12
Day
England,
Wales and Scotland - Winter Itinerary (October
to April)
Sherwood forest
* Nottingham * Yorkshire * Hadrian’s Wall
* Edinburgh * Stirling * Highlands * Isle of Skye
* Loch Ness * Edinburgh * Lake District * Liverpool
* Anglesey * Snowdonia * Stratford * Oxford
Day 1 Monday
Please be ready to depart at 7.30am from Earls
Court YHA.
Heading North from Central London we travel
into Robin Hood's country. The 450-acre Sherwood
Forest is a dream to explore and with a picnic
lunch you will feel like one of the Merry Men!
Test your skills with our optional activity
of archery before we make our way to Viking
York! A chance to explore the awesome gothic
cathedral (England's largest), the medieval
city walls and the sights and sounds of the
lively city centre. After our authentic Viking
feast, experience a spine tingling ghost walk
followed by a rally of traditional pubs.
Day 2 Tuesday
Heading further North we stop in the cosmopolitan
city of Newcastle. Cross the River Tyne and
see the Angel of the North. From here we attack
Hadrian's Wall then a choice to cruise up the
Northumberland coastal road or through the Northumberland
National Park. It's goodbye to England and Scotland
ahoy! A pause at either Holy Island, with its
amazing history and ancient priory or Jedburgh,
a historical border town, once home to Mary
Queen of Scots before we get to Edinburgh. A
Full walking tour & a bit of whisky tasting
await. Explore the Royal Mile and Edinburgh
castle. The evening is spent enjoying a traditional
Scottish meal and a fantastic night out in Scotland's
capital.
Day 3 Wednesday
Leaving Edinburgh we head out towards Stirling
to hear the history of William Wallace and Robert
the Bruce. Then it is over to Loch Lomond ("I'll
take the high road…") to take in the
beauty of one of Scotlands famous Lochs. Next
we wind our way further westwards to Kilmartin
Glen to uncover the wonders of the Kingdom of
Dalriada - Standing Stones, Stone Circles &
castles before making our way up to lively Oban
- our home for the night.
Day 4 Thursday
We head deeper into the magical Highlands through
some spectacular north west coast scenery with
amazing stops and weather permitting walks in
magnificent Glencoe (hear the tragic tale of
the MacDonald's Massacre) and Glen Nevis. Next
we wind our way westwards through Harry Potter
country to the Glenfinnan Memorial (where Bonny
Prince Charlie raised the royal standard), and
weather permitting have some time on the beaches
of Morar. Then its to Mallaig to catch the ferry
over to the South of the Isle of Skye - the
traditional way to reach the island - we spend
tonight in the fishing village of Kyleakin.
Day 5 Friday
A full and active day on the mystical Isle -
lots of walks and time to take in the magic.
You'll see the Cuillin Mountains, the Old Man
of Storr (an incredible Jurassic pillar) and
hear some amazing legends, visit the fascinating
Kilt Rock, and take in absolutely awe-inspiring
panoramas in the Quirang. Perfect preparation
for a few wee drams in the pub to reflect on
a day of tales and legends.
Day 6 Saturday
We say farewell to the Isle of Skye this morning
& once back on the mainland we make our
way northwards up the Gairloch Coastline - a
day of gorgeous, relaxing scenery with some
lovely short walks, gorges & waterfalls
before heading over to the Capital of the Highlands
- Inverness - for our final night together.
Day 7 Sunday
Our last takes us to the banks of loch ness
for some Nessie hunting before an emotional
stop at tragic Culloden battlefield. Then we
cheer ourselves up with beautiful forest walks
and a distillery visit before making our way
over the Firth of Forth back to Edinburgh -
happy honorary Scots!
Day 8 Monday
A day to explore Edinburgh at your own pace.
One of Britain's most beautiful cities is yours
to explore, we can provide plenty of information
and advice on what to see and do.
Day 9 Tuesday
A day to explore Edinburgh at your own pace.
One of Britain's most beautiful cities is yours
to explore, we can provide plenty of information
and advice on what to see and do.
Day 10 Wednesday
Depart from Edinburgh to head back into England.
We have request stops for Hadrian's Wall and
if we have time a quick call in at Gretna Green
where the Ironmonger can perform a shotgun wedding!?
From here we head for the Lake District National
Park (the largest National Park in Great Britain)
and try out some of our great optional activities.
Have a chance to kayak, row or motorcruise the
lakes. Visit water falls, the highest pub in
the Lakes, Windermere and in the summer months,
the chance for a lakeside BBQ. Afterwards we
travel south for a rocking night in the city
of Liverpool . Get some Beatles Mania down at
the Cavern Club.
Day 11 Thursday
After breakfast, we cross the Mersey River &
down into Wales. We also offer a drop or pick
up in Bangor for the Ireland connection via
Holyhead. Visit Llanfairpwllgwngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
(the longest place-name in the world) &
get your passport stamped! We continue south
to Caernarfon -a cool castle town on the coast
where you can experience some real Welsh culture
before heading into the stunning Snowdonia National
Park - (the second largest National Park in
Great Britain) dominated by the highest peak
in England and Wales - Mt Snowdon (3560 ft).
See the famous Welsh slate mines & go in
search of Gellert's Grave where we stop for
a nice picnic lunch. Then it's eastwards to
Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon. An opportunity
to see a Shakespeare play at the Royal Shakespeare
Theatre (seasonal performances) or to spend
an evening in the famous medieval town.
Day 12 Friday
The morning is spent with an optional tour of
Shakespeare's houses or more time in the town
to see Shakespeare's home town and history.
Late morning we meander through the spectacular
Cotswold's - spend some quality time in a Cotswold's
village (perhaps sample a cream tea) before
arriving in the University City of Oxford. Get
a full walking tour of the city's famous University
colleges before heading back to London for late
afternoon.
What's
Included
Kitty can vary slightly seasonally. Please ask
for exact amount at time of booking.
The 'kitty' is a set fee taken on the morning
of departure which covers all breakfasts, evening
meals, accommodation, ferries, boat trip and
most entry fees. All of this money is spent
on you - saves you loads of time, money and
hassle. It must be paid in cash as detailed
below.
