Brightwater Holidays - Availability Early 2017

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Quality Garden Tours 2017

including Arts, Archaeology and Scenic Scottish Holidays

Welcome to the Brightwater Holidays 2017 Update!

Dear travellers, I’d like to extend to you all a very warm welcome back to Brightwater Holidays, and an even warmer welcome to a brand new season of exploration, discovery, and unforgettable getaways!

2017 is a big year for Brightwater. Not only does it see the inaugural voyages of some brand new tours to exciting destinations both near and far, and the triumphant return of old favourites, it’s also a very big birthday for us here in Cupar, as we turn the ripe old age of 25.

From small beginnings back in 1992, we’ve grown into a leading group tour operator specialising in quality garden and special interest holidays.

But don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten our roots — we’re still extremely proud to be creating lovingly crafted tour programmes and helping to make travel dreams a reality. That’s why we’ve created this availability update, to help keep our valued guests abreast of which tours are going when — and, hopefully, to invite you along too! If you’re planning a getaway between April and June this year, look no further: it’s all here.

We look forward to seeing you soon on tour!

Alison Wilson, General Manager

A Special Offer for a Special Anniversary...

This year, Brightwater is celebrating the big 2-5, a whole quarter of a century of bringing superb garden tours to enthusiasts all over the globe.

25

NN

YEARS

A IVE To celebrate, we have a special offer for RSA guests ringing up to book their holiday RY on 23rd March — £25 of Brightwater vouchers. Simply give us a call and quote the code BWH-25. Giving out gifts on our own anniversary — whatever next?

Visit brightwaterholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

Up Helly Aa — Book your Place for 2018!

If you haven’t heard of Up Helly Aa, you might have a hard time figuring out quite what it is — an old Scots greeting? An obscure war film? Something to be uttered over glasses of wine and whisky, or an invitation to a good old-fashioned knees up? Well, if you were leaning towards the last option, you wouldn’t actually be far off...

As it happens, Up Helly Aa is one night of the year — the last Tuesday in January, to be exact — when the ordinarily sleepy Shetland town of Lerwick undergoes a fearsome transformation. The darkened streets are lit up by the warm flicker of flaming torches as hordes of armour-clad Vikings pass through, singing uproariously, and carrying aloft a longship or galley, ready to be engulfed in flame at the end of the evening.

The name itself, in its original dialect, refers to the drawing to a close of the yule period, encouraging all to see out the season with flair — and, who are we to argue?

That said, we like to think of the festival not just as an ending, but also as the start of something new: after all, when joining in the festivities is just one part of a spectacular 5-day tour that also takes in archaeological sites and serene wildlife reserves it’s clear there are yet more experiences to be had, even if they aren’t all quite as dramatic as being set upon by thousands of torch-wielding Vikings!

This tour, like others before it, is sure to be a sell-out, so book your place for 2018 now.

It may seem a long way off yet, but secure your spot, and you can rest assured that you’re all set to warm up from a long, chilly winter in true Shetlands style.

Besides, we can hardly think of a better way to kick-start the year — can you?

4 nights from £795 pp | January 28th 2018

Whats included •

4 nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast — 2 nights at Busta House Hotel; 2 nights in 2-berth cabins on Serco Northlink Ferry

•

All coaching and ferry transfers*

•

Visits to Shetland, Yell and Jarlshof

•

Free day in Lerwick to enjoy the events of the Up Helly Aa festival

•

Services of a Brightwater Holidays tour manager

*Flight packages available on request

Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours

If you’re looking to jet off soon, see what we’ve got for April, May & June In these pages, you’ll find every tour for which we still have spaces across April, May and June — so whether you’re an attentive shortlist-maker, or more of an impulse booker, you’ll find everything you need to decide on your next destination.

Need help choosing? We asked two veteran Brightwater guides, Alastair Walker and Michael Gill, to tell us their Top 3 tours. Those in search of holiday inspiration can find their answers below...

Alastair Walker: My Top 3 Tours Up Helly Aa: “Shetland in January has a stark beauty that is like nowhere else in Scotland, yet while the skies may be grey, Lerwick and Up Helly Aa are as colourful as the carnival in Rio.” Grand Tour of the Inner Hebrides: “The great thing about this tour is the contrast between the islands. Mull is all about mountains and lochs and a silence that can be deafening, while Staffa is like an alien life-form rising out of the sea.”

Gardens of the Far North: “For sheer variety of gardens, this tour takes some beating, from the formal terraces of Dunrobin to the homeliness of the Castle of Mey. But the jewel in the crown is Inverewe, undoubtedly one of the best gardens in the country, reached by an unbelievably scenic journey.”

April Spring in the Dutch Bulbfields From canal-side cafes to historic windmills, artistic masterpieces to ground-breaking architecture, The Netherlands have a lot going for them — and we haven’t even got around to mentioning the tulips yet. We can’t think of a better place to spend the Spring!

Departures: 7 April (coach) & 28 April (air) 3 nights from £595 Single Room Supp £165

Portuguese Archaeology “All the world is made of change, and forever attaining new qualities”, so wrote Portuguese national poet Luís Vaz de Camões. Wise words indeed, although as archaeology enthusiasts, we’re also immensely thankful for the things that stay the same — rugged coasts, hushed woodlands, and fascinating sites.

Departures: 11 April 8 nights from £1,395 Single Room Supp £300

Selling Fast

Michael Gill: My Top 3 Tours Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia: “I love Andalucia because it is such a treat for the senses — the colour and vibrancy of the gardens, the beauty of the language, and the warm air that wafts in from the south.”

The Genius of Monet: “This tour has been around in one form or another for many years, but at its heart there is one thing that never changes — the unique beauty and presence of Monet’s famous garden at Giverny. I love watching the emotions it stirs.”

Arts & Gardens of Cornwall: “As a proud Cornishman, of course I have to include ‘Kernow’ in my top three destinations! Trebah, Glendurgan and Trewithen; Lamorran, Eden and Heligan — maybe I’m biased, but I think the gardens of Cornwall are the best in the world.”

Knossos Palace, Crete

Visit brightwaterholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands With its winning combination of comfortable cruising and breathtaking scenery, it’s no wonder the Lord of the Glens cruise has proved enormously popular. Laid-back sailing, with every aspect of your holiday taken care of — what could possibly be better?

Fully booked for 2017!

Take a look at our 2018 dates on our website: www.brightwaterholidays.com

Madeira at its Best Even at just thirty six miles long and fourteen miles wide, Madeira is an island of outstanding natural beauty. We are delighted to offer a comprehensive tour escorted by local Funchal man, João Camacho, who takes great pride in showing the very best that this volcanic island has to offer.

Departures: 24 April 7 nights from £1.095 Single Room Supp £220

Last Chance

Crete Archaeology Crete — so expansive, so idiosyncratic, with a wild interior and charming towns, that it’s often acknowledged it could be its very own country. And from the moment you set foot on this most striking of islands, former home of the fascinating Minoans, we’re sure you’ll find yourself in agreement.

Departures: 25 April 7 nights from £995 Single Room Supp £175

Last Few Places

The ‘sacred isle’ of Iona

Keukenhof Gardens, the Netherlands

Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours

May Gardens of Herefordshire Rural Herefordshire boasts some of Britain’s best gardens and most influential horticulturalists — from Montpelier cottage, created by Noel Kingsbury, to The Laskett, the brainchild of Sir Roy Strong.

Departures: 3 May 3 nights from £495 Single Room Supp £120

Last Chance

Iona

Patios of Córdoba The Festival of the Patios is very much a traditional Spanish affair. Amid dazzling displays of geraniums, carnations and jasmines, locals wander from house to house admiring the astonishing works of art. Join us and enjoy this kaleidoscope of divine colour and fragrance.

Departures: 7 May 4 nights from £895 Single Room Supp £140

Bridge on the River Wye

Orkney & Shetland Highlights

St Kilda: Voyage to the Edge of the World

Arts & Gardens in Cornwall

History and heritage, local culture and landscapes, wonderful wildlife... highachieving Northern Isles Orkney and Shetland do an awful lot extremely well indeed, and we’re celebrating with a carefully curated tour of all their very best bits. Why not join us?

On your approach to St Kilda, its craggy profile gives it an air of mystery more befitting of an adventure novel than a guided tour. We’re hardly going to let that stop us though... The profound isolation and unearthly landscapes have to be seen to be believed.

For more than one hundred years, artists have been attracted to the far western tip of Cornwall and the beautiful Penwith coastline — and it’s not hard to see why.

Harbour-side St Ives and Falmouth are famous the world over for their art collections, among Britain’s finest.

Departures: 8 May 5 nights from £995 Single Room Supp £225

Departures: 10 May 3 nights from £895 Single Room Supp £90

Limited Availability

Departures: 15 May 4 nights from £625 Single Room Supp £140

Rome, Ninfa & Castel Gandolfo

Mull, Staffa & Iona

Gardens of the Far North

On this tour, we are delighted to offer not one, but two rare opportunities — visit the ancient, beautiful gardens of Ninfa and follow in the footsteps of Popes at the traditional papal residence of Castel Gandolfo, both of which are open by special arrangement.

Tranquil Iona, awe-inspiring Staffa, rugged Mull: we like to think that the wildly differing moods of these three isles represent the very best of what the Inner Hebrides have to offer. Join us on a tour that will surely prove the old adage: good things really do come in threes.

A journey to the far north of Scotland brings with it many rewards, not least the enchanting castles and luscious gardens we find there. From the Queen Mother’s favourite summer retreat to the keep immortalised in Macbeth, each visit brings out the best in this unspoilt region.

Departures: 9 May 3 nights from £1,195 Single Room Supp £330

Selling Fast

Departures: 12 May 3 nights from £525 Single Room Supp £75

Visit brightwaterholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

Departures: 16 May 3 nights from £555 Single Room Supp £180

Last Chance

The Summer Isles

Handa & The Summer Isles

The Genius of Monet

You may not have heard of Handa and the Summer Isles, but get acquainted, and they won’t be leaving your mind in a hurry... Just off the west coast of Scotland, this is a small sprinkling of islands with a big personality.

Even if you haven’t yet had the chance to visit the gardens at Giverny, they should still look familiar, all thanks to Monet.

The lovingly restored grounds, with their iconic lily ponds and gently draping wisteria, are undoubtedly the jewel in the crown of our tour.

Departures: 19 May 3 nights from £735 Single Room Supp £180

Departures: 18 May 3 nights from £455 Single Room Supp £75

The Isles of Skye & Raasay

An Archaeologist’s View of Orkney & Shetland

A place where Medieval castles crown peaceful lochs and jagged mountain peaks punctuate the landscape, Skye is pure drama; its neighbour Raasay is pure charm. Join us and get to know them both, journeying from the peninsula of Trotternish to bustling Portree.

Orkney and Shetland are an archaeologist’s dream — beautiful, isolated archipelagos ringed by the North Sea, blanketed with windswept landscapes, and dotted here and there with the remains of ancient cultures.

Departures: 18 May 3 nights from £465 Single Room Supp £90

Departures: 22 May 5 nights from £1,095 Single Room Supp £225

Selling Fast

Arran: Scotland in Miniature

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

‘Scotland in miniature’ might just be the most apt way to sum up the country’s seventh largest island — separated into Highland and Lowland, geographically and ecologically diverse, and chock full of history, it shares more in common with the mainland than you might think.

The Chelsea Flower Show is the world’s leading horticultural event, and every year produces gardens and exhibits of the highest quality. Once again, we will be able to marvel at an international collection of magnificent blooms and brilliant displays on this four-day tour.

Departures: 19 May 4 nights from £495 The Birsay Whalebone, Orkney

Last Few Places

Selling Fast

Departures: 25 May 3 nights from £435 Single Room Supp £90

Highland & Island Gardens The Western Seaboard of Scotland is home to some of the finest gardens in Europe. Many surprising types of plant flourish in this gentle, moist climate thanks to the influence of the Gulf Stream, known to be kind to the more unusual exotic shrubs and trees.

Gardens of Villa Lante

Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com

Departures: 25 May 3 nights from £645 Single Room Supp £120

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours

June Best of Angus Private Gardens The rich, fertile soil of Angus is an ideal environment for gardening. It’s no surprise that this historic county is host to a wonderful array of gardens — from the lavish House of Pitmuies to the walled Newtonmill House.

Departures: 2 June 3 nights from £455 Single Room Supp £75

Mull, Staffa & Iona Tranquil Iona, awe-inspiring Staffa, rugged Mull: we like to think that the wildly differing moods of these three isles represent the very best of what the Inner Hebrides have to offer. Join us on a tour that will surely prove the old adage: good things really do come in threes.

Departures: 2 June 3 nights from £525 Single Room Supp £75

Popular Departure

The Legacy of Gertrude Jekyll Few could doubt the great influence Gertrude Jekyll has had on garden design over the last century — on this tour, we are able to see its true extent. Beginning in Surrey, we chart a course through the Home Counties and across to the scenic West Country.

Departures: 4 June 6 nights from £995 Single Room Supp £150

Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire

Islay & Jura

Orkney & Shetland Highlights

Scotland’s Northern Edge

Islay and Jura are a study in contrasts: Islay’s verdant fertility to Jura’s mountainous sobriety; the former’s contented bustle to the latter’s wild mystery. But these Hebridean cousins also have plenty in common, from whisky distilleries to beautiful beaches.

History and heritage, local culture and landscapes, wonderful wildlife... highachieving Northern Isles Orkney and Shetland do an awful lot extremely well indeed, and we’re celebrating with a carefully curated tour of all their very best bits. Why not join us?

The sweep of Scotland’s northern edge is truly epic, a wildly beautiful frontier shaped by wind and sea over millions of years. We carve a course from east to west, unearthing the wonders of a northern coast, from leaping salmon to the world’s best cup of cocoa...

Departures: 5 June 4 nights from £695 Single Room Supp £80

Selling Fast

Departures: 5 June 5 nights from £995 Single Room Supp £225

Selling Fast

Visit brightwaterholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

Departures: 5 June 4 nights from £595 Single Room Supp £100

RHS Chatsworth Show & Gardens of Derbyshire

Scenic Scottish Railways

Gardens of Dorset & Somerset

It’s not often you get the chance to attend the inaugural staging of what could become a classic event — and there are few finer settings than Chatsworth House for the latest addition to the RHS flower show calendar.

A gently rocking carriage, a continuous reassuring chug and a reedy whistle, the unmistakable smell of smoke — a trip by train is a trip for all the senses. When that trip is taken through rolling hill and gentle glen, it becomes unforgettable.

The neighbouring counties of Dorset and Somerset epitomise the timeless and restrained beauty of rural England and are home to to a fine selection of classic gardens in a variety of different styles, as well as breathtakingly grand vistas.

Departures: 6 June 3 nights from £515 Single Room Supp £90

Last Few Places

Departures: 9 June 3 nights from £425 Single Room Supp £45

Departures: 12 June 3 nights from £625 Single Room Supp £60

Yunnan: Footsteps of the Plant Hunters

Shetland & its Outer Isles

An Archaeologist’s View of Orkney & Shetland

In 1904, herbarium assistant George Forrest set off from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for an adventure on the other side of the world — the southwest of China. For the intrepid Scot, this would start a long love affair with the challenging life of the plant hunter.

Once the seat of Northmen, who travelled from Norway to make their mark on the wild and rocky landscapes of the archipelago, Shetland and the Outer Isles are a soul-stirring joy to explore and behold, with rocky outcrops ruled by harbour seals, and charming little towns.

Orkney and Shetland are an archaeologist’s dream — beautiful, isolated archipelagos ringed by the North Sea, blanketed with windswept landscapes, and dotted here and there with the remains of ancient cultures.

Departures: 6 June 14 nights from £3,995 Single Room Supp £480

Selling Fast

Departures: 10 June 4 nights from £845 Single Room Supp £200

Popular Departure

Departures: 12 June 4 nights from £1,095 Single Room Supp £225

Rome, Ninfa & Castel Gandolfo On this tour, we are delighted to offer not one, but two rare opportunities — visit the ancient, beautiful gardens of Ninfa and follow in the footsteps of Popes at the traditional papal residence of Castel Gandolfo, both of which are open by special arrangement.

Departures: 6 June 3 nights from £1,195 Single Room Supp £330

The rugged coastline of Shetland and its Outer Isles

Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com

Lijian Old Town

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours

June The Best of Norway Norway is an enigma, a place gracefully suspended between full-on drama and utter serenity, between a rich past and a promising future. Join us on tour and see it for yourself in the country’s modern capital and its glacial fjords, Viking sites and up-to-the-minute museums.

Departures: 20 June 7 nights from £2,395 Single Room Supp £525

WAFA: Barbados This year, the World Association of Floral Artists show comes to the Caribbean island of Barbados. If it is to be anything like the last show, held in Dublin in 2014, then it will surely be a spectacle not to be missed.

Departures: 21 June 8 nights from £2,095 Single Room Supp £490

Last Few Places

The Heilan Flyer heads out of Broomhill on our Scottish railways tour

Barbados Beach

Visit brightwaterholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

A Classic Scottish Steam Break

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides

Arran: Scotland in Miniature

Ever wanted to see Britain’s highest mountain? Its shortest river? How about the deepest freshwater loch in Europe?

On our Classic Scottish Steam Break, you can — and then some. Join us for a tour of firsts, lasts, exclusives and superlatives.

In the far north of the UK, at Europe’s Atlantic edge, we find a unique string of islands, where prehistoric sites, windswept beaches, artists’ hideaways and imposing castles dot landscapes that are alternately wild and homely.

‘Scotland in miniature’ might just be the most apt way to sum up the country’s seventh largest island — separated into Highland and Lowland and chock full of history, it shares more in common with the mainland than you might think.

Departures: 22 June 3 nights from £395 Single Room Supp £60

Departures: 25 June 5 nights from £785 Single Room Supp £175

Departures: 26 June 4 nights from £495

St Kilda: Voyage to the Edge of the World On your approach to St Kilda, its craggy profile gives it an air of mystery more befitting of an adventure novel than a guided tour. We’re hardly going to let that stop us though... The profound isolation and unearthly landscapes have to be seen to be believed.

Departures: 28 June 3 nights from £895 Single Room Supp £90

St Kilda

Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com

Brodick Castle, Arran

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours

Created in conjunction with RHS staff and committee members, this carefully chosen collection of garden holidays is sure to inspire. Whether you’re planning on staycationing in the UK or heading for far-flung destinations, we hope we can tempt you towards your next getaway...

April 2017 Tresco’s Abbey Gardens When you first glimpse the turquoise seas and quartz sands that surround the Scilly Isles, and feel the stress of everyday life slip away, you instinctively know that your visit is going to be special.

3 & 24 April - from £925

Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia In Andalucia, a wealth of ornate Moorish architecture, and an incomparably dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains, makes for a truly unique European destination.

May 2017 Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes Witness the beguiling beauty of the northern Italian lakes’ Mediterranean landscape in full colour, from scarlet camellias and pink oleanders to placid cerulean waters.

1 May - from £1,795

Gardens of the French Riviera With elegant gardens, dazzling azure skies, and a stunning coastline which inspired a generation of artists, the French Riviera has retained its glamorous allure for over a century.

4 May - from £1,295

Highgrove & the Cotswolds Private Gardens of East Anglia

4 April - from £1,275

The adjoining counties of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk are the stars of this East Anglian epic, showcasing the finest gardens, galleries and museums that the region has to offer.

2 May - from £495

Gardens of Devon & Cornwall

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens

Devon and Cornwall go together like peaches and cream, Morecambe and Wise, and the words ‘Chelsea and Flower Show’, and their wonderful gardens form a cocktail of West Country magic.

19 April - from £795

When you first glimpse the turquoise seas and quartz sands that surround the Scilly Isles, and feel the stress of everyday life slip away, you instinctively know that your visit is going to be special.

3 & 13 May - from £975

Our tour features an exclusive visit to Highgrove House, country home of The Prince of Wales. You are unlikely to meet His Royal Highness, but there’s nothing to keep you from talking to his plants!

5 May - from £485

Gardens of Florence & Tuscany The walled towns and rolling vineyards of the Tuscan heartland represent the archetypal image of Italy. Meanwhile, Florence has a striking Renaissance beauty all its own.

9 May - from £1,795

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes Witness the beguiling beauty of the northern Italian lakes’ Mediterranean landscape in full colour, from scarlet camellias and pink oleanders to placid cerulean waters.

19 April - from £1,795

Highgrove & the Cotswolds Our tour features an exclusive visit to Highgrove House, country home of The Prince of Wales. You are unlikely to meet His Royal Highness, but there’s nothing to keep you from talking to his plants!

21 April - from £485

Monet’s garden at Giverny

Visit rhsgardenholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

May 2017 Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia In Andalucia, a wealth of ornate Moorish architecture, and an incomparably dramatic backdrop of snow-capped mountains, makes for a truly unique European destination.

10 May - from £1,325

Gardens of Normandy Explore a region boasting a broad range of beautiful gardens, including one belonging to Claude Monet, from our base in the tranquil Seine-side town of Rouen.

12 May - from £695

RHS Chelsea Flower Show & Classic English Gardens

Combining the colour and excitement of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with some of the south of England’s finest gardens, this tour affords us the opportunity to enjoy true horticultural excellence.

25 May - from £1,095

Gardens of Kent & Sussex If there is one tour that epitomises the joy of strolling around a perfect English country garden, the Gardens of Kent & Sussex is it. Join us as we discover one shining example after another.

29 May - from £525

June 2017 Private Gardens of Guernsey & Sark Why limit yourself to one island escape when you can extend your holiday across two? From immaculate gardens to orchid-filled meadows, Guernsey and Sark have much to offer enthusiasts.

1 June - from £1,195

Southern Ireland’s Gems In and around Dublin and the lively city of Cork, we take a stroll through some of the garden gems of the Emerald Isle.

Meet enthusiastic and skilful owners, and explore formal and wild spaces alike.

3 June - from £1,395

June 2017 Gardens of North Wales

Gardens of Devon & Cornwall

As well as glorious scenery of mountains, seascapes and castles, North Wales is home to some outstanding gardens, including the charming personal grounds of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.

9 June - from £425

Devon and Cornwall go together like peaches and cream, Morecambe and Wise, and the words ‘Chelsea and Flower Show’, and their wonderful gardens form a cocktail of West Country magic.

22 June - from £815

Gardens of the Lake District

Highgrove & the Cotswolds

The Lake District is an area of outstanding natural beauty, and more often than not, the lush planting of the gardens is offset by a glorious natural backdrop of lakes or fells.

12 June - from £795

Our tour features an exclusive visit to Highgrove House, country home of The Prince of Wales. You are unlikely to meet His Royal Highness, but there’s nothing to keep you from talking to his plants!

23 June - from £485

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Gardens of Kent & Sussex

Join us to chart the life of the incomparable architect, designer and artist through some of his most iconic masterpieces, from the urban centre of Glasgow to the Isle of Bute.

14 June - from £495

If there is one tour that epitomises the joy of strolling around a perfect English country garden, the Gardens of Kent & Sussex is it. Join us as we discover one shining example after another.

Dumfries & Galloway

Gardens of the North of Ireland

Explore the dream-like landscape of Dumfries and Galloway, where red deer, kites, and more join us as we travel across gentle hills and lush valleys, and explore stately homes.

16 June - from £445

The picturesque north of Ireland offers a rich feast of horticulture, set against an ever-changing backdrop of lush green hills, fertile fields, and expansive, glittering seascapes.

26 June - from £755

Gardens of West Wales

Alpine Flowers of Wengen

Tucked away in the rolling countryside of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire we find some very fine parks and gardens indeed, including our tour’s centrepiece, the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

19 June - from £625

Breathtaking scenery, rich green alpine meadows, and spruce forests make Wengen a superb destination not just for native flora, but for bird- and butterflyspotting opportunities, too.

27 June - from £1,895

25 June - from £525

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes

Witness the beguiling beauty of the northern Italian lakes’ Mediterranean landscape in full colour, from scarlet camellias and pink oleanders to placid cerulean waters.

19 June - from £1,895 Lanhydrock Castle, Cornwall

To book or to obtain further information on any of our RHS Garden Holidays, visit www.rhsgardenholidays.com Email: rhs@brightwaterholidays.com or call 0203 735 1855

Call today on 0203 735 1855 | Email: rhs@brightwaterholidays.com

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2016/17

Sudeley Castle © Jason Ballard

Benmore Botanic Garden

Highland and Island Gardens

The Cotswolds

Glamis Castle

Best of Angus Private Gardens

Mainland and more: see some of the finest gardens in Europe

Explore the green and pleasant gardens of Gloucestershire

A historic county destined for horticultural greatness

See for yourself the exotic shrubs and trees which, you may be surprised to hear, thrive on Scotland’s Western Seaboard, buffered gently by the Gulf Stream. Visit Gigha, where James Horlick created his marvellous woodland garden; Bute, for the Gothic splendour of Mount Stuart, and more.

Ranging from the Rococo to the Edwardian, via the quintessentially English, the gardens of the picturesque Cotswolds offer a unique set of charms. Among these we find the grounds of Hidcote Manor, built of separate ‘rooms’, all connected but with startling contrasts.

The rich, fertile soil of Angus has a lot to answer for, from the lavish borders of the House of Pitmuies to the lush rhododendrons of Brechin Castle.

With herbalist’s gardens and royal grounds — including the childhood home of the late Queen Mother — alike, there’s much to discover.

Dates 12 May Prices from £995

Dates 11 June Prices from £249

Dates 7 July Prices from £825

For More Information & To Book: 01334 657155 | info@brightwaterholidays.com | www.hillier.co.uk | www.brightwaterholidays.com Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes with Monty Don

This spring, choose from two special Gardeners’ World getaways with two very special guests — colourful Cornwall with Carol Klein, or the laid back lakes of Northern Italy with Monty Don.

Call today on 01334 657155 info@brightwaterholidays.com

The beautiful northern Italian lakes have attracted Italian aristocrats and the wealthy for years — why not follow their example on our exclusive spring tour this April? As well as taking advantage of the beautifully balmy climate, sublime scenery and heavenly gardens, this tour sees us joined by some very special guests — Gardeners’ World presenter, Monty Don, and BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine editor, Lucy Hall.

Departures: 24 April 4 nights from £1,995 Single Room Supp £225

Visit brightwaterholidays.com To obtain a full day-by-day itinerary of all our tours.

© Blink Films

Hillier Gardening Club 2017 Tours In partnership with Brightwater Holidays

University of Oxford Botanic Gardens

The Gardens of Oxfordshire

Aberglasney House and Gardens

Gardens of South Wales

Madeira Botanical Garden, Funchal

Madeira at its Best

Superb grounds, stately homes and dreaming spires

Certain proof that good things come in small packages

A lush, volcanic island, small in stature but big on the botanical

Many of the gardens we visit on this tour have been blended effortlessly into the surrounding countryside, amplifying already beautiful vistas — and from that of the Vale of Aylesbury to the iconic, spire-dotted skyline of the city of Oxford itself, there are plenty to enjoy.

Journey from the green, green grass of those famous valleys to the utterly exquisite National Botanic Garden in Carmarthenshire; the magnificently restored 16th–17th century gardens of Aberglasney to the underground network of grottoes and ferneries at the long-buried Dewstow Gardens.

Thanks to Madeira’s benevolent sub-tropical climate, this tour sees us explore an island bursting with a remarkable variety of vegetation, fruit and flowers. This diminutive Portuguese outpost has long been popular with British holidaymakers and it’s not difficult to see why.

Dates 4 August Prices from £385

Dates 15 September Prices from £425

Dates 9 October Prices from £945

Spring Gardens of Cornwall with Carol

Cornwall’s gardens are renowned the world over, and our tour includes visits to the cream of the crop — from remarkable eco-masterpiece the Eden Project to the surreal and sublime Lost Gardens of Heligan, scene of the largest restoration project in Europe. We will also be joined by special guest Carol Klein, of BBC Gardeners’ World, at Bosvigo, her personal favourite Cornish garden, and receive an illuminating talk over drinks.

© Jason Ingram / BBC Gardeners’ World

Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com

Departures: 24 April 4 nights from £1,295 Single Room Supp £140

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours

A little something special for Tour NADFAS members, the tours in this section combine natural and handmade masterpieces to create unforgettable journeys. Explore 16th century villas in Veneto, immerse yourself in film-set towns in North Wales, follow in the footsteps of Scottish architects, and discover remarkable green spaces on the United States’ Eastern Seaboard. Arts and gardens aplenty are waiting to be discovered — book your place today.

Villa Barbarigo

Fountains in Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania

Arts & Gardens of the Eastern Seaboard See the birthplace of a nation in Philadelphia, and learn its story so far at Washington D.C.’s Smithsonian Art Museum; walk ‘Museum Mile’ in the city that never sleeps, and uncover masterpieces of European painting in

the Frick Collection. For an unparalleled overview of the artistic American experience, look no further. And not forgetting the gardens, the projects of famous faces from the Rockefellers to the CEO of PepsiCo.

Departures: 9 October 2018 10 nights from £6,495 Single Room Supp £1,200

Penrhyn Castle

Kelvingrove Museum

Palladian Villas of Veneto

Castles & Gardens of North Wales

Glasgow’s Artistic Heritage

Veneto is one of Italy’s wealthiest regions, demonstrated by the extravagance of its grand villas and their stunning gardens. Many were designed

by Andrea Palladio, one of the most influential Western architects in history.

How do you create a colourful Welsh tour? Take a fascinating hidden garden, a well-stocked nursery, and a wonderfully surreal Italianate village, add in castles and gardens set in glorious scenery, and you’ll be well on your way.

Follow the works of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson and Charles Rennie Mackintosh through the streets of Scotland’s second city and beyond — from the Gothic Mount Stuart to the famous Glasgow School of Art.

Departures: 16 May 2017 4 nights from £995 Single Room Supp £120

Departures: 28 June & 29 September 2017 4 nights from £695 Single Room Supp £80

Departures: 15 October 2017 3 nights from £495 Single Room Supp £96

Brightwater Holidays Ltd, Eden Park House, Cupar, Fife KY15 4HS Call today on 01334 657155 | Email: info@brightwaterholidays.com brightwaterholidays.com

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