Revolutionary Cities & Lake District Treasures

DAY 1

Journey from your home station to Manchester and, on arrival, we will make our way to the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, our base for the next five nights. We enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings before meeting for our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

After breakfast this morning, we make our way to the station and travel to the famous city of Liverpool where we will be met by our guide at the station to begin our walking tour. As we wander the historic streets, we will hear stories of the rich history and culture, pass iconic buildings, monuments, and points of interest. The tour will end at the Royal Albert Dock which is a perfect place to have lunch and continue to explore before returning to the station and retracing our steps to Manchester in time for our evening meal together.

DAY 3

This morning, we head by rail to the beautiful city of York where we will be met by our expert guide and will enjoy a walking tour taking in all the main sights of this historic city, heading through narrow lanes and past grand churches, along city walls and through beautiful parks. We will hear stories from Romans, Anglo Saxons, and Vikings and even learn the truth about the city's infamous outlaw Dick Turpin. Afterwards, we will enjoy free time in York before returning to Manchester for our evening meal.

DAY 4

After breakfast today, we head by rail to Oxenholme, the gateway to the Lake District. On arrival, we are met by our driver and guide and embark on our whistlestop tour of this stunning area beginning with Kirkstone Pass, the highest tarmac road in the National Park at 1,489ft - the views are something special! Our route affords beautiful views of the Troutbeck Valley, home to Children's author Beatrix Potter, and commanding views down to Windermere before we stop at Glenridding Village for lunch at the foot of the pass. Continuing via Ullswater, the second largest lake in the National Park, we arrive at Keswick and enjoy a relaxing 50-minute cruise on Derwentwater amidst spectacular surroundings. Our next stop is a visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle which pre-dates Stonehenge and offers panoramic views of the fells before we return south alongside Thirlmere for our final stop at Grasmere, one of Cumbria's most popular villages and home to William Wordsworth and the famous Grasmere Gingerbread.

DAY 5

We enjoy a relaxed breakfast this morning before spending the day at leisure to explore the vibrant city of Manchester. We have the use of hop-on/hop-off bus tickets to enjoy some of the city's most famous and well-loved sights or you can visit the fascinating Museum of Science & Industry, discover Salford Quays and MediaCity (the home of BBC & ITV studios), marvel at Manchester Cathedral, or amble through the scenic Piccadilly Gardens before we reconvene for our final evening meal together.

DAY 6

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Manchester and make our way to the station for our homeward journeys.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner