A Journey to
Bath, Bristol, Wells & Tyntesfield

Day 1

We meet at our designated pick up points and travel by executive coach to the National Trust’s Snowshill Manor and Garden in Gloucestershire, home to a huge and diverse collection of extraordinary craftsmanship. Charles Paget Wade spent his life and inherited wealth collecting objects from all corners of the globe, with items varying from lowly fire buckets to exquisite ivory carvings, ancient musical instruments, Victorian toys, penny farthing bicycles and complete suits of Japanese armour. Time permitting we visit the Slimbridge Wetland Centre, the first Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust to be opened in 1946, due to the vision of Sir Peter Scott. Slimbridge Wetland Centre cares for and studies ducks, geese and swans of the world and offers excellent opportunity for bird watchers and photography. We continue to the 3* Best Western Walton Park at Clevedon for a four night stay on half board basis.

Day 2

A guided walking tour of Bath with our Blue Badge guide this morning takes in sights such as the Roman Baths, Assembly Rooms and the Royal Crescent. We spend some time at leisure in Bath and on an individual basis you may choose to visit the Holburne Museum of Art. The Museum displays superb English and continental silver, porcelain, maiolica, glass and Renaissance bronzes. The Picture Gallery contains works by Turner, Guardi, Stubbs and portraits of Bath society by Thomas Gainsborough. Our day concludes with a visit to the National Trust’s Prior Park Landscape Garden. The beautiful and intimate 18th century landscape garden was created by Bath entrepreneur Ralph Allen, with advice from poet Alexander Pope and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

Day 3

Our Blue Badge guide meets us at our hotel this morning and accompanies us throughout the day. At Wells, the smallest city in England, we have a guided tour of the famous Gothic cathedral with its fine medieval statuary, stained glass, chapter house and astronomical clock, the 13th century Bishop's Palace and the Vicar's Close, a complete medieval street. We continue to the National Trust’s Tyntesfield property. This extraordinary Gothic revival extravaganza survives with its original Victorian interior intact – an unrivalled collection of Victorian decorative arts, an insight into below stairs and a sumptuously decorated private chapel. It is surrounded by landscaped gardens, park, farmland and estate buildings.

Day 4

Our guided tour of Bristol this morning takes in sights such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, spanning the beautiful Avon Gorge, and the symbol of the city of Bristol. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the foundation stone of this Grade I listed bridge was laid in 1831 and was not opened until 1864, five years after he died. During our tour, we also visit St Mary’s Church at Redcliffe, dating back to the 12th century and described by Elizabeth I as ‘the goodliest, fairest and most famous parish church in England’. The afternoon is at leisure in Bristol and on an individual basis you may choose to visit Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the world’s first great ocean liner.

Day 5

After checking out of our hotel and en route home we enjoy a guided tour at The Wilson, Cheltenham’s newly extended Art Gallery and Museum. We continue to the National Trust’s Hidcote Manor Garden, an ‘Arts & Crafts’ masterpiece, consisting of a series of outdoor rooms and famous for its rare shrubs, trees and unusual plant species from all over the world.

We stay four nights on half board basis at the 3* Best Western Walton Park at Clevedon (www.bestwestern.co.uk). Located a twenty minute walk from the centre of Clevedon, the hotel is ideally located to explore the tourist attractions of Somerset. Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant and a bar and all rooms are en suite and feature television, telephone and a hairdryer.

Insurance £20

Single room supplement £59

Entrance fees to places visited at leisure and National Trust Properties for non-members

All excursions & guided tours included