After lunch we enjoy a pleasant Cotswolds villages drive to our final destination today, one of England’s truly great 20th century gardens, Hidcote Manor Garden . Designed and created in the Arts & Crafts style by the horticulturist Major Lawrence Johnston, Hidcote is arranged as a series of outdoor rooms, each with a different character and separated by walls and hedges of a wide variety of different species. There are rare shrubs and trees, outstanding herbaceous borders and many unusual plant species from different parts of the world.

It's late afternoon now, so time to head off for our accommodation for tonight, a charming high-end Bed and Breakfast or a fine Cotswolds Manor House hotel dinner await, or a simple, inexpensive bed and breakfast, with dinner at a local inn, if you're on a budget. It's your choice - see the prices section below.

Day 2: An early breakfast and on the road by nine, means we can see as much as possible in the next few hours. First, to Prior Park Landscape garden, a beautiful 18th century landscape garden set in a sweeping valley with magnificent views over the city of Bath. Created by local entrepreneur Ralph Allen with the advice of the poet Alexander Pope and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, it's a haven of peace and tranquillity and an invigorating one mile walk will get us going today (steep in places). The garden overlooks the World Heritage City of Bath and has features which include a Palladian Bridge, one of only four in the world, a series of lakes and an 'eye-catcher' sham bridge. Then we're onward to Tintinhull Garden, created last century around a 17th-century manor house. The garden features small pools, varied borders and secluded lawns, all neatly enclosed within walls and clipped hedges. There is also an attractive kitchen garden.

We've a choice of gardens for your final afternoon. Either Montacute House, a magnificent Elizabethan stone-built house, with fine collections, garden and park or Stourhead Landscape Garden.

Built in the late 16th century for Sir Edward Phelips, Montacute's glittering windows and elegant chimneys, carved parapets and other Renaissance features, form an impressive backdrop to the formal garden of old roses and interesting topiary with mixed borders. The garden is surrounded by a landscape park. The wider estate encompasses St Michael’s Hill, site of a Norman castle, topped with an accessible 18th-century lookout tower.

Stourhead Landscape Garden is a justly famous 18th-century landscape garden and Palladian mansion designed by Henry Hoare II and laid out between 1741 and 1780. Classical temples, including the Pantheon and Temple of Apollo, are set around the central lake at the end of a series of vistas, which change as the visitor moves around the paths and through the magnificent mature woodland with its extensive collection of exotic trees. King Alfred’s Tower is a red-brick folly built in 1772 and being almost 50m high gives great views over the estate. Whichever property is chosen, you won't be diappointed! Our return journey to London takes just one and a half hours (Stourhead) or two and a half hours (Montacute), arriving mid to late evening.

Tour cost is £900, which covers the cost of your A/C Minivan carrying up to 8 persons, with full driver-guide's service, parking, fuel and all miles driven.

Complimentary drinks and occasional snacks are provided along the way.

The cost includes my hotel/subsistence expenses. I can arrange guest house/inn/hotel accommodations from £70 per twin or double room, £90 a family room per night including breakfast, or you can go on-line and choose your own with our help. Please note that meals, entry fees to the sites visited and gratuities (discretionary) are not included.

Total luggage handling throughout.

IMPORTANT! Before trying to book an AWAY tour with me please first check availability with my online diary, then email me to have your tour dates/details/prices confirmed.

Go to bookings info. page here