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Itinerary
Day 1
We depart by private executive coach from our designated pick up points and en route to our hotel we visit the National Trust’s Nostell Priory near Wakefield, home to England’s best collection of documented Chippendale furniture, an outstanding art collection, a longcase clock by John ‘Longitude’ Harrison and a remarkable 18th century dolls house complete with its original fittings and Chippendale style furniture. We then continue to the 3* Gibside Hotel at Whickham for a four night stay on a half board basis.
Day 2
Our Blue Badge guide meets us at our hotel this morning and accompanies us throughout the day. We firstly enjoy an audio tour at the UNESCO listed Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum, where Hadrian’s Wall begins and ends. In AD 122, the Emperor Hadrian ordered a mighty frontier system to be built across Britain, designed to consolidate and define the Empire and help protect against raiding parties from the north. The result was Hadrian's Wall, a 73 mile barrier stretching from the River Tyne in the east to the Solway Firth in the west. Segedunum, which means ‘Strong Fort’, was built to guard the eastern end of the Wall, and housed 600 Roman soldiers. It stood for almost 300 years as a symbol of Roman rule and a bastion against barbarian attack. Today, Segedunum is once again a major site on Hadrian's Wall. It is the most excavated fort along the Wall with surviving foundations of many buildings and part of the Wall itself. This afternoon we enjoy a guided tour of Newcastle, taking in sights such as ‘The Sage’ and Gateshead Millennium Bridge. The rest of the day is at leisure in Newcastle.
Day 3
Our Blue Badge guide accompanies us to Alnwick Castle, the second largest inhabited castle in England, the first being Windsor Castle, and home of the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. We continue to the National Trust’s Washington Old Hall. The picturesque stone manor house incorporates parts of the original medieval home of George Washington's direct ancestors, and it is from here that the family took their surname of 'Washington'.
Day 4
We visit the remains of the English Heritage’s Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island with our Blue Badge guide this morning. The ancient monks built the priory nearly 1,400 years ago and this is the site where St Aidan and St Cuthbert founded the great powerhouse of Christianity in Anglo Saxon Northumbria, and where the famous Lindisfarne Gospels were created in the early 700s. The Priory’s museum focuses on a grisly Viking raid, the cult of St Cuthbert, and the beautiful medieval manuscript, the Lindisfarne Gospels. We spend some time at leisure in Bamburgh this afternoon, or alternatively you may choose to join our optional boat trip to Farne Island, one of Britain’s most important bird sanctuaries.
Day 5
After checking out of our hotel and en route home we visit The Spanish Gallery at Bishop Auckland. The gallery depicts a story of Golden Age Spanish art during the 16th and 17th centuries, exploring how its artists expressed the tension between man’s yearning for eternity and the transience of life. We then visit the Mining Art Gallery at Bishop Auckland. Home to three permanent rooms and one temporary exhibition space, the gallery explores working life in the coal mines through original artefacts and artworks by prominent mining artists such as Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish. During our visit we see the renowned Gemini Collection of mining art that includes over 400 works by acclaimed mining artists. Taking carefully selected comfort stops en route, we return back to our original pick up points.
NB: Please note we reserve the right to alter the above itinerary if required for operational reasons. Given the historic nature of the places visited, a certain degree of walking will be involved, and this holiday may not be suitable for those with mobility problems. Price based on twin share. Minimum numbers required. Normal booking conditions apply.
Featuring
Half board accommodation
A full programme of included excursion travel & guided tours
Entrance fees to non-National Trust & non-English Heritage properties included
Blue Badge guide included on Days 2 to 4
Executive coach throughout
Nostell Priory
Segedunum Roman Fort & Museum
Newcastle – guided tour
Alnwick Castle
Washington Old Hall
Lindisfarne Priory
Bamburgh
The Spanish Gallery
Mining Art Gallery
Hotel
We stay four nights on a half board basis at the 3* Gibside Hotel (www.gibsidehotel.co.uk) at Whickham, four miles south west of Newcastle. Located in the centre of this historic village, facilities at the hotel include Paco’s Restaurant that offers a high standard of cuisine and the Egyptian style Sphinx Bar with its superb panoramic views over the Tyne Valley. All rooms are en suite and feature telephone, television, tea & coffee making facilities and a hairdryer.
Extras
Single room supplement £99
Insurance (including Covid cover) £28
Entrance fees to National Trust & English Heritage properties (NT properties free to NT members & EH properties free to EH members)
Optional boat trip on Day 4
Gratuities
Lunches
Optional Excursions
Optional boat trip to the Farne Islands on Day 4
