National Trust Gems in the Heart of England

HIGHLIGHTS: Hanbury Hall & Gardens, Hidcote Manor Garden, Snowshill Manor & Gardens, Westbury Court Garden, Cotswolds countryside at its finest

Amongst the rolling hills and pastoral countryside of the Cotswolds and surrounding shires, the National Trust has restored a remarkable array of country gardens, each with their own identity and character, great and small. This brand new tour features a collection of some of the less well known properties, discovers the secrets to restoring period gardens, and introduces the changing faces of seasonal gardens. And to compliment this horticultural heaven, there is some more down to earth scenic coach touring through some of England's finest countryside.

**Please note it is a condition of travel with Grand UK, for all passengers to hold valid travel insurance for the duration of their tour.**Everything Included:

- Free local joining points
- Collect Coach Miles
- All coach travel
- Reserved seats on tour coaches
- Tour Manager escorted
- Hotel accommodation and board as stated
- No single room supplement
- Excursions / itinerary as stated
- Admission fees and entertainment if stated
- Complete luggage handling
- Price-Back Insurance Offer


Excursions
FULL DAY: Today we head into the northern Cotswolds to Hidcote Manor Garden. This is regarded as an arts and crafts masterpiece with a series of outdoor rooms that display their colour at different times of the year, adding character with a range of rare shrubs, trees and plants from across the globe. In the afternoon we continue to Snowshill Manor and Garden which is surrounded by a hand-built terraced hillside garden. Here the world of Charles Paget Wade is played out within the house through his lifetime of collecting and inheriting objects from around the world.

FULL DAY: Along the Severn Valley we come to the pretty Cathedral city of Worcester, with the river winding through its heart and time to explore, before we reach Hanbury Hall & Gardens. Here the 20 acres of gardens are recreated to keep in style with the period of the 17th century house, including an Orangery, ice house, pavilions and a working mushroom house. Step beyond the gardens and enjoy the Hall's parkland with beautiful views across the surrounding countryside.

HALF DAY: Today we head into the Gloucestershire countryside and to the banks of the River Severn to visit Westbury Court Garden. This unusual garden is the only restored Dutch water garden in England, laid out in the late 17th century and painstakingly resorted by the National Trust in 1971.

Escorted Travel
Every one of our coach holidays includes the services of a coach driver and is always fully escorted by a knowledgeable Tour Manager, they are on hand every day and night and stay in the same hotel to ensure your holiday is stress-free.




Our coach Tour Managers are there purely for your extra comfort and enjoyment, from organising activities to breaking the ice and helping you all make the most of your holiday.


We hand-pick these extra special people because of their passion for people and places; they are the heartbeat of our coach holidays, a smiling face, a helping hand and always a listening ear and have the ability to turn a great time into a truly magical and memorable holiday experience.


They are simply the best in the business.




Our coach Tour Managers are there purely for your extra comfort and enjoyment, from organising activities to breaking the ice and helping you all make the most of your holiday. They are simply the best in the business.

We hand-pick these extra special people because of their passion for people and places; they are the heartbeat of our coach holidays, a smiling face, a helping hand and always a listening ear and have the ability to turn a great time into a truly magical and memorable holiday experience.


Your Pick Up Points
Joining Your Grand UK Coach Holiday
For 2024 we have introduced improvements to our network of local pick up points across the eastern, central and southern England, aimed at shortening your journey times and getting you away on holiday more easily and conveniently, meaning an altogether more relaxing start. We now have two pick up regions so your travel days will be more convenient, providing more efficient journeys, meeting your tour manager and fellow travellers earlier and in most cases arriving in resort earlier, please refer to our Pick-ups section below for more details.
The Tour Ref below indicates whether the tour departs from Area A or Area B by having either an A or B at the end. For example, GUK5A would be a tour departing from Area A.

Pick-Up Information
For 2024 we have introduced improvements to our network of local pick up points across the eastern, central and southern England, aimed at shortening your journey times and getting you away on holiday more easily and conveniently, meaning an altogether more relaxing start. We now have two pick up regions so your travel days will be more convenient, providing more efficient journeys, meeting your tour manager and fellow travellers earlier and in most cases arriving in resort earlier.
The Tour Ref on the holiday tab indicates whether the tour departs from Area A or Area B by having either an A or B at the end. For example, GUK5A would be a tour departing from Area A.






Traveling from Departure Area A: Be picked up from your free local departure point, and join your tour coach at our interchange area at Northampton Services on the M11, at junction 15A.





Traveling from Departure Area B: Be picked up from your free local departure point, and join your tour coach at our interchange area at Beaconsfield Services, M40, junction 2.Walton Hall Hotel
Situated within 65 acres of grounds just six miles from Stratford-upon-Avon, Walton Hotel is built around a beautiful stately home, dating back in some parts to the 16th century.

Hotel Facilities
Lounge, restaurant, bar
- En-suite bedrooms
- Free Wi-Fi
- Indoor swimming pool, gym
- No lift, all rooms are on the ground and first floors only Some bedrooms are located in a separate accommodation annexe of approximately 50 yards from the hotel.

Hotels
• Mercure Warwickshire Walton Hall Hotel & Spa (Wellesbourne) - View Information