Heritage Bath & Ancient Wiltshire

DAY 1

We arrive in the stunning city of Bath where our hotel is conveniently situated a short walk from the railway station. In the afternoon there is time at leisure to enjoy the sights and sounds of this elegant city with its famous Roman Baths and Neoclassical Palladium buildings, before our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

After breakfast we travel by private coach to Ilford Manor Estate. Ilford has a long history dating back to the Doomsday book, the estate boasts 3 miles of footpaths to explore soaking up the natural beauty and peace of the Ilford valley. We will enjoy a visit to the private Grade I registered garden with its romantic design and architecture. After taking in all the beautiful scenery, we enjoy a cream tea together before retracing our steps by private coach to Bath where we have time at leisure before we reconvene for our evening meal.

DAY 3

This morning we take the short walk to the railway station and board our Great Western Railway service direct to Salisbury, the journey takes around 1-hour and on arrival you have free time to explore this historic city which has been welcoming visitors since 1227. At its heart is the captivating cathedral which has been a place of worship for over 800 years, its spire is the tallest in the country. The cathedral hosts a special exhibition showing one of four surviving copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. Continuing our day by private coach we make our way to the ancient, mystical Stonehenge. We explore this unique prehistoric monument, which is famous the world over, soak up the atmosphere and learn about life in a Neolithic village. After our fascinating visit we return to Bath by private coach in time for our evening meal together.

DAY 4

Today our private coach takes us to the American Museum & Gardens. A Grade I listed building, the museum hosts collections from the USA including room sets, recreating periods of American history along with folk art and map collections. We also have access to the exhibition gallery which houses the shop selling unique themed items. We have time to explore the Grade II listed gardens set on 125 acres with stunning views across the valleys. Rejoining our private coach, we return to Bath for our afternoon cruise along the beautiful River Avon. Departing Pulteney Weir in the centre of Bath we enjoy an hour return journey upriver to the village of Bathampton, passing under Pulteney bridge and out into the Avon valley, keep your eyes peeled for swans, herons, kingfishers, and maybe even otters! On the return we have a fascinating commentary on history and points of interest. Returning to our hotel we enjoy our final evening meal together.

DAY 5

This morning we bid farewell to beautiful Bath and our newfound friends as we make our way homeward.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner