2020 Departures

A unique experience with Albion Journeys Take time to reflect

Chatsworth House Dear Royal Oak Members and Friends, Delve Deeper into Britain’s Heritage I am very pleased to share with you our brand-new 2020 heritage tour program produced in It’s the little extras that set Albion tours apart from the rest partnership with Albion, one of the leading heritage travel providers in Great Britain. These exclusive group tours offer Royal Oak members the unique opportunity to discover the vast Carefully chosen itineraries

cultural and natural heritage of Britain including many of the impressive places owned by the We work closely with our partner heritage organizations to create unique and insightful Hartwell House Dobson © NTHP/James National Trust. itineraries that truly unlock Britain’s history and culture. Our itineraries are carefully researched Immerse yourself in Britain’s fascinating history on these custom itineraries with behind- to ensure that they provide a valuable and enriching experience. Our in-house planners are the-scenes tours, after dinner lectures and insights from the owners of the properties always on hand should you have any questions before you travel with us. Hand-picked hotels themselves. Our 2020 program has some captivating new tours. Discover the stunning Caring staff Your journey through Britain’s pastoral landscapes of the Malverns, an inspiration for writers and composers such as colorful past won’t end after a day Tolkien and Elgar on our Nostalgic Journey Through the Malvern Hills & Cotswold Vales tour If you have booked an Albion tour before you will already be on first name terms with our

© NTPL/David Sellman © NTPL/David of excursions. We’ve chosen your Chartwell customer service team! They will look after you from your first enquiry through to your arrival (page 28) or discover architectural gems in Britain’s capital city on our Tudors & Stuarts in principal hotels for their character in the UK, and work hard to ensure that any special requests or arrangements you may need are London tour (page 8). and history and full descriptions carried out. Our team work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure your tour runs smoothly. The Royal Oak Foundation is proud to be partners of the National Trust, helping to support can be found on our website. the Trust’s vital conservation work. We recently launched our 2019 National Trust appeal to Tailored reading lists These hotels are complemented support a major effort to protect Blickling Hall’s remarkable library and make its collection If you want to understand more about the themes of your tour, we provide a full reading list that by conveniently located overnight better known to the public. Blickling’s library is one of Britain’s foremost private book should enable you to fully engage with the subject before your tour begins. We ensure that our hotels at the beginning and end of collections, making it of exceptional national and international significance. Acquired in reading lists are entertaining as well as informative, and they often include a mix of fiction as well your stay. 1742, it contains more than 12,500 volumes, including some very rare and precious early as factual tomes. It is up to you how much you want to use the reading list, but you can be sure Two hotels featured on these tours manuscripts. You can see Blickling’s wonderful library for yourself on the Cambridge & East that it will help spark lively conversation! that are of particular interest are Anglia Mansions & Villages tour featured on page 26. Special guided tours Historic House Hotels of the National Trust, with all profits supporting the I encourage you to join one or more of these tours and experience first-hand the history and On an Albion journey we arrange tours by the house owners themselves wherever possible,

Knole House Einsiedel von © NTPL/Andreas charity’s conservation work.Hartwell beauty of the United Kingdom. Every tour helps raise funds for The Royal Oak Foundation to really bring historic houses alive. We also offer behind the scenes tours or private tours with House’s most famous resident was too and we are sure that you will have a truly wonderful time sharing these journeys with special access, and even talks by curators at historic houses, to make sure you get the full story Louis XVIII, exiled King of France, other members and friends from across the United States. and the most out of your visit. who lived there with his Court for Exclusive themed talks by experts five years. The hotel also welcomed Bill Clinton during his Presidency. The majority of our tours include an after-dinner talk by an expert in their field that promises to Bodysgallen Hall is believed to be both informative and engaging. Whether it is a leading historian, fascinating writer or learned have begun life as a watchtower for expert, we arrange guest speakers who will enhance the themes of your tour and provide some Conwy Castle in the 13th century but Ian Murray captivating background or intriguing insight. With the opportunity for you to ask questions at the it wasn’t until late in the Elizabethan Interim Executive Director, The Royal Oak Foundation end of the talk, these interactive experiences are an opportunity not to be missed. Longleat House era that it became a house.

2 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 3 Your Tour, Your Way Tour Map We are happy to book any room upgrades or extras you might require to make your stay extra special. For everything from extra nights at your hotel to additional transfers or even supplementary hotels, excursions Bonnie Prince Charlie & the or theater trips, contact the Albion office to Scotland Jacobite Rebellion discuss prices and availability.

Aristocrats & Manor Houses A Wonderful Travel in 2020 with your Edinburgh & A Grand Tour to the North

Opportunity favorite Tour Directors Here at Albion we are aware that as well The Lake District & William as an excellent itinerary and quality hotels, Stunning Stately Homes of Wordsworth’s Homes England to Explore & exceptional Tour Directors help make your Yorkshire & the Brontës tour special, so we’d like to introduce you Glorious Gardens & York to some of our team members… Grandeur of North Wales Experience... Manchester A Tour Around the Treasure David Robertson Houses of England David left the world of Oxford & the Home Counties‘ commerce eight years ago to Picturesque Houses & Gardens Cambridge & East Anglia become a tour manager so that Birmingham Mansions & Villages A Wonderful Opportunity he could share his love for travel A Nostalgic Journey Through the Wales and flex his organizing skills. Malvern Hills & Cotswold Vales The Tudors & Stuarts David is very welcoming and London to Explore & Experience... in London simply loves sharing his passion for the UK with his clients. David is originally from South West Classic English Gardens Kent Castles & Coasts the Midlands but now bases himself in the North & their Manor Houses of England. South East England & the Create your "Extraordinary, professional, caring Bloomsbury Group and informative." Mayflower 400 Queen Victoria 200: Regal Splendor & an Island Getaway David will be joining these tours: perfect tour Glorious Gardens & Grandeur of North Wales The Lake District & William Wordsworth’s Homes room upgrades, Aristocrats & Manor Houses & A Grand Tour to Contents For a more detailed map for each tour please see the tour pages the North extra nights, Tour Description Page Carolyn Russell Stunning Stately Homes of Yorkshire & the Brontës September 1 to 9, 2019 6 excursions, Carolyn has travelled extensively all over the world with tour Queen Victoria 200: Regal Splendor & an Island Getaway September 15 to 24, 2019 7 theater trips... groups, previously spending a lot of time in Cuba and North The Tudors & Stuarts in London May 4 to 11, 2020 8-9 America. She now prefers to Kent Castles & Coasts May 5 to 13, 2020 10-11 travel with groups in the UK, sharing her love of the country's Bonnie Prince Charlie & the Jacobite Rebellion May 10 to 20, 2020 12-13 history with her clients. Carolyn is also our Glorious Gardens & Grandeur of North Wales June 7 to 16, 2020 14-15 We can book resident expert on the Royal Family; we challenge weekend theater you to find something that she doesn't know A Tour Around the Treasure Houses of England June 21 to July 2, 2020 16-17 about them. When not managing tours Carolyn The Lake District & William Wordsworth’s Homes July 5 to 13, 2020 18-19 or sightseeing lives in central London. breaks in central "Carolyn was spectacular – so well South East England & the Bloomsbury Group July 14 to 22, 2020 20-21 London as an organized, knowledgeable, and Aristocrats & Manor Houses & A Grand Tour to the North July 19 to 28, 2020 22-23 professional. She made this tour work add-on to your perfectly and flawlessly." South West Classic English Gardens & their Manor Houses August 2 to 11, 2020 24-25 main tour. Carolyn will be joining these tours: Cambridge & East Anglia Mansions & Villages August 17 to 26, 2020 26-27 The Tudors & Stuarts in London A Nostalgic Journey Through the Malvern Hills & Cotswold Vales September 6 to 14, 2020 28-29 Contact us for South East England & the Bloomsbury Group more details! Oxford & Home Counties’ Picturesque Houses Oxford & the Home Counties’ Picturesque Houses & Gardens September 6 to 13, 2020 30-31 & Gardens Mayflower 400 September 10 to 20, 2020 32-33

4 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 5 Last chance to book September 2019 tours Don’t miss your opportunity to join us in 2019....

orton onyers Stunning Stately Queen Victoria Harrogate York ast ilesen Hall Hughenen Haworth Kirkstall ey L eple ewsa House liveen arens Popular altaire Kensington alace ostell riory Homes of Yorkshire Winsor astle 200: Regal tour: new date added & the Brontës What’s Included Splendor & an What’s Included vington ark rantha ™™Return airport transfers from ™™Return airport transfers from taor London Heathrow* runel astle Island Getaway London Heathrow* owes ortsouth September 1 to 9, 2019 ™™ sorne House ™™ 2 nights at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel he eeles unwell House 5 nights at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel orth ourt arens ™™ ™™ Wrest ark from per person 1 night at the Stapleford Park Country 4 nights at the Royal Hotel, Isle of Wight Kneworth House $4,990 September 15 to 24, 2019 House Hotel ™™Welcome drink and canapés ™™ The Brontës are well known as poets 4 nights at the Grand Hotel & Spa York from $4,800 per person ™™Full English breakfast each day Wrest Park ™™ and novelists and their home, now the 1 night at the Waterton Park Hotel ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 6 nights Brontë Parsonage Museum in Yorkshire, ™™Welcome drink and canapés 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the at the hotels (with after dinner tea has become a place of pilgrimage for ™™Full English breakfast each day birth of Queen Victoria, Britain’s second and coffee) thousands of visitors each year. We make longest serving monarch. Victoria’s ™™ ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 6 nights 1 dinner at a restaurant in Windsor the journey north to York to discover at the hotels (with after dinner tea reign marked a period of great cultural, ™™1 dinner at a restaurant on the Isle places associated with their lives, and coffee) industrial and political change and a great of Wight

alongside other historic houses with II 2017 Queen Elizabeth © Her Majesty ™™Services of a tour director throughout expansion of the British Empire. This tour ™™2 lunches literary associations such as Knebworth takes in some of the famous palaces, your stay ™™Services of a tour director throughout House, once the residence of dramatist castles and country houses frequented by ™™Travel to and from all excursions your stay Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and East Riddlesden the Queen throughout her reign and offers ™™All entrance costs ™™Travel to and from all excursions Hall, believed to be the inspiration for a very real insight into her life and the ™™ ™™ Nostell Priory Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore. Porterage people closest to her. Return ferry to the Isle of Wight *supplement applies for transfers from all ™™All entrance costs other airports ™™Porterage Special extras included Special extras included *supplement applies for transfers from all other airports in your itinerary Your Hotels The King’s Bedchamber, Windsor Castle in your itinerary ™™Guided walking tour of York Nights One and Eight – Macdonald Windsor ™™Guided walking tour of Windsor with a ™™Guided tour of York Minster Hotel, Windsor Blue Badge Guide Your Hotels ™™ ™™ Guided walking tour of Haworth Night Two – Stapleford Park Country House A visit to the royal residence of Kensington Nights One to Four, and Nine – Macdonald ™™Guided tour of Norton Conyers Hotel, near Melton Mowbray Palace and Westminster Abbey Windsor Hotel, Windsor ™™ ™™Guided tour of Nostell Priory Nights Three to Six – The Grand Hotel & Guided tour of Dimbola Lodge Nights Five to Eight – The Royal Hotel, Isle ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker Spa, York ™™Guided tour of Nunwell House of Wight Night Seven – Waterton Park Hotel, ™™Guided tour and lunch at Avington Park Knebworth House For more information on these hotels please visit Wakefield ™™ our website. Includes visits to: Wrest Park, Stamford, Kirkstall Themed evening talk by a guest speaker For more information on these hotels please visit We have a small number of single places with no Abbey, York, York Minster, Temple Newsam our website. supplement available on this tour. These places House, Haworth, Brontë Parsonage Museum, We have a small number of single places with no Includes visits to: Windsor, Windsor Castle, sell quickly. Norton Conyers, East Riddlesden Hall, Saltaire, supplement available on this tour. These places Hughenden, Cliveden Gardens, Kensington Palace, sell quickly. Harrogate, Nostell Priory, Grantham and Westminster Abbey, Arundel Castle, Osborne St Lawrence Parish Church, Nunwell House, Knebworth House House, Cowes, The Needles, Farringford House North Court Gardens, Godshill and Avington Park For full details of this tour please visit & Gardens, Dimbola Lodge, Mottistone Gardens, For full details of this tour please visit Osborne House albionjourneys.com or call 1-866-834-8358 albionjourneys.com or call 1-866-834-8358

6 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 7 enton House Sutton House We continue to Shakespeare’s Globe where The Tudors & astury anor House we visit the fascinating exhibition and enjoy a he harterhouse t auls atheral backstage tour to learn more about this iconic ovent aren ower o Lonon Banqueting House Stuarts in London Westinster ey he loe heatre theater and its most famous playwright. From What’s Included helsea hysic aren colorful stories of the original 1599 Globe to the ™™Return airport transfers from yon ark faithful reconstruction process of the 1990s, there London Heathrow* May 4 to 11, 2020 is plenty to discover. To round off our day we visit Ha House the George Inn, the last remaining galleried pub in ™™7 nights at The Royal Horseguards Hotel from $4,990 per person the capital, before travelling on to enjoy dinner in ™™Welcome drink a local restaurant. ™™Full English breakfast each day London’s skyline today is characterized by Wednesday: Ham House & Gardens Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 3 nights modern high-rise towers, but look hard and Syon Park Saturday: Westminster Abbey, Covent at the hotel (with after dinner tea and you can still see traces of its early and coffee) We take a scenic drive to Ham House & Gardens, Garden and Banqueting House history. The Tudor and Stuart monarchs one of Europe’s greatest 17th-century houses ™™1 dinner in a local restaurant Our day begins with a guided tour of the collectively ruled Britain for over 200 nestling on the banks of the River Thames. This magnificent Westminster Abbey. Founded by ™™Services of a tour director throughout years and this time was highly influential atmospheric mansion with fine interiors and Benedictine monks in 960AD, the Abbey has been your stay historic gardens has remained virtually unchanged on the city’s architecture. We discover Sir the coronation church since 1066. A remarkable ™™Travel to and from all excursions for 400 years and we find out more on our guided Christopher Wren’s rebuilding of the city’s addition to the Abbey was the glorious Lady house tour. ™™All excursion costs churches after the Great Fire of London Chapel built by King Henry VII, first of the ™™Porterage along with visiting magnificent St Paul’s Next we visit Syon Park, the spectacular London Tudor monarchs. home of the Duke of Northumberland. Built in *supplement applies for transfers from all Cathedral. We also travel to the capital’s After, we venture to Covent Garden for free the 16th century, it has been in the family of the other airports outskirts to find impressive Tudor houses time. The West Piazza of Covent Garden Market present owners for more than 400 years. The is known for its street performers that entertain waiting to be rediscovered. Tudor mansion was remodelled by Robert Adam every afternoon. All performers have passed an for the first Duke in the 1760s and we learn more audition to entertain here and good acts can draw Your Hotel Banqueting House Eight Day Itinerary about the property on our guided tour. huge crowds. There are also restaurants, cafés Nights One to Seven – The Royal Monday: Arrival Meals: Breakfast and shopping opportunities here. Horseguards Hotel**, London On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer Thursday: Sir Christopher Wren’s We end the day with a visit to Banqueting House, For more information on this hotel please visit Special extras included will take you to The Royal Horseguards Hotel, our Churches, Eastbury Manor House a survivor of the lost royal Palace of Whitehall. our website. in your itinerary hotel for the duration of our stay. Tonight, join the and Sutton House The crowning glory here is the magnificent nine We have a small number of single places with no group for a welcome drink followed by dinner. ceiling paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, installed supplement available on this tour. These places After the Great Fire of London, Sir Christopher sell quickly. ™™Audio guided tour of the Tower of London Meals: Dinner in 1636. Wren rebuilt 51 churches and this morning we **Please note: Hotel check in is available from 4pm ™™Guided tour of St Paul’s Cathedral take a guided walking tour to see several of the Meals: Breakfast only. If you would like to check in earlier, please call ™™Guided tour of Ham House Tuesday: Tower of London, for details. finest places of worship including Temple Church Sunday: Fenton House and the ™™Guided tour of Syon Park the Monument to the Great Fire of and St Stephen Walbrook. Charterhouse ™™Guided walking tour of Sir Christopher London, St Dunstan in the East Garden We then travel to the Tudor gentry house, Monument to the Great Fire of London Wren’s Churches and St Paul’s Cathedral The day starts to the north of the city in the Eastbury Manor House, for a guided tour. ™™ We begin our day at the Tower of London. leafy suburb of Hampstead, at Fenton House, a Guided tour of Eastbury Manor House Completed in around 1573, little has changed Founded in 1066, in its time it has housed a handsome 17th-century merchant’s house set ™™Guided tour of Chelsea Physic Garden since. Admire the evocative exposed timbers in famous selection of prisoners including multiple in a beautiful walled garden. The house is filled ™™Backstage tour of the Globe Theatre the attic, an original spiral oak staircase as well as wives and associates of Henry VIII. We will find with highly decorative collections of porcelain, ™™Guided tour of Westminster Abbey the cobbled courtyard. out more about the history here on our audio early musical instruments and 17th-century ™™ Guided tour of the Charterhouse guided tour. Our final stop today is Sutton House. Nearly 500 needlework. The balcony of the house offers ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker years old, this property was once a Tudor country panoramic views of the city on fine days. Fenton House Our next stop is the Monument to the Great Fire house for a courtier of King Henry VIII. We have of London, designed by Britain’s famed architect We continue on to the Charterhouse, a former time to explore the house at leisure. Sir Christopher Wren and completed in 1677. Carthusian monastery which, in 2017, opened Afterwards, we venture to St Dunstan in the Meals: Breakfast its doors to the public for the first time since East Garden. This unique city garden was built Friday: Chelsea Physic Garden, its foundation in 1348. Since the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, the site has amongst the ruins of a medieval church. The Southwark Cathedral, Globe Theatre church was severely bombed during World War served as a private mansion, a boys’ school and an and the George Inn II, but it wasn’t until 1967 that the City of London almshouse, which it remains to this day. We enjoy decided to turn the remains into a public garden. We start the day with a guided tour of the a guided tour of this historic site with one of the Chelsea Physic Garden. Founded in 1673 as ‘Brothers’ (a resident of the almshouse). We head next to St Paul’s Cathedral, with its the Apothecaries’ Garden, with the purpose of world-famous dome that remains an iconic Afterwards we have free time to enjoy London at training apprentices in the identification and use feature of the London skyline. The present our leisure before a farewell dinner together back of medicinal plants, the garden was only opened cathedral was the masterpiece of Sir Christopher at the hotel this evening. to the public in the 1980s. Wren, built between 1675 and 1710 in the Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Baroque style. We have time to discover the Afterwards, we visit Southwark Cathedral, once spectacular interiors and the crypt on our known as the parish of St Saviour’s and the oldest Monday: Departure guided tour. Gothic church in London. William Shakespeare A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow is perhaps the most famous resident of the Back at the hotel this evening, we enjoy dinner airport for your return flight home. parish and his brother Edmund was buried at together before a fascinating talk by a Meals: Breakfast St Saviour’s. His ledger stone is situated in the guest speaker. Cathedral Choir. Ham House Westminster Abbey Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

8 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 9 Sunday: Margate, Sandwich Kent Castles and The Salutation Gardens This morning we head to the coastal town & Coasts of Margate. This town epitomises the charm What’s Included of a classic British seaside resort, with its ™™Return airport transfers from unspoilt sandy bays, retro shops and a friendly London Heathrow* Winsor astle L atmosphere. As Margate is also home to a May 5 to 13, 2020 own House Lees astle argate ™™2 nights at the Castle Hotel Windsor hartwell anwich Hever astle anterury thriving arts community, you may like to browse – MGallery Ightha ote ointon House issinghurst astle aren from $4,990 per person oia astle the Turner Contemporary, a beautiful gallery ™™6 nights at the Chilston Park Hotel overlooking the sea. ™™Welcome drink and canapés The romantic county of Kent offers a We then head to the historic town of Sandwich. multitude of historic treasures, from Once a major port, there are still many original ™™Full English breakfast each day enchanting castles and stately homes to medieval buildings dotted around this enchanting ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 6 nights imaginative gardens and delightful coastal was lavishly restored by American millionaire, town, making it a delight to explore. at the hotels (with after dinner tea towns. On this captivating break we learn William Waldorf Astor, in the early 20th century. We continue to The Salutation Gardens in and coffee) about Kent’s role in shaping English history, We continue to Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, a Sandwich, where we enjoy a guided tour followed ™™1 dinner at a traditional local pub and discover some of its famous residents fine example of horticultural excellence, created by lunch. Designed in 1912 by architect Sir Edwin ™™1 dinner at a popular local such as Ann Boleyn, Charles Dickens and by contemporary of Charles Darwin and patron of Lutyens, the exquisite gardens are divided into a seafood restaurant Victorian plant hunter, John Rogers. We discover sequence of symmetrical ‘rooms.’ After around Winston Churchill. In a county famed for ™™Services of a tour director throughout its interesting history as we enjoy the combination 70 years, the gardens sadly fell into disorder, but its castles, we also explore historic Hever your stay and impressive Leeds Castle. We combine of world-class British sculpture, secret pathways with a new owner and head gardener at the helm, an extensive restoration project was undertaken ™™Travel to and from all excursions these fascinating architectural wonders and stunning floral displays. in 2005. ™™All entrance costs with the peacefulness of the Kentish coast, This evening we enjoy dinner together in a Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner ™™ as we experience the classic seaside charm local pub. Porterage Hever Castle Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Monday: Leeds Castle and *supplement applies for transfers from all of Margate and Whitstable. other airports Friday: Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Godinton House Nine Day Itinerary Tenterden and Bodiam Castle We visit Leeds Castle, a quintessential moated Special extras included Tuesday: Arrival This morning we head to Sissinghurst Castle castle set in 500 acres of glorious parkland, where we enjoy a private guided tour. Dating Your Hotels in your itinerary On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer Garden where we enjoy an exclusive out-of-hours garden tour. Created in the 1930s by novelist Vita back to the 12th century, it was once home to Nights One and Eight – Castle Hotel Windsor will take you to our overnight hotel, the Castle Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The castle’s ™™Private guided tour and lunch at Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson – MGallery, Windsor Hotel Windsor – MGallery. In the evening, join the last private owner was Lady Baillie, an Anglo- Hever Castle around the ruins of an Elizabethan manor house, Nights Two to Seven – Chilston Park group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner. American heiress who lovingly restored the castle ™™ these world-famous gardens are laid out as a Hotel, Lenham Exclusive out-of-hours garden tour of Meals: Dinner to its former glory. We discover more of the Sissinghurst Castle Garden series of individually-planted ‘rooms’ including a For more information on these hotels please visit castle’s fascinating history as well as its wealth of our website. ™™Guided walking tour of Canterbury Wednesday: Chartwell and fragrant Herb Garden and Rose Garden. furnishings, paintings, tapestries and antiques We have a small number of single places with no ™™Guided tour of Canterbury Cathedral Ightham Mote After lunch (not included) in the picturesque on display. supplement available on this tour. These places ™™Guided tour and lunch at The Today we first visit Chartwell, Sir Winston town of Tenterden, we continue to Bodiam Castle. sell quickly. This archetypal 14th-century moated castle with Our next stop is Godinton House, a delightful Salutation Gardens Churchill’s beloved home from 1924 to the time Jacobean house incorporating a medieval hall and ™™ of his death. The house is still home to many a ruined interior gives us a glimpse of medieval Private guided tour of Leeds Castle ornate carvings where we enjoy a guided tour magnificent State Apartments are furnished with of the great statesman’s personal and political splendor and boasts an original wooden portcullis, ™™Guided tour and lunch at Godinton House and lunch. Godinton is a much-loved home where some of the finest works of art to admire during mementos, including an amazing collection of spiral staircases, and battlements. ™™Audio guided tour of Windsor Castle each room reflects the tastes of those who have our audio guided tour. gifts he received from other world leaders and his After dinner back at the hotel this evening, we lived here with an excellent collection of furniture, ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker Later, we check back in to the Castle Hotel Windsor Castle personal painting studio hidden in the grounds. enjoy a fascinating talk by a guest speaker. art, and curios. We also have time to explore Windsor – MGallery, where we enjoy a farewell Next, we explore the moated manor house of Meals: Breakfast, Dinner the 12 acres of tranquil gardens, surrounded by dinner together. Ightham Mote, once described by historian David ancient parkland. Starkey as “the most beautiful and the most Saturday: Canterbury, Canterbury Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Cathedral and Whitstable Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner interesting of English country houses”. Built nearly Wednesday: Departure 700 years ago, atmospheric Ightham has been We start the day in Canterbury. The city has a Tuesday: Down House and home to medieval knights, courtiers to Henry VIII fascinating history which we learn about on our Windsor Castle A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow airport for your return flight home. and Victorian High Society. guided walking tour. We also enjoy a guided tour Our first stop today is Down House, home of From here, we travel to the Chilston Park Hotel of Canterbury Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in scientist Charles Darwin and his family for 40 Meals: Breakfast where we stay for the next six nights. England, dating back to Norman times. In 1170, years. Several rooms have been recreated as Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in the Godinton House Meals: Breakfast, Dinner they appeared when he lived here including the cathedral and ever since, it has been a site of study where he wrote ‘On the Origin of Species’. Thursday: Hever Castle and Riverhill Christian pilgrimage. The house is surrounded by extensive gardens; Himalayan Gardens Our next stop is Whitstable, a picturesque fishing Darwin’s ‘outdoor laboratory’. We head to Hever Castle, the childhood home of and harbour town on the north coast of Kent, We then visit Windsor Castle, the oldest and Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, where we renowned for its fresh oysters and connections largest inhabited castle in the world which is still enjoy a private guided tour and lunch. Dating back to Charles Dickens. You can enjoy sampling these one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth to the late 13th century, this double-moated castle culinary delights during dinner in a popular local II today. Established in the 11th century by is home to various historic artifacts including seafood restaurant. William the Conqueror, it has been remodelled Tudor portraits and furniture, as well as two Meals: Breakfast, Dinner by successive kings and queens and is regularly prayer books inscribed by Anne Boleyn. The castle used for ceremonial and state occasions. The Ightham Mote Sissinghurst Castle Garden

10 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 11 in an area known today as the ‘45 Wood. The Bonnie Prince house also has a major collection of paintings plus fine antique furniture which we discover on our Charlie & the guided tour. What’s Included Our day finishes with a visit to Dallas Dhu ™™Return airport transfers from Edinburgh* Distillery – learn how whisky was made in the Jacobite Rebellion ™™3 nights at the Principal Charlotte 1900s and then sample a wee dram too. Square Hotel Brodie Castle Dallas Dhu Distillery Later, we check in to the Macdonald Culloden Battlefield Fyvie Castle ™™1 night at the Fonab Castle Hotel Urquart Castle Loch Ness Drumossie Hotel. May 10 to 20, 2020 Castle Fraser ereen ™™2 nights at the Marcliffe Hotel & Spa Drum Castle Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Glenfinnan Monument ™™2 nights at the Macdonald from $6,490 per person Fort William House of Dun Glencoe Saturday: Inverness, Culloden Battlefield Drumossie Hotel and Urquart Castle ™™ Bonnie Prince Charlie, born to the exiled Huntingtower Castle Perth 1 night at the Glenfinnan House Hotel Stuart King James II, was raised in the This morning we enjoy free time in Inverness, ™™1 night at the Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort Loch Lomond lloa ower belief that his family were the true Linlithgow Palace the capital of the Highlands, before travelling to Dumbarton Castle inurgh ™™Welcome drink and canapés rulers of Britain. Supported by his fellow Culloden Battlefield, scene of the final battle of ™™Full Scottish breakfast each day Jacobites, his planned invasion of England the 1745-46 Jacobite rising. ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 7 nights started promisingly but ultimately ended who led the 1715 rising. Later we venture to After, we continue to Urquart Castle where in at the hotels (with after dinner tea in a disastrous defeat with the Prince Huntingtower Castle, birthplace of Lord George 1689 government troops were stationed. On their and coffee) forced to go on the run. Discover the Murray; both he and his brother were involved in departure in 1692, they blew up the gatehouse to ™™ fascinating story of the young prince’s time earlier Jacobite risings. prevent the Jacobites using the location. Services of a tour director throughout your stay in Scotland, visiting the places where he Then we visit Perth, ‘Gateway to the Highlands’, Meals: Breakfast ™™Travel to and from all excursions sought refuge, in a story that has shaped located on the banks of the River Tay with a rich Sunday: Loch Ness, Jacobite train ™™ Scottish history. history stretching back over 800 years. journey and Glenfinnan Monument All excursion costs Linlithgow Palace ™™Porterage We then continue to our overnight hotel, We visit Loch Ness where a multi-media Eleven Day Itinerary Fonab Castle. presentation in the Exhibition Centre leads us *supplement applies for transfers from all Meals: Breakfast, Dinner other airports Sunday: Arrival through 500 million years of history. Special extras included Then we continue to Fortwilliam, known for From Edinburgh airport, a private transfer will Wednesday: House of Dun, Drum Castle its breathtaking location on the shores of Loch in your itinerary take you to the Principal Charlotte Square Hotel, and Aberdeen Linnhe. We’ll board the famous Jacobite Train, Your Hotels our hotel for the next two nights. Later, join The Georgian House of Dun was built for David ™™Private out-of-hours guided tour featured in the Harry Potter movies, which takes the group for a welcome drink, dinner and an Erskine, a distant cousin of John Erskine. On our Nights One, Two and Ten – Principal

© National Trust for Scotland Trust © National and refreshments at the Palace of us across the scenic, mountainous west coast of introductory lecture. guided tour we discover subtle nuances that hint Charlotte Square Hotel, Edinburgh Holyroodhouse Scotland to Mallaig. Meals: Dinner at David Erskine’s clandestine loyalties. Night Three – Fonab Castle Hotel, Pitlochry ™™Audio guided tour of Edinburgh Castle We return via the Glenfinnan Monument – a Next we visit Jacobite Drum Castle where we Nights Four and Five – Marcliffe Hotel & Spa, ™™Guided tour of the House of Dun Monday: Palace of Holyroodhouse, chance to stand on the site where Bonnie Aberdeen enjoy a guided tour. Alexander Irvine fought Prince Charlie came ashore on 19 August 1745 ™™Guided tour of Drum Castle National Museum of Scotland and Nights Six and Seven – Macdonald alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of and raised the Stuart standard. The lone kilted ™™Guided tour of Craigievar Castle Edinburgh Castle Drumossie Hotel, Inverness Culloden and after the defeat, hid in a secret Highlander atop the 18 meter-high column is a ™™Guided tour of Castle Fraser We visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse for a room at Drum Castle to avoid capture. tribute to the Jacobite clansmen who fought to Night Eight – Glenfinnan House ™™ private guided tour followed by refreshments. Guided tour of Brodie Castle Our final stop today is the cosmopolitan port and defend the Highland way of life. Hotel, Glenfinnan ™™Tour of Dallas Dhu Distillery with Back in September 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie Night Nine – Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, ‘Granite city’ of Aberdeen. We then travel to the We then travel to the Glenfinnan House Hotel. whisky tasting set up court at the palace and we visit the rooms Marcliffe Hotel where we enjoy a fascinating talk near Glasgow ™™Scenic Jacobite train journey that became the focus of the Jacobite cause in after dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner For more information on these hotels please visit Edinburgh. Next, we venture to the National our website. ™™Cruise of Loch Lomond Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Monday: Glencoe, Loch Lomond and Museum of Scotland, boasting a significant We have a small number of single places with no ™™Audio guided tour of the Royal Dumbarton Castle collection of material relating to the Thursday: Craigievar Castle supplement available on this tour. These places Yacht Britannia sell quickly. Jacobite story. and Castle Fraser Our day begins at Glencoe, regarded by many as ™™Evening tour of the Edinburgh We then head to Edinburgh Castle, witness to a natural monument to the infamous massacre of Underground Vaults Our day begins with a guided tour at Craigievar many of the defining events of Scottish history February 1692, where 38 supporters of the 1689 the city before checking back in to the Principal ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker Castle. Don’t miss the Order of Battle for the Jacobite rising were killed by government troops. Brodie Castle including the unsuccessful Jacobite blockades Battle of Culloden which you will find in a Charlotte Square Hotel. during the 1715 and 1745 risings. Discover more manuscript cabinet here. We then enjoy a Loch Lomond cruise before Following dinner, we take a tour beneath on our audio guided tour. visiting Dumbarton Castle, once a military base the bustle of Edinburgh’s Old Town, to the Afterwards we visit Castle Fraser, one of the and prison. Aeneas MacDonald – one of the Meals: Breakfast strongholds of the Fraser Clan, who came out dark, damp and eerie Underground Vaults. ‘seven men of Moidart’ – was imprisoned at the Explore a world of streets and tunnels that Tuesday: Linlithgow Palace, Alloa Tower, for the Jacobites in the 1745 rebellion. We learn castle after the Battle of Culloden. Tonight we stay more on our guided tour. were once the main streets of Edinburgh until Huntingtower Castle and Perth at the Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort. they were built on top of, but be warned, this tour Meals: Breakfast The day begins at Linlithgow Palace, once a Meals: Breakfast, Dinner is not for the faint hearted with various tales of comfortable country retreat visited by Charles supernatural happenings. Friday: Fyvie Castle, Brodie Castle and Tuesday: Royal Yacht Britannia and Edward Stuart during his march south in 1745. Dallas Dhu Distillery Meals: Breakfast, Dinner However, in 1746, Linlithgow was ravaged by fire Edinburgh Underground Vaults Known as Scotland’s pink castle, Fyvie blends 13th- after British troops ransacked the house searching Back in Edinburgh, we step aboard the Royal Yacht Wednesday: Departure century origins with opulent Edwardian interiors. for retreating Jacobites. Britannia, the Queen’s floating Royal residence A private transfer will take you back to Edinburgh After our visit to Fyvie, we continue to Brodie for over 44 years. Learn more on our fascinating Next is Alloa Tower, one of Scotland’s oldest keeps Castle, where there are tales of government airport for your return flight home. and previously home to John Erskine, the Jacobite audio guided tour. After, we have free time in Urquart Castle Craigievar Castle troops camped out in the wood behind the castle, Meals: Breakfast

12 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 13 Plas Cadnant Anglesey Conwy Castle Tatton Park Plas Newydd House Bodnant Garden Friday: Erddig Hall and Brynbella Garden Erddig Hall Glorious Gardens Penrhyn Castle Betws-y-Coed Erddig Hall is an atmospheric early 18th-century Plas Tan y Bwlch house that reflects the ‘upstairs, downstairs’ life Portmeirion & Grandeur of of a gentry family, and we’re provided with a What’s Included fascinating insight into the lives of the family and ™™Return airport transfers from North Wales their servants on our private guided tour. Our tour London Heathrow* extends to the superb walled garden, now restored ™™1 night at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel to its former 18th-century formal design with rare Stratford-upon-Avon ™™6 nights at Bodysgallen Hall & Spa fruit trees and a national collection of ivies. June 7 to 16, 2020 ™™1 night at the Mercure We then travel to Brynbella Garden, nine acres Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespeare Hotel Waterperry Gardens of beautiful garden and woodland set below a from $5,750 per person Oxford ™™1 night at the Castle Hotel Palladian villa. The current owners have created Windsor – MGallery North Wales, a land blessed with rugged a modern garden while retaining as many of the ™™Welcome drink and canapés mountains, beautiful beaches and Wednesday: Isle of Anglesey, original 18th-century features as possible. The ™™Full English breakfast each day picturesque villages also has some of the Plas Newydd House & Gardens and garden is laid out as a series of rooms including Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens a woodland garden, walled garden, three water ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 6 nights most striking gardens in the UK, many at the hotels (with after dinner tea Today we cross the 19th-century Menai Bridge to gardens, a gravel garden plus formal and informal attached to magnificent houses with and coffee) spend the day on the Isle of Anglesey. Our first garden areas with focal points such as statuary centuries of history to uncover. From world- and sculptures. ™™2 dinners at local restaurants (including renowned gardens to hidden gems, we visit is to the fine country house of Plas Newydd, where we enjoy a guided tour of the house and This evening we enjoy a traditional fish and chip one traditional English fish and encounter a remarkable array of sweeping gardens. Its most famous past resident is the 1st supper at a local restaurant. chip supper) landscapes, woodlands, valleys, walled ™™Services of a tour director throughout Marquess of Anglesey, who commanded the Meals: Breakfast, Dinner gardens and displays of abundant flowers cavalry at Waterloo in 1815. The elegant interior your stay and shrubs which thrive in the unique owes more to the 1930s, thanks to its associations Saturday: Portmeirion and ™™Travel to and from all excursions climate of this region. with the artist, socialite and fallen WWII soldier Rex Plas Brondanw Gardens ™™All entrance costs Conwy Castle Whistler. The garden’s climate allows extraordinary The day starts in Portmeirion, an Italianate village ™™Porterage plants to flourish including tender exotics and Ten Day Itinerary created by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, inspired by his *supplement applies for transfers from all Mediterranean plants. visits to the Mediterranean. Its unique atmosphere other airports Special extras included Sunday: Arrival We continue on to Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens, a has been featured on camera many times, most On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer series of historic gardens which are gradually being famously in the iconic 1960s British TV series in your itinerary will take you to our overnight hotel, the Macdonald restored to their former glory, where we enjoy a The Prisoner. Windsor Hotel. In the evening, join the group for a guided tour. Three different gardens have been Your Hotels ™™Guided tour of Plas Newydd House We then visit Plas Brondanw Gardens. The house welcome drink, followed by dinner. discovered, including an unusual walled garden Night One – Macdonald Windsor & Gardens and gardens were given to Sir Clough Williams-Ellis Meals: Dinner with curving walls, a secret valley garden with three by his father in 1902 and the gardens are regarded Hotel, Windsor ™™Guided tour of Plas Cadnant waterfalls and a river, and an upper woodland by some as his finest creation. Inspired by the Nights Two to Seven – Bodysgallen Hall Hidden Gardens Monday: Stratford-upon-Avon and garden with the remains of a 19th-century folly. gardens of renaissance Italy, he created a unique & Spa, near Llandudno ™™Guided tour of Plas Tan y Bwlch Shakespeare’s Birthplace After dinner back at the hotel this evening, we are garden landscape with stone walls, topiary and Night Eight – Mercure Stratford-upon-Avon ™™ Private guided tour of Erddig Hall We head to Stratford-upon-Avon, a town treated to a fascinating talk by a guest speaker. avenues of trees leading the eye to the dramatic Shakespeare Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon & Gardens forever associated with England’s greatest poet Meals: Breakfast, Dinner mountainous backdrop. Night Nine – Castle Hotel Windsor ™™ Guided tour and lunch at Tatton Park and playwright, William Shakespeare. We visit Meals: Breakfast, Dinner – MGallery, Windsor ™™ Guided tour and lunch at Shakespeare’s Birthplace, where we explore the Thursday: Plas Tan y Bwlch, For more information on these hotels please visit Waterperry Gardens extraordinary story of Shakespeare in the house Betws-y-Coed and Conwy Castle Sunday: Tatton Park our website. ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker where he was born and grew up. Home to the Snowdonia National Park Leaving Wales we journey east to Tatton Park, We have a small number of single places with no Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens supplement available on this tour. These places Later, we continue our journey to Wales, checking Environmental Studies Centre, Plas Tan y Bwlch is a where we enjoy a guided tour followed by lunch. sell quickly. in to Bodysgallen Hall & Spa, one of the National 17th-century country house which was once home Built by Samuel Wyatt, Tatton Park is one of Trust’s Historic House Hotels, where we spend the to slate quarry owners the Oakeley family. The 100 Britain’s most complete estates, with a landscaped next six nights. acre estate boasts a spectacular Victorian garden, deer park and exquisite formal gardens. The rose and formal knot garden, water-lily canal, and Meals: Breakfast, Dinner native and exotic plants, rare trees and shrubs. opulent interior is crammed with collections of riverside walk. We enjoy a guided tour with the Head Gardener silver, china, glass and fine furniture made by Afterwards, we travel to the Castle Hotel Windsor Tuesday: Bodnant Garden (please note there is no access to the house itself). Gillows. This grandeur also extends outside to the – MGallery, where we enjoy a farewell and Penrhyn Castle We then make a short stop in the picturesque garden, where year-round color is provided by the dinner together. Rose, Italian and Japanese gardens. Today we first visit Bodnant Garden, nestled in village of Betws-y-Coed in the Snowdonia National Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner the Snowdonian foothills. Created over 150 years, Park. The backdrop of coniferous forests has From here we travel south to the Mercure this world-famous garden is home to National earned this area the name ‘Little Switzerland’. Stratford-upon-Avon Shakespeare Hotel, where we Tuesday: Departure Collections and Champion Trees and boasts From here we head to the medieval walled town stay overnight. A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow sweeping lawns, grand terraces and of Conwy to visit the imposing Conwy Castle. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner airport for your return flight home. verdant woodland. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Monday: Waterperry Gardens Meals: Breakfast Next stop is the magnificent Penrhyn Castle. Built imposing castle was built by Edward I during his in the 19th century in a neo-Norman style, Penrhyn conquest of Wales in the late 13th century and We start the morning with some time at leisure was built on a massive scale over a period of 13 is considered to be among the finest surviving in Stratford-upon-Avon, before travelling to years and offers superb views of Snowdonia. There medieval fortifications in Britain with soaring Waterperry Gardens. Here we enjoy lunch followed is so much to see here, from the outstanding curtain walls, round towers and fortified gateways. by a guided tour. Made famous by Beatrix Havergal collection of paintings, restored Victorian kitchens This evening we enjoy dinner together at a who established her School of Horticulture for and a railway museum. local restaurant. Ladies here from 1932 to 1971, the eight acres of beautifully landscaped gardens now include a Plas Newydd House Bodnant Garden Meals: Breakfast Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Tatton Park

14 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 15 Saturday: Chatsworth House A Tour Around the astle Howar Today we enjoy a guided tour of magnificent Harewoo House York Chatsworth House, home to the Duke and Duchess Treasure Houses of Devonshire and witness to 16 generations of the What’s Included powerful Cavendish family who acquired the estate ™™Return airport transfers from hatsworth House Lincoln in 1549. The house boasts grandiose interiors and a of England oington Hall London Heathrow* Holkha Hall superlative art collection. ™™2 nights at the Audleys Wood Hotel

urghley House From here, we make our way to our hotel for the ™™1 night at the Chilston Park Hotel June 21 to July 2, 2020 next two nights, the Grand Hotel & Spa in York. ™™2 nights at the Ickworth Hotel Ickworth House Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™2 nights at the Lincoln DoubleTree by from $5,990 per person Hilton Hotel lenhei alace Hatfield House Sunday: Castle Howard and York ™™2 nights at the Grand Hotel & Spa York The Treasure Houses of England are a Winsor astle L We enjoy a guided tour of Castle Howard, home ™™ H aren Wisley 1 night at the Hartwell House Hotel collection of the most magnificent palaces, Lees astle to the Howard family for over 300 years. Designed ™™1 night at the Castle Hotel Windsor houses and castles. Each with its own unique by Sir John Vanbrugh, Castle Howard has appeared – MGallery charm, stunning architecture and beautiful eaulieu as Brideshead in film and television adaptations of ™™Welcome drink and canapés gardens, together these properties host Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel. ™™Full English breakfast each day some of the most important art collections We continue on to York, a city steeped in history, ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 11 nights in the world. We explore nine of these from its founding by the Romans to its wealth as examples of Elizabethan craftsmanship while the a medieval wool trading center. There is plenty to at the hotels (with after dinner tea impressive places, alongside other historic State Rooms are rich in paintings, fine furniture and and coffee) gems, giving us a fascinating insight into life admire, from the Roman city walls to the surviving tapestries and we learn more on our guided tour. medieval streets. A must-see is York Minster, the ™™Services of a tour director throughout in England over the centuries. Later we check in to the Ickworth Hotel on the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. your stay Ickworth Estate – a magnificent National Trust Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™Travel to and from all excursions Twelve Day Itinerary property and our base for the next two nights. ™™All excursion costs Burghley House Monday: Harewood House Sunday: Arrival Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™Porterage When Edwin Lascelles started building Harewood Holkham Hall On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer Thursday: Holkham Hall, Norfolk *supplement applies for transfers from all House in 1759, he employed the finest craftsmen other airports will take you to the Audleys Wood Hotel where we villages and Ickworth House of the time: architect John Carr, interior Special extras included stay for two nights. In the evening, join the group We enjoy a private guided tour of Holkham Hall, an designer Robert Adam, furniture maker Thomas for a welcome drink, followed by dinner. in your itinerary elegant 18th-century country mansion constructed Chippendale and visionary landscape gardener Meals: Dinner in the Palladian style for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Harewood is still home Your Hotels ™™Guided Palace House tour at Beaulieu of Leicester. The hall is currently home to the 8th to the Lascelles family and reflects the changing Nights One and Two – Audleys Wood ™™Introductory lecture and audio guided Monday: Beaulieu Earl of Leicester. The spectacular Marble Hall was tastes and styles of the past 250 years and we learn Hotel, Basingstoke tour at Leeds Castle We make our way to the Beaulieu Estate where inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. more on our tailor-made tour followed by lunch. Night Three – Chilston Park Hotel, Lenham ™™Guided tour of Hatfield House we enjoy a guided tour of Palace House, once the We also make a short stop in Castle Acre and Later we check back in to the DoubleTree by Hilton Nights Four and Five – Ickworth Hotel, near ™™Private guided tour of Holkham Hall gatehouse of the medieval Beaulieu Abbey, and the Swaffham. The village of Castle Acre is a rare and Hotel in Lincoln for the night. Bury St Edmunds ™™ ancestral home of the Montagu family since 1538. Exclusive guided tour of Doddington Hall complete survival of a Norman planned settlement, Remodelled in the 1800s, it is now a fine example Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Nights Six and Nine – DoubleTree by Hilton ™™Guided tour of Chatsworth House built by a great baronial family. The market town of of a Victorian Gothic style country house. Hotel, Lincoln ™™Guided tour of Castle Howard Swaffham has many attractive Georgian buildings Tuesday: Burghley House Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Nights Seven and Eight – Grand Hotel ™™Tailor-made guided tour and lunch at and was once home to a flourishing sheep and We start our journey south, stopping for a guided & Spa, York Harewood House wool industry in the 14th and 15th centuries. Tuesday: RHS Garden Wisley tour of Burghley House, cited as England’s greatest Night Ten – Hartwell House Hotel, ™™Guided tour of Burghley House and Leeds Castle On returning to the Ickworth Estate we explore Elizabethan house. Burghley offers a unique near Aylesbury ™™ Ickworth House itself. This Neo-classical mansion glimpse into the way great houses have been lived Audio guided tour and cream tea at We travel to RHS Garden Wisley, the Royal Night Eleven – Castle Hotel Windsor – is most notable for its enormous central Rotunda in from the time of Elizabeth I to the present day. Blenheim Palace Horticultural Society’s flagship garden. Extending MGallery, Windsor ™™ commissioned by the 4th Earl of Bristol to house his Audio guided tour of Windsor Castle over 240 acres, Wisley offers a wealth of We continue on to our overnight hotel, the For more information on these hotels please visit priceless treasures. ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker inspirational ideas on design, innovation and Hartwell House Hotel, one of the National Trust’s our website. cultivation techniques. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Historic House Hotels. We have a small number of single places with no Meals: Breakfast, Dinner supplement available on this tour. These places Ickworth House Next stop is Leeds Castle, a quintessential moated Friday: Doddington Hall and Lincoln sell quickly. th castle. Dating back to the 12 century, it was once Begun in 1595 by the Elizabethan architect Robert Wednesday: Blenheim Palace and home to Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The Smythson, Doddington Hall was completed in 1600 Windsor Castle castle’s last private owner was Lady Baillie, an kings and queens and is regularly used for and has never been sold or cleared out since. Still We head to Blenheim Palace, designed on an awe- ceremonial and State occasions. Anglo-American heiress who lovingly restored the a lived-in family home, this fine mansion’s unfussy, castle to its former glory. We discover more with inspiring scale by Vanbrugh and set in beautiful Afterwards we check in to the Castle Hotel Windsor symmetrical looking exterior contrasts with an parkland landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ an introductory lecture as well as an audio elegant Georgian interior. We learn more on our – MGallery where we enjoy a farewell guided tour. Brown. As the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough, dinner together. exclusive guided tour. the palace is synonymous with the Churchill family From here, we travel to the Chilston Park Hotel After our visit, we head to Lincoln where we and is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. We Meals: Breakfast, Dinner where we stay overnight. After dinner we are have the afternoon at leisure. Lincoln has a well- learn more about the palace on our audio guided Thursday: Departure treated to a fascinating talk by a guest speaker. preserved medieval quarter full of quaint cobbled tour followed by a cream tea. A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow Meals: Breakfast, Dinner streets while Lincoln Cathedral is one of Europe’s Our final visit is an audio guided tour of Windsor airport for your return flight home. finest Gothic buildings. Castle, the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the Wednesday: Hatfield House Meals: Breakfast Later, we check in to Lincoln’s DoubleTree by Hilton world and one of the Queen’s official residences. Home of the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Hotel, where we stay overnight. Established in the 11th century by William the Please note: As this tour travels from the south to the north of Salisbury, Hatfield House was built in 1611 by Conqueror, it has been remodelled by successive England and back, some days will involve fairly long journeys. Castle Howard Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury. There are superb Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

16 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 17 Rydal Mount and family is vividly told here, with many Dove Cottage Windermere The Lake District Brantwood Kendal of Wordsworth’s furniture and possessions Blackwell Sizergh Castle Holker Hall on display. & William Our day continues at the Wordsworth Museum, What’s Included Rufford Old Hall home to original letters, journals, manuscripts ™™Return airport transfers from Wordsworth’s and artworks. We enjoy an exclusive talk from a London Heathrow* member of the senior curatorial team here, where ™™1 night at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel we have the opportunity to see items from the ™™ Homes Shugborough Estate collection which are not ordinarily viewed by the 1 night at the New Hall Hotel public, including first edition books. After lunch ™™5 nights at the Lakeside Hotel Baddesley Clinton together we will also have the chance to see a ™™1 night at the Hartwell House Hotel July 5 to 13, 2020 Stratford-upon-Avon printing press in action as well as enjoy some of ™™Welcome drink Wordsworth’s poetry. from $4,990 per person ™™Full English breakfast each day L Meals: Breakfast, Lunch ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 5 nights The deep lakes and jagged fells of the Friday: Rydal Mount, Abbot Hall Art at the hotels (with after dinner tea Lake District have proved an inspiring Gallery & Museum and Kendal and coffee) backdrop for some of Britain’s greatest This morning begins at Rydal Mount, ™™2 dinners in local restaurants poets, writers and artists. Classified as an Wordsworth’s family home for the greater part ™™Services of a tour director throughout Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, we of his life from 1813 until his death in 1850. Lying your stay explore this spectacular part of England between Ambleside and Grasmere, the house ™™Travel to and from all excursions with its magnificent scenery, while After, we visit Sizergh Castle, associated with commands glorious views of Lake Windermere discovering how it influenced the life the Strickland family since the 13th century. The and retains a lived-in, family atmosphere plus ™™All excursion costs and work of the famous romantic poet, castle’s imposing grey stone walls rise up out portraits, personal possessions and first editions ™™Porterage of the poet’s work. William Wordsworth. of a beautiful garden with a pond, lake and a *supplement applies for transfers from all Blackwell wonderful limestone rock garden while inside, we We then head to Windermere to take the train other airports find portraits and fine furniture in this much-loved to Kendal where we visit Abbot Hall Art Gallery Nine Day Itinerary family home. & Museum, originally designed as an opulent Sunday: Arrival We then continue to the Newby Bridge Hotel, our house by architect John Carr in 1759. Kendal’s Your Hotels Special extras included On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private base for the next five nights. This evening after finest historic house is now an award-winning in your itinerary transfer will take you to our overnight hotel, the dinner, we enjoy a fascinating talk by a art gallery, showcasing a variety of works by a Night One – Macdonald Windsor Macdonald Windsor Hotel. Tonight, join the group guest speaker. wealth of artists including George Romney, Daniel Hotel, Windsor ™™Guided walking tour of for a welcome drink followed by dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Gardner and John Ruskin. Afterwards we have Night Two – New Hall Hotel, Sutton Coldfield Stratford-upon-Avon free time to enjoy the market town of Kendal at Meals: Dinner Nights Three to Seven – Lakeside Hotel, ™™ Wednesday: Brantwood House, leisure. Dinner will be in a local restaurant tonight. Guided tour of Brantwood House Newby Bridge ™™Coniston Water Cruise Monday: Baddesley Clinton and Coniston Water Cruise, Ambleside, Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Night Eight – Hartwell House Hotel, ™™Lake Windermere Cruise Stratford-upon-Avon Lake Windermere Cruise and Saturday: Blackwell and Holker Hall near Aylesbury ™™Exclusive talk and lunch at the Set timelessly in its own secluded parkland, Bowness-on-Windermere Our day begins with a guided tour of Blackwell, For more information on these hotels please visit Wordsworth Museum Baddesley Clinton is a moated, medieval manor Brantwood House is the former home of John our website. one of Britain’s finest Arts and Crafts houses. ™™Guided tour of Blackwell house dating back to the 13th century. Its Ruskin and we visit the house just over 200 years We have a small number of single places with no Designed by MH Baillie Scott, Blackwell retains ™™Guided tour of Holker Hall extensive formal gardens are steeped in history, after his birth. Filled with many fine paintings, supplement available on this tour. These places many of its original decorative features, including sell quickly. ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker from its use as a place of hiding and refuge for beautiful furniture and Ruskin’s personal Brantwood Catholic priests to the story of the Victorian treasures, gain a fascinating insight into the world spectacular plasterwork and stained glass while Quartet; four writers and artists who used of the famous writer, artist and social reformer on the rooms contain furniture and objects by many of the leading Arts and Crafts designers. Later we check in to the Hartwell House Hotel, Baddesley as a retreat from the modern world. our guided tour. one of the National Trust’s Historic House Hotels, Finally, we visit Holker Hall, home of Lord and We then visit the beautiful, riverside town of We then enjoy a scenic cruise on Coniston Water before a farewell dinner together this evening. Stratford-upon-Avon, forever associated with with its backdrop of spectacular scenery towards Lady Cavendish. Dating back to the 16th century, th Meals: Breakfast, Dinner William Shakespeare. We take a guided walking Brantwood, before continuing on by coach to with alterations and additions in the 18th and 19 tour to see some of the town’s highlights before Ambleside, a pretty town situated at the head centuries, it is a delightful family home with fine Monday: Departure time at leisure. Fans of Shakespeare can visit the of Lake Windermere, the largest natural lake in displays of antique furniture and art. We enjoy a guided tour here. A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow house in which he was born or discover the local England. From here we take a picturesque cruise airport for your return flight home. theaters including the Swan Theatre, home of the to Bowness-on-Windermere, a charming enclave Meals: Breakfast,Dinner Meals: Breakfast Royal Shakespeare Company. Later we check in to on the eastern shores of the lake, where we Sunday: Shugborough Estate our overnight hotel, the New Hall Hotel. have free time to enjoy the craft and gift shops, On our journey south, we stop at the Meals: Breakfast, Dinner lakeside cafés and tea rooms. Tonight we enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. Shugborough Estate, a rare survival of a complete estate that was returned to the Tuesday: Rufford Old Hall Meals: Breakfast, Dinner and Sizergh Castle care of the National Trust in 2017. We enjoy a genuine glimpse into the past; with an Beginning our journey north, we make our way Thursday: Dove Cottage and the operational Victorian servants’ quarter, dairy to Rufford Old Hall. This magnificent Tudor Wordsworth Museum and Georgian Park Farm complete with watermill, Great Hall, with later additions, was home to Today we head to Dove Cottage, home to this imposing 17th-century house is also a sensory the Hesketh family for 500 years and reveals the Wordsworth from 1799 to 1808 and his first treat, while the parkland is scattered with family’s lives, loves and fortunes. Surrounded by family home. The famous poet fell in love with mysterious monuments. formal Victorian and Edwardian gardens, the hall the cottage and Grasmere while on a walking has a fantastic collection of arms, armor tour of the Lake District in 1799. Little changed William Wordsworth Sizergh Castle and tapestries. since Wordsworth’s tenure, the story of the house Dove Cottage

18 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 19 Next we visit 17th-century Bateman’s, that so South East enchanted Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling when he discovered it, that he made it his home England & the in 1902. With its stone-mullioned windows and What’s Included Sussex oak beams, it’s a romantic retreat that has ™™Return airport transfers from been left virtually untouched since Kipling’s London Heathrow* Bloomsbury Group tenure here. ™™1 night at the Castle Hotel Windsor The British Museum L Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Winsor – MGallery ate ritain July 14 to 22, 2020 ™™5 nights at the South Lodge Hotel Knole House Sunday: Brighton Today we visit Brighton, a popular seaside ™™2 nights at the Grange City Hotel from per person tanen issinghurst astle aren $5,690 resort that was frequented by members of the ™™Welcome drink and canapés ye onks House arleys House allery ™™ harleston Bloomsbury Group as a holiday destination, there Full English breakfast each day In the early part of the 20th century a group righton ateans he hurch o t ichael is even a bus named after Vanessa Bell here! We ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 6 nights of writers, intellectuals, philosophers and an ll ngels have some free time to explore this vibrant location at the hotels (with after dinner tea artists who lived and worked in Bloomsbury at our leisure and we include a visit to Brighton and coffee) were perhaps best known for their liberal Museum & Art Gallery located in the Royal Pavilion ™™1 dinner at a local restaurant Afterwards we visit The Church of St Michael and views on politics and social conventions Garden, where you will find pieces on display ™™ All Angels in Berwick. During the war, many of the Services of a tour director throughout as well as their infamous love triangles. created by members of the group as well as other your stay Luminaries including Virginia Woolf, John church’s decorative stained glass windows were 20th-century art. damaged and rather than replace the fragile glass, ™™Travel to and from all excursions Maynard Keynes, Vanessa Bell, Duncan This evening we enjoy dinner at a restaurant the Bishop of Chichester commissioned Duncan ™™All excursion costs in Brighton. Grant, E. M. Forster and Lytton Strachey Grant and Vanessa Bell to cover the walls with ™™Porterage also undertook an experimental attitude to Meals: Breakfast, Dinner pastoral scenes. *supplement applies for transfers from all ways they decorated their homes, resulting We then continue on to Farleys House & Gallery, Monday: Tate Britain and London other airports in highly original and inspired designs. We home to the photographer Lee Miller and artist

© NTPL/Andreas von Einsiedel von © NTPL/Andreas We travel into central London to visit Tate Britain Knole House uncover the finest examples of their work as Roland Penrose. The house became a meeting to admire A Walk Through British Art exhibition, we visit the houses where they lived place for leading figures in the world of Modern Art accompanied by an art historian to shed light on Your Hotels including Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro. Roger Fry and loved. the paintings. The rooms of this exhibit showcase introduced Penrose to many Bloomsbury Group Night One – Castle Hotel Windsor Special extras included work by some of Britain’s greatest artists, including members, forging links between Bloomsbury and – MGallery, Windsor that of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. in your itinerary Nine Day Itinerary the surrealists. On our guided tour we can admire Nights Two to Six – South Lodge Tuesday: Arrival We then continue to our hotel for the next two

© NTPL/Andrew Butler © NTPL/Andrew works by many of the Surrealist artists that are Hotel, Horsham ™™Guided tour of Knole House** nights, the Grange City Hotel. After checking in, you On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer on display. Nights Seven and Eight – Grange City ™™Private out-of-hours tour of Charleston can explore London at leisure. will take you to our hotel for the night, the Castle After dinner at the hotel this evening, we enjoy a Hotel, London ™™Private guided tour at Farleys House Hotel Windsor – MGallery. In the evening, join the fascinating talk by a guest speaker. Meals: Breakfast For more information on these hotels please visit & Gallery group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner. our website. ™™ Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Tuesday: Bloomsbury Group Walking Private out-of-hours guided tour at Meals: Dinner We have a small number of single places with no Sissinghurst Castle Garden Tour and British Museum supplement available on this tour. These places Friday: Sissinghurst Castle Garden sell quickly. ™™Entrance to the Brighton Museum Wednesday: Knole House and Standen and Monks House After breakfast, we enjoy a Bloomsbury Group Blue & Art Gallery Plaque Walking Tour. See 46 Gordon Square, along We visit Knole House for a guided tour*. One of This morning we head to Sissinghurst Castle ™™ with a number of other properties that were once A Walk Through British Art exhibition Britain’s most important and complete historic Garden where we enjoy an out-of-hours guided home to members of the group. We’ll also discover at Tate Britain accompanied by an homes, Knole House was home to the Sackville tour. Created in the 1930s by Vita Sackville- some of their places of work, for example 22 art historian family, including novelist Vita Sackville-West who West and her husband Harold Nicolson, these Fitzroy Square, Duncan Grant’s former studio; and ™™Guided Bloomsbury Group Blue Plaque used the house as inspiration for her novel world-famous gardens are laid out as a series of 21 Fitzroy Square, once Roger Fry’s studio. Walking Tour The Edwardians. enchanting, individually-planted ‘rooms’. ™™ We then visit the British Museum which featured in Themed evening talk by a Bloomsbury Next we visit Standen, a fine Arts and Crafts Afterwards we head to Monks House. Situated in Virginia Woolf’s work A Room Of One’s Own (1929) Group Expert property, which combines the skills of architect the heart of rural Sussex, this 17th-century cottage and Jacob’s Room (1922). This is our chance to see **subject to availability Philip Webb and his friend William Morris. The was home to Leonard and Virginia Woolf from Bateman’s these locations for ourselves. The rest of the day is light, airy rooms are decorated with Morris’ 1919 until Leonard’s death in 1969. Carefully free to spend at leisure exploring England’s vibrant wallpapers and textiles with William de preserved to appear as it was when they lived capital city. Morgan pottery. there; learn more about this fascinating couple by We then continue to our hotel for the next five viewing some of their most prized possessions. Back at the hotel this evening we enjoy a farewell nights, the South Lodge Hotel in Horsham. The Woolfs initially purchased the property for ‘the dinner together and a chance to reflect on all shape and fertility and wildness of the garden’ so that we have discovered about the famous

© Axel Hesslenberg © Axel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Bloomsbury Group. © NTPL/Caroline Arber © NTPL/Caroline *subject to availability make sure to explore the delightful cottage garden here too. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Thursday: Charleston, The Church of Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Wednesday: Departure St Michael and All Angels, and Farleys House & Gallery Saturday: Rye and Bateman’s A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow airport for your return flight home. This morning takes us to Charleston, home of Firstly today we visit Rye. This medieval town artists Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell and country perched on a hill boasts enchanting streets and Meals: Breakfast meeting place for the Bloomsbury Group. The architectural treasures, which is why it’s not house was transformed by the artists who painted surprising that Rye was a popular holiday haunt for the walls and furniture. Here we enjoy a private the Bloomsbury Group. Monks House Charleston out-of-hours tour. Sissinghurst Castle Garden

20 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 21 lnwick astle ragsie After dinner at the hotel this evening, enjoy a Aristocrats & fascinating talk by a guest speaker. urha Meals: Breakfast, Dinner What’s Included Manor Houses Friday: Castle Howard and Durham ™™Return airport transfers from ountains ey astle Howar Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, Castle Howard has London Heathrow* & A Grand Tour Harrogate aira House Brideshead twice appeared as in film and television ™™1 night at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel adaptations of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel. Home ostell riory ™™3 nights at the Stapleford Park Country to the North to the Howard family for over 300 years, this House Hotel hatsworth House magnificent 18th-century residence offers world- Harwick Hall ™™ renowned collections and stunning architecture, all 2 nights at the Wood Hall Hotel Nottingham July 19 to 28, 2020 set within 1,000 acres of breathtaking scenery. We ™™2 nights at the Ramside Hall Hotel enjoy a private guided tour followed by coffee. ™™1 night at the Hartwell House Hotel from $5,490 per person We then make a short stop in the beautiful city ™™Welcome drink and canapés of Durham, where we find an abundance of ™™Full English breakfast each day Our unforgettable tour explores the lenhei alace impressive historical buildings and sights. Highlights ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 8 nights architectural grandeur and superb collections include the 11th-century Durham Castle, and the at the hotels (with after dinner tea of some of Britain’s finest estates, some L Highclere astle magnificent Norman cathedral which sits on a and coffee) still family homes to this day. From the rocky promontory high above the River Wear, ™™Services of a tour director throughout world-famous Highclere Castle, television’s affording an imposing feature of Durham’s skyline. your stay Downton Abbey, to Winston Churchill’s Later, we check in to the Ramside Hall Hotel, our ™™Travel to and from all excursions En-route back to our hotel, we make a short stop birthplace of Blenheim Palace and beyond, base for the next two nights. ™™All excursion costs in Nottingham. One-time lace capital of the world, we discover several historic treasures and Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™Porterage their society stories. We juxtapose these fine Nottingham is renowned for its landmark buildings, each of which tells its own chapter in Nottingham’s Saturday: Alnwick Castle and Cragside *supplement applies for transfers from all manor houses with the rugged landscapes other airports history, including the Lace Market with its Highclere Castle Still home to the Duke of Northumberland and of the north, providing us with the perfect stunning architecture. opportunity to explore Britain’s rich heritage his family, Alnwick Castle is the second largest Meals: Breakfast and diverse countryside. inhabited castle in England. Inside the medieval Your Hotels Wednesday: Hardwick Hall, York walls are lavish State Rooms filled with an eclectic Special extras included array of furniture, ceramics and art collected by and Fairfax House Night One – Macdonald Windsor in your itinerary Ten Day Itinerary the Percy family over hundreds of years, which we Hotel, Windsor Our first visit is to Hardwick Hall. Ordered in the Sunday: Arrival discover on our guided State Rooms tour. Alnwick Nights Two, Three and Eight – Stapleford ™™Introductory house tour and Devonshire 16th century by Bess of Hardwick, England’s richest Castle has also featured in Downton Abbey and On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer Park Country House Hotel, near Cream Tea at Chatsworth House woman after her Queen, Elizabeth I, Hardwick is Harry Potter. will take you to our hotel for the night, the Melton Mowbray ™™Refreshments at Fairfax House a striking Elizabethan treasure. The lavish number Macdonald Windsor Hotel. In the evening, join the We enjoy a scenic coastal drive to Cragside, built Nights Four and Five – Wood Hall ™™ of windows (at a time when glass was a luxury) Guided tour of Fountains Abbey high into the rock above the clear waters of group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner. inspired the neat phrase, ‘Hardwick Hall, more Hotel, Wetherby ™™Private house tour with morning coffee at Debdon Burn. Once the home of Victorian inventor Meals: Dinner Nights Six and Seven – Ramside Hall Hotel, Castle Howard glass than wall’. Lord Armstrong, this imposing house is packed to Durham ™™Guided State Rooms tour at Alnwick Castle Monday: Highclere Castle We then travel north to the historic city of York. the rafters with fascinating gadgets from the era. Here we visit Fairfax House, a stunning Georgian Night Nine – Hartwell House Hotel, ™™Audio guided tour and afternoon tea at After breakfast, we journey to the world-famous It was also the first house in the world to be lit town house that has been returned to its former near Aylesbury Blenheim Palace Highclere Castle, residence of the Earl and by hydro-electricity and in 2014, a fully-working glory, providing a perfect time capsule of life in For more information on these hotels please visit ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker Countess of Carnarvon and filming location for Archimedes Screw was installed, once again our website. Castle Howard Georgian times with a richly decorated interior and producing enough energy to light the house. the much loved Downton Abbey television series. We have a small number of single places with no a fine collection of English 18th-century furniture. Entrance includes access to the Egyptian Exhibition Meals: Breakfast, Dinner supplement available on this tour. These places We enjoy refreshments here after our visit. sell quickly. in the cellars of the castle, which explores the Sunday: Nostell Priory achievements of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon who Afterwards, we make our way to our hotel for the n e x t t w o n i g h t s , t h e Wo o d H a l l H o t e l . Today we visit Nostell Priory, an 18th-century discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. From here we travel to Hartwell House Hotel, one architectural masterpiece which has been the From here, we travel to Leicestershire and the Meals: Breakfast, Dinner of the National Trust’s Historic House Hotels, where home of the Winn family for 300 years. Set Stapleford Park Country House Hotel where we we enjoy a farewell dinner together. Thursday: Fountains Abbey in landscaped parkland, Nostell is also home stay for the next two nights. and Harrogate to England’s best documented collection of Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Meals: Breakfast, Dinner This morning we go to the largest monastic ruin Chippendale furniture, designed especially for Tuesday: Departure in Britain, Fountains Abbey, where we enjoy a the estate. Tuesday: Chatsworth House A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow guided tour. Nestling in the Skell Valley, the ruin and Nottingham Later, we check back in to the Stapleford Park airport for your return flight home. is surrounded by some 800 acres of gorgeous Country House Hotel, where we stay overnight. We start the day at Chatsworth House where countryside, including the Georgian Studley Royal Meals: Breakfast we enjoy an introductory house tour. This Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Water Garden with its wonderful views, cascades, magnificent estate is home to the Duke and Please note: As this tour travels from the Home Counties follies and statues, and a medieval deer park. Monday: Blenheim Palace Duchess of Devonshire and has witnessed sixteen to the north of England and back, some days will involve fairly long journeys. generations of the powerful Cavendish family and Our next stop is the elegant Victorian spa town of We travel south and visit Blenheim Palace, boasts grandiose interiors, wonderful grounds Harrogate, located in the heart of scenic Yorkshire. undoubtedly one of Britain’s grandest houses. Seat and a superlative art collection. Chatsworth also Notable sights include the Royal Pump Room of the Dukes of Marlborough and the birthplace of appeared as Pemberley in the 2005 film adaptation and the Grade II listed Royal Hall, and don’t Winston Churchill, Blenheim was designed on an of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. We finish our miss the attractive Montpellier Quarter with awe-inspiring scale by Vanbrugh and is set in over visit with a Devonshire Cream Tea. its pedestrianized streets lined with 2,000 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by 19th-century buildings. ‘Capability’ Brown. We enjoy an audio guided tour Nostell Priory Cragside followed by a traditional afternoon tea.

22 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 23 We continue to Stourhead, renowned for its South West 18th-century landscaped garden, a delight of classical temples, exotic trees, hidden grottos and Classic English a magnificent lake. The grand Palladian house is no What’s Included less of a draw, with its Chippendale furniture and ™™Return airport transfers from Gardens & their one of the finest Regency libraries left in existence. London Heathrow* Later, we enjoy dinner together at a ™™2 nights at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel local restaurant. Manor Houses ™™7 nights at the Bailbrook House Hotel Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™Welcome drink Friday: Bradford-on-Avon, The Peto ™™Full English breakfast each day ristol Lacock ey L ™™ August 2 to 11, 2020 Tyntesfield owoo House Garden, Great Chalfield Manor and 3-course table d’hôte dinner on 5 nights ath Highclere astle raoronvon Wells at the hotels (with after dinner tea tourhea Longleat Prior Park Landscape Garden from $4,990 per person Heale House arens Winchester and coffee) We travel first to Bradford-on-Avon, an enchanting ™™2 dinners and 1 lunch in local restaurants town full of historic buildings and quaint streets The picturesque South West of England ™™Services of a tour director throughout is home to a veritable treasure trove of to explore. Next we enjoy a guided tour of The Peto Garden at Ilford Manor, designed by the your stay impressive stately homes and atmospheric distinguished British garden designer Harold ™™Travel to and from all excursions manors. These magnificent properties boast Afterwards take a step back in time at the Georgian Peto. Evoking Peto’s love of Italy, the gardens ™™All excursion costs extraordinary interiors and often feature House Museum in Bristol. This 18th-century are characterised by colonnades, pools and ™™Porterage fascinating garden styles and parkland townhouse provides us with a fascinating insight ancient statues. *supplement applies for transfers from all th too, many of which were created by 18 - into what life would have been like for sugar Our next visit is Great Chalfield Manor, a charming other airports century garden design trendsetters such as merchant John Pinney and his servants above and moated manor built in the 15th century for Thomas ‘Capability’ Brown. On this tour, we uncover below stairs. Tropenell, a modest member of the landed gentry some of these classic and sometimes hidden This evening we enjoy dinner together at a who made his fortune as a clothier. Outside, the Your Hotels Bowood House gems, from the Elizabethan Longleat House restaurant in Bristol. romantic gardens offer terraces, topiary houses, Nights One and Nine – Macdonald Windsor to the tranquil Heale House Gardens and Meals: Breakfast, Dinner colorful borders and delightful views. Italianate Peto Garden. Finally we head to Prior Park Landscape Garden, Hotel, Windsor Special extras included Wednesday: Bath – Victoria Park, an intimate garden created in the 18th century Nights Two to Eight – Bailbrook House Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Roman and influenced by the poet Alexander Pope and Hotel, Bath in your itinerary Ten Day Itinerary Baths and Pump Rooms ‘Capability’ Brown. Set in a sweeping valley with For more information on these hotels please visit our website. Sunday: Arrival fantastic views of Bath, the garden features a rare ™™Guided walking tour of Bath The day begins with a guided walking tour of We have a small number of single places with no On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer Palladian bridge, Cascade and Serpentine Lake. ™™Afternoon tea at The Pump Rooms, Bath Bath, an elegant Regency town. We enjoy a visit to supplement available on this tour. These places will take you to our hotel for the night, the Victoria Park, first opened in 1830 by the 11-year- Meals: Breakfast, Dinner sell quickly. ™™Guided tour of the Bishop’s Palace Macdonald Windsor Hotel. In the evening, join the old Princess Victoria, which is overlooked by the & Gardens group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner. iconic Royal Crescent. Saturday: Bowood House and ™™Guided tour of The Peto Garden The Courts Garden Monday: Heale House Gardens, Meals: Dinner We continue to the Herschel Museum of ™™Guided tour and lunch at Bowood House Winchester and Winchester Cathedral Astronomy, located in the former home of This morning we travel to Bowood House where ™™ Monday: Highclere Castle Guided tour and lunch at Longleat House astronomer William Herschel. We visit the we enjoy a guided tour followed by lunch. Family The day begins at Heale House Gardens, a beautiful ™™Guided tour of Winchester Cathedral and Lacock Abbey museum’s garden, which is a re-creation of the home of the Marquis and Marchioness of garden designed by Harold Peto in both Edwardian ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker Today we journey to the world-famous Highclere Lansdowne, Bowood houses a unique collection of and Tudor styles. Set in the grounds of historic Highclere Castle garden as it might have appeared during Herschel’s Castle, residence of the Earl and Countess of discovery of the planet Uranus, laid to recreate a historical artifacts, from Queen Victoria’s wedding Heale House, mostly unchanged since King Charles Carnarvon and filming location for the much loved chair to Napoleon’s death mask. Outside are II hid there in 1651, these eight acres of beautiful Lacock Abbey The Peto Garden typical planting scheme for a Georgian town house. Downton Abbey 100 acres of beautiful parkland, designed by gardens include a delightful mixture of styles television series. Entrance includes Next, we are transported back to Roman times ‘Capability’ Brown. including a walled garden and Japanese water access to the Egyptian Exhibition, which explores as we enjoy a guided tour of the town’s ancient the achievements of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon who We continue on to The Courts Garden, a garden with its authentic Japanese tea house and Roman Baths. We explore the extensive bathing red Nikko bridge. discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. complex, one of the best-preserved Roman quintessentially English country garden superbly We then head to Lacock Abbey, which sits at the remains in the world, which still flows with natural planted and maintained with seven acres of We then head to the cathedral city of Winchester, heart of Lacock village with golden stone cloisters hot water before we finish with afternoon tea at colorful plants, herbaceous borders and peaceful England’s ancient capital, where we enjoy lunch. and a Great Hall. Once a medieval nunnery, the elegant Georgian Bath Pump Rooms. water gardens. We then enjoy a guided tour of the awe-inspiring the abbey was turned into a family home by Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Winchester Cathedral where we discover its hidden After dinner back at the hotel, we are treated to a treasures, including the tomb of Jane Austen and William Henry Fox Talbot who invented the first fa s c i n ati n g ta l k b y a g u e st s p e a ke r. photographic negative. Sunday: Longleat House the Winchester Bible, one of the finest 12th-century Meals: Breakfast, Dinner bibles to have survived. Later we check in to the Bailbrook House Hotel Today we head to Longleat House, widely regarded where we stay for seven nights. Thursday: Wells, Bishop’s Palace as one of Britain’s finest examples of Elizabethan From here we return to the Macdonald Windsor architecture. Substantially completed by 1580, Hotel where we enjoy a farewell dinner together. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner & Gardens and Stourhead Longleat House is set within 900 acres of stunning Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Tuesday: Tyntesfield and Georgian Our day starts in the cathedral city of Wells, with its ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland featuring eclectic mix of historic buildings and quaint narrow House Museum a fine lawn, serpentine river, wooded hills and Tuesday: Departure streets. Here we discover the Bishop’s Palace & meandering pathways. We enjoy a guided tour of We visit the once loved family home of Tyntesfield, A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow Gardens, a unique medieval palace which has been the impressive house with its priceless antiques a fabulous Gothic Revival house of turrets and airport for your return flight home. home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for 800 and ornate painted ceilings, followed by lunch. ornate stonework. Here we discover the largest years. We enjoy an expert-led tour of highlights Meals: Breakfast recorded collection of unique possessions cared such as the private Chapel and the beautiful Royal Meals: Breakfast, Lunch for by the National Trust, accumulated by four Horticultural Society partner gardens. generations of the Gibbs family.

24 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 25 Saturday: Mississippi Paddle Steamer Cambridge and Felbrigg Hall We make our way to the picturesque village of & East Anglia Horning where we enjoy a scenic cruise of the What’s Included Norfolk Broads on the Mississippi Paddle Steamer. ™™Return airport transfers from Holkha Hall elrigg Hall A unique and beautiful landscape of shallow London Heathrow* Mansions anringha state lickling Hall Houghton Hall Walsingha ey lakes and rivers, these spectacular waterways are ™™2 nights at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel urgh Hall scattered with pretty market towns and villages ™™ & Villages ly atheral 4 nights at the University Arms Hotel arige nglesey ey along the shoreline. ™™ Wipole state Lavenha 3 nights at the Pheasant Hotel uley n Flatford Mill We continue to Felbrigg Hall, one of East Anglia’s ™™Welcome drink August 17 to 26, 2020 finest country houses. Felbrigg’s interior is a lavish ™™Full English breakfast each day L blend of sumptuous furniture, ornate plasterwork ™™3-course table d’hôte dinner on 7 nights and William Wyndham II’s painting collection, from $4,990 per person at the hotels (with after dinner tea gathered on his Grand Tour of Europe. and coffee) The region of East Anglia is filled with natural From here, we make our way to the Pheasant Hotel ™™1 dinner at a bistro in Cambridge where we stay for the next three nights. beauty, charming villages and historic wool ™™Services of a tour director throughout towns that have changed little since Tudor Meals: Breakfast, Dinner your stay times, with their timber-framed buildings Sunday: Holkham Hall and Blickling Hall ™™Travel to and from all excursions and crooked streets. On this insightful ™™All excursion costs Our final stop is the working estate of Wimpole. This morning we enjoy a private guided tour of tour we explore some of these wonderful The impressive mansion, at the heart of the ™™Porterage locations and discover magnificent houses Holkham Hall, an elegant 18th-century country estate, boasts some unique interior flourishes. The mansion constructed in the Palladian style for *supplement applies for transfers from all rich in history and architecture such as wonderful library was specially built to house an Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester. The hall is other airports elegant Holkham Hall and the breathtaking enormous collection of books that went on to form currently home to the 8th Earl of Leicester. The Jacobean mansion of Blickling. the core of the early British Library. spectacular Marble Hall was inspired by the Temple Blickling Hall Later, we enjoy dinner together at a bistro of Fortuna Virilis and the Pantheon in Rome, Your Hotels in Cambridge. while the magnificent State Rooms boast superb Ten Day Itinerary collections of ancient statuary, original furniture, Nights One and Nine – Macdonald Windsor Monday: Arrival Meals: Breakfast, Dinner tapestries and works of art. Hotel, Windsor Special extras included Thursday: Oxburgh Hall and On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer Blickling Hall is one of Britain’s finest Jacobean Nights Two to Five – University Arms Hotel, in your itinerary will take you to our overnight hotel, the Macdonald Anglesey Abbey houses. In decorative terms it’s a wonderful house Cambridge Windsor Hotel. In the evening, join the group for a Nights Six to Eight – Pheasant Hotel, Kelling ™™Guided tour of Audley End This morning we discover Oxburgh Hall. This to explore because of its plasterwork and superb welcome drink, followed by dinner. romantic moated manor house has been home For more information on these hotels please visit ™™Afternoon tea at Orchard Tea Garden 18th-century Long Gallery. Discover Blickling’s Meals: Dinner to the Catholic Bedingfield family since the collections and learn about the National Trust’s our website. ™™Guided walking tour of Cambridge 15th century and charts their precarious history ambitious new conservation project to secure We have a small number of single places with no ™™Guided tour of the Fitzwilliam Museum Tuesday: Audley End and Orchard supplement available on this tour. These places from medieval austerity to neo-Gothic Victorian the future of one of the most significant book sell quickly. ™™Guided ‘Constable’ walking tour Tea Garden splendor. Look out for the 16th-century priest’s collections in the country. ™™ Mississippi Paddle Steamer cruise Our first visit is to Audley End, one of the finest hole as well intricate embroidery crafted by Mary, Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™Out-of-hours guided tour of Holkham Hall Jacobean houses in England with an impressive Queen of Scots. Tuesday: Houghton Hall and ™™Lunch at Sandringham great hall, magnificent state apartments and We then make our way to Anglesey Abbey, Gardens Monday: Sandringham Estate and Ely Cathedral a carefully restored service wing which gives a ™™Private guided tour of Houghton Hall and Lode Mill. The house’s interior is a vestige of Walsingham Abbey We start with a private guided tour of Houghton glimpse of life ‘below stairs’. ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker 1930s luxury, complete with rich furnishings, silver, We visit the house, gardens and museum of the Hall, one of England’s finest Palladian houses. Built Fitzwilliam Museum From here we visit the Orchard Tea Garden in paintings, books and rare clocks. Outside, discover Sandringham Estate, the country retreat of Her in the 1720s by Great Britain’s first Prime Minister, Grantchester for afternoon tea. The Orchard was an exceptional array of sculptures in the Majesty the Queen. Built in 1870, Sandringham Sir Robert Walpole, the Hall boasts sumptuous first planted in 1868 and the tradition of taking landscape gardens. has been the private home of four generations state rooms lavishly endowed with pictures, afternoon tea here began purely by chance with After dinner back at the hotel, we are treated to a of British monarchs. The interiors are home to statuary and fine furniture while outside is an a group of Cambridge students in 1897 and has fascinating talk by a guest speaker. many exhibits such as an important collection of award-winning five acre garden and contemporary continued ever since. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner oriental arms and armor. The museum, housed in sculpture park. Later we check in to the University Arms Hotel, our the former coach houses and stable block, holds Afterwards we visit the historic Fenland city of Ely base for the next four nights. Friday: Saffron Walden, Flatford extraordinary collections of Royal vehicles, rare and the magnificent Ely Cathedral. Founded as a Meals: Breakfast, Dinner and Lavenham ceramics, photographs and memorabilia. We enjoy monastery in 673, work on the present building lunch here during our visit. We travel first to Saffron Walden, a charming dates from the early 1080s. A remarkable example Wednesday: Cambridge, Fitzwilliam medieval market town with many historic buildings Later we visit Walsingham Abbey, famous for the of both Romanesque and Norman architecture, its Museum and Wimpole Estate including the half-timbered Guildhall. spectacular remains of a medieval priory. A place most famous feature is the central Octagon Tower. of pilgrimage since the 11th century, the priory was We make our way to Cambridge. Renowned for its Our next stop is the charming hamlet of Flatford, Later, we return to the Macdonald Windsor Hotel destroyed during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the world-famous university, this historic city is home the inspiration for some of artist John Constable’s where we enjoy a farewell dinner together. Monasteries. We have time to wander through to many fascinating sights which we discover on most famous paintings. Here we enjoy a guided the tranquil gardens scattered with medieval Meals: Breakfast, Dinner our guided walking tour, including the majestic walking tour, discovering the lovely views and ruins and explore the unspoilt woodland and college buildings. locations that Constable painted including Flatford Wednesday: Departure landscape parkland. Afterwards we visit the Fitzwilliam Museum. The Mill, immortalized in The Haywain. A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner art and antiquities museum of the University of The last visit of the day is to Lavenham, a airport for your return flight home. Cambridge contains a vast collection of treasures remarkably well-preserved Tudor village that was Meals: Breakfast from paintings and armor to ceramics, furniture, one of the richest towns in England during the 15th textiles, sculptures and manuscripts. c e n t u r y t h a n k s t o t h e w o o l l e n - c l o t h i n d u s t r y. Houghton Hall Audley End Meals: Breakfast

26 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 27 Johnston, the garden is laid out as a series of A Nostalgic colorful and intricately designed ‘rooms’ featuring many plants that were collected on Johnston’s trips Journey Through to far flung places. What’s Included We continue to the quintessential Cotswold village ™™Return airport transfers from the Malvern Hills of Broadway, with its picturesque High Street lined London Heathrow* with honey-colored stone buildings, before visiting ™™2 nights at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel the beautiful market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, & Cotswold Vales ™™6 nights at the Queens Hotel Cheltenham renowned for its wonderful collection of artisanal – MGallery boutiques. We enjoy dinner in a restaurant in ™™Welcome drink Cheltenham this evening. ™™ September 6 to 14, 2020 roaway Hicote anor aren Full English breakfast each day astnor astle towontheWol Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ueley astle ourtonontheWater ™™ table d’hôte ainswick ococo aren lenhei alace 3-course dinner on 5 nights rapton ourt state iury from $4,750 per person erkeley astle heltenha Friday: Cheltenham, Wilson Gallery at the hotel (with after dinner tea oarton anor L he aren at iseren and Holst Birthplace Museum and coffee) Steeped in the rural charm of a bygone age, ™™ We enjoy a guided walking tour of Cheltenham, 1 lunch and 1 dinner at local restaurants the picturesque villages of the Cotswolds where we learn about the town during its spa ™™Services of a tour director throughout have housed writers and artists whose heyday and admire the Regency town houses, your stay work mirrored the natural beauty of their intricate ironwork balconies and painted ™™Travel to and from all excursions surroundings. The Malvern Hills, an Area stucco facades. Afterwards, we visit the Wilson ™™All excursion costs of Outstanding Natural Beauty overlooking Gallery, an outstanding museum and art gallery ™™Porterage Tuesday: Rodmarton Manor and the Cotswold Vale, have equally inspired with a program of temporary exhibitions and *supplement applies for transfers from all writers like Tolkien and composers such as Painswick Rococo Garden permanent galleries. other airports Edward Elgar with their stunning scenery. Our day begins at Rodmarton Manor, one of the Then we visit the Holst Birthplace Museum, a We learn more about the fascinating history last country houses to be built and furnished wonderful Victorian-Edwardian family home, Hidcote Manor Garden of the area, reflected in Sudeley and Eastnor according to the ideals of the Arts and Crafts lovingly restored to offer a fascinating insight into Your Hotels Castles, and discover how the landscape Movement. Ernest Barnsley and the Cotswold the life and work of the English composer and influenced grand estates like Croome and the group of Craftsmen took over 20 years to build and teacher, Gustav Holst. Nights One and Eight – Macdonald Windsor furnish the house. We enjoy a guided tour here Hotel, Windsor Special extras included region’s gardens such as gorgeous Hidcote Meals: Breakfast, Dinner followed by refreshments and a chance to explore Nights Two to Seven – Queens Hotel Manor Garden. in your itinerary the stunning gardens. Saturday: Berkeley Castle and Cheltenham – MGallery, Cheltenham Afterwards, we enjoy lunch and an introductory Frampton Court Estate For more information on these hotels please visit ™™Guided tour of Sudeley Castle talk at Painswick Rococo Garden. Initially designed Berkeley Castle has remained in the Berkeley family our website. ™™ Nine Day Itinerary Guided tour and refreshments at in the 1740s as an English country gentleman’s since its construction in the late 12th century and We have a small number of single places with no Sunday: Arrival supplement available on this tour. These places Rodmarton Manor we enjoy a guided tour here. This ancient fortress On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer pleasure garden and a venue for hosting intimate sell quickly. ™™Introductory talk and lunch at Painswick home boasts fine medieval rooms and magnificent will take you to our overnight hotel, the Macdonald garden parties, it is now the country’s sole Rococo Garden collections, however it is probably best known Windsor Hotel. In the evening, join the group for a surviving complete Rococo garden, so-called for its ™™Guided tour and lunch at Eastnor Castle as the scene of the brutal murder of Edward ll in We end the day at Blenheim Palace, set in beautiful welcome drink, followed by dinner. winding pathways and imaginative follies, full of ™™Guided walking tour of Cheltenham architectural charm. 1327. The castle has also been used as a filming parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown. As the Meals: Dinner ™™Guided tour of Berkeley Castle Meals: Breakfast, Lunch location including for the hugely successful Poldark seat of the Dukes of Marlborough, the palace is ™™Private guided tour of Frampton Court Monday: Burford, Sudeley Castle, TV series. synonymous with the Churchill family and is the Wednesday: Eastnor Castle and Croome birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. A permanent ™™Audio guided tour of Blenheim Palace Winchcombe and Bourton-on-the-Water We continue on to Frampton Court Estate, owned Eastnor Castle lies at the foot of the Malvern Hills, by the Clifford family since the 11th century. Built exhibition commemorates the life of this famous ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker This morning, we stop in Burford, a small medieval Eastnor Castle surrounded by a beautiful deer park, arboretum between 1730 and 1733, the house displays a wartime Prime Minister, whilst the magnificent town on the River Windrush in the Cotswold Hills, and lake. This 19th-century revival castle was built magnificent mixture of Baroque and Palladian State Rooms reveal a superb collection of before continuing to Sudeley Castle for a guided by the 2nd Baron (Lord) Somers and continues to be architectural styles while the lavish interiors are tapestries, paintings, porcelain and furniture. We tour. This Tudor castle was once home to Katherine inhabited by his descendants. We enjoy a guided home to a fine collection of period furniture. We learn more on our audio guided tour. Parr, the last of King Henry VIII’s six wives. The tour followed by lunch. discover more on our private guided tour. Afterwards we check back into the Macdonald castle rooms contain many fascinating treasures, Windsor Hotel where we enjoy a farewell dinner from ancient Roman times to the present day while Our day finishes at Croome, ‘Capability’ Brown’s After dinner back at the hotel, we are treated to a together this evening. outside are award-winning gardens. After, we enjoy first complete landscape and the one that made fascinating talk by a guest speaker. lunch in a local gastropub in the quaint town his name. Robert Adam and James Wyatt also Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Meals: Breakfast, Dinner of Winchcombe. helped design the mansion, Croome Court, and the temples and follies scattered throughout the Sunday: The Garden at Miserden, Bibury Monday: Departure We then visit one of the most picturesque villages parkland. Surprisingly, Croome was also once a and Blenheim Palace A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow in the Cotswolds, Bourton-on-the-Water. Admire its secret wartime airbase, so don’t miss the visitor airport for your return flight home. elegant low bridges and tree-shaded river banks, The day starts with a visit to The Garden at center to find out more before admiring the browse the independent shops or relax in local Miserden, a true hidden gem which dates back to Meals: Breakfast commanding views over the Malverns that can be tearooms. After time at leisure, we make our way the 17th century. Boasting 850 acres of woodland, had from the grounds. to the Queens Hotel Cheltenham – MGallery, our farmland and gardens, there is plenty to discover hotel for the next six nights. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch from wildlife to beautiful flowers. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Thursday: Hidcote Manor Garden, Next we visit the charming Cotswold village of Broadway and Stow-on-the-Wold Bibury, described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England’. A picturesque row of The day starts at Hidcote Manor Garden, an National Trust owned weavers’ cottages lie next to exquisite Arts and Crafts garden. Created by the the River Coln and a water meadow provides an reclusive American horticulturist, Major Lawrence important habitat for water-loving plants and birds. Burford Blenheim Palace Painswick Rococo Garden

28 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 29 From here we head to Kiftsgate Court Gardens, Oxford & the set on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment with lovely views towards the Malvern Hills. The gardens Home Counties’ are the creation of three generations of women What’s Included gardeners, started by Heather Muir in the 1920s. ™™Return airport transfers from Picturesque Houses Developed organically with harmonious color London Heathrow* schemes, the gardens have many unusual shrubs ™™3 nights at the Castle Hotel and plants and are known for the Kiftsgate rose, Windsor – MGallery & Gardens a scented climbing rose claimed to be the largest ™™ Kiftsgate Court Gardens 4 nights at the Hartwell House Hotel eincote rose in Britain. Waeson anor & Spa or ether Winchenon House After dinner back at the hotel, we are treated to a ™™Welcome drink September 6 to 13, 2020 liveen L hiswick House trawerry Hill House fascinating talk by a guest speaker. ™™ ainshill ark Full English breakfast each day Meals: Breakfast, Dinner ™™ table d’hôte from $4,990 per person Houghton Loge 3-course dinner on 6 nights Friday: Oxford at the hotels (with after dinner tea The pastoral landscapes of the Home and coffee) Today we visit historic Oxford, famous seat of ™™Services of a tour director throughout Counties that surround London provide learning. On our guided walking tour, we discover your stay a beautiful backdrop to some of Britain’s the history of many of the city’s magnificent ™™ most impressive homes. We uncover the buildings including the colleges of the famous Travel to and from all excursions fascinating stories of these magnificent quirky statuary and topiary plus a historic maze, Oxford University. Following our tour, we have free ™™All excursion costs places with their wonderful mix of these impressive gardens have a special charm. time to enjoy the city at leisure. The University of ™™Porterage architectural styles and fine treasures within, In 1837, Cliveden was purchased by Harriet, Oxford Botanic Garden, the Ashmolean (the world’s *supplement applies for transfers from all and explore spectacular landscape gardens Duchess of Sutherland, to be used as a home first public museum) and Bodleian Library are just other airports and parkland. Our tour is complemented by away from London. The house is now a luxury some of the attractions here. a stay at Hartwell House Hotel, a stunning hotel and after our gardens visit, we savour the Later we return to the Castle Hotel Windsor – quintessentially British pastime of high tea here. Sezincote stately home and one of the Historic House MGallery where we stay for the last two nights of Your Hotels Meals: Breakfast, High Tea, Dinner our tour. Hotels of the National Trust. Nights One, Six and Seven – Castle Hotel Meals: Breakfast Wednesday: Waddesdon Manor and Windsor – MGallery, Windsor Special extras included Eight Day Itinerary Nether Winchendon House Saturday: Painshill Park and Nights Two to Five – Hartwell House Hotel in your itinerary Sunday: Arrival This morning takes us to Waddesdon Manor. Built Houghton Lodge & Spa, near Aylesbury For more information on these hotels please visit On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer by the wealthy Rothschild family, Waddesdon is a We head first to Painshill Park, an elegant 18th- ™™Guided tour of Chiswick House our website. will take you to our overnight hotel, the Castle renaissance-style chateau that looks as though it’s century landscape garden created between 1738 ™™Guided tour of Strawberry Hill House been transported to the gentle Buckinghamshire We have a small number of single places with no Hotel Windsor – MGallery. In the evening, join the and 1773 by the Hon. Charles Hamilton. Inspired by supplement available on this tour. These places ™™High tea at Cliveden House Hotel group for a welcome drink, followed by dinner. countryside from France’s Loire Valley. Along with Renaissance art and his Grand Tours across Europe, sell quickly. ™™Guided tour and lunch at a guided tour of the sumptuous interiors, we also as well as his passion for plants, Hamilton’s vision Meals: Dinner Waddesdon Manor enjoy lunch here. was to create ‘living paintings’ in a new style of ™™Guided tour and refreshments Monday: Chiswick House and Strawberry Afterwards we visit Nether Winchendon House, garden. The result is a sequence of breathtaking at Sezincote Hill House an enchanting medieval and Tudor manor house vistas across the landscape punctuated by mystical follies including a ruined abbey and Gothic temple, ™™Guided walking tour of Oxford We travel to west London to enjoy a guided tour of set in seven acres of tranquil gardens. From its a serpentine lake, vineyard, woodland and more. ™™Guided tour of Houghton Lodge one of the most stunning examples of 18th-century medieval origins, this extraordinary house has ™™ evolved into an exciting mix of styles with curling Our final visit is to Houghton Lodge. Home of Themed evening talk by a guest speaker British architecture, Chiswick House. The Roman- Serra de © NTPL/Arnhel Chiswick House style Palladian villa was designed by the third Earl Tudor chimneys, crenellations, tall Gothic windows, the Busk family for more than a century, the of Burlington and architect and designer William a 12th-century Great Hall and 16th-century lodge is one of the finest (and earliest) surviving Kent. Admire the stunning ceilings of the upstairs Dining Room. Since the mid-16th century, Nether examples of the cottage ornée style, a genre of Winchendon has had continuous family occupation © Kilian rooms as well as the beautiful velvet wallpaper. ‘picturesque’ Gothic architecture that flourished and remains a family home to this day. for about 25 years from 1790. Our guided tour Our next stop is Strawberry Hill House, a Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner gives us an insight into the history of this unique magnificent Gothic Revival villa created by author house. Outside, the lovely gardens feature both Horace Walpole in the 18th century to house his Thursday: Sezincote and Kiftsgate formal and informal gardens, a traditional kitchen vast collection of treasures. Elegant and eccentric, Court Gardens garden, an orchid house, peacock garden and it is Britain’s finest example of this style of herbaceous borders. architecture and we have the chance to see the We start the day at Sezincote, where we enjoy highlights of both the house and garden with a a guided tour of this unique and exotic palace Back at the hotel tonight we enjoy a farewell guided tour. followed by refreshments. In the early 1800s, dinner together. Charles Cockerell, who had worked for the East Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Later we check in to the Hartwell House Hotel & India Company, commissioned his architect Spa, one of the National Trust’s Historic House brother, Samuel, to design and build an Indian Sunday: Departure Hotels and our base for the next four nights. house in the Mogul style of Rajasthan. Assisted by A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow Meals: Breakfast, Dinner the artist Thomas Daniell, the result is a unique airport for your return flight home. combination of Hindu and Muslim architecture Meals: Breakfast Tuesday: Cliveden with a weathered-copper onion dome, minarets Set high above the River Thames with far-reaching and curving orangery while outside is a romantic views, Cliveden’s glorious gardens and majestic Indian fantasy of temples, grottoes and waterfalls woodlands have uniquely captured the grandeur of with a landscape reputedly designed by a bygone era. From the formal Parterre and elegant Humphry Repton. Houghton Lodge Strawberry Hill House Water Garden to the Italianate Long Garden with Cliveden

30 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 31 sink 300 miles off Land’s End and they all returned Mayflower 400 to Plymouth from where the Mayflower continued her journey alone to America. Before leaving Dartmouth, we visit Bayards Cove Inn for a What’s Included relaxing drink. September 10 to 20, 2020 ™™Return airport transfers from Meals: Breakfast, Dinner London Heathrow* from $5,990 per person ™™ or 2 nights at the Castle Hotel Windsor L Wednesday: Plymouth, Elizabethan th The Mayflower Pub – MGallery 2020 marks the 400 anniversary of the reat ritain ristol otherhithe House, The Box and The Hoe ™™1 night at the Lainston House Hotel Mayflower’s pioneering voyage from Our day is spent in Plymouth, Britain’s ocean city. Winchester ™™5 nights at the Bovey Castle Hotel England to America. In 1620, an intrepid outhapton It was from Plymouth, on 16 September 1620, that eter ™™1 night at the Queens Hotel Cheltenham group of dissenters set sail across the Atlantic Lye egis the Mayflower and her passengers made their Buckfast Abbey – MGallery on what was then an incredibly dangerous lyouth artouth final voyage to the New World. We enjoy a guided altra oleton ishacre ™™ journey to start a new life in the New World. walking tour along New Street in the Barbican, one 1 night at the Macdonald Windsor Hotel ™™ To commemorate this anniversary, we follow of Plymouth’s oldest streets. The listed buildings Welcome drink and canapés ™™ in the footsteps of the Mayflower Pilgrims have retained their historic facades, transporting Full English breakfast each day Sunday: Lyme Regis and Exeter Cathedral us into the past. One such property is Elizabethan ™™ and trace the Mayflower’s journey en-route 3-course table d’hôte dinner on 7 nights House – built in the 1580s, the house is a rare at the hotels (with after dinner tea for America, learning more about the ship Lyme Regis is a historic seaside town and fishing surviving example of its time. and coffee) that links four nations and the legacy of a port, nestling in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Jurassic Coast. The town has a Next we visit The Box, which opens in 2020 as ™™1 lunch at the Mayflower pub voyage that changed history. fascinating maritime heritage and rich history and the flagship building for the Mayflower 400 ™™1 dinner at a traditional country pub we discover more on our guided walk. commemorations. One of its first exhibitions will ™™Services of a tour director throughout Eleven Day Itinerary We continue on to Exeter where we enjoy a guided be Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy. Afterwards your stay we take in the stunning views at The Hoe before we Thursday: Arrival tour of Exeter Cathedral. Dating back 900 years, it ™™Travel to and from all excursions enjoy free time in Plymouth. On arrival at Heathrow airport, a private transfer is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture ™™All excursion costs Mayflower II anywhere. Notable features include the longest Meals: Breakfast will take you to the Castle Hotel Windsor – ™™Porterage uninterrupted Gothic vaulted ceiling in the world. MGallery where we stay for the next two nights. Thursday: Saltram *supplement applies for transfers from all In the evening, join the group for a welcome drink, We then travel to the Bovey Castle Hotel, our base other airports This morning we head to Saltram, an elegant Special extras included followed by dinner. for the next five nights. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Georgian mansion complete with its original, in your itinerary Meals: Dinner impressively lavish contents, including stunning Friday: Rotherhithe, Mayflower Pub Monday: Coleton Fishacre and paintings and textiles. We then return to our hotel Your Hotels ™™Guided walk in Lyme Regis Buckfast Abbey for an afternoon at leisure. and London Nights One and Two – Castle Hotel Windsor ™™Guided tour of Exeter Cathedral Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Our first stop is Rotherhithe – the London Today begins at Coleton Fishacre, a 1920s Arts and – MGallery, Windsor ™™Private guided tour of Dartmouth Royal homeport where in July 1620, the Mayflower took Crafts-style house built for the D’Oyly Carte family. Night Three – Lainston House Naval College Friday: Exeter, Bristol and on board 65 passengers before journeying onwards The house’s surviving Art Deco interior contrasts Hotel, Winchester ™™Pilgrims walking tour in Dartmouth with the magical 30 acre garden. SS Great Britain to Southampton. Rotherhithe has a long seafaring Nights Four to Eight – Bovey Castle ™™Refreshments at Bayards Cove Inn Leaving Cornwall we stop en-route back in Exeter, and ship building history and was the home of Our next stop is Buckfast Abbey, nestled on the Hotel, Dartmoor ™™Guided walking tour of New a handsome and compact city that offers a great Christopher Jones, captain of the Mayflower. banks of the River Dart. Dating back to 1018, the Night Nine – Queens Hotel Cheltenham Street, Plymouth range of shops and a cobbled quayside area. We head to the Mayflower pub in Rotherhithe abbey is home to a community of Benedictine – MGallery, Cheltenham ™™ We continue on to the city of Bristol where we Audio-guided tour of SS Great Britain village, the oldest pub on the River Thames where monks. Explore the Abbey church or wander the visit SS Great Britain, the great-great grandmother Night Ten – Macdonald Windsor ™™Guided walking tour of Oxford we enjoy lunch together. You can also spot the tranquil gardens. On our way back to the hotel this for all modern ships. Created in 1843 by Isambard Hotel, Windsor ™™Themed evening talk by a guest speaker original 1620 mooring point of the Mayflower. This evening, we stop to enjoy dinner in a traditional The Hoe, Plymouth Kingdom Brunel, the ship has been painstakingly For more information on these hotels please visit afternoon we have free time to explore London. country pub. our website. restored and we get under the skin of life at sea at Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Meals: Breakfast, Dinner We have a small number of single places with no the Dockyard Museum and step onto the ship itself supplement available on this tour. These places Saturday: Southampton, Tuesday: Greenway, Dartmouth Royal on our audio guided tour. sell quickly. Merchant’s House, Winchester Naval College, Pilgrims Walking Tour From here we make our way to the Queens Hotel and Winchester Cathedral and Bayards Cove Inn Cheltenham – MGallery where we stay overnight. Southampton was a thriving sea port and many of We board the ferry to Greenway, the much-loved Meals: Breakfast, Dinner holiday home of the famous author Agatha Christie the buildings and streets familiar to the Pilgrims Saturday: Oxford then still exist today. The Mayflower arrived in and her family. Nestled on the side of the River We spend our final day in Oxford, the city of Southampton in late July 1620, before being joined Dart, this atmospheric house is set in the 1950s dreaming spires. On our guided walking tour, we by the Speedwell, setting sail on 15 August with the and contains many of the family’s collections. discover the history and many of the magnificent intention to sail in company direct to America. Next is the picturesque port of Dartmouth. The town has a significant naval history and we start buildings of the city. Afterwards we enjoy time at We visit Merchant’s House where we take in the leisure here. We then check in to the Macdonald history of Southampton’s ‘old town’ before heading with a private guided tour of the Royal Naval College, home of initial Naval Officer training in the Windsor Hotel, where we enjoy a farewell to the medieval city of Winchester, ancient capital dinner together. of England. UK since 1863. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Later, we check in to the Lainston House Hotel Later we enjoy a Pilgrims walking tour where we where we stay overnight. learn of the town’s links to the Pilgrim Fathers. In Sunday: Departure August 1620, having made a detour to Dartmouth, A private transfer will take you back to Heathrow Meals: Breakfast, Dinner the Pilgrim Fathers departed from Bayards Cove airport for your return flight home. for the New World aboard the Mayflower and the Meals: Breakfast SS Great Britain Saltram Speedwell. Unfortunately the Speedwell started to Coleton Fishacre

32 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 33 Frequently Asked Questions Terms & Conditions How do I make a booking? Are there single traveler room How much walking will there be on It is important that you read the following booking conditions. These Booking Conditions form the You can book via our website, supplements? these tours? basis of your contract with us. Please read these www.albionjourneys.com/royaloak or over We have a small number of rooms on each tour As much or as little as you like. Any included sections carefully as they apply to all bookings the telephone on our toll-free number that are sold with no single supplement; once guided tours will operate at a fairly relaxed you make with us unless otherwise specified. All 1-866-834-8358. Our offices are open these are sold out we charge a supplement for pace, as with many historic houses and gardens, holidays are operated by Albion. 9:00am-5:00pm EST Monday to Friday. If you any additional single rooms which varies for you may experience some uneven flooring have any questions or queries you can also each tour. You can contact us to enquire about and steps along the way. Of course, you will 1. HOLIDAY PAYMENT: When you make a booking email us at [email protected]. If you single supplement prices. Please book early as always have the option to explore any venue you must pay a deposit for every person named are not a Royal Oak Member, the cost of the single rooms sell fast. by yourself at your own pace. Any specific tour on the booking. Deposits per person and the tour increases by $150. in this brochure with more than an average balance due date (the period before the Are room upgrades available? departure date on which your full balance When are payments due? amount of walking will be clearly noted in the A Wonderful All of the hotels on these tours have been hand- itinerary. If you have any specific concerns, normally becomes due) are: When you confirm your booking with us, a picked for their high quality of accommodation please contact us. Deposit Balance due date non-refundable deposit of $750 per person is and service. However, in some instances room Opportunity required to secure your place. The final balance upgrades are available and we would be happy What are the arrangements $750 90 days before departure payment must be paid to us no later than to assist you to arrange these should you for luggage? 90 days prior to the tour departure date. Of If you cannot make a payment by card at the be interested. The standard luggage allowance is one item to Explore & course, full payment can be made at the time time of booking, please speak to one of our of hand luggage and one suitcase per person of booking if you prefer and for bookings made Can you arrange extra hotel nights? Reservations staff to discuss other options. You restricted to a maximum weight of 20kgs (44 less than 8 weeks before the tour departs this can make payments against your balance anytime Yes, if you decide to arrive a few days before pounds). We do provide porterage at each Experience... will be a requirement. between making the booking and the balance due the start of the tour or leave a few days after of the hotels used on our tours, however, as date. If the balance is not paid on time we reserve the end of the tour, we are happy to arrange with all things of a personal nature, it is your How can I pay? the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you extra nights’ accommodation. However, this responsibility to ensure your suitcase is loaded We accept debit and credit cards (except and apply cancellation charges as set out in clause service is only available at hotels that feature in onto the vehicles we use throughout the tour. American Express), for deposits and the tour on which you are travelling and a $35 3 below. For bookings made after the balance due full payment. administration fee is charged for this service. What clothing should I bring? date, the full amount is due at the time of booking. What paperwork will I receive? Are meals included? Comfortable leisurewear is recommended 2. OUR AGREEMENT: A contract is formed for the daytime. In the evening many When your booking is confirmed, we will email when we issue to you the booking confirmation All breakfasts are included on all tours. Certain participants prefer to wear smarter dress you a booking confirmation document along document and terms and conditions. It is lunches and dinners are also included and you for dining. Whilst gentlemen may choose to with a copy of our full Terms and Conditions. important you read through these and any other should study the tour itinerary in this brochure wear a jacket in the restaurant in the evening, 90 days prior to the tour, we will prepare and documents you receive and advise us of any to determine what meals are included on your at most hotels this is not obligatory, we will of send you our Travel Pack with your finalized inaccuracy within 14 days of the document date. chosen tour. Meals not mentioned are not course inform you if any hotel does have a dress information, reading list and tour By accepting the booking is correct you agree to included and all beverages are at your own code. It is advisable to bring layered clothing itinerary details. our terms and conditions. expense throughout the tour. and a light waterproof jacket. We recommend We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are sturdy footwear when visiting gardens as the Do I need travel insurance? What do I do about any dietary not notified of any inaccuracy in any document ground may be soft underfoot. Many historic Yes, this is essential; we can only accept a requirements? within 14 days of our sending it out. This contract booking on the basis that you have taken out a properties request ladies do not wear high Please inform us at the time of booking, we and all matters arising out of it will be governed full and comprehensive travel insurance policy heels which may damage flooring. will pass your information on to the hotel by English law and will be subject to the exclusive to cover the full duration of your trip. We will who will do their best to accommodate Can you arrange my flights to jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. ask you to confirm this to us. If you choose not your requirements. to take out travel insurance, this is done so the UK? 3. HOLIDAY CANCELLATION BY YOU: If you want against our advice and at your own risk; we will How many passengers will be in the Albion Journeys do not arrange your air travel to cancel your booking after we have confirmed it for our tours; this is your responsibility and with you either verbally, over the telephone or by ask you to sign a declination form indemnifying Albion Journeys tour group? us from any responsibility or cost in the event gives you the flexibility to decide on your email, you can do so over the phone orin writing. Typically, between 10 and 30. of medical emergency or repatriation. own routing. The following cancellation charges will apply: Do I need a passport and visa? What is the role of the What should I budget for tipping? 365 to 182 days prior $500 It is your responsibility to ensure you have a Tour Director? While it is not compulsory, it is customary to to departure full passport and we recommend that it is valid Our friendly Tour Director will meet you for tip the coach driver and Tour Director as well as 181 to 91 days prior $750 for 6 months after the return date of your trip. a welcome dinner at the beginning of each offering a small gratuity to the transfer drivers to to departure tour. Their role is to facilitate the smooth acknowledge the services they have provided. As Tourist visas are not required for US citizens 90 days or less before 100% of the program organization of all operational aspects of the a guideline we suggest a rate of £5 per day for visiting the UK for under 90 days solely for the departure cost is non-refundable purpose of tourism. If you are not a US citizen tour. If you have any queries or experience your driver, £10 per day for your Tour Director or you are combining your visit with business, it any issues during the tour, they are there to and a couple of pounds for your transfer driver. If any member of your party is prevented from is your responsibility to check the requirements assist you. Gratuities for hotel staff and the tour guides you travelling, that person may transfer their place may meet at properties on your day trips are for visiting the UK, you can do this by visiting Will the excursions change? to someone else (introduced by you) providing the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website to covered by Albion Journeys. we are notified no less than two weeks Please note that we plan our tours far in determine whether you need a visa to enter the All tours offered subject to availability. Terms and before departure. United Kingdom. advance and the order and availability of excursions may be subject to change. In the conditions apply. Errors and omissions excepted. Full terms and conditions will be provided with event of a property not being available to visit, your booking confirmation. They are also available we will substitute with a similar visit, and you on request or via our website: will be informed of the full details. www.albionjourneys.com/terms-and-conditions.

34 Enquiries and Bookings visit our website at albionjourneys.com/royaloak or email [email protected] Call toll free: 1-866-834-8358 35 OPERATED BY

Front & Back Cover Image: Eastnor Castle