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England/Wales

The Best of England and Wales: Shakespeare to Snowdonia, Castles to Colleges

Program No. 21454RJ
Enjoy a comprehensive exploration of England and Wales as you discover the spires of Oxford, mountains of Snowdonia, cobbled streets of Windsor, Conwy Castle and much, much more.
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Small Group
Length
14 days
Rating (4.93)
Activity Level
Starts at
5,399
Flights start at
1,050

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
14 days
13 nights
What's Included
25 meals ( 12B, 4L, 9D )
4 expert-led lectures
18 expert-led field trips
2 performances
An experienced Group Leader
12 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel Check In available from 3pm.
Lunch:
A light lunch at the hotel for those arriving by lunchtime.
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:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure to unpack, relax and prepare for the program ahead. Elective: Our Group Leader will lead an orientation walk for those of us who wish to explore Windsor this evening.
Activity Note
Walk to Windsor Castle, approximately 400 feet. Standing and walking around Windsor Castle grounds and buildings. Some steps and uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll begin our 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 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. The castle offers excellent viewpoints for 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. This block of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. Our 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:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 100 miles with a duration of 3 hours. Walking in Oxford on paved sidewalks and some uneven terrain in gardens and universities. Steps in university buildings.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board a motorcoach for our transfer to Stratford-upon-Avon, with a visit en-route to Oxford – the city of “dreaming spires”. Our local expert will meet us for morning tea in central Oxford, and will lead us in exploring this fascinating city on foot. We will see such sights as the Radcliffe Camera, the Clarendon Building, the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bridge of Sighs, discovering the contrasts of the Classical and Gothic architecture in discussion with our expert as we walk.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
This afternoon we visit Christ Church, one of Oxford’s most famous, and indeed most traditional colleges. We’ll 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 by motorcoach to Stratford-upon-Avon, and check in to our hotel upon arrival.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off local transport for visits to houses connected with Shakespeare. Walking up to 2 hours and standing in houses, some stairs in houses.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
At the hotel we’ll enjoy an introduction to Stratford-upon-Avon, and our Group Leader will provide us with city sightseeing passes which allow us 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:
The afternoon begins with free time to continue independent exploration. Our Group Leader will advise when We’ll reconvene to begin a walk to the Royal Shakespeare Company’s building and theatres, where we’ll enjoy an expert-led visit, subject to the theatre's schedule and rehearsals.
Dinner:
Served at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s rooftop restaurant.
Evening:
This evening we’ll enjoy a theatre performance. The performance will be confirmed in your second set of materials.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 45 miles, 1.5 hours. Walking and standing up to 2 hours during field trip to Cotswold villages and towns.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Today’s field trip takes us into the picturesque Cotswolds countryside. We’ll board the motorcoach 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'll continue our exploration of the Cotswolds before returning to the hotel.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 200 miles, 4 hours total. Walking around city on paved sidewalks for approximately 2 hours. Visit to Cathedral may involve uneven surfaces and some steps.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We'll transfer by motor coach to our next base, Betws-y-Coed. 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:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Free time.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 35 miles, 1.5 hours. Walking around Castle grounds with uneven terrain and worn steps.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning our Study Leader will give us a potted history of Wales, telling us everything we’ll need to know about this fascinating and ancient country. We will then board the motorcoach for a field trip with our study leader to Conwy Castle – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and a walk along the town 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. Conwy’s ancient circuit of walls, guarded by no fewer than 22 towers, stretches over three quarters of a mile in length.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
Our Study Leader will lead us on foot through some more highlights of this market town, including a Tudor townhouse, and orientate us to its many and varied attractions. This is followed by free time for independent exploration.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Wales is famous for its mellifluous music, and this evening we will be able to experience this with a traditional Welsh musical performance at the hotel.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 55 miles. 2 hours. Getting on/off train. Walking about 2 miles, periods of standing; paved streets.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board the motorcoach for a full day expert-led field trip through 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 residents speak Welsh. Slate quarrying was one of the most common occupations in the area during the Industrial Revolution, and the landscape bears testament to this history today.
Lunch:
Taken out in a village in the Snowdonia National Park.
Afternoon:
Our field trip continues through landscapes of stunning natural beauty. We’ll take the motorcoach to Blaenau Ffestiniog to begin a journey on the world’s oldest narrow-gauge railway, originally used to transport slate from the quarries to the coast, in carriages drawn by a historic steam locomotive. This train will take us along a scenic winding route through the National Park to Porthmadog, where we’ll rejoin the motorcoach for our journey back to our hotel.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 195 miles, 4.5 hours. Walking on paved terrain around Liverpool Docks. Standing in museums.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning we'll transfer by motorcoach 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 buildings 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:
We’ll complete our transfer to the Lake District. After checking in to the hotel, our Study Leader will lead a walk through the local area.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
After dinner, we’ll gather for an illustrated talk and Q&A session with our Study Leader for this section of the programme.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 65 mile, 2 hours. Getting on/off steamer for Lake cruise. Some walking and standing in town centre on paved terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We'll travel to Grasmere, with an opportunity to visit ancient Castlerigg stone circle along the way. We’ll then visit the Wordsworth Museum and have a tour of the charming Dove Cottage, which was home to the innovative poet William Wordsworth.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
This afternoon we'll see the Lakes from a different perspective as we take a cruise from Ambleside to Bowness. We’ll then return to the hotel via the dramatic Kirkstone Pass – the highest pass open to motor traffic in the Lake District, home to some truly spectacular views.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach. Approximately 60 miles, 2.5 hours. Walking and standing in museums, gardens with uneven terrain. Some stairs in houses.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Once aboard the motorcoach, 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:
At a local café.
Afternoon:
This afternoon we'll 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:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off coach. Approximately 130 miles, 3 hours. Walking around historic house with steps and uneven terrain in the gardens and at the farm.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Today we'll transfer by motorcoach to our final destination, Manchester via Lakeland Farm Visitor Centre – a unique farm experience where we’ll learn more about the beautiful landscape and animals seen in The Lake District. 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:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
The transfer to Manchester continues.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure to pack and say farewell to your new found friends.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. Some participants may depart prior to breakfast.
Morning:
Transfer 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!
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