Compare The Best of England and Wales: Shakespeare to Snowdonia Castles to Colleges by Road Scholar

Day 1

In Transit to Program

In Flight

Day 2

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Macdonald Hotel Windsor

Arrival Day

Lunch: In the hotel dining room for those arriving by lunchtime. A light lunch with coffee, tea and water. Other beverages are available for purchase.

Afternoon: Arrivals continue, with free time for those who have already arrived. At 5pm we will have an Orientation in the hotel. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. This program is staffed with both a Group Leader, who will accompany us throughout the program and deal primarily with logistics, and a series of Study Leaders who will lecture, conduct field trips and serve as an information resource on program-related topics. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities and answer any questions you may have. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: A seated dinner will be taken in the hotel dining room with coffee, tea and water. Other beverages are available for purchase.

Evening: Free time to unpack, relax and prepare for the program ahead. You may also wish to join your Group Leader for an orientation walk.

Day 3

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Macdonald Hotel Windsor

Windsor Castle

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room. A breakfast buffet with a range of hot and cold items, as well as coffee, tea, water and fruit juices.

Morning: Begin your morning with a walk from the hotel to Windsor Castle – a remarkable building that has been shaped by the Kings and Queens of England for over 1,000 years. It remains the weekend residence of Her Majesty the Queen and is still used for ceremonial and state occasions, whilst also being home to some of the greatest paintings and works of art in the world. From within the castle we will be able to watch the famous Changing of the Guard, a procession of active Household Guards and a marching band. Please note, the Changing of the Guard may not be available on every departure as schedules are released at very short notice for security reasons.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Afternoon: Free time. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions should you wish to further explore Windsor.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time.

Day 4

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Alveston Manor

Transfer to Stratford-Upon-Avon: The City of Oxford

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We board the motor coach for our transfer to Stratford-upon-Avon, with a visit en-route to Oxford – the city of “dreaming spires”. Your Oxford expert will meet you in the morning before we set off to explore this fascinating city on foot. Expect to see such sights as the Radcliffe Camera, the Clarendon Building and the Bridge of Sighs, and discover the contrasts of the Classical and Gothic architecture in discussion with your expert as you walk.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: This afternoon we go behind the scenes at Christ Church, one of Oxford’s most famous, and indeed most traditional colleges. Enjoy the secret garden, the famous water meadows and a panoply of buildings from different periods in the city’s history; from Henry VIII and Wolsey’s Tudor Kitchen to the Great Hall and the classical Peckwater Building. From Oxford we will then continue onwards to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 5

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Alveston Manor

Stratford-Upon-Avon & The Royal Shakespeare Company

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Enjoy an introduction to Stratford-upon-Avon, before we begin today’s activities with a front of house tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s building and theatres. Your Group Leader will then provide you with a city sightseeing pass, which allows you to visit the famous properties associated with the Great Bard, William Shakespeare. You are then free to explore at your own pace.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Free time, perhaps to continue your independent exploration.

Dinner: Served at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s rooftop restaurant.

Evening: Enjoy a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s theatre. Performance details will be available in your second set of preparatory materials.

Day 6

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Alveston Manor

The Cotswolds

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Today’s field trip takes us by motor coach into to the picturesque Cotswolds countryside. Board the motor coach and set off to explore the quintessentially English villages of Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway and Chipping Campden. Noted for its elegant High Street dating back to the 14th Century, Chipping Campden is lined with traditional Cotswold honey coloured limestone buildings housing some delightful specialist shops and inns. At its centre stands the 17th Century Market Hall, the grand early wool church St. James and a vast and extravagant monument to local wealthy silk merchant Sir Baptist Hicks.

Lunch: Served in a traditional inn.

Afternoon: We continue our exploration of the Cotswolds before returning to the hotel.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time.

Day 7

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Quay Hotel and Spa

Transfer to Deganwy: Chester & Its Grand Cathedral

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We transfer by motor coach to our next base, Deganwy. Perched at the mouth of the River Conwy, it sits across the bay from Conwy itself - an historic walled market town on the north coast of Wales. On the way we will visit the ancient city of Chester, where we will meet a local expert to take a walk through 2,000 years of history. Originally a Roman fortress and settlement known as Deva Victrix, we’ll see how Chester has grown and evolved from these foundations into a fully walled city before finishing at the spectacular Chester Cathedral.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Our transfer to Conwy continues.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 8

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Quay Hotel and Spa

Conwy Castle & Town

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: This morning your Study Leader will give you a potted history of Wales, telling you everything you’ll need to know about this fascinating and ancient country. We will then board the motor coach to explore Conwy Castle – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and the city walls. Conwy Castle sits above the town, and still dominates the skyline with its rugged stone and imposing fortifications. It was originally built by Edward I as part of his “iron ring” of castles in an attempt to contain the rebellious Welsh, and furthermore to provoke a humbling reaction – something it still manages to do to this day. We’ll follow this with a walk of Conwy’s ancient circuit of walls, guarded by no fewer than 22 towers and stretching over three quarters of a mile in length.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Your Study Leader will lead you through some more highlights of this city and orientate you to its many and varied attractions, followed by free time.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Wales is famous for its mellifluous music, and this evening you will be able to experience this with a traditional Welsh musical performance.

Day 9

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Quay Hotel and Spa

Snowdonia National Park

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: We board the motor coach for a full day expert-led excursion into Snowdonia National Park. Spanning over 800 square miles, it was the first of three National Parks in Wales, officially inaugurated in 1951. Snowdonia boasts, amongst other things, the largest mountain in Wales, the largest natural lake in Wales and a wealth of charming villages. The area is rich in culture and history and more than half of its participants speak Welsh.

Lunch: Taken out in a village in the Snowdonia National Park.

Afternoon: The field trip continues through landscapes of stunning natural beauty.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time.

Day 10

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Castle Inn Hotel

Transfer to The Lake District: The City of Liverpool

Breakfast: Full Welsh and continental breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: This morning we transfer by motor coach to the Lake District, via the city of Liverpool. Home to the Beatles, the world famous Liverpool Football Club and the bustling Albert Docks, Liverpool was once one of the busiest port cities in the world. Known for its rich architectural heritage, it is home to many buildings regarded as amongst the greatest examples of their respective styles in the world and several areas of the city centre were granted World Heritage Status in 2004. We will stop at Albert Dock, constructed in 1846 and today comprising the single largest collection of Grade I listed building anywhere in Britain. The dock houses restaurants, bars and shops as well as the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum and a museum dedicated to The Beatles. Art lovers may wish to visit Tate Liverpool, which houses a large collection of modern and contemporary greats.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: The transfer to the Lake District continues, followed by an illustrated talk and Q&A session with your Study Leader for this section of the programme.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time, or join your Study Leader for an optional walk of the local area.

Day 11

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Castle Inn Hotel

Castle Cottage & Beatrix Potter’s Lake District

Keswick  B  Castle Inn Hotel

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: A unique opportunity to hear and learn about the real Beatrix Potter as we board the motor coach and travel to the village of Sawrey. Here the new tenant of Castle Cottage, Beatrix Potter’s former home and now a National Trust property, will show us around the cottage, the garden and the historic barns before treating us to tea and coffee, served with traditional Lake District treats. Following this we will take a gentle walk through Sawrey and on to Hill Top Garden, a beguiling space full of flowers, fruits and vegetables before exploring the village of Hawkshead – home to a young William Wordsworth during his schooldays.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Enjoy a different perspective on the Lakes as you take a steamer ride from Lakeside to Ambleside, with an opportunity to visit ancient Castle Rigg stone circle along the way.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: Free time.

Day 12

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Castle Inn Hotel

Bowness-on-Windermere, Coniston & Brantwood

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Once aboard the motor coach, we’ll take a scenic lakeside drive to Bowness-on-Windermere and the Arts & Crafts style Blackwell House. Here we will receive an introductory talk from a local docent before exploring the many fine pieces on display.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: This afternoon we travel by launch across the picturesque and serene Coniston Water, to pay a visit to Brantwood House & Gardens. Home to the great Victorian and man of letters John Ruskin, it is one of the most beautifully situated houses in the Lake District. The house itself is both a treasure trove of historical importance and a lively centre of contemporary arts and the environment. Displays and activities in the house, gardens and estate reflect the wealth of cultural associations with Ruskin’s legacy – from the Pre-Raphaelites and Arts & Crafts movement to the founding of the National Trust and the Welfare State. We’ll return to the hotel via the Langdales, a pair of valleys dramatically cut through the very heart of the Lake District.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time.

Day 13

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport

Transfer to Manchester: Kirkstone Pass & Holker Hall

Breakfast: In the hotel.

Morning: Today we transfer by motor coach to our final destination, Manchester, via the dramatic Kirkstone Pass – the highest pass open to motor traffic in the Lake Distrct home to some truly spectacular views. As we travel onwards we’ll stop at 16th Century Holker Hall and Gardens, contemporaneously described as “the grandest building of its date in Lancashire, by the best architects living in the country”. We’ll have time to explore the house, as well as the gardens which seem to merge into the very hills themselves.

Lunch: Taken at Holker Hall.

Afternoon: The transfer to Manchester continues.

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: Free time to pack and say farewell to your new found friends.

Day 14

Meals: Breakfast

Program Concludes

Breakfast: In the hotel. Some participants may depart prior to breakfast.

Morning: Transfer by Shuttle Bus to Manchester Airport (MAN) for onward flights. Your Group Leader will assist you in making arrangements. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!