Exmoor Somerset & Devon Garden Tour 2022

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From$2,650 pp
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1-888-597-3519

905-639-9954

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8 Days / 7 Nights
Availability : June 17 - Only one departure
Start: Holnicote House, Selworthy, Somerset, England
End: Holnicote House, Selworthy, Somerset, England
Exmoor Somerset & Devon Garden Tour: 7 nights based at Holnicote House, Selworthy, Somerset

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

There are gardens galore to explore, each with their own style and character. Uncover a series of magical gardens at RHS Rosemoor with over 4,000 different plants, while the gardens at Forde Abbey feature the tallest powered fountain in the UK. Enjoy the variety of Hestercombe’s garden – a Georgian park-like garden of Grecian temples, follies and vistas. There’s also the kitchen garden of Barrington Court and the walled garden of Cannington to enjoy.

DetailItineraryDates & PricesHotel DescriptionMapPhotos
Tour Details

Highlights:

  • Rosemoor, the RHS “Wisley of the West”
  • Hestercombe boasts two distinctly different gardens: one a classic Georgian park-like garden of Grecian temples, follies and vistas; the other, the masterpiece resulting from the association of Gertrude Jekyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens
  • Knightshayes, a spectacular Victorian manor surrounded by acres of glorious garden and parkland
  • The delightfully tranquil Tintinhull Gardens, complete with working kitchen garden and orchard

Pick Up Location & TIme

Holnicote House, Selworthy, Minehead, Somerset TA24 8TJ (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 Holnicote 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
  • All admission costs including those for English Heritage, National Trust, and RHS Gardens

Meals

  • 7 breakfasts
  • 6 lunches
  • 7 dinners
  • 0 teas

Price Excludes

  • Airfare
  • Transfers
  • Pre / Post hotel nights
  • Travel to/from the Country Hotel (The nearest railway stations is Taunton)
  • Admissions to some venues with stately homes/houses which incur a separate admission fee (please allow approx. £10 per day for entrances) (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

As you’ll be walking around the gardens please bring solid, comfortable footwear for rough, wet or uneven terrain in gardens, and clothes for the great British weather! Please also expect to spend most of the day on your feet exploring the gardens you visit.

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival Day

You’re welcome to check in from 4pm onwards. (D)

Accommodation: Holnicote House

Day 2Cannington Walled Gardens & Hestercombe Gardens

In the morning you will be visiting Cannington Walled Gardens. The garden is located in the village of Cannington in Somerset set within the grounds of a medieval priory. The garden was officially opened following redevelopment by the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward. Since then the garden has been been accredited as a quality assured visitor attraction by VisitEngland.

In the afternoon you will be visiting Hestercombe Gardens. Hestercombe gardens is famous for their unique collection of gardens which have been around for over three centuries. The formal garden is regarded as one of the finest examples of world-renowned partnership between garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Hestercombe garden has seen restoration work and continues to improve and develop, providing their visitors with a stunning setting to explore, learn and relax. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Holnicote House

Day 3Forde Abbey & Tintinhull Gardens

In the morning you will be visiting Forde Abbey Gardens. Forde Abbey Gardens is home to the highest powered fountain in the whole country. The garden has won awards for the topiary lined vistas, colourful herbaceous borders, an arboretum, a bog garden, which together with swathes of early spring bulbs and camellias provide all year round interest. The garden is being constantly improved over the 900 years, the style of the garden reflects the lifestyle of each generation which lives there.

In the afternoon you will be visiting Tintinhull Garden. Tintinhull Garden is located in the picturesque village of Tintinhull in somerset. Sparkling pools, secluded lawns, vibrant borders and trimmed hedges provide the perfect place to relax and unwind. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Holnicote 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: Holnicote House

Day 5R.H.S. Rosemoor

Today you will be spending the day day at R.H.S. Rosemoor Gardens. The garden is located in the Torridge Valley of Rosemoor, an beautiful environment to visit no matter the season. The garden, surrounded by woodland, is rich in variety and features inspiring planting displays enhanced by the natural beauty of Devon. These include the largest rose gardens in the South West, the spectacular hot garden, lake stream and waterfall. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Holnicote House

Day 6Gothic Knightshayes Court

We shall spend our day at Knightshayes Court, just north of Tiverton. It is claimed to be one of the best-displayed plant collections within the National Trust, with over 1,200 plant species unique to the venue. One of the highlights is the four–acre walled kitchen garden which provides organic produce to their own café. There is time to visit the house too if you wish! (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Holnicote House

Day 7Marwood Hill Gardens & Castle Hill Garden

Our last morning is spent in the magnificent 200-acre Marwood Hill Gardens, created by the late Dr James Smart in 1949. This garden has featured on many television programmes over the years. Our final garden is Castle Hill – it’s full of vistas and follies. The approach to the house is via the Millennium Garden, a double herbaceous border designed by a former Chelsea Gold Medallist, Xa Tollemache. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Holnicote 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
2022: June 17 $2,650 $2,930

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: Holnicote House, Selworthy, Minehead, Somerset TA24 8TJ

By Rail:
The nearest railway station is at Taunton.

By Taxi:
The 30-mile journey from Taunton railway station takes approximately 55 minutes. You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended taxi company, Bossington Private Hire. As a guide price, it costs £56 per 4-seat taxi in 2020. 8-seat taxis are also available at a higher rate. A shared taxi will be arranged wherever possible. Please prebook your taxi at least 7 days in advance by contacting:

Bossington Private Hire*
Tel: +44 (0) 7971 044871
Email: inbossington@gmail.com
The return taxi journey can be arranged on your behalf by the Holnicote House Manager.
*Bossington Private Hire is not owned or managed by us.

By Bus:
The number 28 bus operates between Taunton station and Minehead. At Minehead change for the number 10 bus that will take you to the Selworthy turn (which is at the end of Holnicote House drive). A 2 minute walk along the drive will bring you to the house. Alternatively pre-book a taxi from Minehead; the 6 mile journey will cost you approx £10 for a 4-seat taxi from our recommended taxi provider.

By Car:
From Bridgewater take the A39 though the southern outskirts of Minehead towards Porlock. Holnicote House is on the left about 4½ miles out of Minehead, and about ¾ mile after the signpost to Luccombe (do not follow the signs to Selworthy). After the Selworthy Village sign look out for our sign 500 yards further on, on the left. Free car parking is available in the grounds.

Hotel Descriptions
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Holnicote House

Lying near the attractive village of Selworthy, in the heart of the Exmoor National Park, historic Holnicote House stands within a series of peaceful gardens with spreading lawns. Once the centrepiece of an extensive 12,500 acre estate, the charming and characterful house was gifted to the National Trust in 1944. Since then it has been reimagined as a walkers’ retreat, with wonderful access to the countryside. As well as 32 delightful bedrooms, there are two comfortable lounges and a sociable bar. The landscaped gardens are still part of the wider Holnicote Estate and provide a wonderful area to wander. Outside the house, explore wild Exmoor, walk in the Quantocks, climb Dunkery Beacon and stroll on the Somerset Coast Path with the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, drop in Dunster Castle, ride a Victorian cliff railway and watch for wildlife including the majestic red stags.

Address: Holnicote House, Selworthy, Minehead, Somerset TA24 8TJ

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

Stay in one of the main building’s bright, beautifully presented rooms or in the thatched cottages in the grounds, called Butlers and Guns respectively. With 32 bedrooms, Holnicote House has plenty of space and there’s a range of Good, Better and Best Rooms to choose from: best rooms are on the first floor and decorated in keeping with the National Trust estate, with plenty of space and great views over the back garden, reaching out across Crawter Hill and Dunkery Hill, Somerset and Exmoor’s highest point. Ask for numbers 1, 4 or 9 to feel suitably special.

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, outdoor swimming pool, multi-purpose activity room, lounge, library and board games to borrow

After a day walking on Exmoor or exploring the heath and moorland, come back to the house and its specially tailored walkers’ facilities. Relax by sitting in the pretty gardens or challenge a fellow guest to a game of croquet. Take a dip in the large heated outdoor pool. For something less strenuous, snag a comfy chair in one of the cosy lounges, borrow a book, join a game of cards or scour the countryside through the large telescope. Head to the bar before dinner for a drink and a chance to catch up with your companions, best enjoyed by the windows overlooking the estate.

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