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Cotswolds, Wales, Yorkshire, Lake District — 6D/5N
London to Edinburgh or Edinburgh to London… you choose! Either way it’s chock-a-block with history, thatched cottages, castles, picture-post card villages… and jolly good fun!
The Cotswolds is a range of hills in west-central England within the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, extending into parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Officially designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966, in recognition of their unique appeal and the beauty of its predominantly rural landscapes, the Cotswolds are known worldwide for their stone-built villages, historical towns, and stately homes and gardens. Many consider the Cotswolds as representative of the archetypal English landscape, within easy striking distance of London and several other English urban centers. During the Middle Ages, the Cotswolds became prosperous from the wool trade with the Continent. Much of this wealth was directed towards the building of churches, the area still preserving a large number of large, handsome Cotswold Stone “wool churches”.
Wales, one of the four “home nations” that make up the United Kingdom, is rich in history and natural beauty and has a culture distinct from the rest of the UK. Travelers are attracted to Wales because of its beautiful landscape, the wide open spaces of its stunning national parks and the wealth of history and culture.
Yorkshire is one of the most scenic, varied and interesting of the English counties. Within the borders of the historic county of Yorkshire are areas which are widely considered to be among the greenest in England, due to both the vast stretches of unspoiled countryside in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors and the open aspect of some of the major cities.
The Lake District is a rural area in North West England popular as a holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes and its mountains and its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth. The Lake District’s links with a wealth of artists and writers and its strong history of providing summer theatre performances in the old Blue Box of Century Theatre are strong attractions for visiting tourists. The tradition of theatre is carried on by venues such as Theatre by the Lake in Keswick
SELF DRIVE PROGRAMS - Probably, the best way to independently travel in Europe is by self-drive car as it allows you to be mobile at all times, to stop whenever you want, to visit to your heart’s content! A limitless number of itineraries are possible, as you can combine any of the different regions and cities to create “your own” program. All our self drive example itineraries will be customized with your choice of car and with accommodation at selected hotels, villas, boutique properties, manor houses or castles as per your preference. Take them as they are, lengthen, shorten, combine them as you desires or just use them for ideas in creating “your itinerary” to discover Europe “as you want”! If you like the tour and decide to further customize it, just let us know of your needs and desires, we will prepare the exact itinerary you are looking for.
SKETCH ITINERARY
- Day 1 — LONDON, THORNBURY - Leave London this morning and head for the open road via amazing Avebury which is older, a bit more mysterious than Stonehenge, and in fact, the largest monolith stone circle in Europe. Continue deeper into the English countryside to the region known as “The West Country” The destination is Thornbury Castle whose history dates from the year 1510 and is rich with the connections to Henry VIII, Ann Boleyn and Mary Tudor.
- Day 2 — COTSWOLDS - Begin your travels the next morning through the rolling countryside to the traditional Cotswold villages that still evoke the charm of a bygone era. Continue deeper through the English pastoral landscape to Mallory Court an outstanding example of period architecture built in mellow stone with leaded light windows and set in 10 acres of landscaped grounds in the heart of the Cotswolds.
- Day 3 — NORTH WALES - Prepare for an early start this morning as there is much to see on this journey into Wales. The landscape becomes more rugged as you pass towns with tongue twisting names like Glndyfrdwy, Cerrigydrudion and Betws-y-Coed before reaching your destination, the elegant Bodysgallen Hall, a 17th century manor house standing in over 200 acres of its own parkland with spectacular views of the Snowdonia region of North Wales.
- Day 4 — YORKSHIRE -Resume your adventure today along the north coast to the delightful half- timbered town of Chester. As the Roman city of Deva it was the headquarters of the Roman 20th Legion, one of the three Roman legions in Britain. Continue into the famed Peak district where you can visit stately Harewood House, and Chatsworth made famous in the PBS series “Brideshead Revisited”. Hurry on towards York to the dignified and courtly confines of an historic country house.
- Day 5 — LAKE DISTRICT - Morning to see the wonders of the ancient walled city of York Explore the back streets of the “Shambles” and the Viking Museum where everyday life, sights, and even smells, of the 10th century come amazingly alive. Continue through the Yorkshire Dales and the tiny hamlets and villages immortalized in the books by James Herriott. Here you will truly see “All Creatures Great and Small” as you wind your way through this unique landscape, into the Lake District and the singular charms of Sharrow Bay.
- Day 6 — EDINBURGH - On this final day, travel north to Scotland allowing time to explore along the way. Hadrian’s Wall which was the furthest northern boundary of the Roman Empire, The Cheviot Hills, The “Border Abbeys” of Jedburg and Dryburg, and finally Edinburgh where your Post Road ends and the treasured days of Britannia will provide a lifetime of memories.
Vantage World Strongly Recommends Insurance for all your Travel Programs
We provide, through TravelSafe Insurance, one of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of travel insurance, a TravelSafe Custom Plan, where you decide the benefits YOU want and the levels of protection YOU desire including access to their 24-hour emergency assistance service from anywhere in the world. Click the link below the Plan Benefits table for plan details.
