Cotswolds Discovery Tour 2023 - DHTour

Price

From$2,450 pp

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1705

8 Days / 7 Nights

Availability : May and August

Start: Harrington House, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England

End: Harrington House, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England

Cotswolds Discovery Tour: 7 nights based at Harrington House, Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswolds

Contact DHTour at 1-888-597-3519 or 905-639-9954 or dhtour@dhtour.ca to book.

The beautiful honey-coloured stone buildings of the Cotswolds stand out against the picturesque backdrop of gently rolling countryside. Stroll around the Roman city of Cirencester, explore the 17th century market hall in Chipping Campden and wander through the stunning gardens of Sudeley Castle – the famous estate where Catherine Parr lived and is buried. There’s also a visit to the Roman villa at Chedworth, the gardens at Hidcote Manor and time in the picturesque Bibury village.

Tour Details

Highlights:

Spend an afternoon at the wonderful Hidcote Manor Gardens
Stop off at Stanway House – a marvellous Jacobean home
Visit Sudeley Castle, resting place of Catherine Parr
Take a ride on the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Steam Railway

Pick Up Location & TIme

Harrington House, Sherborne Street, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, GL54 2BY (Google Map)
4:00pm – You’re welcome to check into the country house hotel from 4pm onwards.

Drop off Location & Time

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way onward.

Price Includes

High quality en-suite upgraded accommodation at Harrington House
Excellent food in our country house, full board (B,L,D daily)
The services of our knowledgeable leader, ensuring you get the most from your holiday
Full-day excursions with all transport on touring days in a good-quality, comfortable mini-coach

Meals

7 breakfasts
6 lunches
7 dinners
1 tea

Price Excludes

Airfare
Transfers
Pre / Post hotel nights
Travel to/from the Country Hotel (The nearest railway station is Moreton-in-Marsh. However, the nearest mainline station is at Cheltenham Spa which may be more convenient)
Admissions (please allow approx. £10 per day for entrances)
Driver / Tour Leader gratuity is at your discretion
Travel Insurance

What to Expect

Unpack Once!

Explore places of interest, beauty, heritage and wonder. Enjoy active guided sightseeing on relaxed-pace trips to revel in the history, landscapes, architecture and culture of your chosen destination. Our knowledgeable leaders will provide fascinating detail to bring it all to life. Travel between locations by mini-coach or public transport following a carefully planned itinerary.

Accommodation at a country house hotel
Full Board Meals – from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day
Knowledgeable leader
Transport between locations

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival Day

You’re welcome to check in from 4pm onwards where you’ll have a complimentary cream tea to tuck in to. (D, T)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 2Historic Cirencester

Today begins with a visit to the famous ‘wool’ church at Northleach, and the recently-reopened Old Prison Visitor Centre, before we continue on to Cirencester to explore one of the Cotswolds’ most popular towns. In the afternoon, we shall stop for tea at the Filkins Woollen Weavers Centre followed by a short stroll in the East Leach Valley to end the day. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 2Sudeley Castle & Winchcombe

Our tour begins with a visit to Sudeley Castle – a fantastic Cotswolds landmark with many royal connections. After lunch, we’ll enjoy a train journey on the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Steam Railway from Winchcombe through to Broadway. We shall have time to explore the town here before returning to the country house. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 4Free day

A free day for you to explore the local area or to relax in the country house. Our Discovery Points help you make the most out of your free day. There’s plenty of maps and a selection of the best local walking routes, as well as weather forecasts and public transport options – plus details about other places to visit. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 5Bibury, Burford & Blenheim Palace

Our day starts with a couple of shorter visits, firstly to the picture-postcard village of Bibury which was once described by William Morris as “the most beautiful village in England.” Here, we can stretch our legs and can snap a photo of the iconic Arlington Row too. We’ll stop again in Burford – a historic Cotswold village – before continuing on to Blenheim Palace, which is where we’ll spend our afternoon exploring the spectacular house and stunning grounds. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 6Batsford Aboretum & Hidcote Manor Gardens

Our first visit today takes us to the famous Batsford Arboretum which houses the National Collection of Japanese Flowering Cherries. We shall follow this up with a visit to Broadway Tower, set high on the Cotswold escarpment. In the afternoon we’ll explore the Arts & Crafts gardens of Hidcote Manor with their many garden ‘rooms’. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 7Chipping Camden & Stanway House

Today we’ll drive through a myriad of charming Cotswold villages, stopping at Adlestrop and Stow-on-the-Wold to stretch our legs and explore! In the afternoon, we shall travel on to Chipping Camden before arriving at the highlight of the day – Stanway House. This fine example of unspoilt Jacobean architecture was once the old summer haunt of J M Barrie in the 1920s. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Harrington House

Day 8Departure Day

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home. (B)

Dates and Prices

Departure Dates	Per person (single or twin)	Single in a double room
2023: May 19	$2,450	$2,730
2023: August 18	$2,450	$2,730

Pricing

Pricing is per person (pp) based on single/twin/double occupancy.

Supplement applied for single in a double room.

Rates are in $ CAD. Rates include room upgrade (better) and membership fees.

Contact DHTour at 1-888-597-3519 or 905-639-9954 or dhtour@dhtour.ca to book.

Ask us for the best available pricing for your dates & choice of airline. We can assist in your travel to/from the Country House.

During your Discovery Tour you’ll have the opportunity to visit many fascinating places. The following is our provisional programme, and your leader may adjust it at their discretion, taking into account factors such as weather, local opening times, or other events. This holiday includes active sightseeing and you should expect to spend lots of time on your feet.

Most admissions to places of interest are not included. Please allow up to £10 per day for admissions to all the places of interest we will be visiting. The full adult price is given but there are usually good reductions for parties and seniors. If you are a member of the National Trust, English Heritage or similar, remember to bring your card for free admission to their properties. Please bring cash as card machines are not always available at all venues.

Sometimes things happen beyond our control – the weather, traffic jams or changes at the places we visit. If we need to adjust your holiday programme, for whatever reason, your leader will help smooth the way.

Travel Details:
Address is: Harrington House, Sherborne Street, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, GL54 2BY

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is Moreton-in-Marsh. However, the nearest mainline station is at Cheltenham Spa which may be more convenient.

By Taxi:
From Moreton-in-Marsh station a taxi takes approximately 20 minutes and costs £22 if pre-booked. From Cheltenham Spa station a taxi takes around 35 minutes and costs £42 if pre-booked. Please note these are 2020 prices relevant to a 4-seat taxi. 8-seater taxis will be more expensive.

Limozena, our current recommended taxi company, can confirm prices on booking and they will arrange shared taxis wherever possible. To book your taxi please phone or email at least 7-days in advance:

Limozena*
Tel: +44 (0) 1451 820972
Email: denwalmsley@yahoo.co.uk
The return taxi journey can be arranged on your behalf by the Harrington House Manager.
*Limozena is not owned or managed by us.

By Bus:
From Moreton-in-Marsh station catch the 801 bus to Bourton-on-the-Water,from where it is a short walk to our Country House. Alight next to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Shop. Cross the road to the war memorial and continue across the bridge. Follow this road for 150 metres until the road forks. Harrington House is on the left.

By Car:
From the A429 take the road into the centre of Bourton-on-the-Water. At the war memorial by the village green, turn into Sherborne Street. Cross the narrow bridge and continue for approximately 100yds. Just before the road forks, Harrington House is on the left. Look out for our sign. A car park is available in the grounds with free parking.

Hotel Descriptions

4

Harrington House

In one of the prettiest spots in the Cotswolds, Harrington House provides a stylish escape in the form of a traditional country retreat, with the trimmings and flourishes you’d expect. All set in a stately Georgian house that mirrors the mellow architectural styles of the Cotswolds and retains many of its original features; the most breathtaking is the sunny walled garden, surrounded by attractive landscaped gardens. As well as 29 bedrooms, two lounges, a cosy bar and pleasant dining room, there are further feathers in this handsome house’s hat. Quintessential English countryside, described by JB Priestly as, ‘the most English and least spoiled of all our countryside’, is just a short stroll away with pretty villages such as Chipping Campden and the Slaughters, rolling landscapes and classic trails from the Cotswold Way to the Gloucestershire Way and Monarch Way waiting for you to discover them.

Address: Harrington House, Sherborne Street, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, GL54 2BY

Room Amenities: Tea & coffee-making facilities, TV, Hairdryer, Toiletries, Wi-Fi

Stay in one of the main building’s beautifully presented rooms or in the adjacent cottages. With 26 bright and airy bedrooms, Harrington House has plenty of space and there’s a range of Good, Better and Best Rooms to choose from: for a stylish stay opt for rooms 1 or 2, both large master bedrooms located on the first floor that come complete with some of the original Palladian features dating back to 1730, pretty feature wallpaper and views out of the front of the building of classic Cotswolds scenery. Alternatively, for a romantic hideaway, plump for Room 23 in the Windrush Cottage and toast your good taste in the private garden that adjoins this large twin room.

All ‘Good’ rooms are ensuite and furnished to a high standard. There are also several ‘Better’ and ‘Best’ Rooms that are either larger or have a desirable view, a more luxurious mattress, larger television, enhanced toiletries and a fluffy bathrobe & slippers.

Hotel Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, boot room and drying room, attractive garden, multi-purpose activity room, lounge, library and board games to borrow

After a day ambling through the Cotswolds, come back to the house and its specially tailored walkers’ facilities. Relax by sitting in the gardens or having a game of croquet on the lawn. Retire to either of the two lounges or climb the sweeping stately staircase to the very top of the house where there’s an observatory looking out across the rooftops of the village. Then pop in to the snug bar for a pint of local ale and a chin wag with fellow guests about their discoveries.

Map

Photos

View more tours in the Cotswolds

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