Explore RHS Garden Bridgewater, a contemporary horticultural showcase on the former estate of Worsley New Hall. Wander through the vast Walled Garden, lakeside paths and woodlands curated with artful structure and seasonal texture.

See how designers reimagined a historic landscape for community learning and biodiversity. From ornamental borders to kitchen plots, the garden layers heritage with innovation, revealing evolving planting schemes and habitats that celebrate northern gardening in all seasons.

• 3 Dinner (D)
• 9 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Lunch (L)

• Taste Bakewell Tart

• London: See London’s iconic sites with a Local Specialist. 
• London: See London from a different angle on a Thames River cruise. Glide past iconic sights like the Tower of London and Tower Bridge as you take in the city’s skyline from the water.
• Cambridge: Join your Travel Director for an orientation tour of Cambridge. See the university’s historic colleges, walk along the River Cam and get to know the city’s academic heritage and charming streets.
• Cambridge: Experience Cambridge from the water on a traditional punting trip. Pass by the city’s historic colleges and bridges as your guide shares insights into university life and local history from a unique vantage point.
• Halifax: Discover Halifax’s Georgian masterpiece. Once a hub for trading cloth, this open-air courtyard now blends history with culture. Explore independent shops, galleries and exhibitions as you learn how this unique space helped shape the town’s story.
• Lancaster: Drive the M62 from Halifax to Manchester through the Yorkshire Moors. Pass dramatic moorland, stone farmhouses and sweeping views as you cross one of England’s highest motorways, linking rural landscapes with the energy of the north’s great cities.
• Manchester: Explore one of the UK’s newest gardens, set on the site of Worsley New Hall. Walk through designed spaces that reflect both heritage and modern planting, and see how the Royal Horticultural Society is bringing new life to this historic landscape.
• Manchester: From the world’s first industrial city to the birthplace of iconic bands and football legends, Manchester blends heritage and creativity. Visit the Science and Industry Museum, explore the Northern Quarter’s street art and shops, and experience the energy that’s made this city a cultural powerhouse.
• Bakewell: Explore the charming market town of Bakewell, set in the heart of the Peak District. Wander through its stone-built streets, browse local shops and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of a place known for its character and countryside charm.
• Nottingham: Take in the landscapes of the Peak District as you travel from Manchester to Nottingham. With rolling hills, stone villages and sweeping views, this national park has long inspired writers like Jane Austen. A scenic drive through English countryside.
• Nottingham: Join your Local Specialist in Nottingham to explore the city’s history and legends. See the Old Market Square, Town Hall, the famous Robin Hood statue and the Lace Market, once the heart of Britain’s lace industry.
• Bakewell: Pause for a traditional cuppa and try the town’s famous sweet treat—the Bakewell Pudding. With its almond and jam filling, it’s a local favourite and a delicious taste of Derbyshire.
• Nottingham: See the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, a tree estimated to be over 1,000 years old. Learn how this ancient woodland became linked to the story of Robin Hood and explore the setting behind one of England’s most enduring legends.
• Birmingham: Explore Birmingham with your Travel Director on an orientation tour through the city centre. See Victoria Square and its civic buildings, pass the Bullring’s modern architecture and view the striking Library of Birmingham. Learn how the city has evolved from its industrial roots into a hub of culture, innovation and design in the West Midlands.
• Stratford-upon-Avon: Explore the town where William Shakespeare was born and raised. Walk through timber-framed streets, see the River Avon and discover how this small market town became one of England’s most famous literary landmarks.
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace: Travel through the Cotswolds and Warwickshire countryside, where gentle hills, farmland and honey-stone villages set the scene. Featured in shows like Downton Abbey and Father Brown, this region is known for its picture-perfect English charm.
• Oxford: Explore Oxford with your Travel Director and see the Radcliffe Camera, the Ashmolean Museum and the university’s colleges. Learn how this city became a centre for learning, with a university that’s shaped history for over 900 years.
• Windsor: Get your bearings in Windsor on an orientation tour with your Travel Director, from the riverside up towards Windsor Castle’s outer walls.

• Deluxe coach travel
• Selected hotel dinners plus a locally hosted meal
• 4-star stays

Take a guided tour of the Loughborough Bellfoundry Museum, the world’s largest working bell foundry. See how molten metal becomes music as you observe pattern-making, casting and meet the dedicated team preserving this rare craft.

Hear the global resonance of Taylor bells—from cathedrals to town halls—while learning how safeguarding heritage supports communities and skills. This sustainable heritage experience aligns with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Go behind-the-scenes on a stadium tour at Manchester City Football Club. Walk the players’ tunnel, visit dressing rooms and take in pitch-side views while learning about tactics, training and match-day rituals.

Discover the club’s meteoric rise and the Premier League context that fuels local pride. Interactive exhibits and insider stories bring modern football culture to life. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore Chatsworth House and Gardens, seat of the Dukes of Devonshire. Admire grand state rooms, sculpture and Old Master paintings, then wander formal parterres, fountains and sweeping parkland shaped by Capability Brown.

Recognize vistas from the Pride & Prejudice filming location as you learn how one family has stewarded art and landscape for centuries. This stately home visit is optional, at additional cost, and bookable on tour.

Step inside Warwick Castle to explore Great Hall and ramparts, towers and riverside grounds that guarded a strategic bend of the Avon. Armour, tapestries and imposing walls set a vivid medieval scene.

Hear tales of earls, sieges and royal intrigue as you climb towers for commanding views. This richly immersive fortress visit is optional, bookable on tour at additional cost.

Cruise the River Thames for a fresh vantage point on London’s waterside landmarks, drifting past the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral and sleek modern architecture along the South Bank.

Hear tales of medieval trade, fires and fortifications as you trace a route once bustling with cargo barges and royal barges alike. The city’s bridges and skyline unfold in sequence, offering photo-friendly angles and a calm perspective on the capital’s ceaseless rhythm.

Explore Cambridge on foot with your Travel Director, strolling the university’s precincts along King’s Parade and the river paths known as the Backs. Admire views toward King’s College Chapel and the elegant fronts of centuries-old colleges set amid lawns and courtyards.

Absorb the atmosphere of a city shaped by scholarship and discovery, from early astronomy to DNA’s double helix. This easy-paced walk introduces cloisters, libraries and traditions that still anchor collegiate life in one of Britain’s intellectual powerhouses.

Glide along the River Cam on a traditional punting trip, propelled by a skilled guide. Drift beneath ornate bridges, including the Bridge of Sighs and the Mathematical Bridge, as college facades and willow-fringed banks slide by.

Hear stories of student rituals, Nobel laureates and quirky traditions while the collegiate skyline unfolds from the water. This serene journey reveals Cambridge from its most photogenic angle, where tranquil backwaters meet centuries of academic lore.

Discover The Piece Hall, a spectacular Georgian cloth hall whose vast open-air courtyard once thrummed with merchants trading “pieces” of cloth. Today its arcades host independent boutiques, galleries and cafés beneath handsome stone colonnades.

Gain insight into Yorkshire’s textile heyday and the building’s meticulous restoration. The harmonious Italianate architecture frames a civic space that has reimagined commerce into culture—an atmospheric setting to browse, linger and connect with Halifax’s storied past.

Experience a stirring cross-Pennine journey as you drive across the Yorkshire Moors, where open heather uplands, dry-stone walls and reservoirs mark the rugged edge of England’s spine. Broad horizons and shifting skies create painterly vistas.

Learn how this Pennine watershed shaped northern industry and upland farming. Wind-scoured slopes and sheltered valleys reveal a timeless landscape—perfect to pause for photos and reflection as you transition between historic counties and characterful cities.

Step through the red gates of Strawberry Field for a hosted visit that blends music heritage with social purpose. Explore the interactive exhibition, stroll reflective gardens and sit down to a Be My Guest afternoon tea overlooking this evocative site.

Hear the stories behind “Strawberry Fields Forever” and see the piano used to compose “Imagine”. Your visit supports the Salvation Army’s community work, linking Lennon’s childhood inspiration to meaningful opportunities today.

Stroll the Royal Albert Dock, where cast-iron columns and red-brick warehouses frame the River Mersey waterfront. This Grade I–listed ensemble revives the city’s maritime spirit with cafes, galleries and quayside views.

Learn how Victorian engineering, post-war decline and 21st-century regeneration shaped a district now buzzing with culture and design. The rhythmic colonnades and broad basins set a striking stage for photos, people-watching and the pulse of a proud port city.

Trace the Peak District’s limestone dales and gritstone edges en route to the market town of Bakewell, a picture of stone cottages and riverside charm. Explore local lanes and shops at an unhurried pace.

Delight in a Derbyshire classic as you sample the original Bakewell Pudding—a flaky pastry layered with jam and almond filling. Hear how a 19th-century kitchen slip birthed a beloved recipe now served in cosy tearooms amid rolling dales and gritstone edges.

Explore Nottingham’s core on foot, taking in Old Market Square, the civic grandeur of the Council House, and the red-brick warehouses of the Lace Market. Encounter the famed Robin Hood statue near the castle quarter.

Unpack legends and industries that shaped the city—from medieval trades to the global lace boom and the hidden city of caves beneath its streets. Architecture, myth and modern culture combine in a compact, characterful center.

Visit Sherwood Forest to stand beneath the Major Oak, a colossal veteran tree believed to be over a millennium old. Quiet trails lead through heath and ancient woodland alive with birdsong and dappled light.

Discover how outlaw tales and Robin Hood lore entwined with forest law and royal hunting grounds. Rangers and displays illuminate ecology and conservation as you experience the atmosphere of an ancient woodland that still guards England’s green heart.

Get your bearings in Britain’s second city, taking in Victoria Square, the striking Library of Birmingham and the historic canal network that once powered workshops and warehouses.

Trace the city’s leap from industry to innovation as 18th-century engineering meets bold contemporary architecture. Public art, civic buildings and lively quarters reveal a Midlands metropolis continually reinventing itself through design, culture and cuisine.

Walk the timber-framed lanes of Stratford-upon-Avon, taking in half-timbered houses, riverside paths and an exterior view of Shakespeare’s Birthplace. The town’s intimate scale and timber-framed streets evoke Tudor life.

Hear how a market town nurtured a playwright whose works circled the globe. From the River Avon to bustling Henley Street, Stratford blends living community with literary pilgrimage and performance traditions.

Soak up the Cotswolds as you journey past honey-coloured stone villages, church spires and neat dry-stone walls set amid gentle rolling hills. Pastures and hedgerows stitch together a serene rural tapestry.

Learn why this protected landscape of farms and market towns has long defined classic English countryside charm. Seasonal light, village greens and manor houses offer a timeless backdrop for relaxed viewing and photography.

Explore Oxford’s historic core with views of the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Library and storied college quadrangles. Golden stone and spires create the city’s famed dreaming spires silhouette.

Absorb a scholarly atmosphere forged over nine centuries, where chapels, halls and libraries shaped generations of thinkers. Your walk reveals academic rituals, architectural flourishes and quiet lanes connecting one of the world’s great university cities.

Discover Windsor’s cobbled streets and shop-lined lanes with views toward Windsor Castle and its Round Tower. Independent boutiques, royal mews and a leafy riverside lend the royal town a relaxed elegance.

Hear stories of court ceremonies, state visits and centuries of royal residence that anchor Britain’s monarchy here. The town’s riverside setting and castle skyline create a memorable finale to an exploration of English heritage.

Gather to meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers over a convivial welcome dinner. Share first impressions of the capital while savoring classic British flavours—think seasonal produce, regional cheeses and comforting desserts.

Set the tone for the journey ahead as conversation flows and raise a glass to the landscapes, histories and cityscapes you’re about to explore together. Warm hospitality and shared anticipation make this a fitting start to your English adventure.

Reconnect with your group for a final dinner celebrating the highlights of your journey. Enjoy modern British dishes that spotlight seasonal Midlands produce, paired with local ales or a good glass of wine.

Swap stories, laughter and photos as you celebrate your English journey. Warm service and toasts with new friends provide a satisfying, convivial close before you part ways.

Join a Local Specialist to step inside a historic college (subject to opening) and explore cloistered courts, chapels and libraries on a deeper walk through town. Trace academic traditions and rivalries along hidden lanes and courts.

This enriching tour expands on the city’s scholarly spirit with stories of fellows, formals and famous alumni. This experience is at additional cost and is bookable on tour.

Settle into a characterful pub for a traditional Sunday roast—perhaps roast beef with rich gravy, crisp Yorkshire pudding and seasonal vegetables. Friendly service and cask ales round out a comforting meal.

Learn how this weekly ritual anchors British family life and community. Expect hearty portions, warm chatter and a cosy pub atmosphere. This experience is bookable on tour at additional cost.

Follow in the footsteps of the Beatles on a guided tour to sites like Penny Lane, the gates of Strawberry Field and the band’s childhood neighborhoods (exteriors). Hear tracks and tales that map music to place.

Unpack Merseybeat history, early gigs and lifelong friendships that shaped the sound of a generation. This deeper dive complements your waterfront visit. Optional, additional cost, and bookable on tour.

Discover the British curry-house tradition at a local favorite, sharing spice-laden favorites from tandoori grills to rich curries with warm breads and chutneys. Welcoming staff and convivial tables set the tone.

Hear how South Asian chefs reshaped British dining, creating a cuisine now woven into everyday life. Expect bold flavors, shared plates and conversation. This culinary experience is bookable on tour at additional cost.

Delve deeper on a guided walking tour through Birmingham’s historic canal network and the Jewellery Quarter. Workshop facades, warehouses and foundries reveal stories of makers, merchants and migrants.

Trace innovations from steam power to modern design and cuisine as a dynamic city continually reinvents itself. This expanded exploration is optional, at additional cost, and bookable on tour.

Join a guided panoramic tour through the heart of London to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the pageantry of Buckingham Palace. Glide past Trafalgar Square, The Mall and lively districts that reveal the capital’s grand avenues and intimate corners.

Learn how London evolved through conquest, commerce and creativity as monumental landmarks share space with contemporary icons. Your Local Specialist layers in intriguing stories of royalty, resilience and reinvention that shape the city’s character and global influence.

Trafalgar