themed tour taking in many of the places and inspirations for Winston Graham’s novel. We include the unspoilt harbour at Charlestown and capture the sheer beauty of the Cornish Coast with its turquoise water, secret coves that conjure up images of smugglers and pirates. Thursday This morning we visit the charming port resort of Padstow. A famous foodie destination, the town is also renowned for its harbour from where you can enjoy some stunning views while indulging in a traditional Cornish pasty or two! In the afternoon, we return to our hotel for a sumptuous Cornish cream tea! Friday After breakfast we depart our hotel returning home during the afternoon.

Look What’s Included on your Holiday:

྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Luxury Traveller Coach with ‘First Class’ seating & legroom྆Fully reclining seats with calf supports྆Complimentary on board hot and cold drinks྆Free WiFi and USB charging points྆Complimentary gift bag྆4 nights half board྆Welcome drinks reception྆Cornish Cream Tea྆Guided tour of the Lost Gardens of Heligan྆Blue Badge Poldark themed tour. Not included: All lunches.

Mevagissey

Popular Favourite

Charlestown

“Excellent hotel, excellent location and excellent places visited.” - G James, 4 October 2020

Carlyon Bay Hotel

The hotel is set in 300 acres of grounds overlooking St Austell Bay and has truly inspiring views. Bay View Restaurant, Bar and lounge, Spa bath, Sauna and Solarium. Mobility grade: 4. Locality - fairly level. Hotel – minor steps to main entrance with ramp alternative. Lift to all floors.

Supplements

Single Room: Nil | Double for Sole Use: £120 | Sea View: £40 Deluxe Sea View: £120 | Holiday Insurance: £31

Thu 2 - Mon 6 June 2022

Fri 26 - Tue 30 August 2022 4 Nights £619

4 Nights £629

The pretty fishing town of Look What’s Included: Looe is a truly delightful and ྆Door to Door Service྆Our picturesque place, separated own courier service྆Club Class into two towns of East and Extra Legroom Coach྆4 nights West Looe by the River Looe half board྆Entrance to Mount flowing out to sea. The small harbour is still a busy fishing Edgcumbe. Not included: All lunches. port and watching the hustle and bustle as the fishermen return home with their catch is a wonderful way to appreciate the town.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Day 1 A morning departure to Cornwall arriving in the afternoon for our 4-night stay. Day 2 A morning excursion to Polperro, a coastal village that was once a thriving centre for the area’s smuggling activity. Today, in cellars where furtive smugglers once dodged the customs men’s muskets, you can see displays of local crafts and fishermen’s smocks. We return for an afternoon at leisure in Looe. Day 3 Today we visit Mount Edgcumbe – a stunning Tudor home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe. The house is located on a peninsula that extends into the River Tamar, giving Edgcumbe and the surrounding grounds some spectacular views over Plymouth Sound, one of England’s finest natural harbours. Set in Grade I Cornish Gardens within 865 acres of Country Park which includes the National Camellia Collection. Day 4 This morning we visit Charlestown, an amazing unspoiled example of a late Georgian working port, constructed in response to the growth of the local mining industry. Charlestown is a popular filming location with credits including the BBC’s hugely successful Poldark TV series and there are often square rigger ships in the harbour. Later, we continue to Mevagissey, a picturesque fishing village with colourful old buildings and photogenic 18th century harbour. Day 5 After breakfast we depart on our homeward journey to the Midlands.

Popular Favourite

The Portbyhan Hotel

Situated on the quayside of West Looe overlooking the River and East Looe, the Portbyhan offers stunning views from its unrivalled position. The restaurant offers fantastic views across the quayside, and the bar area has regular entertainment. Mobility Grade: 3 - The locality is relatively flat with a few steps at entrance. Isolated steps throughout the hotel but the hotel has a lift.

Supplements

Classic River View: £20 | Superior River View: £60 | Double for Sole Use: £140 Holiday Insurance: £31 (All prices are per person & are for the entire tour) Tintagel NEW TOUR

Thu 26 - Mon 30 May 2022 4 Nights £659

This new tour is based in Tavistock – a thriving market town, that is the only town in Devon to hold a world heritage status. Situated in south west England right on the edge of Dartmoor, this is a land of stunning views, awe inspiring granite tors, heather-clad hills, rugged, wide open spaces and mysterious deep-wooded valleys with fast flowing rivers. We also include visits to Bodmin Moor and the North Cornish coast enabling you to appreciate the outstanding beauty and sheer diversity of this stunning region. Look What’s Included: ྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Club Class Extra Legroom Coach྆4 nights half board྆Entrance to Morwellham Quay྆Guided tour of Buckland Abbey (NT)྆Train ride on the South Devon Railway Not included: All lunches.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Thursday A morning departure to the West Country, arriving at our hotel in the afternoon for our 4-night stay. Friday We step back in time this morning as we visit the award-winning Morwellham Quay, which forms part of a World Heritage Site featuring the only open copper mine in the UK, made accessible to visitors by a riverside railway. Next, we enjoy a Guided Tour of Buckland Abbey (NT) – Part house, part museum, it is crammed with treasures to be discovered and is surrounded by meadows with magnificent views of the Tavy Valley. Saturday We drive to rugged Bodmin Moor to see the Cornish Landscape at its wildest and stop at Jamaica Inn the coaching house immortalised by Daphne Du Maurier in her book of the same name. While still an inn, it also houses a museum filled with smuggling stories and artefacts. From here we travel to the North Cornwall coast and Tintagel to see the dramatic castle ruins. Sunday Today, we enjoy a return journey on the South Devon Railway from Buckfastleigh to Totnes along a seven mile stretch of line that runs along the stunning valley of the River Dart. We continue with a scenic drive across the spectacularly beautiful Dartmoor. Monday Departing after breakfast, we commence our journey homeward.

The Bedford Hotel

The Bedford Hotel sits proudly at the heart of the award-winning Dartmoor market town of Tavistock. Step inside our hotel and you will find a welcoming bar, cosy lounges, an attractive oak-panelled restaurant, and 31 individually styled bedrooms. Bedrooms range from comfortable Classic rooms to Four Poster rooms with spa baths. Set in beautiful gardens to explore with a secret walled garden. Mobility Grade: 3 - The locality is relatively flat with a few steps at entrance. Isolated steps throughout. Although there is no lift in the hotel, some ground floor rooms are available.

Supplements

England - South West BIDEFORD

NEW TOUR

Bideford

Sun 6 - Thu 10 March 2022

Mon 18 - Fri 22 July 2022 4 Nights £515

4 Nights £579

North Devon is an enchanting, often forgotten region of the country with such a variety of beautiful countryside scenery – rolling hills, hidden woodlands, spectacular rivers, rocky coves and long sandy beaches and sleepy hidden hamlets.

Look What’s Included:

྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Luxury Traveller Coach with ‘First Class’ seating & legroom྆4 nights half board྆Sheppy’s Cider (Tour & Tasting)྆Entrance to RHS Rosemoor Gardens. Not included: All lunches.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Day 1 Travelling to the West Country, we visit Sheppy’s Cider, Taunton, for a tour and tasting where we will discover much about their 200-year history of cider making. After an opportunity to purchase lunch, we continue to our hotel with time to settle in and enjoy the comfortable surroundings before dinner. Day 2 Our first stop this morning is the picturesque resort of Lynmouth where we have time to explore the narrow streets and maybe take the cliff railway to the twin village of Lynton. From here we make our way through scenic ‘Little Switzerland’, as the region is known, to the lovely village of Dunster, with its famous castle and octagonal Yarn Market. Our return takes us through Exford and the Exmoor National Park. Day 3 A morning at leisure in resort. Why not discover Bideford’s Pannier Market? It is a lovely traditional market with around 40 stalls selling a wide range of locally sourced fresh fish, crafts and gifts. In the afternoon, we visit the charming fishing village of Appledore with fabulous coastal views towards Bideford Bay. Return to our hotel for evening dinner. Day 4 We visit RHS Rosemoor Gardens where you can stroll amongst the many gardens from formal to model garden, from winter to cherry and from exotic to stone garden there is much to see. We will also have the chance to visit the Dartington Crystal Visitors Centre a short drive away before returning to our hotel. Day 5 After a leisurely breakfast we leave Bideford and return home, making a convenient lunch stop en-route.

Popular Favourite

The Royal Hotel, Bideford

Standing at the eastern end of the ancient Bideford Bridge, the Royal Hotel is steeped in history. As Bideford’s finest hotel, you can rely on the Royal for a warm Brend Hotels welcome among stylish and peaceful surroundings. Regency Restaurant, lounge and bar area. Mobility Grade: 4 – Location and hotel fairly level, slight hill into town. Lift to all floors.

Supplements

Single Room: Nil | Double for Sole Use: £80 | Deluxe Room: £40 (Mar) £60 (Jul) Holiday Insurance: £29.50 (Mar) £31 (Jul) This departure includes the £5 per person per day ‘Luxury Traveller’ Coach supplement (All prices are per person & are for the entire tour) Hartland Abbey

Mon 22 - Fri 26 August 2022 4 Nights £619

North Devon is a delightful mixture of dramatic coastline and magnificent moorland scenery, Look What’s Included: ྆Door to Door Service྆Our own courier service྆Club Class Extra Legroom Coach྆4 nights sprinkled with unspoilt half board྆Guided tour of resorts, bustling market Hartland Abbey & Gardens with towns and quaintly named cream tea྆Entrance to RHS villages. Barnstaple is said Rosemoor. to be the oldest borough Not included: All lunches. in the kingdom and was founded at the lowest crossing point of the River Taw.

Your Holiday Itinerary

Monday Leaving the Midlands behind us we head for the West Country making a suitable stop for lunch en-route, arriving in Barnstaple during the afternoon. Tuesday It is market day in bustling Barnstaple and the morning is free to explore this ancient borough. In the afternoon, we enjoy a gentle ride out to Appledore. Wednesday Today we visit Hartland Abbey & Gardens for a guided tour of this cherished family home, full of treasures and memorabilia collected over many generations. We include a sumptuous cream tea and during our visit there will be free time to wander the beautiful gardens and grounds which lead to a rocky cove. Thursday A morning visit to RHS Rosemoor, where you can stroll around the enchanting and meticulously crafted 65-acre garden. Free time for lunch before returning to our hotel in the afternoon. Friday We return home to the Midlands, with a convenient stop for lunch en-route, arriving home during the afternoon.

The Park Hotel

The Park Hotel is set in a quiet corner of the bustling market town of Barnstaple, a level 15-minute stroll into the shops, bars & restaurants of the town centre. The elegant, comfortable bedrooms offer every modern facility with special attention to detail. Spacious restaurant, bar & lounge, Sun Terrace overlooking Rock Park. Mobility Grade: 3 – Locality is generally flat. Most rooms are on the 1st floor, with a limited number of ground floor rooms available in the Garden Court Annexe, 100m from main entrance. Lift access to most floors.

Supplements

Single Room: Nil | Park View: £40 | Double for Sole Use: £160 Holiday Insurance: £31 (All prices are per person & are for the entire tour)