The East Anglian 52

boasts a magnificent Cathedral right next to your hotel, with the bustling town centre only a short walk away. There are craft shops, department stores and the famous market to discover, with countless quaint pubs and cafes to relax in. Cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and winding lanes all add to the charm and timeless history of this vibrant University city. After lunch, a private coach takes you to Dereham for a steam-hauled trip on the Mid-Norfolk Railway. Savour an afternoon travelling under steam from Dereham to Wymondham Abbey, one of the grandest religious buildings in East Anglia. You’ll soak up the sights and sounds of the Norfolk countryside en route, and on the trip back to Dereham enjoy a delicious cream tea served at your seat before returning to Norwich and your hotel for dinner. (B D)

Monday 4th September Steam-hauled on the Bure Valley Railway; boat cruise on the Norfolk Broads After breakfast today you travel by coach to Aylsham and board a steam-hauled train on the Bure Valley Railway to Wroxham, a delightful town situated on the Norfolk Broads. The man-made landscape of the Broads comprises over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways and a quick coach ride takes you to the bridge at Wroxham for an afternoon of cruising on the serene rivers and placid, reed-fringed lakes of this National Park. After an adventurous afternoon you return to Wroxham with time to explore this charming little town on the river Bure, before heading back once more to your hotel in Norwich for dinner. (B L D)

Tuesday 5th September Day trip to Wells-next-the-Sea; steamhauled along the North Norfolk coast Today you depart by coach to Wells-next-theSea, a timeless little seaside town on the North Norfolk Coast with harbour front and fishing vessels, long sandy beach and famous brightly coloured beach huts. From here you depart steam-hauled on the Wells and Walsingham Light Railway to Walsingham, before returning back to Wells for a leisurely lunch at one of its many restaurants, or to enjoy fish and chips on the sea front by the harbour. After lunch you travel by coach eastward along the coast to Sheringham, for a steam-hauled trip on the North Norfolk Railway to Holt, travelling by the coast and through the North Norfolk countryside before returning to Sheringham. Here a private coach takes you to King’s Lynn where you check-in to a 4-star hotel for dinner and overnight accommodation. (B D)

Wednesday 6th September Trip to Castle Rising; Afternoon exploration of Sandringham House and Gardens

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, you have free time before your coach transfers you to Castle Rising, a beautiful little village near King’s Lynn. It’s home to one of the largest, best preserved and most lavishly decorated keeps in England, surrounded by 20 acres of mighty earthworks. You’ll have time to visit the castle and explore before you continue by coach to Sandringham, home of the Queen’s Norfolk Country House. Here you’ll have lunch in the restaurant before spending the afternoon immersed in the history and elegance of Sandringham House and its grounds. Sandringham is the country retreat of Her Majesty The Queen and has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862. The house is set in 24 hectares of stunning gardens and is at the heart of the 8,000-hectare Sandringham Estate. After absorbing the atmosphere and culture of Norfolk’s most famous stately home you return to King’s Lynn for dinner and accommodation at your hotel. (B L D)

Thursday 7th September Exploration of King’s Lynn; return to London You’ll enjoy another lavish breakfast at your hotel before you spend the morning exploring and shopping in the busy town centre and finding somewhere for lunch at one of Lynn’s many diverse eating places. King’s Lynn was one of England’s most important ports from as early as the 12th century, and fine old merchants’ houses stretch down to the river between cobbled lanes and the elegant Custom House that overlooks the harbour. After a morning of discovery, you board a coach to take you back to Norwich before heading to the station to catch a train home. (B)

Tour Summary

Tour price £1675 Single supplement £235

Price includes:

• 6 nights accommodation with breakfast in 4-star hotels • 5 breakfasts in hotels and 1 on the train • 5 dinners in hotels and 1 on the train • 2 lunches • All train travel as detailed in the itinerary • All seat reservations and coach transfers • The services of a tour manager

Seat reservations from London and return are non reserveable. Return travel from Kings Lynn to Kings Cross is available upon request.

All prices shown are per person based on two persons sharing. Meals included each day are shown as: B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D = Dinner

September 2023

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1

Approx. timings Outward Return London Liverpool St. 12:00 17:58 Norwich 13:50 16:20

Bob Green Bob Green

The Summer Highlander

Monday 11th September to Saturday 16th September 2023

Explore the splendour of Scotland’s culture and landscape on this unique summer tour to the scenic Scottish Highlands. • Tour highlights include a trip on ‘The Jacobite’ steam train, one of the great railway journeys of the world, and rail journeys from both the Kyle of Lochalsh and on the ‘Far North’ to Inverness. • Discover the inherent romance of the picturesque Isle of Skye on a ferry and road trip and explore the famous northern outpost of John O’Groats. • Immerse yourself in Scottish heritage at Dunrobin Castle and the Castle of Mey, and sample traditional Scottish culinary delights at diverse venues, including a whisky distillery. • Visits to both the Strathspey and the Keith & Dufftown ‘Whisky Line’ heritage railways are included, the latter being the most northerly heritage railway in the UK. • With a wide variety of cultural and culinary delights also on offer, you’ll experience first-hand the glorious appeal of this rugged land when you book for this outstanding holiday travel tour.

Monday 11th September ‘Highland Chieftain’ to Scotland From the comfort of the First-Class Lounge at London’s King’s Cross Station, you join the ‘Highland Chieftain’ passenger train for the journey north to Scotland, following the route of the scenic East Coast Main Line (ECML) through increasingly spectacular landscapes. A light lunch will be served at your seat as you speed on in First Class comfort. Stopping at York to take on passengers who have travelled by service train from Peterborough, you continue along the ECML to Darlington and on to Newcastle and Edinburgh. At Perth you join the Highland Main Line and travel through the amazing Scottish Highlands. Leaving the train at Kingussie a road coach takes you to Fort William where you check in to your hotel, where dinner will be served in the restaurant this evening. (L D) Tuesday 12th September ‘The Jacobite’; the Isle of Skye; by train to Inverness Today a major tour highlight awaits with a trip on ‘The Jacobite’ steam train, one of the great railway journeys of the world. The train runs from Fort William to Mallaig through magnificent Scottish scenery. Mountains, glens, streams, lochs and the sea combine in an unending collage of outstanding views. En route you cross the world famous 21-arch Glenfinnan Viaduct, built entirely of concrete and featured in a number of films and TV series. You’ll have an hour in Mallaig to explore this attractive fishing port and take lunch before boarding the ferry for Armadale on Skye. A road coach then transports you through Kyleakin and Broadford along the coast of this picturesque island. You cross the famous Skye Bridge and return to the mainland at Kyle of Lochalsh. The late afternoon service train to Inverness then takes you along one of Europe’s most scenic railway lines. Running alongside Loch Carron, with superb views of lochs and mountains, you’ll pass through dense forests en route to Inverness. You then transfer to the Best Western Hotel and Spa in Inverness, your base for the next four nights. (B)

Wednesday 13th September Dunrobin Castle After breakfast you depart by road coach for Dunrobin Castle. Travelling north, you cross Kessock Bridge on to the Black Isle, travel alongside Cromarty Firth and over Dornoch Firth to the village of Golspie on the North Sea coast. You arrive at Dunrobin Castle, this impressive castle stands on high terraces and affords wonderful views across its formal gardens to