Autumn in the Cotswolds
Duration: 9 days
Highlights: Admire stunning Autumn colors, passing through quaint villages made characterful by honey-hued local stone. Visit beautiful Broadway and see the spectacular foliage at Westonbirt Arboretum. Immerse yourself in countryside life with a sheepdog demonstration and learn the art of cheesemaking at a local dairy farm
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive London - Oxford
Upon arrival into London Heathrow, you are privately transferred to your hotel on the outskirts of Oxford.
Overnight: Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Meal Plan:
Day 2 - Oxford - North Cotswolds
Visit Blenheim Palace, currently home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, the palace was designed by the architect Vanbrugh and was the birthplace
of wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill. Continue into Oxford, the “City of Dreaming Spires”, which is home to England’s oldest university. Meet your expert guide
and take a walk through the impressive buildings that are still home to the university’s main ceremonial and educational functions, admiring the impressive architecture and splendid settings of the various colleges. Continue to your Cotswolds hotel.
Overnight: Dormy House
Meal Plan: B
Day 3 - North Cotswolds
Discover the delights of the Cotswolds today, as you pass through quaint villages made distinctive by the famous honey-coloured local stone. Synonymous with
glorious thatched cottages, rolling hills and beautiful rural settings, see the likes of Broadway and the eye-catching village of Bourton-on-the-Water. Visit Hidcote
Manor Gardens, which consists of a series of outdoor ‘rooms’, separated by hedges framing stunning displays of perennial herbaceous plants and rare shrubs
Overnight: Dormy House
Meal Plan: B
Day 4 - North Cotswolds
During today’s exclusive experience, spend time with one of the finest shepherds and sheepdog handlers in the World. Travel to an 18th century farm cottage and
head into the fields to learn the skills of a shepherd and how sheepdogs are trained and worked, including their progression from puppies to their international
award winning standard. Try your hand at working the dogs yourself under the guidance of one of the world’s best! After your experience, continue to the Forest
of Dean, where the River Wye meanders through impressive woodland. At Symonds Yat the river has cut a deep gorge into the limestone, take to the water in
your kayak to experience the forest from the water’s edge, with breath-taking views around every river bend.
Overnight: Dormy House
Meal Plan: B
Day 5 - North Cotswolds - South Cotswolds
Head into the South Cotswolds today and visit the charming town of Tetbury which is the hometown of King Charles. Visit Highgrove Estate where King Charles
III has spent over 30 years transforming the grounds of Highgrove into, what is acknowledged today as, some of the most inspiring and innovative gardens in the
UK. Continue to Westonbirt Arboretum , home to some of the most spectacular displays of Autumn foliage in the country.
Overnight: Calcot Manor & Spa
Meal Plan: B
Day 6 - South Cotswolds
Today discover the Slad Valley as you walk the Laurie Lee hiking trail which will be spectacular with autumn colours. Laurie Lee is the author of Cider with Rosie
which is a book based on the author’s idyllic childhood in Slad. After your walk, make a stop at a traditional country pub to enjoy a roast dinner in front of a roaring fire
Overnight: Calcot Manor & Spa
Meal Plan: B
Day 7 - South Cotswolds - Bath
Today you get the unique opportunity to experience cheesemaking at a local family dairy farm. Along with your expert guide, you will get taken through the whole
journey of the art of cheesemaking from meeting the cows to witnessing the process used to create the delectable chesses. After getting the chance to create
some of the cheeses, you get the opportunity to sample some of the many different treats crafted at the dairy. Take a trip to the charming village of Lacock, made
famous by its appearances on film and television such as Harry Potter. Nearby is Castle Combe and the serene village that surrounds it which was been dubbed the
‘prettiest village in England’. Finally, continue to Bath.
Overnight: The Royal Crescent Hotel
Meal Plan: B
Day 8 - Bath
Along with your local guide, discover the beautiful Georgian city of Bath, often regarded as one of the loveliest cities in all of England. From its beginnings as a
Roman camp in the first century AD, Bath developed through troubled centuries to emerge, in the 1700s, as a fashionable spa resort. Tour the site of the Roman
Baths, the splendid Bath Abbey and admire the magnificent Palladian architecture for which the city is renowned, best viewed from the Circus and the Royal
Crescent.
Overnight: The Royal Crescent Hotel
Meal Plan: B
Day 9 - Depart Bath
Today, you are privately transferred to London Heathrow airport for your departure flight.
Overnight:
Meal Plan: