|
Stevenage Group Travel This site was updated on the 30th January 2012
|
|
Theatres Chambers Coaches Stevenage Wheel Chair Accessible Coach
|
Coach day tripsDay trips: Full English Olympic Shopper: Thursday 1st March. Arrive for a full English breakfast with tea and coffee on board a boat moored in the Royal Docks. This is a very spacious, comfortably appointed boat - a popular venue for wedding banquets. There are panoramic views of London and you can watch the planes land on the runway wedged between two huge dock basins at the City Airport without being deafened! Our breakfast brunch will really set your folk up for the day. We are going to take you on a coach-based tour of the Olympic East End with no walking at all. From high in your coach you can now enjoy good views of the finished venues in the Olympic Park and the ArcelorMittal Orbit – a red ‘helter-skelter’ observation tower – London’s Eiffel Tower. We bring you right up to date with London’s Olympic dream. Westfield Stratford City, an Australian state of the art shopping mall, forms a major gateway to the Olympic Park. Officially now the UK’s biggest shopping centre it knocks all others into a cocked hat. John Lewis has opened a London 2012 shop with great views into the Olympic Park. If shopping is your thing you’ll be in seventh heaven but even if it’s not it is fascinating to be here, a really interesting experience. Head home at 4-45pm after two hours in the shopping centre. Price £35.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.30
Kew’s
Tropical Extravaganza: Sunday
4th March. Kew’s
renowned annual festival returns with another brilliant burst of colour to
banish the winter blues. Stoll among vibrant orchids and other exotic plants and
discover the beauty and importance of tropical rainforest. Price £28.00 per
person (children under 15 £10.00) coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00. Disney
On Ice Princesses & Heroes: Sunday
11th March. Enter a world of wonder where heroes and hearts prevail.
Join Ariel as she yearns to explore the world above the waves and Prince Eric
breaks Ursula’s slithering spell to reclaim his one true love. See Prince
Philip defeat the evil Maleficent as she transforms herself into a
fire-breathing dragon in a race against time to rescue Sleeping Beauty’s
Aurora. Be there to discover a whole new world with Jasmine and Aladdin. And,
watch in awe as the dreams of Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Tiana all come
true. High flying jumps, daring acrobatics, breathtaking skating and lovable
Disney friends are just a wish away! There’s even a special appearance by
Disney’s newest princess, Rapunzel. See Disney On Ice presents Princesses
& Heroes where believing is just the beginning! Wembley Arena First Price
seats £47.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 10.30. Ideal Home Show: Sunday 25th March. For over 103 years the show has been bringing ideas and inspiration to generations of British home owners and the show is back for 2012 at Earls Court London, with more features, more expert advice and more fun for all the family. This multi-award winning show will be bringing together more than 600 quality exhibitors from all over the UK to offer a unique shopping experience for all areas of the home, Whether you are looking for inspiration for a home project, redecoration solutions or just a fantastic day out the Ideal Home Show 2012 has everything you need for you and your home all under one roof. Price £28.00 per person (children under 15 £10.00) coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00. Dickens London: Tuesday 3rd April. There
is barely a bit of London that Dickens didn’t write about so, spoilt for
choice, we have picked places for morning coffee and lunch that we like. Places
that we think you might not know very well or maybe haven’t visited for some
time. Come then and meet your guide to Dickens London in the City of London at
10-30am to buy morning coffee in a sumptuous pub that was once a Victorian bank.
Although relatively few people have read a Charles Dickens novel cover to cover
most of us can name many of his works and characters. Television, film and
theatre suit Dickens very well. In his day his weighty works were often
published as weekly or monthly serials in magazines - Victorian soap operas
complete with cliffhangers at the end of each episode. With rows of fake books
in his own home, Dickens was no intellectual snob, he was a showman and a
populist. Our coach tour looks both at the life story of Charles Dickens and the
London settings for his immensely creative cast of characters. Victorian London
was the largest, most spectacular city in the world reaping the benefits and
suffering the consequences of the Industrial Revolution. We see how Dickens'
childhood experiences, slaving in a vile blacking factory, while his feckless
father was locked away in a debtor's prison influenced his writing. We
consider the great social questions of the 19th century; wealth and poverty,
prostitution, childhood mortality and philanthropy, each of them themes in
Dickens’ writing. For lunch today we stop in Bloomsbury - Dickens home
neighbourhood. Choose a café or pub on or around lovely Lambs Conduit Street.
There’s a beautifully preserved pub with snob screens – a rare surviving
Victorian feature. There are interesting shops too including the Persephone
Press which publishes beautiful editions of forgotten works and you can even
walk around to Great Ormond Street Hospital and visit the remarkable Byzantine
chapel. The afternoon is dedicated to the first major Dickens exhibition in 40
years at the Museum of London. Sound and projections recreate the atmosphere of
Victorian London to take you back in time on a haunting journey to discover the
city that inspired his writings. There are also paintings, photographs, costumes
and rarely seen manuscripts including Bleak House and David Copperfield –
written in the author’s own hand and an innovative audio-visual experience
brings to life Dickens’ writing desk. Tea is available to buy on site before
returning to the coach to head home at 4-45pm. The Olympic London Explorer Thursday 5th
April. Enjoy a moment in history and see the
tremendous scale of developments transforming neglected areas of London into a
series of world class venues for 2012. Come the day four billion people will be
looking at the London we are going to show you today. On this Together Tour
your group sits together for morning coffee & biscuits and a delicious roast
beef or carvery lunch both included in the tour fee. Meet the expert Guide
in Stratford at 10-30am for morning refreshments all laid out ready for you in a
great pub. This is where you will come back to for lunch and as first
impressions count your folk will know from the off that they are on to a winner
with this day out. During the
morning we drive over to the Lower Lee Valley to the delightfully named Pudding
Mill & Fish Island for a short walk up to the viewing point for the Olympic
Park. The scale of this project is truly breathtaking. If you scan your friends
faces at this point you’ll see plenty of grins – and they will be of the
rare-as-hens-teeth proud to be British variety! Is it just me or is the Olympic
Park starting to look a bit Festival of Britain 1951? The vast Olympic Stadium
is substantially complete – a floating blancmange held in a cradle of steel.
Nearby we see the Aquatic Centre, the “marshmallow” Basketball Arena
and the delicious Aquatic Centre with its butterfly fairy cake roof. You’ll
also see work underway on the quite extraordinary Orbit, a helter skelter of red
steel, like something drawn with your left hand. This is Britain’s largest
piece of public art and was designed by Anish Kapoor. Oh and did I say there is
going to be a massive shopping centre that’ll knock Bluewater into a cocked
hat? This is a day out that your members are going to talk about for a long time
to come. A real eye opener. You’ll
also hear the entertaining story of the first two London Olympics of 1908 and
1948, both arranged on a strict budget and both meant to engender goodwill to
all men but managing to create international uproar all the same. Then it’s
back to Stratford for a tasty roast beef, carvery or vegetarian lunch. Your
members can buy hot drinks or bar drinks and desserts can be ordered and paid
for on the day. In the afternoon we begin with a drive through the changing
landscape of the Royal Docks where you’ll see ExCel which will need no further
construction work to host the Boxing, Judo, Weightlifting, Wrestling &
Taekwondo. You’ll see the old Millennium Dome, now re-named The O2.
For 2012 it will be temporarily re-named the North Greenwich Arena, as the O2 mobile company aren’t an
official sponsor of the Games, the events being held here include the rhythmic
gymnastics, trampoline and the basketball final.
Then we cross the Thames for an interesting little drive out to see
the longest parade ground in the world over at the Woolwich Barracks where
shooting events will be held. Finally we stop inside the historic Woolwich
Arsenal where cups of tea may be bought to round off an exciting day before
heading for home by 4-45pm. Birds & The Bees - A City Safari: Wednesday 11th
April. Now here is something a little bit different – from dinosaurs at The
Natural History Museum, to a City Safari coach tour and an afternoon at the
wonderful London Wetlands Centre at Barnes, near Hammersmith Bridge. If your
members enjoy programmes like Spring Watch and Autumn Watch this will be
their cup of tea. We meet our Guide at 10-30am at The Natural History Museum for
morning coffee and a short time to dip into the collections Before we
set off by coach for a City Safari. 2000
years ago a dog wandered into a tile maker’s yard and left a paw print in the
wet clay. In mediaeval times a pet ape was buried with all the dignity
accorded a family member. Soho was the
hunting cry heard as the hounds galloped across rolling farmland. William
Blake’s poem was inspired by a tiger he saw at the Tower of London where
exotic animals had been kept for hundreds of years. The ostrich
feather millionaires of St. Katherine Docks would have seen the small boys
dressed rather like hotel bell boys running out to shovel up the wall of horse
manure left each time Tower Bridge opened and closed. We’ll arrive at
the London Wetlands Centre in time for lunch in the café or you can
bring a packed lunch, and disappear into a hide with your binoculars
for an hours birding. The Wetland Centre was created from the rubble of the
old Barnes Reservoirs. In the Bird Airport, the glass walls of the Arrivals and
Departures lounge gives a great view over the entire site and charts the
seasonal movements of birds. September
and October are the best times for visible autumn migration and the winter
months are best for wildfowl. With our Guide you’ll enjoy a world tour of
water birds set in attractive garden landscapes. The Mandarin duck
forms a strong attachment to its partners and in the Orient represents an
emblem of conjugal fidelity. According to
new research ducks have regional accents: undoubtedly the genteel Barnes ducks
are better spoken than their Cockney cousins. While you enjoy tea on the
patio (individuals to choose and pay for tea and any sticky buns on the day) you
can reflect on an entertaining day of discoveries and marvels You’ll be
heading home by 4-45pm. Camden Market: Sunday 15th April. There is always something happening in the centre of Camden Town. Multitudes of shops and restaurants spill out on to the busy Main Streets. Camden Lock Market, by the canal, was the original craft market, established in 1974, but now has a much wider spectrum of goods on sale. Both this and the ever popular Camden Stables Market - centre of the alternative fashion scene, Camden (Buck Street) Market and Inverness Street Market - which thrived on local trade long before tourists discovered Camden, are all open at the weekend and the market scene jumps fully into life. The indoor fashion market at the Electric Ballroom opens on Sunday only. Price £15.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Medway Mosaic: Friday 27th April. In
an age where difference seems to be fast disappearing it is a joy to discover
the individual character of an area. In the morning we explore the beautiful
rolling landscapes of the little known Hoo Peninsula with wonderful views of
both the Thames and the Medway rivers. In the afternoon we enjoy compact Rochester.
Come and meet the tour Guide at 10-30am at Higham or Cobham for morning
coffee and biscuits included in the tour fee. This morning’s coach tour is a
real treat – a mosaic of chalk downs and vast vistas of marsh and estuary with
the unmistakably Kentish imprint of orchard and oast house. We will stop at a
pretty little church where Dickens set one of the world’s most famous literary
scenes – the meeting between Pip and the convict at the start of Great
Expectations. The tiny cockle shell vestry and haunting “Pip’s Graves” are
unforgettable. Lunch back at the pub today is chicken with potatoes and
seasonal vegetables or a vegetarian option included in your tour fee. Group
members can choose and pay for any drinks or desserts they fancy on the day.
It’s a short coach transfer into Rochester for the afternoon. Dickens loved
cheery little Rochester and the compact centre is ideal for people who cannot
walk as far as they once could. We’ll take a little tour to show you the
castle and cathedral and the perfect Victorian High Street with its jolly
bunting. Then it’s up to you – maybe pop in to see the Cathedral (entrance
charge) or browse the antique and collectable shops or visit the Six Poor
Travellers House (free admission) an unusual survivor of an old form of English
hospitality. There will be time to buy tea before returning to the coach to head
home at 4-45pm. The Lee Valley Olympic Tour: Tuesday 1st
May. The Lee Valley
follows the sometimes urban and sometimes leafy banks of the River Lee,
London’s second river, from the Thames opposite the Millennium Dome, up
through the East End and Essex and into Hertfordshire. Join us for our unique, entertaining and informative day exploring this valley
of contrasts. See how far work has progressed on the Olympic Park at the
urban end of the Valley and enjoy a cream tea cruise at the leafy end near where
the canoe and kayak 2012 events will take place. Meet
the guide at 10-30am to buy morning refreshments at ExCel exhibition centre in London’s Royal Docks which will need no further
construction work to host the Boxing,
Judo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Table Tennis and Taekwondo. We drive through the
Lower Lee Valley to a canny viewing point for the Olympic Park from where we get
a really good view of the 80,000 seat Stadium. Is it “magnificent” or
“a bowl of blancmange?” You decide. You’ll also see the futuristic
Velodrome, the Aquatic Centre with its wavy roof looking for all the world like
a butterfly fairy cake and the Olympic Village where the athletes will
stay. This huge project is totally transforming the Lower Lee Valley in East
London. We’ll drive on through the East End, past the Hackney Marshes and
up through Churchill’s Woodford constituency and a slice of Epping Forest to
the attractive market town of Waltham Abbey for lunch where legend tells us King
Harold was buried after his defeat at Hastings. Gunpowder and silk & calico
printing were important industries here and for centuries the night soil carts
trundled overnight out of London to feed the crops in the fields and glass
houses. After lunch we drive past the Lee Valley White Water Centre where the
2012 canoe slalom events will be held before boarding our boat at nearby
Broxbourne for a gentle ninety-minute cruise through quiet countryside in the
Lee Valley Park which has more area covered by water than the Norfolk Broads. A
delicious cream tea, included in the tour fee will be served before we return to
the wharf to head home at 5-15pm . East Angelina Panorama: Wednesday 2nd
May. Join us for a day of brilliant arable plains,
slumbering villages and pastoral scenes immortalised by Constable and
Gainsborough. With morning coffee & biscuits and lunch in Long Melford
included in the tour fee, a coach panorama and a visit to Lavenham this is a
super day out in the valley home of artists and weavers. We meet our Guide
in Long Melford at 10-30am for morning refreshments. We’ll return here for
lunch and time to explore but first a coach tour through the beautiful rolling
landscape of the East Anglian farmlands. This countryside, so often painted by
Constable and Gainsborough, is dotted by quintessentially English thatched
villages and the great cloth towns of mediaeval Suffolk; Clare, Cavendish and
Long Melford – pretty as a picture. You might expect to spot Miss Marple
strolling across the village green, wicker basket tucked under her arm. We pass
through Sudbury, nestling in a loop of the River Stour. This was the birthplace
of Thomas Gainsborough and in the market square there is a drinking trough
immortalised in Dodie Smith’s 101 Dalmatians.
Back then to Long Melford for a tasty lunch of chicken &
mushroom pie or a vegetarian option included in the tour fee. Please let us know
if there are any vegetarians coming. After lunch there’s some free time to
explore the long High Street of this engaging Suffolk village.
To round off a great day out we return to the coach and head off to
Lavenham. Looming above the horizon, the tower of St. Peter and St. Paul heralds
our arrival in beautiful Lavenham where crooked and timbered weavers cottages
line the main street of an immaculately kept town. There will be a gentle
walking tour to show you the best of the town and then you can do as you please,
browse some more or settle for afternoon refreshments before heading home at
4-45pm. Spalding
Flower Festival:
Saturday 5th May. The long-running festival attracts around 250,000
visitors every year. The parade from Springfileds Arena through the town
features flower floats, each covered in thousands of tulip heads, accompanied by
marching bands, vintage bicycles and many other colourful characters. The floral
floats are on static display at the festival site before leaving for their
colourful journey around the town in the afternoon. Visitors can also witness
the floats being carefully adorned with thousands of blooms.
. Price £18.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Thursford & Back Stage Tour: Wednesday 9th May. Come and see the world’s largest collection of steam engines and organs, hear Robert Wolfe one of the worlds leading theatre organists play the mighty Wurlitzer, ride on fairground carousels and the gondola, enjoy 'Behind-the-Scenes' tours and watch silent movies. Lunch in the barn and shop in our olde worlde village shopping village. Backstage Tour: This tour takes you through the cast dressing rooms to see the huge wardrobe of exquisite costumes and flamboyant head-dresses worn in the Christmas Spectacular shows by over 100 performers. See how we look after and store these items, along with the decorations which transform the museum into a Christmas wonderland. Walk through our magical Christmas Fantasy Land of polar bears, penguins, seals, elves and snowmen to name a few of the characters in this million pound enchanting setting. Price £29.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Brighton
Day Trip: Saturday 12th May. From a world famous Royal palace to one of the
most popular piers in the country, Brighton & Hove has attractions that will
keep the whole family interested and entertained whatever the weather, whatever
the season. The spectacular seaside palace of the Prince Regent (George IV)
transformed by John Nash between 1815 and 1822 into one of the most dazzling and
exotic buildings in the British Isles. The Pavilion houses furniture and works
of art including original pieces lent by HM The Queen and a magnificent display
of Regency silver-gilt. Price £18.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at
08.00 Hampstead & London’s Lost Rivers: Monday 14th
May. We meet the guide in Hampstead at 10-30am for
morning coffee included in the tour fee. Blood sugars topped up we are off for a gentle stroll through the
compact lanes and streets of old Hampstead. This was London’s Montmartre –
artists and writers drawn here by the clean air and the cheap rents! Cheap no
longer! There are more millionaires in Hampstead than anywhere in the capital
and they live in beautiful Georgian and Victorian dwellings clustered around
Hampstead old church. Eternal residents include a galaxy of notable folk - and
their mothers! From John Constable to the du Mauriers, Kay Kendal and Anton
Walbrook to Joan Collins’ mum. Back to the pub for a roast lunch or vegetarian
meal included in the tour fee. Individuals can choose and pay for any desserts,
bar drinks or coffees as required.
The waters of the Fleet that rise on Hampstead Heath (along with those of
the Westbourne and the Tyburn) were fresh, clear and sparkling. Until London
grew. The Fleet started as a river, declined to a brook, dwindled to a ditch and
was finally demoted to a drain and incorporated into Joseph Bazalgette’s great
Victorian sewers after London’s Great Stink of 1858. This afternoon, by coach,
we follow the course of the River Fleet to where, at low tide, we can still see
it empty into the Thames beneath Blackfriars Bridge. Along the way we encounter
the very story of London itself stopping off at a little bit of the countryside
tucked away behind St. Pancras Station where a church, first built on the banks
of The Fleet in the 4th century, still stands at the heart of another of
London’s old tapestry of villages. And on to Blackfriars where we stop
to buy tea before heading home at 4-45pm. The Olympic London Explorer: Saturday 19th
May. Enjoy a moment in history and see the tremendous
scale of developments transforming neglected areas of London into a series of
world class venues for 2012. Come the day four billion people will be looking at
the London we are going to show you today. On this Together Tour your group
sits together for morning coffee & biscuits and a delicious roast beef or
carvery lunch both included in the tour fee. Meet the expert Guide in
Stratford at 10-30am for morning refreshments all laid out ready for you in a
great pub. This is where you will come back to for lunch and as first
impressions count your folk will know from the off that they are on to a winner
with this day out. During the
morning we drive over to the Lower Lee Valley to the delightfully named Pudding
Mill & Fish Island for a short walk up to the viewing point for the Olympic
Park. The scale of this project is truly breathtaking. If you scan your friends
faces at this point you’ll see plenty of grins – and they will be of the
rare-as-hens-teeth proud to be British variety! Is it just me or is the Olympic
Park starting to look a bit Festival of Britain 1951? The vast Olympic Stadium
is substantially complete – a floating blancmange held in a cradle of steel.
Nearby we see the Aquatic Centre, the “marshmallow” Basketball Arena
and the delicious Aquatic Centre with its butterfly fairy cake roof. You’ll
also see work underway on the quite extraordinary Orbit, a helter skelter of red
steel, like something drawn with your left hand. This is Britain’s largest
piece of public art and was designed by Anish Kapoor. Oh and did I say there is
going to be a massive shopping centre that’ll knock Bluewater into a cocked
hat? This is a day out that your members are going to talk about for a long time
to come. A real eye opener. You’ll also hear
the entertaining story of the first two London Olympics of 1908 and 1948, both
arranged on a strict budget and both meant to engender goodwill to all men but
managing to create international uproar all the same. Then it’s back to
Stratford for a tasty roast beef, carvery or vegetarian lunch. Your members can
buy hot drinks or bar drinks and desserts can be ordered and paid for on the
day. In the afternoon we begin with a drive
through the changing landscape of the Royal Docks where you’ll see ExCel which
will need no further construction work to host the Boxing, Judo, Weightlifting,
Wrestling & Taekwondo. You’ll see the old Millennium Dome, now re-named
The O2.
For 2012 it will be temporarily re-named the North Greenwich Arena, as the O2 mobile company aren’t an
official sponsor of the Games, the events being held here include the rhythmic
gymnastics, trampoline and the basketball final. Then we
cross the Thames for an interesting little drive out to see the longest parade
ground in the world over at the Woolwich Barracks where shooting events will be
held. Finally we stop inside the historic Woolwich Arsenal where cups of tea may
be bought to round off an exciting day before heading for home by 4-45pm. Ely & The Fens: Friday 25th May. Meet the guide in Newmarket at 10-30am to buy morning coffee. If possible come earlier at 9-30am to watch the racehorses being exercised on the town gallops. If not we’ll still take you by coach up the sweeping hill of the gallops and show you how the ‘Sport of Kings’ forms the lifeblood of this Suffolk town before heading out to discover the uncluttered landscape of the Cambridgeshire Fens. Once wild and wet, the Fens, formed by nature and shaped by people over 6000 years, were home to all sorts of wildlife including beavers. During an entertaining drive to Ely we hear about the ancient art of Fen skating and the two churches of bickering Swaffham Prior. We hear how geese were walked to London for the Michaelmas fairs and the slippery fen eels that were once so bountiful were speared for the table. Beneath huge skies the cathedral at Ely, built on an island in the flat landscape of the marshes, rises up like a great ship. We arrive in time for lunch in one of the smallest of the English cathedral cities. Mediaeval women had few choices - mostly to marry or enter the religious life. Etheldreda, the Saxon Princess and remarkable founder of Ely Cathedral, was one of the few to do both! Enjoy a spellbinding tour of one of England’s most beautiful sacred spaces with our top notch guide. To stand inside the Galilee porch of Ely Cathedral and gaze along the nave fills the soul with a spine tingling mixture of pride and joy and that’s even before you have raised your eyes to marvel at the shimmering colours of the ceilings and the 14th century octagonal lantern tower. The vast mediaeval Lady Chapel is the biggest in England; it's filled with eerily empty niches that once held statues of saints and martyrs. They were hacked out unceremoniously by iconoclasts during the English Civil War. After all, here lived Oliver Cromwell. There is an excellent cathedral shop and Refectory where you can buy tea before leaving for home at 4-45pm. Price £36.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 08.30 Chelsea Flower Show: Saturday 26th May Southend Air Show: Sunday 27th May. 2012 will be the 27th year that Southend-on-Sea has staged one of Europe's largest free Airshows. The Southend Air Festival is undoubtedly the most spectacular event in Southend's calendar. Staged against the backdrop of the Thames Estuary along almost 2 miles of seafront, aircraft displays will be featured from across the ages. Also provided a huge range of ground entertainment back on terra firma. There will be the RAF, Army, Navy and Royal Marine Town Shows, trade stands, rides, simulators, giant inflatable's and a packed arena programme of entertainment, to keep all of the family amused all day long. Price Adults £18.00, Children £10.00 coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Beth Chatto: Thursday 7th June. This
day is a real tonic. We visit the beautiful estuary of the Stour, where Essex
meets Suffolk, journeying from England’s smallest town to the sea by the
Ha’Penny Pier in Old Harwich. In the afternoon we enjoy wonderful views on a
scenic drive en route to The Beth Chatto Gardens.
Our day begins in
Manningtree to buy morning coffee at 10-30am. This charming little port is
officially England’s smallest town – just 22 acres at low tide. Matthew
Hopkins began his career as Witchfinder General here, drowning, hanging or
burning the forebears of some of today’s townsfolk. By coach we follow the
Stour to where it meets the Orwell and flows into the sea.
The street pattern
in the historic gem that is Old Harwich is mediaeval and the atmosphere sea
faring. On a short and enjoyable stroll we see some fine Captain’s houses and
a unique treadmill crane. We’ll hear of the diarist Samuel Pepys, Captain
Christopher Jones of the Mayflower and Lighthouse Lil, a lady of questionable
virtue! Whenever possible we’ll arrange to look inside The Electric Palace
Cinema one of the world’s first purpose-built cinemas. Old Harwich is a really
enjoyable place to explore and have lunch. Crab sandwiches on the pier anyone? After
lunch we drive inland from Hamford Water and the Naze enjoying some fantastic
views. Beth
Chatto, the winner of ten consecutive gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show is
said to be today's Gertrude Jekyll. We are going to visit her own garden – the
transformation over four decades of several unpromising acres of swampland from
her husband's fruit farm. Here she pioneered the underlying principles of what
is now referred to as "ecological gardening" – cutting her cloth
according to her measure. The now famous Gravel garden, cleverly planted
to resemble a dried up river bed, is filled with drought-resisting plants
and hasn’t been artificially watered for more than 15 years. Just a short
distance away the atmosphere changes totally with lush leafy planting around
four spring fed ponds beneath a backdrop of ancient oaks and ornamental trees.
There is a nursery on site for the green fingered and a tea house to round off a
great day out. We’ll aim to have you on the coach heading home at 4-45pm. Suffolk Coastal Tour: Wednesday 13th June. Meet the guide at 10-30am in Woodbridge, off the A12 just above Ipswich, to purchase morning coffee. Suitably refreshed we head straight for the sea passing through Orford, an attractive village with a castle, and Snape with its famous Maltings and on to Aldeburgh. In this seaside town the Moot Hall, once in the centre of the town, now teeters on the water’s edge. We stop here to enjoy the timeless maritime air, see where the fishermen still sell their catch on the beach and marvel at the controversial Maggi Hambling sculpture. On to Dunwich for lunch. The town has already been claimed by the sea but the brilliant Flora Tea Rooms survive. Like The Pilot at Dungeness this is an exemplary example of that very British tradition of a famously good fish & chip lunch. Indeed be sure not to have too big a breakfast because in addition to a choice of fish served with chips there’s a slice of bread, a dessert and a cup of tea or coffee, all included in the tour fee. In the afternoon we continue along the coast. Thorpeness is an eccentric puzzle of mock Tudor houses and the quirky “House in the Clouds”. We are heading to the elegant little Edwardian resort town of Southwold. Old cottages of great charm cluster around the gleaming white lighthouse and candy coloured beach huts line the shore. Join the guide to explore possibly the finest mediaeval church in England - the home of “Southwold Jack”. Price £38.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 08.30 Royal Ascot Ladies Day: Thursday 21st June. The Essex Highlands: Thursday 21st June. I cannot recommend this Together Tour highly enough! With morning refreshments and lunch at an absolutely gorgeous village pub included in the tour fee, a coach tour of the little known “Essex Highlands” in the old Hundred of Uttlesford and time for tea and a wander in beautiful Saffron Walden this is the stuff that great days out are made of. Your group will love you for this trip. Our Guide will hop on your coach on the M11 above or below Stansted Airport to suit your journey and you’ll continue together on to Elmdon aiming to arrive at 10-30am for a welcome cup of coffee and a couple of biscuits to refresh you from your journey. Then we’re off for an enjoyable drive through the “Essex Highlands” which will go a long way to dispel the notion of Essex as a flat county. In fact we slip in and out of three counties during our circular tour and from high in the coach you’ll get lovely views and there are interesting stories to create a thoroughly entertaining morning. At Arkesden “the gem of the Essex Highlands” we’ll stop for a little stroll and a peek at the village church. Then it’s back to Elmdon for lunch. It really is a super pub and a victory for the local community who campaigned to save their village pub. Parts of the original tap room date to 1450 and the new restaurant with its vaulted green oak construction and oak floor fits in beautifully. A tasty lunch of steak & mushroom pie (or a vegetarian option) is served and included in the tour fee. If you’d like to treat yourselves to bar drinks, teas, coffees or desserts that is up to you on the day. After lunch we’ll drive past stately Audley End House and into Saffron Walden. This ancient town takes its name from the saffron crocus once cultivated in the surrounding fields. Few towns have retained their mediaeval street plan so well. You can opt to join our Guide for a short town trail or browse on your own. It is your day out – you can decide on the day. Whichever you choose there’ll be time to buy tea before heading home at 4-45pm. Price £38.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 08.30 Royal Ascot: Saturday 23rd June. Stratford
Day trip: Sunday 27th June. Set in the beautiful rural Warwickshire
countryside, on the banks of the river Avon, it is one of the most important
tourist destinations in the UK. William Shakespeare's significance to the town
can be found in his families' houses, three of which are situated within easy
walking distance within town. The River Avon is used throughout the year for a
rich variety of activities. Price £18.00 per person, coach will depart
Stevenage at 09.00 Mad Jack Fuller: Monday 2nd July. Meet the guide near Battle in East Sussex to drive a little way out into the sticks for morning coffee & biscuits at 10-30am. As befits a pub with remarkable views there are vast picture windows and, of course, on sunny days you can sit outside. You are looking out over the lushly green Vale of Ashburnham painted by Turner. Beyond and quite distinct against the horizon is Beachy Head. During the morning we tell the story of John Fuller, squire of Brightling - a richly entertaining tale with a fascinating cast of characters from the England of Mad King George. We see some of the follies he built and visit the extraordinary village church where he installed a barrel organ and built himself a huge pyramid mausoleum – the Pharaoh squire! Back to the pub for a ploughman’s lunch. If you come in the cooler months you can opt for a hot meal for your group. In the afternoon we are going to have an hour to browse the picturesque and compact high street in Battle before driving on to stop to buy tea in the grounds of Bodiam Castle which was set to be demolished before it was bought and saved by our mad Squire. You can walk just a few yards to see a view of the most romantic castle in England and explore the National Trust shop or take more of a stroll around the moat – it’s up to you and your legs on the day! Head home at 4-45pm with lots to talk about. Price £38.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 08.00 Wisbech
Rose Fair: Thursday 5th July. The Norman church of St Peter & St Paul is the
main attraction for the annual Wisbech Rose Fair, one of the finest flower
festivals in England. The centre piece of Rose Fair is the breathtaking displays
of traditional British flowers brought together with exotic blooms flown in
especially for the festival. St Peter & St Paul's is set in beautiful
award-winning gardens and during Rose Fair is also surrounded by a wide variety
of stalls selling local produce and cakes, plants and flowers, crafts, gifts and
bric-a-brac - and lots more! The church is within a few yards of the historic
centre of Wisbech with its shops and a bustling market on Thursdays. Price £16.00
per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00
Windsor & Castle: Saturday 7th July. The largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of people. The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough. In 1992 fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. By good fortune the rooms worst affected were empty at the time, and as a result, few of the Castle's artistic treasures were destroyed. The highly acclaimed restoration work, completed in 1997, is a testament to the extraordinary skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe. George IV's private apartments (the Semi-State Rooms), among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle. St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the senior order of British Chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Within the chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I. Among the highlights of a visit to Windsor is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world. It took three years to complete and involved 1,500 craftsmen, artists and authors. The house has electric lighting, hot and cold running water, and even flushing lavatories. The Queen: 60 Photographs for 60 Years. Sixty photographs of The Queen, including the work of leading press photographers of the past six decades, are brought together for a display at Windsor Castle to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. The exhibition presents a portrait of The Queen’s reign as captured in fleeting moments on both official occasions and at relaxed family gatherings. Price £34.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Hampton Court Flower Show: Sunday 8th July. This
RHS spectacle is the largest of its kind in the world for thousands of gardening
fans to see, smell and touch an abundance of floral delights. Visitors can enjoy
around 50 inspiring display gardens including the tranquil water gardens, a
unique category of this show, and the innovative conceptual gardens showcasing
the next big names in garden design. From contemporary to traditional, there are
plenty of design ideas to suit any garden lover. Hundreds of the UK’s best
nurseries fill the floral marquees, Festival of Roses and Plant Heritage
Marquee, and floral art, fruit and vegetables and floristry are also a major
part of the show. With hundreds of opportunities to buy gifts and gadgets and
several tempting catering options, anyone can have a glorious day out at the
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Price £46.00 per person, coach will depart
Stevenage at 08.00 Brighton Day Trip: Sunday 15th July. From a world famous Royal palace to one of the most popular piers in the country, Brighton & Hove has attractions that will keep the whole family interested and entertained whatever the weather, whatever the season. The spectacular seaside palace of the Prince Regent (George IV) transformed by John Nash between 1815 and 1822 into one of the most dazzling and exotic buildings in the British Isles. The Pavilion houses furniture and works of art including original pieces lent by HM The Queen and a magnificent display of Regency silver-gilt. Price £18.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 08.00 Rye & Romney Marsh: Tuesday 24th
July. The Romney Marshes
are a mysterious and enchanting region of Kent, rich in history, story and
legend. Just our cup of tea. This is a fine day out, tried and tested over the
past twenty years, undemanding on the feet but satisfying on the senses. We
begin with a coach tour through one of the most contrasting areas of English
countryside and stop for a fish & chip lunch (included in the tour fee)
at the famous Pilot Inn at Dungeness built from the timbers of a Spanish ship
wrecked by smugglers. In the afternoon choose between a visit to beautiful
'Ancient town' Rye or the historic Cinque Port of Hythe.
We start in the
Wealden town of Tenterden at 10-30am for morning refreshments at individual cost
before driving out onto the Romney Marsh. Romney Marsh men drank beer a
full century before the rest of the country and in the last war they evacuated
their sheep before their women! Survival on the marsh required a particular type
of character and with its remote atmosphere the locals established a reputation
for self-sufficiency, wild, felonious deeds and lawlessness. Its bleak and
timeless character made it popular with artists and writers. Noel Coward kept a
home on the Marsh and Ian Fleming would drive out here alone for inspiration
naming his characters after local place names like Moneypenny Farm. We’ll stop
and visit one of the mediaeval churches that pepper the marsh. There are nearly
100 homes of different shapes and sizes dotted across the peculiar landscape of
Dungeness – the UK’s only desert! Some are old railway carriages dragged
across the shingle nearly one hundred years ago. Today they can change hands for
an awful lot of money.The Pilot Inn sits here within one of the most unique
settings in the country, a stone's throw from the sea. Fresh fish & chips
with a cup of tea and a slice is served and included in the tour fee. After
lunch we’ll take a pleasant drive via Camber Sands to Rye where, from the
elevated cobbled streets, we can look back over the Romney Marsh. Alternatively
you can opt for a drive along the coast through St Mary’s Bay and Dr. Syn’s
Dymchurch to historic Hythe with its rather charming and old fashioned High
Street. Whichever
afternoon you choose the Guide will pick out the highlights for you and there
will be time to browse and pick a spot for tea before heading home at 4-45pm. Sandringham
Flower Show: Wednesday
25th July. Sandringham Flower Show is one of the most prestigious horticultural
events in the East of England. It is a unique event offering both the best
in horticulture and a fantastic day of family entertainment. Set in the
magnificent surroundings of Sandringham Park with Sandringham House and
Sandringham Church as a backdrop. From the beginning the Show has been
privileged to enjoy Royal patronage and traditionally our Royal Patron attends
the Show. Many of the region’s leading nurseries and horticultural specialists
exhibit. In addition to these displays the show features show gardens and
courtyard gardens by leading designers which are built on the showground, in
excess of 200 trade stands (both horticultural and general), a craft marquee,
main arena events, children's entertainment and a military band. Admission
charges include entrance to Sandringham Gardens, Museum and Church. Price £26.00
per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 08.00 Great
Yarmouth: Thursday 26th July. The seaside provides a haven for you to relax
and escape from the restrictions of everyday life. Everything you need is here.
Sandy beaches, attractions, shops, places to eat and drink, all within walking
distance. Discover a town steeped in heritage, be wowed by action-packed shows,
festivals and events. Take a trip down the famous Golden Mile - thrills and
spills, with fun for all the family. Put your feet up and travel in style,
experience a ride on the many horse-drawn landaus, chug along in the seafront
train or be guided in an open topped sightseeing bus to see more of the seaside.
Price £18.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Hyde Hall Flower Show: Sunday 5th August. A visit to the 360-acre Hyde Hall estate is unforgettable in any season and allows visitors to immerse themselves in nature. Hyde Hall is in an area of Essex that has very low rainfall, and this factor, combined with the soil conditions and exposed nature of the site, makes it a challenging area for gardening. A visit will show that by choosing the right plants for the right places and by working with the prevailing conditions, it is possible to create a garden of beauty. In 1955 when Dr and Mrs Robinson came to Hyde Hall there were only six trees on the top of a windswept hill and no garden. If they had known then what they soon learned, it is very doubtful that the garden would have been made! The site was cold and windy, the top of the hill was covered in gravel and the soil on the slopes comprised a sticky clay with a pH of around neutral. For centuries Hyde Hall had been a working farm and the area around the house was a dumping ground for all kinds of rubbish. Mrs Robinson started to garden as a reaction against this and as she cleared areas around the house they were planted with anything available. In this way she created herbaceous borders and a vegetable garden close to the house, and established the framework of the garden with some 60 young trees bought at an auction sale in Wickford Market. Price £25.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00. Houses of
Parliament: Saturday 25th August. The Palace of Westminster, or the Houses
of Parliament as it is also known, has changed dramatically over the course of
nearly a thousand years of history. Transformed from royal residence to the home
of a modern democracy, the architecture and cultural collections of the Palace
and the wider Parliamentary Estate have continually evolved, sometimes by
design, sometimes through accident or attack. Visitors who tour Parliament will
see the key areas of the estate, such as the Commons and Lords debating chambers
and the Queen's Robing Room. Accompanied by a trained guide, visitors travel
through designated areas of the parliamentary estate. Tours take about 75
minutes. There will be time after the tour to enjoy the surrounding attractions
and a flight on the London Eye can be added to this tour. Coach will depart
Stevenage at 09.00 for 11.00 tour, price £26.00 person. Buckingham Palace & The Queens Gallery Leonardo da Vinci exhibition: Sunday 26th August. Serving as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. The State Rooms form the heart of the working palace and are furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture. The Summer Opening of the State Rooms also includes the special exhibition Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration. This spectacular exhibition shows the many ways in which diamonds have been used by British monarchs over the last 200 years. It includes a number of The Queen’s personal jewels - those inherited by Her Majesty or acquired during her reign. The exhibition reveals how many of these extraordinary stones have undergone a number of transformations, having been re-cut or incorporated into new settings during their fascinating history. The Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace is a permanent space dedicated to changing exhibitions of items from the Royal Collection, the wide-ranging collection of art and treasures held in trust by The Queen for the Nation. Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist exhibition is the largest ever of Leonardo da Vinci’s studies of the human body. Leonardo has long been recognised as one of the great artists of the Renaissance, but he was also a pioneer in the understanding of human anatomy. He intended to publish his ground-breaking work in a treatise on anatomy, and had he done so his discoveries would have transformed European knowledge of the subject. But on Leonardo’s death in 1519 the drawings remained a mass of undigested material among his private papers and their significance was effectively lost to the world for almost 400 years. Today they are among the Royal Collection’s greatest treasures. Bournemouth Air Festival: Sunday 2nd September. The free seafront airshow is now established as one of the countries premier seaside airshows. Expect strong RAF Support alongside some airshow favourities from the civilian world. Price Adults £19.00, Children £10.00 coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Buckingham Palace & The Royal Mews: Wednesday 12th September. Serving as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today. The State Rooms form the heart of the working palace and are furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture. The Summer Opening of the State Rooms also includes the special exhibition Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration. This spectacular exhibition shows the many ways in which diamonds have been used by British monarchs over the last 200 years. It includes a number of The Queen’s personal jewels - those inherited by Her Majesty or acquired during her reign. The exhibition reveals how many of these extraordinary stones have undergone a number of transformations, having been re-cut or incorporated into new settings during their fascinating history. The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace provides a unique insight into the department of the Royal Household that provides transport by road for The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. The Royal Mews houses the State vehicles, both horse-drawn carriages and motor cars, used for coronations, State Visits, royal weddings, the State Opening of Parliament and official engagements. Visitors can see the Gold State Coach which was last used during The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 to carry Her Majesty and Prince Philip to the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral. For most of the year the stables are home to the working horses that play an important role in The Queen's official and ceremonial duties. They are mainly Cleveland Bays, the only British breed of carriage horse, and the Windsor greys, which by tradition always draw the carriage in which The Queen is travelling. As they may be on duty, undergoing training or having a well-deserved rest away from London, the horses are not always on view. Price £42.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Frogmore House & Savill Gardens: Saturday 15th September. Set in the private Home Park, is renowned for its beautiful landscaped garden and 18th-century lake. Queen Victoria was inspired to write 'all is peace and quiet and you only hear the hum of the bees, the singing of the birds'. Indeed Queen Victoria loved Frogmore so much that she chose to build a mausoleum for herself and her husband, Prince Albert, in the grounds. The interior of Frogmore House reflects the interests and talents of several generations of the royal family. Princess Elizabeth, daughter of George III and Queen Charlotte was a gifted amateur artist and painted the decorative panels on view in the Cross Gallery. In the Victoria Closet visitors can see works of art executed by three generations of the royal family - Victoria, Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria, and a number of works by Queen Victoria's children, including Princess Victoria and Princess Louise. The garden is one of the enduring attractions of Frogmore. Queen Charlotte had a great interest in botany and was given full rein in the garden at Frogmore, which she laid out with rare and unusual plants. She formed an extensive botanical library and flowers became a major theme in the house. She commissioned Mary Moser (1744-1819), a renowned flower painter, to decorate a room with garlands of flowers. The Savill Garden is one of Britain’s greatest ornamental gardens. Neither a botanical garden, nor a kitchen garden attached to a great house, it is a garden for the garden’s sake, enjoyed by horticulturalists and enthusiasts alike. It never fails to charm visitors who come to explore its 35 acres of contemporary and classically designed gardens and exotic woodland. Developed under the patronage of Kings and Queens, The Savill Garden was created in the 1930s by Sir Eric Savill. It began as a woodland garden, with native oak, beech and sweet chestnut trees, but has since evolved by incorporating many new plants over the years. The Savill Garden is a place of constant discovery, and of hidden, interlocking gardens, containing distinctive planting groups including areas such as Spring Wood, The Summer Wood, The Hidden Gardens, The Summer Gardens, The Glades, Autumn Wood, The Azalea Walks and The New Zealand Garden. The Savill Garden mixes native and exotic species and has bred many important garden hybrids. Each ‘garden within a garden’ has its own attractions, and the gardens are ever-changing with every season bringing new colour and interest to delight the visitor. The striking new Rose Garden, designed by Andrew Wilson, is now open. 28 different cultivars have been brought together to provide a stunning display. Price £34.00 per person, coach will depart Stevenage at 09.00 Wisley Flower Show: Sunday 9th September.
To book contact Philip on 01438 222410 (evenings) or Email philip@stevenagegrouptravel.org
|