Other 'Quick-Tour' Choices

Bath

Motorway there, motorway back. Not a great idea but if your time is very limited and you're experienced road travellers who just want to spend a couple of hours in this remarkable Georgian City it can be done this way. A7 or A8 - see below

Broadlands

The home of Lord Louis Mountbatten (Prince Charles' great uncle and one-time mentor). One of the best-connected people of his time, Mountbatten's eventful and interesting life will interest those who have longer memories of the events of the 20th century. Good link with Southampton QE2 arrivals/departures. Check with us re. opening times, first though. A6 - see below

Cadbury World

The Bourneville factory of one of the World's leading chocolate makers includes an interesting display about how chocolate is made, a factory tour and a chocolate store. (8/9 hours required for this tour, which can also include a brief visit to a Shakespeare property or Warwick Castle or a Vintage Motor Vehicle Museum). A8 Only - see below

Chartwell

Home of Sir Winston Churchill between 1924-65. Beautiful grounds and house. Carefully restored to the condition when it was a 1930’s family home. Whenever I visit, I always get the feeling that the great man has just walked out of his study for a moment! If you are an admirer of Churchill this place is a must! (Summer only). Links well with Hever Castle. A5 OR A6 - see below

Hatfield House

Site of the 15th century Palace where Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood. The house dates from 17th century with 14 acres of gardens dating from the early Tudor period. A4 OR A5 - see below

Hidcote Manor Garden

A wonderful garden which is based on a series of "rooms" within a whole, separated by walls and hedges to create a romantic and delightful spot. A favourite with many English garden lovers! A5 OR A6 - see below

Highclere Castle

A fantastic house of 19th century Gothic/Moorish/Rococo revival styles, skilfully blended to produce a "castle" and gardens to impress a Queen. Built in the C19th for the 3rd Earl of Caernarvon. The 5th Earl discovered Tutankhamun's tomb with Howard Carter, thereby sparking the 'curse' of the Egyptian kings. The present Earl lives slightly less dangerously - he's the Queen's Horseracing manager. A5 - see below

Kew

Royal Botanic Gardens in London. Impressive Victorian greenhouses containing a world-wide collection of plants and trees in tropical , sub-tropical and temperate zones. Kew is near the Tudor palace of Hampton Court, Syon House, or Osterley Park House. A4 OR A5 - see below

Leeds Castle

A fairy tale setting in a lake, some lovely gardens, an excellent maze and one or two interesting connections with places as diverse as Virginia, Israel and Egypt may explain why Leeds is such a popular destination. A5 - see below

Osterley Park House

An 18th century classical recreation for the wealthy Childs banking family, with much work by Adam, Chambers and Cipriani. Close to London it combines well with Syon House. A4 - see below

Oxford

Off to the "dreaming spires" of Oxford University, a beautiful City with over 1000 years of history. We visit some of the many colleges where famous characters like Sir Walter Raleigh, William Penn, John Wesley, Lewis Carroll, T E Lawrence, C S Lewis, J R Tolkien, W H Auden, Sir Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton and many others lived, studied and worked. A5 - see below

Rousham House

A good example of William Kent's English landscape design of the 17th/18th century. It links well with Oxford. Rarely crowded, (the big bus tours are at Blenheim). Rousham has been in the same family for 350 years. The house is only occasionally open to visit, the gardens almost always - and they're a real pleasure to visit. On warm summer days we can picnic in the orchard. A5 Only - see below

Stonehenge

People often want to see this World Heritage Site without spending a full day seeing other places in combination with it. It's quite trickie, as Stonehenge is a good distance from London, but if you can get up early (8am departure!) so we get a quick exit through the London traffic it's possible to do it and be back in town around 1pm. A5 - see below

Stourhead

One of England's finest classical landscape gardens, laid out 1741-80. Stourhead is justly famous for its lakes, temples and rare trees which combine so perfectly to produce a piece of 'heaven on earth'. The fine Palladian house was built in 1722. A6 Only - see below

Syon House

This wonderful old place is still a family home, belonging to the Dukes of Northumberland. Syon is only a short drive from Central London and well worth seeing. Some of Robert Adam's best 18th century work is to be found here. Link it with Osterley - both can be seen in 6 hours. A4 - see below

Waddesdon Manor

This 19th century Renaissance style Chateau was built by the famous banking family, the Rothschilds, as a showcase for one of the finest private collections of French Decorative Arts. Queen Victoria visited and was probably just as impressed as you'll be! A5 Only - see below

Woburn Abbey

Home of the Dukes of Bedford for over 350 years. The Abbey contains one of the most important private Art collections in the world. By contrast, the adjoining wild-life park is home to a number of African big cats which roam 'wild', the park also plays an important conservation role in trying to save many endangered species. A5 OR A6 - see below

AT4: 4 hour tours - 1-8 persons - £320

AT5: 5 hour tours - 1-8 persons - £350

AT6: 6 hour tours - 1-8 persons - £380

AT7: 7 hour tours - 1-8 persons - £410

AT8: 8 hour tours - 1-8 persons - £440