Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2017 today on 01334 657155 Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2017 7 “Pauline our Tour Manager was a wee star, her personality and knowledge

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2017

Call today on 01334 657155 Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 20172

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Full Financial Protection

About us

All our holidays are fully bonded and protected. The air holiday packages in this brochure are ATOL Protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 4498. ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services in this brochure. Holidays without flights are protected by ABTOT. This means that in the unlikely event of our insolvency, your holiday would be completed or refunded.

Brightwater Holidays has been based in Fife’s county town of Cupar for the last 25 years. In that time, we have made it our mission to provide quality garden and special interest tours to individuals, private clubs and societies up and down the country. Helping our guests to expand their horizons and fulfil their travel dreams is both our focus and our privilege — if there’s a garden or archaeological site you’ve always wanted to see, we’d love to help you see it. From the northern tip of Scotland to the southern reaches of Cornwall, the villas of Italy to the temples of Japan, you can discover it all on a Brightwater Holidays tour.

If you have any questions about any of our tours, get in touch by giving us a call on 01334 657155, or visiting us at www.brightwaterholidays.com

Welcome to Brightwater Holidays

As the flora and fauna around us begin to prepare for a long winter’s sleep, it seems as if the whole world is slowing down for the season ahead… But, for better or worse, that couldn’t be further from the case at our office in Cupar! We’ve been busily working away, preparing our main 2017 brochure, chock full of new departures and old favourites.

Our programme for next year sees expeditions to exciting European cities on the horizon — get to know the colourful Arts & Gardens of Barcelona; or take an extra special trip to the Berlin International Garden Exhibition, and find yourself at the cutting edge of urban gardening. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with taking a look back, either — allow the Gardens of India to transport you to a world of grandeur and rich cultural history: with visits to 18th century royal gardens, 17th century marble mausolea, and striking 16th century forts forged of rust-coloured stone.

Whether it’s the brand new or the beloved; classic or up-and-coming that piques your interest for next year’s holiday, we hope you’ll find it as you peruse these pages. We look forward to you joining us!


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Please rest assured that Brightwater Holidays have a no currency surcharge guarantee. No matter how the Euro (€) or the Dollar ($) change, the price you book is the price you pay.

Our ‘No Surcharge’ Guarantee


Overseas GardenTours

Holiday Choices

UK and IrishGardens Tours

Spring in the Dutch Bulbfields

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Gardens of the French Riviera

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Gardens of Normandy

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Gardens of the Loire 18

The Genius of Monet 18

Naples & Gardens of the Amalfi Coast

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Palladian Villas of Veneto

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Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes

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Rome, Ninfa & Castel Gandolfo

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Gardens of Florence & Tuscany

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Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia

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Galicia’s Camellia Route

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Patios of Córdoba 25

Arts & Gardens of Barcelona

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Madeira at its Best 26

Alpine Flowers of Wengen

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Berlin International Garden Exhibition

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Marrakech & the Flowers of the Atlas

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Gardens & Wildflowers of South Africa’s Western Cape

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Gardens of India 30

Sri Lanka: Pearl of the Indian Ocean

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Seasonal Gardens of Japan

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Yunnan: Footsteps of the Plant Hunters

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Chile: A Botanical Adventure

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The Gardens of Costa Rica

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Japanese Gardens & the Art of Bonsai

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WAFA: Barbados 35

Highgrove & the Cotswolds

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Tresco’s Abbey Gardens

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RHS Chatsworth Show & Gardens of Derbyshire

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RHS Chelsea Flower Show

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RHS Chelsea Flower Show & Classic English Gardens

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Cornwall’s Spring Flower Show

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Gardens of Cheshire & RHS Tatton Park Flower Show

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Private Gardens of Guernsey & Sark

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Private Gardens of East Anglia

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Private Gardens of Dorset & Somerset

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Private Gardens of Hampshire

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Private Gardens of Caithness & Sutherland

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The Best of Angus Private Gardens

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Arts & Gardens in Cornwall

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Gardens of Devon & Cornwall

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Gardens of Kent & Sussex

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Highland & Island Gardens

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The Legacy of Gertude Jekyll

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Gardens of Surrey & Hampshire

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Landscape Gardens of Capability Brown

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Gardens of Herefordshire

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Treasures of Norfolk 52Durham Arts & Gardens

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Gardens of the Lake District

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Gardens of West Wales

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Gardens of North Wales

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Castles & Gardens of North Wales

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5Call today on 01334 657155 Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2017

Archaeology Tours

Brightwater Holidays has close ties with many of the most prestigious horticultural and conservation societies in the UK. These include the RHS, NGS, the National Trust for Scotland, NADFAS and Scotland’s Gardens. Look out for the RHS logo in this brochure for details of our RHS-affiliated tours.

Scenic Scottish Tours

Prestigious Partnerships

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides

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A Grand Tours of the Inner Hebrides

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In the Footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie

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Orkney & Shetland Highlights

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Scottish Transport Heritage

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Scenic Scottish Railways

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A Classic Scottish Steam Break

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Arran: Scotland in Miniature

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Mull, Staffa & Iona 69

Islay & Jura 70

Isle of Barra 71

Skye & Raasay 72

Handa & the Summer Isles

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Shetland & its Outer Isles

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Undiscovered Orkney

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An Archaeologist’s View of Orkney & Shetland

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Up Helly Aa 82

Archaeology of Denmark & Sweden

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The Best of Norway 84

Malta’s Archaeological Heritage

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Portuguese Archaeology

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Sardinian Archaeology

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Albanian Archaeology

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Bulgarian Archaeology

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Crete 88

Classical Rome 88

The Staffordshire Hoard & Richard III

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Lord of the Glens Cruises

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St Kilda: Voyage to the Edge of the World

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Ancient Stones of the Outer Hebrides

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Scotland’s Extreme North-West

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Scotland’s Northern Edge

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A Celebration of Scottish Architecture

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UK and IrishGardens Tours

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

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Dumfries & Galloway 56Gardens of Royal Deeside

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Gardens of the Far North

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Wildflowers of the Hebrides

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Southern Ireland Gems

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Gardens of the North of Ireland

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We don’t arrange average garden tours.To walk with the owner of a private garden that has opened especially for our party and hear the secrets and stories of their garden; perhaps have tea on the lawn, or see inside their potting shed, is often the norm on a Brightwater Holiday. And what a thrill it is to be able to buy rare and unusual plants for your own garden from a specialist nursery!

Great tours don’t have to break the bank. Starting from just £295, we have holidays to suit every budget. Accommodation, travel, and experienced tour managers are included as standard. And with passionate travel enthusiasts and expert horticulturists amongst our extensive contacts list – you can rest assured that you’ll be enjoying the most creative and enjoyable itineraries available.

Brightwater Holidays has been creating quality garden and special interest tours from our base in Fife’s county town of Cupar for the last 25 years. We may travel across the world on our tours, but if we’re honest, our hearts will always belong to Scotland... and there isn’t much we don’t know about this multi-layered land. From the Extreme North-West to Orkney and Shetland, we see it all.

Whether on land or on sea, we stay at a stunning selection of hotels, eco lodges, cruise ships and more on our tours. Our hard-working Operations Team do their utmost each year to source the most comfortable and central accommodation, so that you can get the most our of your holiday. Breakfast is included as standard across our tours, while some include lunch and dinners too.

To go on a Brightwater Holiday is to join a group of like-minded, mature adults with enquiring minds, who are all looking for that bit more from a holiday package. You can be as sociable as you like on tour — over the years, many of our guests have told us that not only did they bring home wonderful memories of the gardens and landscapes they’d seen; they have also made lasting friendships.

If you still have an unanswered questions, get in touch with us! Our reservations team is always happy to answer any questions or queries; and if they don’t know, they’ll find out and call you straight back.

Call: 01334 657155 Email: [email protected]

Beautiful gardens, expert guides, and scenic drives: that’s what a Brightwater Holiday is made of. But of course, there’s much more to it than that. Our holidays are all well-planned and well-paced, often with a unique twist or a theme. Whether you are enchanted by the home-grown flora of the Highlands, or more exotic varieties across the pond, we have the garden holiday for you.

You could spend weeks organising the perfect tour. There’s the transport to arrange, hotels to book, dinners to reserve, visits to decide on, and more. Then again, you could always leave that work to us instead. Holiday planning shouldn’t be stressful — so sit back and relax. Pack your bags, grab your camera and wait for your perfect holiday to begin. We’ll take care of the rest.

Arriving at the starting point of a tour is never going to be a one-size-fits-all affair. Every year, we welcome guests from all corners of the UK, and much farther-reaching destinations too. On our tour pages, you’ll find information about the travel that’s included as standard on our tours. If you’d like us to arrange something different, that’s fine — just get in touch, we’re ready to help!

What can you expect from a Brightwater Holiday?

A Huge Range Of Tours

Special Garden Visits

Stellar Accommodation

Leave Everything To Us

Excellent Value

Like Minded Groups

Travel To Suit You

Scottish Expertise

Any questions?


“Pauline our Tour Manager was a wee star, her personality and knowledge make the Highlands come alive.”

“First visit to Arran – 10th trip with BW. Lovely holiday, wonderful terrain, wildflowers and birds. Enjoyment enhanced by enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide.”

“I was also lucky in being with a friendly group of people so it didn’t matter at all that I was travelling alone.”

“We would do it all over again, it was excellent. Our guide made the whole trip a treat!”


Departure Points

Nowadays most regional airports offer a very good range of domestic flights using the low-cost airlines. If, for example, you would like to participate in one of our Scottish tours and you live in the south of England or vice versa, do ask us to quote for connecting travel, either by air or rail. Remember — it’s your holiday, so why not treat yourself to a first class upgrade?

Pick-up points and approximate departure times for every holiday are detailed in our full day-by-day itineraries, available on request by contacting our office on 01334 657155 or by download from our website www.brightwaterholidays.com

As a guideline — tours heading west from London commence in central London (Westminster) and pick up in Reading, Swindon and Bristol.

Tours heading north from London commence in central London (Westminster) and usually pick up in Luton (Parkway), Northampton and Birmingham.

All Eurostar holidays commence at London St Pancras.

Scottish Holidays pick up from Dundee, Perth, Kinross, Dunfermline, Edinburgh (Marriott Hotel) and Glasgow. Occasionally Montrose, Arbroath and Aberdeen are available depending on coach routing — check with our Reservations Department or ask for the detailed day-by-day itinerary.

Some of our passengers prefer to make their own way to meet our group at the first visit on the tour or at the hotel itself. Alternatively, ask our resourceful office staff to help with your transport arrangements. The RHS Flower Shows of Chelsea, Tatton Park and Malvern offer self-drive options. Please ask for details.

If the transfer to your chosen pick-up point is tight on time, why not consider adding an extra night either before or after your holiday? From as little as £45pp we can offer bed and breakfast accommodation in hotels convenient to all our departure points — why not ask us to arrange this on your behalf?

For international departures, we again offer competitive rates at most airport hotels, as well as discounted car parking. If you are going on one of our far-away tours, it may be the holiday of a lifetime, so why not push the boat out and consider an upgraded air fare, giving better legroom on those long overnight flights? Sometimes it is not an expensive supplement and well worth the extra comfort.

Whatever your reasoning for wanting to extend your stay either pre- or post- tour — whether for practicality or pleasure — and whether you’re as close as Cornwall or as far as Costa Rica, we’re always happy to help.

Start your holiday a day early or extend your stay

Something for Granny’s birthday or Dad’s Christmas? Are you looking to treat a special relative to a contribution towards a holiday? Look no further.

We at Brightwater Holidays have just the thing for you. Our Gift Vouchers come in denominations of either £50.00 or £100.00 and can be used against any of our holiday packages.

Gift Vouchers



January

April

February

May

March

June

Chile: A Botanical AdventureBordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes to the east, this so-called ‘bio-geographical island’ is home to a bounty of native species, from jewel-bright hummingbirds to diminutive cacti.

Find out more on page 32

Spring in the Dutch Bulbfields

Watch the countryside spring to life in a riot of bountiful bulbs. You can tiptoe through the tulips, of course, but also dance through the daffodils and hop through the hyacinths, should the mood take you...


Gardens of Costa Rica Discover an extraordinary wealth of animal and plant life in colourful Costa Rica. This rich coast — as it aptly translates in English —is famed for its biodiversity, its magnificent landscape, and its botanical gardens.


Villas & Gardens of The Italian Lakes

It feels rather too easy to make yourself at home in the spectacular villas of the Italian lakes, where a combination of picture-perfect scenery and a balmy climate make for laid-back luxury.


Seasonal Gardens of Japan To take a Far East foray in the spring is to see Japan’s gardens at their most spectacular — in cherry blossom, or ‘sakura’ season. Year-round, their exquisite architecture and landscapes are a wonder to behold.


WAFA: Barbados

In Barbados, we’re quite certain that we’ve found the coast with the most: white-sand beaches, waving palms, and sparkling sea. Join us there for the annual WAFA show, and discover a world of floral artistry in sheer paradise.


Where to go in...It surely goes without saying that we’re extremely proud of all our tours, but every once in a while one comes along that we think deserves a special mention. With that in mind, we’ve picked our favourite standout tours from each month to help you decide where to head next...


July

October

August

November

September

2018

Archaeology of Denmark & SwedenThere’s no better time than summertime to discover Scandinavia — these are the lands of the midnight sun, after all. Join us on the trail of Vikings, a journey which takes us from ancient trading post to modern city. Find out more on page 83

Yunnan: Footsteps of the Plant Hunters

The spirit of adventure is strong in October as we trace the tracks of intrepid Scottish botanist George Forrest. From snow-capped mountains to subtropical basins, we drink it all in on our voyage of discovery.Find out more on page 32

A Grand Tour of the Outer HebridesThe remote Outer Hebrides prove that there is ample adventure to be had at home, as well as away. Sea-bound castles, ancient Norse sites and more lie in wait on Scotland’s wild Western Isles...



As days begin to cool and shorten here in the UK, we’ll be taking the opportunity to discover balmy Malta. Complex temple sites meet sparkling seas on this tour to chase away the winter blues.Find out more on page 85

Arts & Gardens in CornwallAs autumn makes its slow approach, and we admire wonderful works and gardens in their late-summer finery, it becomes clear why Cornwall still serves as an inspiration to countless artists.


Up Helly Aa

Celebrate the turning over of the year and the coming of spring in sleepy Lerwick. Well...sleepy the rest of the year, anyway. Every January, Up Helly Aa rolls into town, bringing with it hordes of fearsome Vikings and jubilant song.


Brightwater Tours

We have a thrilling selection of tours to tempt you with in 2017, both at home and abroad. We work hard to arrange the innovative and the special, making it easy to visit that garden, antiquity or island you’ve always wanted to see. From the soaring cypresses of the Amalfi Coast and timeless landscape of the Loire Valley to the regal households and luxurious gardens of infamous queens, via the restored majesty of refurbished castles and stately homes — we can’t wait to share all this, and so much more, with you in 2017. All you have to do is sat back, relax, and browse through a selection of wonderful holidays we’re sure you are going to love. We’ll see you in 2017!



OverseasGarden Tours

If nothing else, organising overseas garden tours is an exercise in admiring life’s rich tapestry. The tropical rainforests of Costa Rica, the emerald alpine peaks of Switzerland, the geometric majesty of the Dutch bulbfields...we offer you the opportunity to see them all.

Each departure brings with it new gardens to discover and rare indigenous species to admire. But what really stands out in each of our destinations is the snapshots of experience they offer.

Picture yourself walking among drifts of palest pink cherry blossom in Japan’s hushed seasonal gardens; falling asleep to the calls of monkeys or catching a shadowy glimpse of a leopard at an eco-lodge in Sri Lanka... however otherworldly it seems, it’s all possible.



What’s included

Please note: Depending on departure date, flights/Eurostar from London are included. Alternative packages are also available on request.

• 3 nights at the 4* Hotel NH Noordwijk Conference Centre, Leeuwenhorst – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Keukenhof Gardens, Het

Loo Palace, Kröller Müller Museum, and the Rijksmuseum

• Services of a professional tour manager

Rijksmuseum

Spring in the Dutch BulbfieldsFrom canal-side cafés to historic windmills, artistic masterpieces to ground-breaking architecture — Holland has a lot going for it, and we haven’t even mentioned the tulips yet. We can’t think of a better way to spend the Spring than touring this enchanting land.

Join us as we travel through attractive towns and historic cities. The capital city of Amsterdam is ripe for rambling: with its compact core, intimate lanes and iconic canals, which we have the option of enjoying during an atmospheric evening cruise.

We view the wonderful artworks inspired by Holland’s captivating landscape at the Rijksmuseum. Discover iconic works of world-famous Old Masters – including Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals – across an expansive collection of art and history. We also visit the Kröller-Müller Museum, with its unique combination of nature, art and architecture.

The most important thing about spring in Holland is, of course, flowers, flowers, flowers. Two-thirds of the region has been set aside for agriculture; and the floral displays we encounter on our tour highlight the wondrous choice that is.

The world-famous Keukenhof is home to over 7 million bulbs which are planted here annually. Cast your eyes across an endless display of different tulip, daffodil and hyacinth varieties. Then there are the grand gardens of Het Loo Palace, quite rightly recognised as one of Europe’s finest formal gardens. This late Dutch imagining of an Italian-French garden dates back to the first quarter of the 17th century.

3 nights from £595Single room supplement £165

Departures

7 April, 2017 (by coach/Eurostar)28 April, 2017 (by air)Please note: we also have overnight travel options available for those who prefer not to fly on 28th April, 2017

Grand Gardens of Het Loo Palace

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Keukenhof


What’s included

Please note: Return flights from London are included in the price of the holiday. Alternative packages are also available on request.

• 5 nights at the 4* Hotel Le Grimaldi, Nice – bed & breakfast

• First night dinner & welcome drink• Return flights: London to Nice• Visits to the gardens of Clos du

Peyronnet, Fondation Ephrussi de Rothschild, Exotic Gardens of Monte Carlo, and Villa Thuret


Colourful flowers in Monaco

Gardens of the French RivieraWinding cliff-top roads, bronzed beaches, and lyrical landscapes featuring fields of lavender, maquis-cloaked hills and ancient olive groves... As sun-kissed playgrounds go, the French Riviera is still up there with the very best.

Ephrussi de Rothschild, while a short hop over the border to Italy finds us at the incomparable Hanbury Gardens – arguably the greatest of all the Riviera gardens. We also visit the gardens of Villa Thuret at Cap d’Antibes, Serre de la Madone in Menton, the exotic cactus gardens of Monte Carlo and the tranquil private gardens of La Mouissone.

In February, our tour includes a day at the Lemon Festival in Menton, where dazzling displays of citrus fruit provide a wonderful winter tonic. In May, this is replaced with a visit to the International Rose Festival in Grasse, full of fragrance and colour, while in September we visit the elaborate gardens of Villa Noailles.

With elegant gardens, dazzling azure skies and a stunning coastline, it isn’t surprising that a generation of artists was inspired by the French Riviera. Over a century on, it still has that same glamorous allure that was captured on canvas. Join us as we explore some of the finest gardens created for the rich and famous, notably the Rothschilds.

Find yourself in South Africa, realised in Southern France at Clos du Peyronnet in Menton. We have an exclusive tour with the owner, whose passion for exotic plants is reflected in the colour and variety of this fascinating garden. At St Jean Cap Ferrat we visit the exquisite gardens of the Fondation

5 nights from £1,195Single room supplement £325

Departures

23 February, 2017 4 May, 20174 September, 2017

Menton Lemon Festival

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What’s included

Please note: Coach travels from London via Eurostar is included in the price of the holiday. Flight packages also available on request.

• 4 nights at the 4* Hotel Mercure Champs de Mars, Rouen – bed & breakfast

• First night dinner & welcome drink• Return Eurotunnel: Folkestone-Calais• Visits to Le Bois de Moutiers,

Château de Miromesnil, Château de Bosmelet, and Monet’s garden


Château de Miromesnil

Gardens of NormandyWith its tranquil setting on the River Seine, Rouen is the perfect base for a holiday in Normandy — a region which is home to a broad range of disparate and beautiful gardens. There is great variety among the gardens here — ancient, modern and Monet’s.

Le Vasterival, a magnificent garden in a natural style created in 1957 by Princess Sturdza. Then there are the château gardens dating from the reign of Louis XIII: the Château de Miromesnil and the Château de Bosemelet. Both feature stunning potagers, with beds of vegetables of every description, offset by colourful annual flowers.

Three vibrant gardens round off our holiday: the impressive rose garden, Jardin d’Angélique; the experimental Jardin Agapanthe, created by a landscape architect with a passion for antiques; and the contemporary style Jardin Plume, which is characterised by its generous use of grasses and perennials.

If it were not for Monet, Giverny could easily have remained just another charming French commune – but as soon as he committed brush to canvas he created an iconic village that continues to dazzle to this day. The gardens Monet designed here, ablaze with flowers and colours, would become his favourite subject. Join us and view the gardens in all their glory.

Of course, Monet’s legacy isn’t the only exquisite feature of Normandy’s floral landscape. One of the best known gardens is Le Bois de Moutiers. In part influenced by Gertrude Jekyll, it features white valerian, iceberg roses and white irises. Nearby, we explore


Departures

12 May, 201731 August, 2017

Le Bois des Moutiers

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Monet Lilly Pond


Departures What’s included

What’s included

Eurostar travel included in the price. Alternative packages on request.

• 3 nights at the Château de Montvillargenne, Chantilly – dinner with wine, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Orangerie Museum and Monet’s Garden

• Entrance to the Château de Chantilly


Departures

19 May, 201714 July, 20173 nights from £695 Single room supplement £180

Just as the gardens at Giverny inspired Monet, who spent half his life nurturing and enjoying them, so they continue to enthral countless visitors 90 years after his death.

water lilies. Poppies, lupins, delphiniums and peonies have created an intoxicating atmosphere of abundant colour and luxuriant growth. No wonder Monet found so much inspiration here.

With so much here to remind us of his breath-taking works, it is only right that we also visit Paris’ Orangerie Museum during our tour. The perfect complement to Giverny, the centrepiece is Monet’s stunning series of murals, Les Nymphéas — a moving testament to the genius of a painter at the height of his powers. Art lovers and garden enthusiasts alike will feel at home on this tour.

While not everyone has visited the gardens at Giverny, they will almost certainly be familiar, thanks to one man in particular – the inimitable impressionist Claude Monet.

Giverny’s lovingly restored gardens offer a vivid impression of Monet’s favourite subjects. Cross Japanese bridges festooned with wisteria, and pass the draped fronds of willow which frame his iconic water lilies. A visit here is a surreal experience — art brought to life right before your eyes, beckoning you in to take a closer look. Of course, there’s more to this garden than just

The Genius of Monet

Monet

Eurostar travel included in the price. Alternative packages on request.

• 6 nights: 3 at the 4* Hôtel Oceania L’Univers, Tours & 3 at the 4* Hôtel de France, Angers – bed & breakfast

• Visits to a number of gorgeous château gardens, and the private Jardin du Plessis Sasnières

• Services of a professional tour manager6 nights from £1,375

Single room supplement £330

9 June, 2017

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Travelling through the tranquil and timeless landscape of the Loire Valley, one magnificent château after another appears before you, each apparently striving to outdo the last...

down to enjoy afternoon tea with the owner herself.

As well as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety, the Loire Valley is also celebrated for its outstanding wines. Sample some of the wonderful wines at the Château de Valmer, following a tour of their gardens. As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one trip, we also attend the prestigious International Garden Festival at Chaumont, where young landscape architects present a range of imaginative and thought-provoking gardens.

French splendour has never been quite as splendid as we find it in the Loire Valley. Kings, queens, dukes and some more negligible nobility have left a legacy of sumptuous pleasure palaces in their wake – with gorgeous grounds to tempt our gardener spirits.

Join us to tour some of the most notable gardens of Angers. From the immaculately maintained terraces of Château de Villandry; to the intimate but well-stocked Jardin du Petit-Bordeaux; and the charming private garden of Plessis-Sasnières, where we will sit

Gardens of the Loire

Villandry Castle & Gardens


What’s included


• 6 nights: 3 at Hotel Graal, Ravello & 3 at hotel Santa Lucia, Naples – bed & breakfast

• First night dinner & welcome drink• Return flights: London to Naples• Visits to the gardens of Villa Rufolo,

Villa Cimbrone and La Mortella; the Palace of La Caserta


Villa Rufolo Gardens

Naples & the Gardens of the Amalfi CoastSouthern Italy has a beautifully warm climate combined with a rich and fertile soil, ideally suited to olives, oranges and lemons... and a wide range of tender exotics.

visit to this exquisite garden is simply a wonderful day well spent.

Moving on to the pulsating port of Naples itself, we enjoy a tour of the historic botanical gardens; view Caravaggio’s great painting at the church Pio Monte della Misericordia; and make time to wet our whistle at a local family-run vineyard. Travelling out to the north of the city, our tour takes a rather regal turn. We spend a full day taking in all that the impressive palace and gardens of La Caserta have to offer. The huge palace, and its grand and impressive gardens, were constructed for the Bourbon Kings of Naples.

From our picture postcard base of Ravello, on the Amalfi coast, we visit the Villas Rufolo and Cimbrone. The classic Amalfi gardens are laid out in terraces where umbrella pines and cypresses shade classical geometric beds filled with modern flowers. The site of Villa Cimbrone on a cliff-top promontory overlooking the sea is beyond compare.

The largest island in the Bay of Naples is Ischia, home to La Mortella. The dazzling garden of lush exotics and tender trees was created by Susana, wife of the composer William Walton. Umbrella pines, groves of ilex and arbutus, Italian cypresses and myrtles thrive here in glorious tranquility — a


Departures

11 April, 201725 September, 2017

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Ravello

La Mortella Garden, Ischia


Departures

What’s included

Statue of Andrea Palladio in Vicenza


• 4 nights at the Hotel Milano in Padua — bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to Venice• Visits to the Scrovegni Chapel and

the Villas Rotonda, Valmarana ai Nani, Barbarigo and Contarini


Giardino Giusti


16 May, 2017

Palladian Villas of VenetoVeneto is one of Italy’s wealthiest regions... reflected in the extravagance of the grand villas and their stunning gardens. Many of the grand villas we visit were designed by Andrea Palladio, one of the most influential individuals in the history of Western architecture.

It’s easy to get lost in the beauty of Villa Barbarigo at Valsanzibio – not least because of the large maze within its gardens, but also thanks to its charming rabbit island. The exceptional Baroque gardens have been described as some of the most entertaining gardens in Italy.

Amongst our visits to the remaining villas, we also enjoy some free time in the beautiful little town of Asolo. “The City of a Hundred Horizons” is famous for its mountain settings. The Medieval walled town has long been favoured by the literary minded amongst us – including Ernest Hemingway and Robert Browning, who dedicated his poem ‘Epilogue To Asolando’ to the rural idyll.

Join us as we discover no fewer than seven glorious villas on tour.

The first on our list is one of the most recognisable buildings of the Renaissance the Palladian Masterpiece, Villa Rotonda. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was designed for elegant entertainment, and is definitely one for art lovers – lavishly decorated with stucco and frescoes. A short walk along a leafy lane takes us to an outstanding architectural and artistic site, the Villa Valmarana. There’s something for everyone here. The surroundings were designed to suit different tastes, ranging from an Italian garden with a dovecote and well, to a pagoda in the woods.

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Villa Barbarigo


What’s included

Departures

Elegant villas and lush gardens perfectly complement the natural landscape of the Northern Italian Lakes. From our bases on the Gulf of Borromeo on Lake Maggiore and at the foot of Lake Como a succession of villas and their gardens are available to us – all set against the breathtaking backdrop of snow-capped mountains and glittering waters.

We begin with a real treat – visiting the private garden of the President of the Italian Camellia Society, home to a remarkable collection of over 500 plants. Nowhere captures the extravagant spirit of the lake-land gardens better than the three Borromean islands we visit: Bella, Pescatori and

Madre. They feature sumptuous terraced gardens, flowered terraces, shaded woodland walks and elegant statuary. Other highlights during our stay on Lake Maggiore include a fascinating specialist plant nursery, Villa Taranto; and the gardens around Locarno, just over the border in Switzerland.

On Lake Como we take a private tour of the Villa Cicogna Mozzoni with its owner. Azaleas and rhododendrons put on a dazzling display at Villa Carlotta; and the manicured garden of Villa Balbianello, impeccably maintained, and an undoubted highlight. In addition we enjoy a free day to relax and shop in Como town, or visit Villa Melzi d’Eril.


• 7 nights: 4 at the 4* Grand Majestic Hotel on Lake Maggiore & 3 at the 4* Hotel Barchetta Excelsior on Lake Como — dinner, bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to Milan• Special visit to the private garden of

the President of the Italian Camellia Society


Steam Boat on Lake Como

Isola Madre


19 April, 20171 May, 201719 June, 201725 September, 2017

The fabulous scenery and warming climate of the northern Italian lakes have attracted eager aristocrats and the wealthy for years. The beguiling beauty of this Mediterranean landscape of colour shows no signs of waning: with its scarlet camellias, pink oleanders and cerulean waters.

Villas and Gardens of the Italian Lakes

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Villa Carlotta


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Departures

9 May, 20176 June, 20175 September, 2017

Ninfa


• 3 nights at the 4* Hotel Michelangelo, Rome — bed & breakfast

• First night welcome drink & dinner• Return flights: London to Rome• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to the gardens of Ninfa, Castel

Gandolfo, Villa d’Este and Villa Lante; guided tour of Viterbo


Castel Gandolfo

Rome, Ninfa & Castel GandolfoOpen by special arrangement, we are delighted to offer not one, but two rare opportunities. Visit the ancient and beautiful gardens of Ninfa, and follow in the footsteps of Popes as we visit the gardens of Castel Gandolfo, the traditional papal residence just outside Rome.

are edged by towering cypresses and wonderful umbrella pines.

At Villa Lante, we discover a study in geometry and symmetry dating back to the 16th century. Its many water features including a huge, balustraded fountain – a superb example of late Renaissance style. Then there are the 16th century gardens at Villa D’Este – romantically overgrown pines, evergreen oaks and cedars greet us. Renowned for their use of water, the garden seems to be full of sparkling spray.

Our hotel sits right at the centre of Rome – the perfect point to enjoy free time, exploring the Eternal City.

The romantic flower-covered ruins at Ninfa, just to the south of Rome, are as close to gardening perfection as you can get. Scented roses, hydrangeas and jasmines curtain the medieval remains of buildings and paths, set beside a crystal-clear river. There are many medieval delights to find on tour, including the walled town of Viterbo, which rivalled Rome itself in its heyday.

Castel Gandolfo is the papal residence to the south of Rome, whose gardens Pope Francis only recently ordered should be opened to the public. The view from the balcony overlooking the Giardino del Belvedere is a sight that will stay long in the memory. Strict geometric parterres

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Gardens of Villa Lante


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Departures

9 May, 201731 August, 2017

Irises blossoming


• 6 nights at a 4* Hotel in Florence — bed & breakfast

• First night welcome drink & dinner• Return flights: London to Florence• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to the gardens of Corsini,

Boboli, Bardini, Gamberaia and Cetinale; Pistoia Innocenti Nursery


Boboli Gardens & Pitti Palace

Gardens of Florence & TuscanyThe Italian heartland of Tuscany represents perhaps the archetypal image of Italy, with its walled towns, hilltop villages, rolling vineyards and, of course, the beauty of Renaissance Florence itself. Stretched along both sides of the River Arno, with a skyline that has inspired countless artists, Florence seems somehow already familiar...

Travelling out into the rolling hills of Tuscany, we visit beautiful Fiesole. Villa Gamberaia is one of the most celebrated Italian gardens here and it’s easy to see why – with box hedges, topiary, yew pillars and stunning flower beds. Back in Florence, we tour a fine nursery with the afternoon at leisure to explore some of the city’s celebrated art galleries and churches, followed by another day in the Tuscan hinterland as we visit the Villa Cetinale and tour a Chianti vineyard.

In the spring we attend the Iris Festival and Villa Medicea di Castello; whilst in September we wander through the Murabilia garden festival, and take in the botanical garden in Lucca.

Exquisite Florence needs little introduction. We begin in the tranquil surroundings of the Giardino Corsini, which is off the main tourist trail and tends to be less crowded. Dating back to 1594, the garden was commissioned by an aristocrat with a passion for botany and later skilfully adorned with statues which make it seem larger than it is.

No visit would be complete without taking in the Boboli Gardens. A superb collection of sculptures sit amongst many fine trees and formal gardens. Ascending the great flight of steps at the Bardini Gardens, we stand upon a belvedere with expansive views over Florence.

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Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore


What’s included

Alhambra


• Services of Michael Gill as tour manager

• 7 nights: 3 at 4* Senator Granada Spa Hotel, 3 at 4* Tryp Macarena Hotel, Seville & 1 at 4* Hotel Maestranza, Ronda – bed & breakfast

• First night welcome drink & dinner• Return flights: London to Málaga • Visits to Alhambra Palace, Great

Mosque and Royal Palaces


Departures

4 April, 201710 May, 201719 September, 2017

Seville

Architecture & Gardens of AndaluciaUnrivalled in Europe for its wealth of history, culture, Moorish architecture and gardens, Andalucia is also set against an unmatched backdrop of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains. Visit classical gardens perfectly complemented by adjoining palaces and churches.

from the Cathedral and the Orange Tree Courtyard that belonged to the old mosque; to the amazing Royal Palaces of the Alcázar; and the Old Jewish Quarter of Santa Cruz. We conclude in the dramatically situated town of Ronda, with visits to the Alameda del Tajo Gardens and the old Palace of the Moorish King, set high on a cliff on the edge of a spectacular gorge.

During our free time, there will be plenty of opportunity to sample ‘tapas’ at a local bar; attend a Flamenco show; or take a gentle cruise along the Guadalquivir river, which once shimmered with gold and silver from the Americas.

More famous for its busy, popular coastline, Andalucia has a wonderful hinterland scattered with exotic palaces and gardens left behind by the Moors, the most famous of which are the Alhambra and the Generalife. On a tree covered slope it commands exceptional views down towards the old city, the Albaicin, and the great snow-fringed mountain range of the Sierra Nevada.

Moving on to Córdoba we visit the Great Mosque, one of the most ancient continuously gardened sites in the world; and the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos with its characteristic terraced pools. In the beautiful city of Seville, we enjoy many wondrous sites:

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Ronda



What’s includedDepartures

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Return flights: London to Seville. Alternative travel on request.

• 4 nights: 2 at Eurostar Regina, Seville & 2 at Hotel Conquistador, Córdoba – bed & breakfast

• Visits to Alcázar, Orange Tree Courtyard, Gardens of Murillo, and patio gardens in Córdoba

• Services of a professional tour manager4 nights from £895


7 May, 2017

Return flights: London to La Coruña. Alternative travel on request.

• 5 nights: 2 in La Coruña, 2 in Santiago de Compostela and 1 in Vigo – bed & breakfast

• Visits to Santiago Cathedral, Castillo de Soutomaior, Oca, Santa Cruz de Rivadulla and León

• Services of Trevor Edwards as tour manager

8 March, 20175 nights from £795Single room supplement £165

Geraniums, carnations and jasmines create a dazzling display of floral colour in the charming Andalusian city of Córdoba – home to the incomparable ‘Fiesta de los Patios’.

the largest Gothic cathedral; and the amazing Alcázar of Seville, the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. We also stop at the Orange Tree Courtyard that belonged to the old Mosque; the Plaza de España; the Maria-Luisa Park; and the Gardens of Murillo.

We leave Córdoba for an afternoon in nearby Carmona, where even more richly decorated patio gardens await our eager eyes. Following a walking tour of the old city, we also visit the intriguing private garden of Moratalla, which has elements of both Neo-Sevillian and French style.

The Festival of the Patios is very much a traditional Spanish affair when locals wander from house to house admiring the astonishing displays. You’re sure to meet those responsible for the displays, as proud owners keep a careful eye on their handiwork. Geraniums fill many terracotta pots, but there are carnations, petunias, ferns, jasmine, and more here too. Discover an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colour and fragrance.

Prior to our visit to Córdoba we will stay in the vibrant and colourful city of Seville, where we visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Seville Cathedral,

Patios of Córdoba

Plaza de España

With a milder, wetter climate than the rest of Spain, the gardens in Galicia have a luxuriant air, accentuated by the fact that many belong to grand country mansions.

Compostela – to Vigo in the south. Along the way, we explore a satisfying selection of splendid gardens. The outstanding Castillo de Soutomaior offers a particularly uplifting sight of one of the garden world’s favourite flowering plants in full bloom.

Our tour will be guided by Trevor Edwards, a well-known, award-winning garden designer, writer and broadcaster. Trevor has designed and managed many interesting private and commercial garden projects in Italy, America, Great Britain and Ireland.

Aside from the obvious benefits of a warmer climate – beautiful camellias happily thrive in Galicia. This is the perfect place to brighten up after a cold winter at home – with a celebration of one of the gardening world’s favourite blooms. In the spring sunshine of March they provide welcome splashes of colour, blooming exuberantly in shades of white, pink and red.

We follow the length of the camellia route, which extends from La Coruña in the north – by way of the historic pilgrimage centre of Santiago de

Galicia’s Camellia Route

Camellia




Return flights: London to Madeira. Alternative travel on request.

• 7 nights at the 5* Pestana Casino Park Hotel including a welcome and farewell dinner – bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Botanical, Palheiro and Monte Palace gardens; half-day levada walk; cable car ride

• Services of João Camacho (Mr Madeira) as tour manager7 nights from £1,095


24 April, 2017

Set in a bright blue sea some 400 miles off the coast of Africa lies the lush, volcanic Portuguese island of Madeira. Enjoy relaxed exploration of this beautiful island in the company of ‘Mr Madeira’ himself.

verdant earth. Orchids, bougainvillaea, lilies, hydrangeas, magnolias, jacarandas and azaleas bloom effortlessly through the year, and delight the eye at every turn. We also visit the splendid Palheiro Gardens. Established over several generations, the gardens are famous for their camellias.

An undoubted highlight of our holiday is afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and home-made pastries at Reid’s Palace Hotel, which has welcomed the rich and famous since it opened in 1891, and is surrounded by its own lush gardens.

Just 36 miles long and 14 miles wide, Madeira is an island of outstanding natural beauty. We are delighted to offer a comprehensive tour escorted by local Funchal man, João Camacho, who takes great pride in showing the very best that Madeira has to offer.

The Portuguese island is a sub-tropical paradise boasting beautiful botanical gardens, stupendous scenic seascape views, and gentle levada walks. You’d be hard pushed to find a more beautiful spot for a relaxing holiday. Much of the island is assigned as a conservation area where rare flowers blanket the

Madeira at its Best

Piano Key butterflies

Return flights: London to Barcelona. Alternative travel on request.

• 4 nights at a 4* hotel in central Barcelona – bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Santa Clotilde, La Sagrada

Família, Barcelona Botanic Garden, and the Fundació Joan Miró



10 October, 2017

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Walking through Barcelona is like wandering through a perfectly realised Mediterranean dream... Sun-drenched beaches make a fine backdrop to a glorious land of fabled architecture and art.

of La Sagrada Família — his own take on a medieval cathedral — and also learn more about the city’s rich artistic heritage.

Visit the Museu Picasso, which places a strong emphasis on the great artist’s early Barcelona period; the Fundació Joan Miró, home to a huge collection of the artist’s striking paintings, sculptures and drawings; and the Museum of Catalan Art, which holds some of Europe’s greatest Romanesque art.

Discover a stunning selection of gardens, from Santa Clotilde — reminiscent both of Iford Manor in England and the Villa Ephrussi in France — to a brace of exceptional private gardens in Blanes, arranged in typical Catalan style, and Barcelona Botanic Garden, a true highlight which is home to many sclerophyllous plants, including the classic Mediterranean olive tree.

In between visits to many gorgeous gardens, we also find time to discover the many cultural delights Barcelona has to offer. We visit Gaudí’s church

Arts & Gardens of Barcelona

Santa Clotilde gardens


Departures

What’s included

Gentians


27 June, 2017


• 7 nights at the 3* Hotel Bellevue, Wengen – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to Zürich• Eight day Swiss Rail Pass• Visits to Schynige Platte, Kleine

Scheidegg, Wengernalp, Mürren • Services of a Julia Corden as tour

managerEiger

Alpine Flowers of WengenBreathtaking scenery, rich green alpine meadows and spruce forests make Wengen a superb destination not just for native flora, but for bird and butterfly-spotting opportunities, too. Join alpine expert Julia Corden and RHS host Simon Cruse in the high pastures of the Bernese Oberland, where the hills are alive with a carpet of flowers.

In Wengen, timber-framed buildings and Belle Epoque hotels transport the visitor back to another century, an experience enhanced by the town’s car-free policy. In the summer months, it is a popular choice for walkers and climbers attempting some of the higher peaks, but with 500km of walking trails and 15 mountain railways, accessing the alpine meadows is easy.

Each day we will walk a different route of up to five miles, sometimes taking a mountain railway to the starting point. We will also take the rack railway to Schynige Platte, where we will visit the Alpine Botanic Garden, home to 600 different species of local plants.

Lying in the Bernese Oberland region at the heart of Switzerland, Wengen is ringed by some of Europe’s highest and best known mountains – including the Eiger and Jungfrau. Once the snow retreats, a wealth of flowers appear both on the high tops and in the lush pastoral valleys. The list of flowers we see here is endless – Campanula cenisia, Campanula thyrsoides, Gentiana acaulis, Gentiana verna, Gentiana lutea, Globularias, Lilium martagon, Lloydia serotina, Paradisea liliastrum, Veratrum album, and many more. Depending on the season there can be anywhere between 250 and 350 species of plants in the Bernese Oberland area.

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Field Flowers & Alpine Landscape


Departures

What’s included


• 3 nights at NH Berlin Alexanderplatz – bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to Berlin• Full day at the 2017 Berlin

International Garden Exhibition• Visits to Charlottenburg Palace and

Gardens, Max Frankel Gardens and the Karl Foerster garden

• Services of a professional tour manager and a local English-speaking guide

Berlin

The Berlin Wall coloured by its youth

20 June, 2017


Berlin International Garden ExhibitionHistoric and handsome, Berlin sits at the heart of Europe and plays host to the 2017 International Garden Exhibition. Join us for a diverse and visionary celebration combining garden culture and urban nature — with a full day set aside to explore the fascinating exhibition.

locations, including the Reichstag, the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and surviving portions of the Berlin Wall. Of course, this is a garden tour... and we have many wonderful examples to introduce you to.

From the garden of Dr Max Fränkel, designed by renowned garden architect Erwin Barth; to Pfaueninsel, a haven for wildlife with a rich flora; and the Charlottenburg Palace, sumptuously furnished and decorated with the grandest of gardens. In nearby Potsdam, we also visit the garden of Karl Foerster – forefather of ‘New Wave Perennial’ gardeners such as Piet Oudolf and Tom Stuart-Smith.

The exhibition promises to be one of the best horticultural events of the year, and includes some interesting new additions to its always stellar roster of usual suspects. Discover the interestingly titled ‘Garden Strip’ – a string of attractive themed gardens linked together by the various elements of the park. The original ‘Gardens of the World’ site is a Brightwater favourite, with Chinese, Japanese and Oriental gardens... but this year includes a new addition – an ‘English’ landscape garden that will add another European tradition of horticultural art to the park landscape.

In the German capital itself we indulge in a sightseeing tour of numerous key

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Charlottenburg Palace




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24 August, 201715 nights from £4,395Single room supplement £520

Return flights: London to Cape Town. Alternative travel on request.

• 13 nights in a to-be-confirmed hotel – bed & breakfast

• Visits to Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, Klein Optenhorst, and Karoo Botanic Gardens

• Wine tastings, wildflower botanising,

and a whale watching boat trip• Services of a professional tour

manager

Almost as soon as you touch down in South Africa, your senses are captivated by intoxicating sights. Travelling by cable car up Table Mountain our eyes are immediately treated to a variety of flora encompassing over 1470 species. Further delights await at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens — one of the world’s best gardens.

Our tour around the Western Cape finds us travelling north to the small town of Clanwilliam, to visit the annual Flower Show. Returning to nature itself, we also

enjoy guided tours of the wildflower lands: Cederberg, Niewoudtville and the Biedouw Valley.

Continuing to the lesser known West Coast National Park, we are treated to sightings of wildflowers and wild birds amidst stunning scenery; whilst our palates are enchanted by delicious wine tastings. All that is good about the Western Cape is waiting to be enjoyed. Our tour finishes on a high with a string of wonderful gardens around the Stellenbosch area.

This new take on our South African adventure is all about flowers! Explore a world-renowned region of stunning scenery, cultural diversity, rich wildlife and indigenous flora.

Gardens & Wildflowers of South Africa’s Western Cape

King Protea, Kirstenbosch

Return flights: London to Marrakech.Alternative travel on request.

• 5 nights at the Jnane Tamsna Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Welcome drink & 3 lunches• Visits to Majorelle Garden, André

Heller’s Anima Garden, and Tom Stuart-Smith’s Jardin Secret

• Services of Tim Upson, RHS Director of Horticulture, as tour manager


12 October, 2017

The timeless city of Marrakech has an enduring appeal, with low-rise pink and red buildings set against the magnificent backdrop of the snow-capped Atlas mountains.

through verdant conifer woodlands. We also visit a permaculture garden at Dar Taliba, a boarding house in Ourika. Girls from Amazigh villages can continue their formal education here while valuing their own traditions.

Back in Marrakech we visit the exciting new gardens that are being created here, including Le Jardin Secret, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith and the André Heller garden. The heady scents of North Africa greet us at the Nectarome bioaromatic garden – the aromatic delight will stay with you forever.

Of all the wonderful gardens here, Majorelle is perhaps the best known and a favourite of ours. It is the former home and garden of French painter Jacques Majorelle, who came to Marrakech in the 1920s. The late Yves Saint Laurent renovated the garden; and the painter’s studio here has since been transformed into the Berber Museum, which has an amazing collection of decorative arts.

We dedicate a full day to the High Atlas Mountains, where we are treated to a fascinating overview of Moroccan flora and important plant areas as we pass

Marrakech & the Flowers of the Atlas

Majorelle - Marrakech


What’s included


• 13 nights at hotels in Delhi, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Chandigarh and Shimla – bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to Delhi • Visits to Taj Mahal, Agra Fort,

Mehtab Bagh, Amber Fort, Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh

• Tour of Shimla


Sisodia Rani Palace & Gardens, Jaipur


Departures

12 September, 20172 April, 2018

Vibrant Tropical Flowers

Gardens of IndiaImmerse yourself in a feast for the senses – in colour, scent and sound. Our new holiday to India combines familiar sights such as the Taj Mahal in Agra, with the lesser-knwon Rock Gardens of Chandigarh, a televisual highlight in Shimla, and more.

Nek Chand. Our tour takes a different turn, that fans of Channel 4’s recent drama ‘Indian Summers’, are sure to enjoy. We tour the setting: Shimla, including a visit to Vice Regal Lodge. Built in an English country house style, it once served as the Viceroy’s residence during the summer months.

We visit a number of stunning tombs on tour: from Humayun’s Tomb, to the Tomb Complex of Isa Khan Niyazi; and the iconic Taj Mahal – undoubtedly, the most famous example of a tomb in India. The immense memorial, rendered in glorious white marble is still striking up close – regardless of how many times you’ve seen its image.

Mehtab Bagh is one of the most beautiful gardens of the Mughals – and one of our first stops upon arrival in Agra. Known as the ‘Moonlight gardens’, they were constructed as an extension of the Taj Mahal garden – and planted with fragrant flowers to be used in the cool of the night as a place to view the Taj Mahal, reflected in its octagonal pool. We also visit the Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh, a beautiful garden built in 1728 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh as a gift to his Sisodia Queen from Udaipur.

Our sightseeing tour of Chandigarh includes a special visit to the Rock Gardens, with its unique sculpture garden created by the late Indian artist

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Taj Mahal




Flights: London to Osaka; Tokyo to London. Alternative travel on request.

• 11 nights bed & breakfast• Visits to gardens of Kinkakuji,

Ginkakakuji Temple, Daisen-in, Zuiho-in, Ryogen-in, Heian Shrine; Hamarikyu; Sensoji Temple

• All Bullet Train transfers



28 March, 201724 October, 2017

Taking tea in the middle of an exquisite traditional garden, while surrounded by shining skyscrapers of steel and glass... We can’t imagine a more elegant way to experience the essence of Japan.

and texture – combining to create an atmosphere of calm and contemplation. The perfect environment for a holiday.

Autumn foliage is a highly prized Japanese commodity. It perfectly complements the gardens and ponds we encounter – each with its own particular charm and beauty. Many of the most notable gardens are found in and around the former capital of Kyoto. Join us for three full days exploring both public and private gardens here. Kinkaku-ji, with a three-tiered Golden Pavilion at its heart, is perhaps the best known – and is a true highlight of our tour.

The origin of the Japanese garden lies in simple, gravel-covered forest clearings – created to provide the gods with space to manifest. Over the centuries the gardens have evolved into an idealised reflection of the natural landscape. This is typified by the careful use of stone and water features, trees, plants and moss. These gardens are places of exquisite beauty. Natural galleries, where the eye is gently led to perfectly framed views of enchanting distant landscapes.

No detail is too small for consideration. Trees and plants are carefully chosen for their qualities of form, colour

Seasonal Gardens of Japan

Cherry Blossom Kyoto

Return flights: London to Colombo. Alternative travel on request.

• 11 nights hotel and eco lodge stay – 5 dinners, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Royal Botanical Gardens, Temple of the Tooth, Lunuganga Estate, and Sinharaja Rainforest



12 October, 2017

Explore a perfect jewel of an island with a wonderfully warm climate and a rich and varied culture; and home to lush vegetation, colourful flora, amazing wildlife and a stunning collection of gardens.

a cooler turn in the hill country of Nuwara Eliya. Horton Plains is the first outstanding nature reserve we visit. Another awaits us at the Yala National Park where we enjoy a safari – looking out for elephants, bears, monkeys, tropical birds and fragile butterflies. Sinharaja is the country’s last viable area of primary tropical rainforest – and our base for two nights, whilst we stay at the Rainforest Eco Lodge. From here we will have the most wonderful experiences of flora and fauna – taking a circular tour of this glittering island gem.

Let us lead you through the horticultural highlights of a truly beautiful island. Apart from growing some of the world’s best tea, Sri Lanka is also home to varied national parks, spice gardens, and rich public and private gardens. Combining garden visits with the many cultural highlights on offer – this break is as refreshing as a cup of finest Ceylon tea. We get off to an exotic start at a spice garden in Kandy before touring the splendid Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya. Spectacular flora thrives at both of these sites. Our tour takes

Sri Lanka: Pearl of the Indian Ocean

Orchid

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Return flights: London to Santiago. Alternative travel on request.

• 14 nights hotel stay – 11 dinners, 10 lunches, bed & breakfast

• Visits to La Campana National Park, Quebrada del Tigre, Malalcahuello-Nalcas Nature Reserve, Conguillío National Park, Lahuen Ñadi natural

monument, Torres del Paine National Park, and more

• All internal flights16 nights from £6,525Single room supplement from £980

9 January, 2018

Chile is very much a bio-geographical island – enclosed to the west by the Pacific Ocean, to the east by the high Andean mountain chain and to the north by the Atacama Desert.

alpine plants, and majestic condors soaring overhead.

Our landscape changes dramatically in Temuco where we find a particular highlight of our tour – the Monkey Puzzle. Our grand botanical adventure concludes with three days at the Torres del Paine National Park. Explore the wonderful Patagonian steppe landscape, home to a great array of plants endemic to this dry region – including the wonderfully named Streaked Maiden. This is a haven for wildlife too – expect to see herds of Guanaco, Andean Deer and Culpeo Foxes during our visit.

This is a rich and varied tour, which begins in the bustling capital of Santiago. A visit to La Campana National Park to the north-west of the city offers us our first introduction to the native flora. Moving on to the coastal resort of Zapallar and the reserve at Los Molles, we discover one of the best-preserved areas of coastal vegetation – with low shrubs, herbs and bulbous plants.

We continue to the higher altitudes of Parque Andino Juncal, an area used for ecological conservation and sustainable tourism where the stunning scenery is complemented by exquisite flowering

Chile: A Botanical Adventure

Hummingbird

Return flights: London to Kunming. Alternative travel on request.

• 12 nights: 3 in Kunming, 2 in Dali, 4 in Lijiang & 3 nights in Zhongdian – all meals included

• Internal flights from Kunming to Dali and from Zhongdian to Kunming

• Chinese Tourist Visa• Services of John Mitchell of RBGE

as tour manager


6 June, 201714 nights from £3,995Single room supplement £480

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In 1904, herbarium assistant George Forrest set off from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for an adventure on the other side of the world to the south-west of China.

Thanks to its unique topography, Yunnan has not only glaciers and snow-capped mountains with high altitude plants, but also sub-tropical basins and hot valleys, which are home to lush tropical vegetation. It is abundantly clear why Yunnan has for generations been known as ‘the kingdom of flora and fauna’.

Aside from glorious plant life, we also visit a stunning succession of monasteries during our tour. Visible from miles away, the stately Three Pagodas and monastery has become a national treasure in China.

For this intrepid Scot, his first journey would start his love affair with the tough, challenging existence of a plant hunter, and with the landscape of Yunnan. For British gardens, this trip and Forrest’s subsequent expeditions would mean a wealth of scientific discoveries and new botanical gems.

Now, over a hundred years later, travel to China is not as daunting as it was in Forrest’s day. Join us as we follow a stimulating itinerary where our group will experience a wonderful botanical and cultural adventure.

Yunnan - Footsteps of the Plant Hunters

Lijiang Old Town


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Monteverde


• 11 nights hotel stay – 8 dinners, 10 lunches, bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to San José• Visits to Poás Volcano National Park,

Else Kientzler Botanical Garden, Arenal Lake, Monteverde Reserve, and Manuel Antonio National Park

• Caño Negro Boat Tour

• Services of Julia Corden of the Explorers’ Garden as Tour Manager

Butterfly

The Gardens of Costa RicaCosta Rica, Spanish for ‘rich coast’, is perfectly named when you consider the extraordinary wealth of plant life found within the small Central American country.

in danger of extinction including: Red Foxwood, Zebrawood, and Macawood. There is also an area for flowering plants: ground covers, shrubs and trees that flower abundantly. A trip here is a holiday in itself.

In such a beautiful setting, we spend plenty of time taking in the spectacular natural features of the country. Lake Arenal is Costa Rica’s largest body of fresh water, and was enlarged to three times its original size when a hydro-electric dam was built here. The Poás Volcano is another highlight and is one of Costa Rica’s most spectacular volcanoes, with an enormous crater and a steaming lake at the bottom.

The term ‘biodiversity’ might have been coined with Costa Rica in mind, such is the range and number of different species that flourish within its pristine, tropical forests. Add some truly spectacular scenery and a resplendently laid-back, happy people to the mix, and you have the makings of a life-affirming holiday experience.

We visit a range of gardens during our tour. The Else Kientzler Botanical Garden has a world-class collection of plants. This private garden is home to over 2,000 different varietals from around the world, including hibiscus, helicons, succulents and bromeliads. It is also home to fine examples of trees

Orchids

12 nights from £3,295Single room supplement from £660

Departures

7 February, 20176 February, 2018


Departures

What’s included

Pink Flower of the Ume Tree



• 10 nights hotel stay – bed & breakfast• Return flights: London to Kansai• Visits to gardens of Ginkaku-ji

Temple, Kyoto Botanical Garden, Tofukuji Temple, Mansei-en Bonsai Garden, and Kenrokuen Garden

• Comfortable coaching throughout and Bullet Train transfers

4 April, 2018


Bonsai Acer palmatum

Japanese Gardens & the Art of BonsaiWe may be exploring the ‘Art of Bonsai’ but don’t be mistaken, this is anything but a small exploration of Japan. The natural wonders here are many-fold... and wherever you travel you are never too far from something truly special.

plants, Kyoto Botanical Gardens have a dedicated bonsai section. There is also a fascinating forest zone with precious specimens unique to the Yamashiro Basin and many maple varieties.

We have also selected some of the very best gardens that Japan has to offer, including the outstanding Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, rated as one of the top three gardens in Japan. In Kyoto these include Ginkakuji a UNESCO World Heritage Site often named as the top garden in region. In Tokyo, highlights include the Imperial Palace East Garden and the Hamarikyu garden, an oasis of tranquillity in the heart of the bustling city.

The art form of Bonsai is all about contemplation, making it a perfect study for a well-paced garden tour.

Bonsai professionals in Japan commonly follow one of two paths – they can become bonsai sellers or bonsai creators. We visit people who have followed both paths at Bonsai Kisshoen, and Bonsai Aichien. At the Omiya Bonsai Museum we view a collection of more than 100 bonsai masterpieces and bonsai-related artefacts, including: bonsai pots, and miniature landscape stone (suiseki). The Mansei-en Bonsai Garden has long been a favourite destination for Bonsai enthusiasts travelling into Japan. Amongst their displays of over 120,000

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Ginkaku-ji Silver Pavilion


Departures

What’s included

Pride of Barbados Flower



• 7 nights at the 4* Accra Beach Hotel and Spa – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Return flights from London Gatwick to Bridgetown, Barbados

• Ticket for WAFA 2017• Visits to Harrison’s Cave, St Ann’s

Fort, George Washington House, Orchid World, and Hunte’s Garden

21 June, 2017


Table Flower Display

After the great success of the World Association of Floral Artists show in Dublin in June 2014, it was announced that the next show will be held on the sun-kissed Caribbean island of Barbados. Coming in June 2017, if the show is to be anything like the one in Ireland it will be a spectacle not to be missed for anyone interested in the art of floral arrangements.

Of course, it doesn’t have to stop there — your Caribbean excursion can be as full or as laid back as you want it to be. Opt for further excursions including a full-day tour visiting Cherry Tree Hill viewpoint, Bathsheba beach, the Andromeda Botanical Gardens and the Sunbury Plantation, a half-day Island Safari tour, and a Catamaran Lunch cruise. Above all, there’s ample time simply to enjoy the tropical paradise of Barbados, with its near-perfect weather and stunning, palm-fringed beaches. There is plenty to occupy those whose interests may lie elsewhere, such as golf, sailing, cricket, scuba-diving, and game fishing, so why not persuade your spouse, partner, or a friend to come too?

At the show itself, we get involved with flower-arranging demonstrations and lectures, featuring magnificent displays of floral art created by professional, amateur and novice flower arrangers from all around the world.

Our day at the show is complemented by a series of guided excursions and visits featuring both public and private gardens and other local attractions. Discover the lush tropical Hunte’s Garden, filled with the vibrant colours and textures of rare exotic plants. Explore Orchid World, home to a dazzling display of more than 20,000 orchids. Then there’s Harrison’s Cave, the crystalline limestone cavern is one of Barbados’ greatest wonders.

WAFA: Barbados

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Barbados Beach

UK & IrishGarden Tours

The world is full of beautiful gardens, but there are few better than those in Great Britain and Ireland. From the Northern Isles of Orkney to the High Peaks of Derbyshire — we’ve got the lot.

Whether stately or cosy, we take a sneak peek into homes and gardens up and down the country, where we admire the work of passionate individuals and time-honoured teams of visionaries.

And from lasting landmarks to fleeting one-day-only experiences...we’ve spectacular shows on offer from Chelsea to Cheshire, and beyond. Sure, we might not have tropical rainforests or alpine meadows, but when it comes to great gardens, we say — “rule Britannia!”



What’s included

Departures

Abbey House

Please note: Coach pick-ups from various locations are included in the price of the holiday. Flight packages are also available on request.

Please note: Highgrove admittance is subject to successful application. To be confirmed in February 2017.

• 3 nights at a comfortable hotel in the Cotswolds – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Entrance to the gardens of Abbey House, Misarden Park, Hidcote Manor, Kiftsgate, Westonbirt Arboretum and Highgrove House


Hidcote Manor

21 April, 2017 5 May, 201723 June, 201711 August, 20171 September, 2017


Our tour of the Cotswolds features an exclusive visit to Highgrove House, the country home of HRH The Prince of Wales. You are unlikely to meet His Royal Highness... but there’s nothing stopping you from talking to his plants!

by the Prince are grown here – Charlotte potatoes and Happil strawberries mingle with Welsh leeks, spring cabbage, festive brussel sprouts and classic carrots.

Of course, our tour doesn’t end at Highgrove. Some of the finest gardens in England are to be found nestled among the green and rolling hills of Gloucestershire. We begin at the calm and soothing Abbey House Garden at Malmesbury, home to a stunning rose collection. Hidcote Manor’s contrasting garden rooms and Kiftsgate’s splendid views are justly famous. We shall also visit the small, private garden of Misarden Park and our final visit is to Westonbirt, the National Arboretum.

Join us and enjoy the rare opportunity to see the fascinating gardens of Highgrove – which of course are cultivated using wholly organic methods. The gorgeous gardens offer a real treat for the senses. The house is surrounded by many heavenly scented plants, including: wisteria, honeysuckle, jasmine, holboellia, lillies and thyme. Then there’s the experimental wild flower meadow, which boasts a rich selection of endangered native plants, including: ox-eye daisies, yellow rattle, common spotted orchid, meadow crane’s bill and ragged robin. Every year the Prince takes on a new project to take his garden in new directions, such as his walled kitchen garden. Vegetable varieties loved

Highgrove & the Cotswolds

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Highgrove House


What’s included

Please note: Return flights from Land’s End are included in the price of the holiday. Alternative packages are also available on request.

• Visits to Tresco’s Abbey gardens• 3 nights at the New Inn, Tresco – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Return train: London to Penzance – a £70pp reduction applies to those who do not require rail travel

• Return flights: Land’s End to St Mary’s

• Boat transfers: St Mary’s to TrescoAbbey Gardens

Departures17 March, 2017 24 March, 201727 March, 2017 3 April, 201724 April, 20173 May, 201713 May, 201715 September, 201718 September, 20172 October, 20179 October, 2017


Abbey Gardens

Tresco’s Abbey GardensArriving on Tresco you are enveloped in almost total silence, and the stress of everyday existence slowly slips away. When you first glimpse the turquoise seas and quartz sands that surround the Scilly Isles, you instinctively know that your visit is going to be special.

privileged to learn of the garden’s hidden secrets, both past and present.

There isn’t a prime time to visit Tresco – it is always a delight. Even in winter there are 300 plants in flower in the Abbey Gardens, and as each day lengthens more and more exotic species appear. In the spring we find flowers weeks ahead of those on the mainland, the perfect lift to spirits dampened by a cold, dark winter. Autumn, too, is a stunning time to visit, with the beautiful golden, reds and ambers of the seasonal foliage against a backdrop of proteas, aloes and flowering camellias thrown in for good measure.

Truly a sub-tropical paradise, this tiny corner of England has remained unpolluted, unspoilt and unchanged for decades. Flying into St Mary’s on the small Skybus plane is always an exciting experience. This tiny island remains a magical retreat for a short break at any time of year. Tresco lies just 28 miles from the Cornish coast yet basks in a balmy climate where spring comes early, autumn stays late and winter hardly exists at all.

The wonderful Abbey Gardens is home to more than 3,000 species and magnificent vistas, colours and scents. There is certainly no other garden like this in the world and we will be

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Tresco


What’s included

Chatsworth House

Please note: Coach pick-ups from various locations are included in the price of the holiday. Alternative packages available on request.

• 3 nights at the 3* Jurys Inn, Sheffield – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Full day at Chatsworth Flower Show • Visits to Felley Priory, Hardwick Hall

and Haddon Hall • Tour of RHS Garden Harlow Carr • Services of a professional tour

manager

RHS Chatsworth Show & Gardens of DerbyshireIt’s not often you get the chance to attend the inaugural staging of what could become a classic event. There could be few finer settings than Chatsworth House for the latest addition to the RHS flower show calendar — be one of the first to experience it.

and vegetable gardens will inspire keen growers and the Alpine house always has interesting and beautiful plants to behold. Further garden visits include Haddon Hall, which, although an ancient residence, has had areas of the garden redesigned in the past few years.

If you are travelling from the south of England you will also explore Felley Priory, with its beautiful herbaceous borders, and Hardwick Hall, known for its woodland and romantic rambling roses. Travellers from Scotland will enjoy a visits to Newby Hall, which has an outstanding collection of plants, and Renishaw Hall, with its romantic, formal Italianate gardens.

Set against the classic landscape shaped by Capability Brown and Joseph Paxton, the show aims to present the best in British design and innovation. The themes of Mediterranean, jungle and woodland will be explored and interpreted by garden designers in a recreation of Joseph Paxton’s Great Conservatory. As with all RHS shows, the country’s best nurseries will be in attendance with stunning displays.

We will also enjoy a specially arranged tour of RHS Harlow Carr. The garden is divided into a woodland area which has a wide range of mature specimen trees and the herbaceous area where different styles of gardening can be seen. The fruit


Departures

6 June, 2017

Hardwick Hall

Blue Tulips, Hardwick Hall

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25 May, 20176 nights from £1,095Single room supplement £180

Coach pick-ups are included in the price. Flight packages on request.


• 6 nights dinner, bed & breakfast• Full day at Chelsea Flower Show • Visits to the gardens of RHS

Wisley, Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Hestercombe, Iford Manor, Stourhead and Tyntesfield

This extended tour combines the excitement of the show with some of the south of England’s finest gardens.

Wells, the Harold Peto-designed garden at Iford Manor and Hestercombe, one of Gertrude Jekyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens’ greatest masterpieces. We also have some time in the glorious spa town of Bath, famous for its Roman baths and elegant Georgian terraces. Our short break concludes with a leisurely wander around Tyntesfield – a fine National Trust Victorian country house with a glorious walled garden – before returning to London.

Combining the colour and excitement of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with some of the south of England’s finest gardens, this tour affords us the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of horticultural excellence.

We begin with visits to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the unmissable gardens of RHS Wisley, Sissinghurst and Great Dixter. We then head west, to visit Wilton House and ‘Capability’ Brown’s famous landscape garden at Stourhead. From our hotel in the West Country we visit the ancient Bishop’s Palace in

RHS Chelsea Flower Show & Classic English Gardens

Sissinghurst

25 May, 20173 nights from £435Single room supplement £90



• 3 nights at Farnborough Holiday Inn – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Full day at the Chelsea Flower Show• Visits to Sissinghurst, RHS Wisley

and Tatton Park

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The Chelsea Flower Show is the world’s leading horticultural event and every year produces gardens and exhibits of the highest quality.

the hundreds of floral displays, many of them incorporating new, rare and unusual plants. Other popular features here include flower arranging, floristry and garden design marquees, courtyard gardens, window-boxes and hanging baskets.

Our tour also visits a selection of classic gardens including Sissinghurst, one of the most copied flower gardens in the world; RHS Wisley, where the highest standards of horticulture are practiced in a splendid setting, and Tatton Park with its sunken and Japanese gardens.

Once again you will be able to marvel at an international collection of magnificent blooms, brilliant displays and perfect specimen trees alongside a wide range of exhibition gardens, all vying for a coveted Gold Medal. Whether you go for inspiration, gardening advice or simply an exhilarating day out, the Chelsea Flower Show is an unforgettable experience.

One of the highlights of the show is the collection of over 20 full-sized show gardens. Inside the Great Marquee visitors have their senses ravished by

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show

RHS Chelsea Flower Show





19 July, 2017

Coach pick-ups are included in the price. Alternative packages on request.


• 3 nights at the 4* Best Western Premier Queen Hotel, Chester – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Arley Hall, Mount Pleasant, and Ness Botanic Gardens

Another classic summer event which deserves to be circled on everyone’s calendar, with the added extra of visits to the most charming gardens in Cheshire.

While we are here in Cheshire we will also visit four notable gardens. The herbaceous borders at Arley Hall are one of the great garden sights in England, beautifully maintained and always delightful, while Mount Pleasant is a traditional mixed garden complemented by impressive views over the Cheshire countryside. Ness Botanic Gardens has a host of features including herbaceous borders, climbing plants and lush water gardens and finally there is Stonyford Cottage, an informal natural garden and specialist plant nursery.

The Royal Horticultural Society will once again bring a spectacular celebration of flowers and gardening to the north-west of England with the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Set against the splendour of Tatton Park’s huge deer park, the show will be full of imaginative and colourful displays and exciting show gardens. From the latest trends in plants and garden furniture, to advice on how to make the most of your own garden, this classic English flower show has everything you need for your garden to flourish.

Gardens of Cheshire & RHS Tatton Park Flower Show

Arley Hall

Contact us to arrange your travel options for this tour.

• 3 nights at 3* Penmere Manor Hotel, Falmouth – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Entry to the Cornwall Spring Flower Show

• Visits to the gardens of Trewidden and Tremenheere

• Services of Tresco’s Mike Nelhans as tour manager3 nights from £415


31 March, 2017

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The Cornwall Spring Flower Show is one of the first events of the English gardening year, a colourful treat to look forward to at the end of winter.

in their full spring flowering glory – Trewidden, a historic Victorian garden with magnolias, camellias and tree ferns; Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, a major new attraction with dramatic vistas which provide a perfect setting for large-scale exotic and sub-tropical planting, interwoven with contemporary art installations.

Horticultural excellence even extends to our accommodation. The Penmere Manor Hotel is set across five acres of beautiful surroundings on the outskirts of Falmouth.

Join us on this exclusive and very personal short break with Mike Nelhams, the curator of Tresco’s Abbey Gardens, which features some of his favourite gardens in Cornwall. Mike is the perfect person to introduce us to these glorious gardens in all of their spring glory.

Hosted by Boconnoc Gardens, the show presents an exuberant display of camellias, daffodils, rhododendrons and ornamental shrubs – which produces a brilliantly colourful spectacle. We also visit two gardens which will be

Cornwall’s Spring Flower Show

White daffodils in spring


What’s included

Clematis ‘Nelly Moser’


• Services of a professional tour manager and Raymond Evison as RHS host

• 4 nights: 3 in St Peter Port and 1 in Sark – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Return flights: London to Guernsey• Return ferry crossings from

Guernsey to Sark • Comfortable coaching on Guernsey• Visits to selected private gardens on

Guernsey and Sark

Private Gardens of Guernsey & SarkWhy limit yourself to one island escape when you can extend your holiday across two? From immaculate gardens to orchid-filled meadows, the sun-drenched islands of Guernsey and Sark have much to offer budding plant enthusiasts.

an unusual location – Guernsey Prison. Moving on from there, we seek out more wild flowers, and unusual plants before retreating indoors to the Guernsey Clematis Nursery. Our RHS host, Raymond Evison, owns the nursery, and will give us an insight into the development of new clematis varieties.

A short sea crossing takes us to our second island – the tranquil, traffic-free, Sark. We visit the wonderful garden of La Seigneurie and wildflower meadows upon arrival here. Staying overnight offers us the perfect opportunity to enjoy the wonderful night skies that this unspoilt island offers. A stunning end to a lovely tour.

Just off the coast of France, Guernsey flourishes in the warmth of summer and is home to some wonderful private gardens. Our first day on the island we visit two private gardens in St Peter Port, a large town garden with good planting. We continue to a true Victorian gem, the public Candie Gardens. We also view an interesting garden set over three terraces, and perfectly complemented by fine sea views.

There really is a wealth of private gardens on Guernsey. At La Petite Vallée, we find a range of traditional and exotic planting. After some botanising among the orchid meadows of the west coast; we visit an inspiring garden in


Departures

1 June, 201721 September, 2017

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La Seigneurie Gardens

Governor’s Garden, St Peter Port


What’s included


Shaftesbury


12 June, 2017 • Services of a professional tour manager

• 3 nights at the 3* Best Western Royal Chase Hotel, Shaftesbury – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Old Vicarage, Minterne, Kingston Lacy, Rugg Farm, Hooper’s Holding, and East Lambrook


wonderful selection of private gardens. From the Old Vicarage, with its swathes of crocuses, primula and more; to Kingston Lacey with its fine collection of art including works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and Brueghel. It’s almost unbelievable that so many wonderful gardens could be found in such short distances from each other – and yet there’s more. Minterne is home to an eighteenth century Serpentine park with lakes, a stream and a woodland garden; whilst East Lambrook Manor is recognised throughout the world as the ‘Home of English Cottage Gardening’.

The neighbouring counties of Dorset and Somerset epitomise the timeless and restrained beauty of rural England and are home to a fine selection of classic gardens in a variety of different styles. Both counties offer grand vistas – natural and man-made; alongside small and intimate treasures. Traditional country gardens and a worthy collection of private gardens are scattered throughout two of England’s most beautiful rural counties.

From our base in the Dorset town of Shaftesbury, our tour heads out each day to all four compass points, visiting a

Explore a stunning mix of landscaped gardens, traditional country gardens and a worthy collection of private gardens scattered throughout two of England’s most beautiful counties – Dorset and Somerset.

Private Gardens of Dorset & Somerset



• 3 nights at the Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to RHS Hyde Hall, Beth Chatto, East Ruston Old Vicarage, Helmingham Hall, Raveningham Hall, Wyken Hall, and Marks Hall

Departures

2 May, 201713 September, 20173 nights from £495Single room supplement £90

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The adjoining counties of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk feature on this tour of the finest gardens, galleries and museums that East Anglia has to offer.

while the garden features a knot and herb garden, an old fashioned rose garden and an orchard.

We also have the privilege of visiting Raveningham Hall, garden of RHS President Sir Nicholas Bacon Bt; along with East Ruston Old Vicarage, an inspirational exotic garden. Our final day takes us to The Place for Plants at East Bergholt Place; and Marks Hall Garden and Arboretum, whose extensive collection is planted on a geographical theme, with plants from the temperate regions of the world grouped together.

We begin in Essex, with visits to RHS Garden Hyde Hall, which showcases a selection of different styles including rose and Mediterranean gardens and a new wildflower meadow. We continue to Beth Chatto’s famous garden and nursery – created in 1960 from overgrown wasteland, it is now a beautiful informal garden. We continue to Helmingham Hall gardens, where the house, parkland and gardens together create an exceptional work of art. This is followed with a visit to Wyken Hall vineyards and gardens - the vineyard produces some 12,000 bottles a year,

Private Gardens of East Anglia

Hyde Hall Garden


Departures

What’s included

Bramdean



• 3 nights at the Holiday Inn Winchester – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to the private gardens of The

Down House, Little Court, Terstan, The Buildings, Bramdean House, 6 Breamore Close, Bere Mill and Longstock Water Garden

6 July, 2017


Rose garden

Private Gardens of HampshireWith its ancient forests, unspoilt countryside and clear chalk streams, Hampshire is an appealing prospect for a garden tour and we have selected a series of gardens that should be at the peak of their summer glory at this time of year.

Hampshire Downs. Modern plantings in gravel mingle happily with well-planted borders and an exuberant pergola – all set on thin chalk soil. Often described as ‘inspirational’, the planting and layout are widely admired, and feature many unusual plants and varieties.

We really are spoilt for choice on this tour, which also includes: Bere Mill, which sits next to a water meadow grazed by Welsh Mountain sheep, lambs and Belted Galloway cattle; and Longstock Water Garden, with its diverse range of water-loving plants, and a well-stocked nursery which could provide you with the perfect souvenir.

Our tour begins with a stroll along the river toward Winchester and The Down House, a three-acre garden. Laid out in different rooms, this well-structured garden features pleached hornbeams, a rope-lined fountain garden, yew lined avenues and an ornamental potager.

We visit half-a-dozen private gardens of great variety and interest over the next two days w. Little Court, in Crawley, is a period walled country garden with prolific perennials in the summer – notably hardy geraniums –and a traditional kitchen garden. In Broughton, we visit the interestingly named ‘The Buildings’. Set around a renovated farmstead, the garden sits high on the

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Winchester Cathedral






• 3 nights at Park Hotel Montrose – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Glamis Castle, Logie House, Brechin Castle, Newtonmill House, Gallery, Dunninald and Straton House


2 June, 2017

Castle of Glamis

The rich, fertile soil of Angus is an ideal environment for gardening — so it’s no surprise that this historic county is host to a wonderful array of gardens.

Scottish hospitality – with a truly regal connection. This was the ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore for over 600 years, and was the childhood home of the late Queen Mother.

Further highlights include the semi-formal walled garden at Newtonmill House – sheltered by a fine Prunus pissardi hedge; and Logie House, a herbalist’s garden set amid an 18th century walled garden with a large Victorian greenhouse. Then there’s the Gallery Garden at Montrose – a historic garden with a traditional framework of holly, privet and box.

The House of Pitmuies, with its lavishly planted herbaceous borders gets our tour underway. Beyond the walled gardens, a riverside walk leads to a woodland of beeches and oaks under-planted with ornamental shrubs – look out for the beautiful Acer griseum.

We enjoy visits to a number of grand gardens during our tour. Brechin Castle, notable for its uniquely curving walls, is a particular highlight. In early June the rhododendrons and azaleas should still be in flower, framed by great and beautiful trees. Glamis Castle is a living, breathing monument to

Best of Angus Private Gardens

2 July, 20173 nights from £445Single room supplement £90


• 3 nights at St Clair Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the gardens of Aigas, Bighouse Lodge, House of Tongue, Castle of Mey, Dunbeath and Dunrobin Castles


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The spectacular seascapes and wild lands of Caithness and Sutherland, right at the very top of Britain, are home to a surprising number of stunning gardens.

We could not go to Caithness without including a visit to The Castle of Mey, the former summer retreat of the late Queen Mother. She fell for its ruined, isolated charm in 1952, and declared she would save the castle from ruin. We also tour the fine gardens that surround the castles of Dunbeath – with its landscaped lake, rhododendrons and woodland walk; and Dunrobin – with its terraces which descend to the sea. Both castles are glorious, and wouldn’t be out of place in the Loire Valley.

Travelling among the jagged headlands and shining white sands on the northern coast, our visits include two gardens both protected from the wind by high walls. Bighouse Lodge, near Melvich, has a charming bothy with a lawn, herbaceous borders, a sunken garden and four separate conceptual gardens behind the hedgerows. The wonderfully named 17th century House of Tongue sits in a spectacular setting. The walled garden is home to herbaceous borders, old fashioned roses, and a small orchard.

Private Gardens of Caithness & Sutherland

Dunbeath Castle


What’s included

Eden Project



• 4 nights at Restormel Lodge Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to the gardens of Hestercombe,

Trengwainton, Lanhydrock, the Eden Project, Lost Gardens of Heligan and Tate St Ives, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Penleee House

Arts & Gardens in CornwallFor more than one hundred years artists have been attracted to the far western tip of Cornwall and the beautiful Penwith coastline. The harbour towns of St Ives and Falmouth are famous the world over for their art collections, which are among the finest to be seen in Britain.

visits to some of the best in the area. Since it opened in early 2001, the Eden Project has been an unqualified success. Discover more about the role plants have played and, perhaps more importantly, will play in the future, from earliest agriculture to new technologies inspired by nature.

Highlights of our garden visits include Hestercombe, one of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens’ greatest masterpieces; the award-winning and beautifully restored Lost Gardens of Heligan, the scene of the largest restoration project in Europe, and the formal courtyard garden of Lanhydrock, rich in flowering shrubs and trees.

Join us for an enriching and stimulating break for the discerning traveller. We have included visits to The Tate Gallery in St. Ives, which was specially created to show a collection of work by twentieth-century painters and sculptors associated with St. Ives such as Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth. We also visit the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden — Barbara lived and worked at Trewyn Studio from 1949 until her death in 1975 — and Falmouth Art Gallery which features major Victorian British Impressionists and leading maritime artists.

Cornwall’s gardens are renowned the world over and our tour includes


Departures

15 May, 2017 4 September, 2017

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Lanhydrock

Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden


What’s included

Mud Maid, Lost Gardens of Heligan



• 5 nights hotel stay – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden and the gardens of Hestercombe, Lanhydrock, Trewithen, Lamorran, Heligan, Trebah and Trelissick

• Tour of RHS Garden Rosemoor

The words Devon and Cornwall go together like ‘peaches and cream’, ‘Morecambe and Wise’ and ‘Chelsea and Flower Show’. Their wonderful gardens are as good as any in these islands and fuse together in a cocktail of West Country magic.

Cornish gardens are famous the world over, from the formal to the informal; woodland retreats to historic rolling parkland. There are modern gardens, ancient gardens, gardens with Mediterranean, sub-tropical or South African themes.

Travelling into ‘Kernow’ we visit the National Trust property and garden at Lanhydrock; and the privately owned estate of Trewithen, acknowledged as an International Camellia Garden of Excellence. We also visit the multi award-winning restoration site at the Lost Gardens of Heligan – liberated from a blanket of bramble, ivy, rampant laurel and fallen timber.

Our tour begins with an afternoon at the gardens of Hestercombe in the hills above Taunton. Explore a unique combination of three centuries of gardens – including the stunning Edwardian garden designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll.

Of course we could not come to Devon without visiting RHS Garden Rosemoor, which is world famous for its roses and lies in the heart of the Devon countryside. There are two gardens here: the first is an intimate woodland garden with an excellent collection of trees and shrubs which relish acid soil; the other is a more ambitious affair, which has been developed by the RHS.


Departures

19 April, 201722 June, 2017 7 September, 2017

Spring colour, Trebah

Gardens of Devon & Cornwall

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Lanhydrock Castle


What’s included

Hever Castle



• 3 nights at the 4* Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club, Surrey – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visit to the gardens of Lullingstone Castle, Great Comp, Nymans, Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Hever Castle and Wakehurst Place (replaced with Borde Hill on the May departure)

Gardens of Kent & SussexIf there is one tour that epitomises the joy of strolling around a perfect English country garden – the Gardens of Kent & Sussex is it. Join us as we discover one shining example after another; each easily savoured and enjoyed.

plants. Lullingstone Castle is home to the innovative World Garden of Plants. It was designed by horticulturist Tom Hart Dyke, a modern day plant hunter who has risked life and limb in pursuit of fantastic blooms and plants – even spending nine months as a hostage of the Colombian Guerrillas.

The spectacular gardens of Hever Castle – the childhood home of Anne Boleyn – complete a heavenly tour. One of the most magnificent areas of the gardens is the Italian Garden, which was designed to display William Waldorf Astor’s collection of Italian sculpture and includes the colourful walled Rose Garden with its 3000 plants.

Kent and Sussex are home to some of the finest gardens in the country and well deserve a tour of their own to be enjoyed to the full. Even if you have visited some of these properties before, such is their allure that you can return again and again, just as you re-read your favourite novel. First-time visitors will be bowled over by the sheer quality and pedigree of these gardens, which epitomise that indefinable but much-imitated essence of the English country garden.

We start with Great Comp, a plantsman’s delight – the beautiful seven acre garden is filled with many beautiful and rare shrubs, perennials and other hardy


Departures

29 May, 2017 25 June, 2017

Great Dixter

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Sissinghurst


Departures

What’s included

Mount Stuart Garden

Rhododendron


• 3 nights at Loch Melfort Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Benmore Botanic Garden,

and the house and gardens of Mount Stuart on Bute; all ferry transfers


The Western Seaboard of Scotland is home to some of the finest gardens in Europe. Many types of plant flourish in this gentle and moist climate, enjoying the benefit of the Gulf Stream which is kind to unusual exotic shrubs and trees.

High Victorian Gothic houses in Britain and a real treasure trove for the garden enthusiast. We also visit Gigha, a gem of an island, nestling close to the mainland just off the Kintyre peninsula. Here, Sir James Horlick (inventor of the famous bedtime drink) created his marvellous woodland garden at Achamore.

Other highlights include Arduaine at Loch Melfort; the quaint private garden of An Cala on the Isle of Seil, Crarae Gardens with its great Asiatic flowering shrubs, and Benmore Botanic Gardens, near Dunoon, making this a collection of gardens which stand shoulder to shoulder with gardens anywhere in the world.

The great gardens were conceived in the Victorian era – when huge estates in the Highlands and Islands were at their peak. Many gardens were laid out to complement grand country homes or castles; whilst others are hidden on some of the most beautiful Hebridean Islands. Flowering rhododendrons and azaleas turn these peaceful locations into a riot of colour and alongside the subtle greens from native birch, oak and pine combine to form a wonderful natural tapestry.

On the Isle of Bute we visit two truly wonderful horticultural sites. Ascog Fernery was recently restored and is the only one of its kind. Mount Stuart is one of the largest, most spectacular


25 May, 2017

Highland & Island Gardens

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Benmore Botanic Gardens




3 nights from £485 Single room supplement £90

6 July, 20177 September, 2017


• 3 nights at the Holiday Inn, Farnborough – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Norney Wood, Bardsey, Sir Harold Hillier, Moleshill, and Stuart Cottage


The prosperous, leafy counties of Surrey and Hampshire are home to some fine private gardens. Enjoy an excellent tour topped off by a day at a fabulous Flower Show.

garden also feature. At Sandhills Farm, we view the private garden of Andy McIndoe. Take a peek at the garden of the winner of 25 consecutive Gold Medal winning exhibits at the RHS Chelsea Flower show.

In July, we will enjoy a full day at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show – with its stunning displays and 25 superb landscaped gardens. During our September tour, we have included a day at the RHS Wisley Flower Show. The Royal Horticultural Society will be on hand at the event to show the public how gardening should really be done.

The Gertrude Jekyll-style garden of Norney Wood gets our tour off to a cracking start. The garden is set against a backdrop of mature trees and rhododendrons; tranquil water garden; and pleached lime tree walk. At Sir Harold’s Hillier Garden a unique collection of plants sits across 180 acres.

Out tour takes a romantic turn at the garden at Moleshill House – a short woodland path leads from dovecote to beehives. Informal planting contrasts with formal topiary box and garlanded cisterns. A colourful courtyard and pots, a conservatory, fountains and a bog

Gardens of Surrey & Hampshire

Norney Wood


• 6 nights: 3 nights at Legacy Farnham Hog’s Back Hotel; 3 nights at Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Buckhurst Park, Gravetye Manor, Munstead Wood, and Vann



4 June, 2017

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Gertrude Jekyll was a plantswoman extraordinaire, painter and writer, however she is perhaps best remembered for her association with the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens...

Godalming’s small museum. Housed in a listed medieval building, it displays paintings, embroidery and architectural designs including work by Gertrude Jekyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Perhaps the true highlight of this holiday will be the rare chance to visit Munstead Wood. This was where Gertrude Jekyll lived until her death in 1932; and was the scene of many of her highly influential garden experiments and ideas. The garden today is mainly woodland with many oaks, Scots pines, silver birches and chestnuts.

Over the last hundred years, few would doubt the great influence Gertrude Jekyll had on garden design – during her lifetime, she created over 400 gardens. Our tour stretches across the south of England: from the Home Counties of Kent, Sussex and Surrey – where she lived for most of her life – to the southern counties of England and into the scenic West Country.

We begin at the outstanding private estates of Buckhurst Park, immortalised by A A Milne as the Hundred Acre Wood in Winnie the Pooh. We also visit

Legacy of Gertrude Jekyll

Hestercombe


What’s included

Capability Brown



• 3 nights at the Devere Cotswolds Waterpark Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to the grounds and gardens

of Compton Verney, Ragley Hall, Croome Court, Bowood House, Prior Park, Rousham and Stowe

Landscape Gardens of Capability BrownLancelot ‘Capability’ Brown changed the face of 18th century England – designing country estates, moving hills and creating lakes. To celebrate his enduring legacy, we have created a tour exploring some of his most striking landscapes and parklands.

gardens. Croome Court was Brown’s first landscape design and architectural project and is considered by many to be his most important and seminal work.

Our tour of ‘Capability’ Brown’s Heart of England is rounded off with visits to Rousham House, perhaps best known for what came before Brown with the work of William Kent, who designed part of the extensive parkland. As such it’s an ideal place to compare and contrast their differing yet complementary styles. We end our tour in Stowe, where Brown became Head Gardener in 1741. He did some of his best work here – creating a timeless landscape which, to this very day, casts a spell over all who visit it.

Join us for a celebration of the life and work of the man who made the earth move... Brown is best remembered for landscapes on an immense scale. Although his work is continually being re-assessed, every landscape gardener and architect that has followed – both in Britain and across the developed world – has been touched by his influence in one way or another.

Our tour begins at Compton Verney, a Robert Adam house, with grounds remodelled by Brown after 1761. From our base in the Cotswolds we continue with visits to Ragley Hall and Croome Court, both classic English Stately Homes with stunning parkland and


Departures

30 June, 2017 8 September, 2017

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Prior Park, Bath

Compton Verney




Sandringham House


14 August, 2017



• 4 nights in Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Peckover House, Felbrigg Hall, Sheringham Park, East Ruston Old Vicarage, Blickling Hall, Holkham Hall, and Sandringham

It may not have the immediate appeal of Southern France, but Norfolk’s sweeping beaches, windswept marshes and fine houses all combine to great effect in Norfolk.

a working dovecote and the National Collection of Colchicums. The park, which we walk through, is well known for its magnificent and aged trees. There are also walks to the church and lake and through the 500 acres of woods.

A visit to Sandringham’s sixty-acre gardens is a treat whatever the time of year – and occupies our final morning on tour. With woodland walks, lakes, streams, and plantings picked to provide year-round colour and interest – feast your eyes on avenues of flowers – including abundant beds of lavender, roses, and so much more.

It is quite unbelievable that an exotic garden could lie less than two miles from the North Sea. East Ruston Old Vicarage garden is a unique treasure, and for many will be the highlight of our time in Norfolk. This is one of Britain’s great new gardens, and home of the unstoppable gardeners Alan Gray and Graham Robeson. With the benefit of good shelter beds and hedging it has been possible to grow many plants not normally associated with Norfolk.

The Walled Garden of Felbrigg Hall is a wonderful example of restoration – featuring a series of potager gardens,

Treasures of Norfolk

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Rural Herefordshire boasts some of Britain’s best gardens and most influential horticulturalists, from Noel Kingsbury’s Montpelier Cottage to Sir Roy Strong’s The Laskett.

memories, The Laskett. The garden was created not long after Sir Roy and his late wife Julia Trevelyan Oman married in 1973. Among the many interesting sights in the garden are a rosemary bush that belonged to Julia’s nanny, and an area dedicated to their cats.

No trip to Herefordshire would be complete without the award-winning gardens at Hampton Court Castle. They were only recently completed, but the hard work has paid off — they are one of the most ambitious garden creations of our time.

The rolling hills of Herefordshire are home to some stunning gardens, but none more so than Montpelier Cottage, the private garden of the much revered garden designer Noel Kingsbury. By special arrangement Noel will guide us through the naturalistic garden himself. The garden beautifully combines the English cottage style with German parks and American prairie. It also features a hay meadow habitat, and an unusual wild flower-rich wet meadow.

Further highlights include Sir Roy Strong’s garden of sentiments and

Gardens of Herefordshire

Wye Bridge and the River Wye


3 May, 2017



• 3 nights at Three Counties Hotel, Hereford – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Guided tour of Montpelier Cottage • Visits to Hampton Court Castle,

Stockton Bury, Misarden Park and The Laskett





12 June, 2017

Rail travel included in the price. Alternative packages on request.


• 3 nights at the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the gardens of Levens Hall, Holehird, Windy Hill and Holker Hall and the houses and gardens of Dalemain, and Brantwood

Home of artist and writer John Ruskin

As well as being an area of outstanding natural beauty, the Lake District has some stunning gardens. More often than not, the lush planting of the gardens is offset by a glorious natural backdrop of lakes or fells.

Windermere. Brantwood – reached by an elegant steam gondola on Lake Coniston – comes very close. Visiting here, we find ourselves immersed in the world of John Ruskin – noted art critic, draughtsman, water-colourist, social thinker and philanthropist.

Further highlights of our tour include Windy Hall – with its woodland garden of rhododendrons, camellias, magnolias and hydrangeas; and the award-winning gardens of Holker Hall. Part woodland and part formal garden, the immaculately kept gardens are home to the famous Great Holker Lime tree.

We begin among the top-class topiary of Levens Hall. Under the magnificent topiary sculpted from box and yew there is a spectacular under-planting populated with an ever-changing range of over thirty thousand flowers. We continue to the historic gardens of the medieval, Tudor and early Georgian house Dalemain; and Hutton-in-the Forest, surrounded by Inglewood’s medieval forest.

Few gardens can match the setting of Holehird Gardens. Ten acres of vibrant planting lay within an outstanding landscape overlooking Lake

Gardens of the Lake District


11 August, 2017

Rail travel included in the price. Alternative packages on request.

• 3 nights at the 4* Durham Marriott Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Durham Cathedral, Crook Hall Gardens, Angel of the North, Alnwick Garden, and Bowes Museum


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This north-eastern corner of England is rich in history, culture and gardens, yet it still remains one of the lesser-explored regions of the country.

Travelling into Northumberland we take a close look at the iconic Angel of the North. The steel structure is one of the most talked-about pieces of public art ever produced. Its sheer scale is breathtaking. Taking a stroll around the BALTIC centre in Newcastle, we get the chance to view their renowned, constantly changing, and often cutting-edge exhibitions. We conclude at the magnificent Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, home to an impressive collection of European fine and decorative arts from 1400 – 1875, with particular emphasis on French material.

Much inspiration can be taken from the glorious gardens around Durham. We begin with a visit to the 900 year old Durham Cathedral, recently voted Britain’s most loved building – a superb example of Norman architecture. We also visit Durham University’s Oriental Museum – filled with fascinating artefacts and archaeological treasures from the East. At Crook Hall Gardens, we discover a variety of differently themed gardens, including the Cathedral Garden – which takes its inspiration from Durham’s unmistakable skyline of Castle and Cathedral.

Durham Arts & Gardens

Alnwick Garden


What’s included

Picton Castle


• Services of horticulturalist Tony Russell as tour manager

• 4 nights at the Beggars Reach Hotel, Burton – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Dyffryn Botanic Gardens, Singleton Botanic Gardens, Picton Castle & Gardens, Upton Castle Gardens, Cae Hir, Aberglasney, the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and the private gardens of Dyffryn Fernant and The Cors

Gardens of West WalesTucked away in the rolling countryside of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire are some fine parks and gardens, both large and small; ancient and modern. The centrepiece of our tour is the National Botanic Garden of Wales, the first garden of its type to be created in the United Kingdom for 200 years.

Elizabethan/Jacobean cloister; a walled garden of concentric herbaceous beds and a parapet walk. Dyffryn Botanic Gardens have also been recently restored to Thomas Mawson’s original 1904 design with the help of generous lottery funding. We also visit two superb woodland gardens, at Picton Castle and Upton Castle; along with Cae Hir, which has established itself as one of Wales’ best loved gardens.

A selection of stunning private gardens are the cherry on top of our tour.Dyffryn Fernant was built from scratch by Christina Shand; and The Cors, is an elegant and exceptional example of a plantsman’s garden.

This spectacular re-interpretation of the historical garden blends the careful restoration of the historic, double-walled garden with Norman Foster’s Great Greenhouse. This is the largest single span glasshouse in the world, where mere panes of glass separate the familiar green hills of Wales from a panoramic sweep of warm, Mediterranean scenery.

By contrast Aberglasney is a superb 16th/17th century garden – discovered after 50 years of neglect, it has been restored to produce a garden with immense appeal. Set within nine acres are six different spaces with a rich and diverse collection of plants, including three walled gardens and the unique


Departures


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Dyffryn Botanic Gardens

Tony Russell, our man in Wales





9 June, 201715 September, 2017


• Services of horticulturist Tony Russell as tour manager

• 3 nights at the Royal Goat Hotel, Beddgelert – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Crûg Farm Plants and the gardens of Bodnant, Portmeirion, Plas Cadnant, Plas Brondanw, Dorothy Clive and Arley Hall

How do you create a colourful Welsh tour? Take a fascinating hidden garden, a well-stocked nursery, and the wonderful Portmeirion – and you’ll be on your way to a great holiday.

Further highlights include the nursery at Crûg Farm Plants, specialists in a broad range of temperate forest plants. Every October Bleddyn Wynn-Jones and his wife Sue trade their home comforts at Crûg for a tent and trekking gear. They have travelled to the mountains and forests of Vietnam, Taiwan and Sri Lanka to collect a truly special collection of plant species.

And of course, no trip to North Wales is complete without a stop in Portmeirion, the eccentric Italianate village perhaps best known as the setting for 1960s TV show ‘The Prisoner’...

Set amongst glorious scenery – including the mountains of Snowdonia, dramatic seascapes and ancient castles – North Wales is home to some outstanding gardens. Author, broadcaster and former Head Forester at Westonbirt Arboretum, Tony Russell, will lead our tour.

One of the best is Plas Cadnant, which 15 years ago was an overgrown, abandoned wilderness of ivy and decrepit fruit trees. Its new owner has brought it back to life. Much like Cornwall’s Lost Gardens of Heligan, Plas Cadnant has emerged as a gem of a garden – ready to delight many a green-fingered traveller.

Gardens of North Wales

Bodnant


28th June, 201729th September, 2017



• 4 nights at the Royal Goat Hotel, Beddgelert – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Brynkinalt Hall, Plas Newydd, Penrhyn Castle, Portmeirion, Plas Brondanw, Caernarfon Castle and Chirk Castle

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Set amongst glorious scenery that includes the mountains of Snowdonia, dramatic seascapes and ancient castles, North Wales is home to some outstanding gardens.

out in recent years to improve the gardens, enhancing the beauty of the architecture. Continuing the Italian theme, we visit Plas Brondanw at Croesor. Entering the cobbled stable courtyard, the outside world immediately disappears. The courtyard is enclosed by clipped yew hedging punctuated by towering columns of Italianate cypress. We also take a walk through ‘The Gwyllt’, a display of woodland where major concentrations of Rhododendron, Azalea and Camellia were planted, with a wide variety of choice trees.

Caernarfon Castle is the most famous of all the Welsh castles – thanks to its sheer scale and commanding presence. Built in 1283, it was constructed as a military stronghold, a seat of government and royal palace. Chirk Castle is smaller than Caernarfon Castle, but perfectly formed. Its award-winning grounds feature beautiful rose, shrub and rock gardens, and a wooded pleasure ground.

The wonderfully eccentric and rather surreal Italianate village of Portmeirion is a particular highlight of our tour. Much work has been carried

Castles & Gardens of North Wales

Penrhyn Castle





16 June, 201718 August, 2017



• 3 nights at the Holiday Inn, Dumfries – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Crawick Multiverse, Broughton House, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries House and the gardens of Cosmic Speculation

Explore the dream-like landscape of Dumfries and Galloway – where red deer, kites, and more join us as we travel across gentle hills, lush valleys, and stately homes.

down to the estuary of the Dee also shows the influence of his time in Japan and is always full of colour.

Further highlights include Drumlanrig Castle, with its extensive gardens and world-class collection of fine art and furniture. This was one of the first and most important renaissance buildings in the grand manner built in Scotland. A hidden gem nestled in a bowl of rolling hills in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, Crawick Multiverse is another interesting stop – with their unique combinations of natural features and artificial landscaping.

In the south-western corner of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway are home to some of the country’s most attractive gardens and artists. The artistic highlight of our tour is undoubtedly Dumfries House in Ayrshire, whose future has been secured with the support of Prince Charles. One of the Adam brothers’ finest achievements, the stunning interiors showcase a unique collection of Chippendale furniture.

We see something rather different at Broughton House – an artist’s garden at the restored former home of ‘Glasgow Boy’ EA Hornel. The garden which runs

Dumfries & Galloway

Dumfries House




• 3 nights at the 4* Gleddoch House Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Hill House, Ross Priory, Mount Stuart, and Ascog Fernery

• Guided exterior tour of Glasgow School of Art


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“Art is the flower. Life is the green leaf.” It’s almost as if Charles Rennie Mackintosh were describing our tour himself. Join us as we chart the life of the incomparable architect, designer, and artist.

still appeals to modern tastes. The gardens of Glenarn are reputedly one of the best woodland gardens in Scotland - decide for yourself.

We sail across the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Bute for a visit to Mount Stuart, one of the largest High Gothic houses in Britain – which offers the perfect combination of architectural grandeur and captivating gardens. No Mackintosh tour would be complete until we’ve enjoyed afternoon tea at Glasgow’s Willow Tea Rooms – you won’t be disappointed!

A guided tour of the Glasgow School of Art, Mackintosh’s iconic masterpiece, is one of the highlights of our holiday – all the more special as it came so close to being lost forever in a recent fire.We will also visit the House for an Art Lover and the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery to see further examples of Mackintosh’s work.

Away from the city, we will also visit Hill House, one of his finest domestic creations, which sits high above the River Clyde with commanding views of the firth. Its air of restrained elegance

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Hill House




16 May, 20173 nights from £555Single room supplement £180

Coach pick-ups are included in the price. Alternative travel on request.


• 3 nights at Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the gardens of Inverewe, Cawdor, Dunrobin Castle and the Castle of Mey

A journey to the far north of Scotland brings many rewards, not least the enchanting castles and gardens we see on tour — the distance travelled is certainly worth it.

Castle. We also stop at one of the late Queen Mother’s favourite summer retreats: Castle of Mey, sat high on a cliff, overlooking the turbulent waters of the Pentland Firth.

We return south to Dunrobin Castle, the château style ancestral home of the Dukes of Sutherland. The castle is a wonderful early 19th-century fantasy with a touch of the Loire and a dash of Bavaria, with formal gardens leading to the North Sea.

Rewards come in all shapes and sizes here: we have threaded together fascinating castles and luscious gardens to bring out the best of this remote and unspoilt region.

William Shakespeare immortalised Cawdor in ‘the Scottish play’, but the castle and its history are colourful enough even without his captivating words. The grounds boast magnificent gardens with vast herbaceous borders, and are a delight to wander through. Heading as far north as is possible on the British mainland to Thurso we visit the manicured walled gardens at Dunbeath

Gardens of the Far North

Dunrobin Castle


20 June, 2017


• 3 nights at 4* Ardoe House Hotel & Spa – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Leith Hall House and

Gardens, Kincardine, Crathes Castle, Findrack House, and more


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When Balmoral Castle was built for Queen Victoria in 1855, simple Deeside was transformed into the Royal region we know it as today. Join us and discover why the royals still return summer after summer.

set in a scenic estate containing a beautiful garden that overlooks some of Aberdeenshire’s finest rolling countryside. Aside from the regal connections in Royal Deeside, there is also a healthy selection of wonderful private gardens here for us to enjoy. The walled garden of Findrack House features a sea of blue poppies; whilst Kincardine is home to a striking wildflower meadow and lovely woodland garden. Finally, in Aberdeen, we enjoy an exclusive guided tour of Cruickshank Botanic Garden, led by the curator himself.

The gardens at the medieval Castle Kildrummy sit in an idyllic setting. They were created in the ancient quarry below the now ruined castle itself. The ruin that still stands today provides a wonderful backdrop to the alpines and shrubs that surround it. The bridge spanning the garden is a copy of the famous Brig o’ Balgownie. Less regal, but just as resplendent, Leith Hall House and Gardens is noted for its fine gardens. The typical Scottish laird’s residence brimming with family treasures, Leith Hall is

Gardens of Royal Deeside

Glenbervie


Departures

What’s included

5 May, 2017


Vatersay

Common Centaury


• 3 nights at the Isle of Barra Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visit to Kisimul Castle and Ardkinglas• Two full days two full days of

botanising on Barra and Vatersay• Services of a horticulturalist as tour

manager

The Isle of Barra is the most southerly of the Outer Hebrides and long famed for its beauty, boasting beaches and hills, machair and moorland, all in a small island. Whether you want to tick off a few more species in your field guide or just enjoy the scenery, there’s no finer place to be.

particular interest. Gentian, Centaury, Heart’s Ease and Stork’s Bill are just a few examples of the many flowers we expect to see, as well as ferns such as the tiny Adder’s Tongue and more – which grow on the walls of Kisimul Castle.

We have the added bonus of a specialist guide joining our tour. They will be on hand throughout to help identify plants for you; and there will be plenty of opportunities to take photographs and record your finds. Travelling in one of the lightest months of the year, this promises to be a richly rewarding yet relaxing holiday in the most beautiful of surroundings.

The flower-strewn ‘machair’ or coastal meadowlands are one of the delights of the Hebridean islands in the spring and summer – myriad species of flowers flourish here. Often the machair is simply the backdrop to a tour, but on this holiday we take a closer look at these beautiful little plants that make their home among these sandy soils. Braving the wind, rain and grazing sheep – they bring colour and joy to the island’s coastal fringes.

Enjoy two full days of gentle botanising on Barra and its smaller neighbour Vatersay. We seek out as many different species as we can, according to the prevailing conditions. Orchids will be of

Wildflowers of the Hebrides

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Kisimul Castle





26 June, 2017 14 August, 2017

Return flights: London to Belfast. Alternative options available.

• Services of horticulturalist Trevor Edwards as tour manager

• 4 nights at 4* hotels in County Antrim & Londonderry – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Mount Stewart, Rowallane, Antrim Castle, Glenarm Castle, Benvarden, and Hampstead Hall

The north of Ireland offers a rich feast of horticultural excellence, set against an ever-changing backdrop of lush green hills, fertile fields and glittering seascapes.

garden, where mixed borders are stuffed with big old shrubs and the occasional rare rhododendron animates the scene. Then there are the fine walled garden and tranquil landscaped grounds at Greenmount College; and the historic gem of Antrim Castle – with a number of new, restored and ornamental gardens.

Finally, a journey along the scenic north Antrim coast – by way of the incomparable Giant’s Causeway – takes us to Londonderry, where we venture into the rugged countryside of Donegal, visiting Glenveagh National Park as well as some fine private gardens.

The green hills of Antrim, Derry and Donegal are the backdrop to some horticultural gems. The dazzling and idiosyncratic garden of Mount Stewart, enveloped in a benign micro-climate on the shores of Strangford Lough, is truly one of the great gardens of the world. The Italian Garden south of the house is in the form of a giant parterre, edged in startling golden thuja and smouldering purple berberis; and filled with plantings of yellow, scarlet, lavender and grey.

Further highlights of our tour include romantic Rowallane. The liveliest gardening is to be found in the walled

Gardens of the North of Ireland

Antrim Coast


3 June, 20173 August, 2017

Flights London to Dublin; Cork to London. Alternative travel available.

• Services of horticulturalist Trevor Edwards as tour manager

• 7 nights at 4* hotels, 4 in Dublin and 3 in Cork – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Newbridge Demesne, Russborough, Corke Lodge, Mount Usher, Hunting Brook, June Blake, Powerscourt, and Ilnacullin

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In and around Dublin and the lively city of Cork, we meet enthusiastic and skilful owners and take a stroll through some of the garden gems of the Emerald Isle.

Heading south, we call in at the Italianate garden at Corke Lodge where an ancient garden of box parterres is punctuated by melancholy gothic follies. We also stop at one of Ireland’s most famous gardens, Powerscourt; as well as the wild and informal garden at Mount Usher. Finally, in the cultured city of Cork we tour Ilnacullin, whose beauty comes from the wonderful intermingling of the formal and the wild; and historic Bantry House, where 100 steps have been built, and appear to rise out of a fountain surrounded by azaleas and rhododendrons.

Feel the Irish heartbeat in the gardens misty wet with rain. Our tour begins in Dublin, where we visit the outstanding private garden of June and Jimi Blake. It is surrounded by majestic old beech and chestnut trees which provide a sheltered environment in which they grow a unique mix of bamboos, ornamental grasses and perennials with many plants offered for sale in their nursery. We also stop at the Talbot Botanical Garden at Malahide Castle; Newbridge Demesne with its perfect ‘Brownian’ landscape; and the stunning Palladian mansion Russborough House.

Southern Ireland’s Gems

Ilnacullin

Scenic Scottish Tours

Oscillating wildly between aloof drama and friendly warmth, Scotland is a whole world of its own, full of foible, fable and fantastic experiences to be had.

The Northern and Western Isles are a nature-lover’s paradise, crowded with seabird colonies and home to harbour seals, dolphins and elusive orca, not to mention thousands of species of wildflower.

Then there’s the history — from prehistoric tombs to Viking settlements; the age of steam to the Second World War, Scotland is chock full of the stuff! Whatever you hope to get out of a Brightwater tour, you’re sure to find it in bonny Scotland.



What’s included

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Luskentyre Beach, Harris


• 2 nights at the Cabarfeidh Hotel, Stornoway; 3 nights at the Isle of Barra Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast *March: 3 nights at the Dark Island Hotel, Benbecula

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to the Standing Stones of

Callanish, the Gearrannan Black Houses and the Norse Mill, Kildonan

Visitor Centre, and Vatersay• Services of a professional tour

manager

Kisimul Castle, Barra

A Grand Tour of the Outer HebridesThe concept of a Grand Tour might seem almost at odds with the famously laid-back pace of life in Scotland’s Western Isles, but bear with us: on these remote islands, you’d be hard-pressed not to discover a new archaeological gem at every turn. Whether discovering Norse mills or ancient hills, this is truly a place where time is on our side.

wave-lapped Kisimul Castle; on the Isle of Lewis we see Shawbost Norse Mill and Kiln, an accomplished restoration and a fascinating insight into a way of life once common on the island; and walk amongst the mysterious Standing Stones of Callanish.

But a trip to the Outer Hebrides is by no means just about the sites — here, the journeys themselves are just as much of an event. Enjoy a scenic southward drive from Lewis, punctuated by mist-cloaked hilltops, green expanses and steely seas; a serene early morning ferry ride on the Sound of Harris, and much more as we explore these fascinating islands.

In the far north of the United Kingdom, at Europe’s Atlantic edge, we find a string of islands that is unique indeed. Prehistoric sites, windswept beaches, artists’ hideaways, and imposing castles dot landscapes that are alternately wild and homely.

Here in the Outer Hebrides, there is a uniquely slow pace of life reminiscent of times past — in the north, establishments go into once-weekly hibernation in observation of the Sabbath, while up and down the island chain there is a pleasing dissonance as ancient sites meet modern life. Just off the coast of Barra, we journey by boat to ‘The Castle in the Sea’, the impregnable,


Departures26 March, 2017*7 May, 201714 May, 201728 May, 201718 June, 201725 June, 20179 July, 20176 August, 201710 September, 201724 September, 2017

CalMac


What’s included


• 3 nights at the Isle of Mull Hotel, Craignure & 3 nights at the Port Askaig Hotel, Port Askaig – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Iona, Staffa, Tobermory,

Duart Castle; Jura, Loch Finlaggan Visitor Centre, Bowmore Distillery

and Loch Gruinart RSPB Reserve• Services of a professional tour

manager

Fingal’s Cave, Staffa

Gentler, lusher, and less wild than their Outer cousins, the Inner Hebrides still have more than their fair share to offer travellers. The sheer drama of sea caves and castles, the friendly warmth of locals, and more than a hint of myth and magic — it’s all out there to be discovered on a Grand Tour of this wonderful, westerly archipelago.

are steeped in myth — the former is named for the eponymous hero of James Macpherson’s epic poem; the latter, the burial place of the real Macbeth, King of Scotland, who inspired Shakespeare’s Scottish Play.

But for every fantastical touch that abounds on these islands, there is just as much in which to delight in the material world. See wonderful wildlife — including otters, seals, puffins and guillemots — off the rocky coast of Staffa; enjoy a well-earned pint at the iconic, yellow-fronted Mishnish tavern; take a guided tour of Bowmore Distillery, purveyors of fine single malts; and much more besides.

To attempt to sum up the appeal of a landscape in one word might seem foolhardy, but if pressed, we think that ‘inspiring’ just might cover it for the Inner Hebrides. After all, it was here that Mendelssohn was moved to write his Hebridean Overture, and it is here that countless artists, craftspeople and artisans make their living today, many selling their wares from Tobermory’s colourful seafront.

But don’t just take our word for it — on our Grand Tour, you can see it all for yourself, from the natural splendour of Fingal’s Cave to the sacred tranquility of Iona. Just these two sites speak volumes about the extent to which these islands

6 nights from £1,095Single room supplement £120 July/August supplement £55

Departures

23 July, 201720 August, 201717 September, 2017

Duart Castle

A Grand Tour of the Inner Hebrides

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Oban Bay


Departures

What’s included


• 3 nights at The Golden Lion, Stirling & 2 nights at the Palace Hotel, Inverness – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Linlithgow Palace, the

Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Alloa Tower, Brodie Castle, and Urquhart Castle


Glenfinnan Monument & Loch Shiel

Bonnie Prince Charlie

In the Footsteps of Bonnie Prince CharlieFor a tour that follows in some right royal footsteps, you need look no further. Walk the halls of castles, climb imposing towers, and trace Edinburgh’s Royal Mile down to the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen on a Scottish sojourn that takes us back in time to the fascinating story of ‘The Young Pretender’, Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Study superb collections on Jacobite history and visit the striking hilltop castle in Scotland’s picturesque capital. Then, it’s down the Royal Mile to the favoured home of a monarch with whom we all ought to be familiar, and on to Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Alloa Tower...and that’s just for starters.

Undoubtedly the most memorable stop of our tour will be at Culloden, site of the final confrontation of the Jacobite Rising, where 2,000 of Stuart’s men were killed in his pursuit of the crown. Throughout, however, it is Scotland’s majestic landscapes which give us pause for thought, as gold-stoned urban centre gives way to green expanse.

Whether you know him as ‘The Young Pretender’, ‘The Young Chevalier’, or ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’, one thing remains constant — the engaging, often dramatic life story of Charles Edward Stuart.

The instigator of an unsuccessful attempt to restore his family to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland — better known as 1745’s Jacobite uprising — many of Stuart’s most important moments were played out here in Scotland. Join us on tour as we journey from West Lothian to Glencoe in pursuit of the facts and fables surrounding this famous figure.


26 May, 2017

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Prince’s Bay on Eriskay


What’s included


• 5 nights: 5 nights: 1 at the Queens Hotel, Lerwick & 2 at the Kirkwall Hotel, Orkney; 2 in 2-berth cabins on Serco Northlink Ferries – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Italian Chapel, Skara Brae, St. Magnus Cathedral, Maeshowe, and Jarlshof


Puffins

Orkney & Shetland HighlightsHistory and heritage, local culture and landscapes, not to mention the wonderful wildlife...high-achieving Northern Isles Orkney and Shetland do an awful lot extremely well indeed. With that in mind, we thought it only right to celebrate all the wonders they hold with a carefully curated tour of their very best bits — why don’t you join us?

remainder of Nordic rule — its Old Norse originator, Þingvöllr, translates as ‘Field of the Thing Assembly’ — and Kirkwall, with its 12th century St Magnus Cathedral, dedicated to the town’s Norwegian founder.

Then there’s natural majesty, which the islands have in spades: colonies of seabirds crowd the rocky coast at Sumburgh Head, and cliffs take a sheer drop into the waves at Eshaness.

It takes a special vantage point to be able to fully absorb these islands’ majesty, though. We think a couple of evenings overnighting on a ferry in the still quiet of the North Sea ought to do it...

Orkney and Shetland are unique in many ways. For one, they possess a tangible magic quite separate from that of the mainland, felt as soon as you slip its bonds. The other is that they really seem to encompass the breadth of time from the prehistoric to the present.

On tour, we take it all in, from the standing stones of Brodgar and Stenness, mysterious remnants of Orkney’s Neolithic past, to the Churchill Barriers, constructed in response to German U-boat attacks in the Second World War. Squarely in the middle, there are the Vikings, former kings of Scotland’s Northern Isles. Visit Tingwall Valley, both a physical and etymological

5 nights from £995Single room supplement £225 Outside cabin supplement £25

Departures8 May, 20175 June, 201717 July, 201728 August, 201718 September, 2017

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Whalebone

Mousa Broch, Shetland


What’s included


• 3 nights at Pitbauchlie House Hotel, Dunfermline – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching and rail travel• Visits to the Museum of Flight, Royal

Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh, and the Transport Museum

• Firth of Forth Three Bridges cruise


Firth of Forth

Enter a wonderful world of planes, trains and automobiles on our Scottish Transport Heritage tour. Topflight museums in buzzing cities and laid-back towns, fantastic landscapes, and a dazzling array of ways to discover them — if ever there were a tour for the transport enthusiast, it’s this, and if there were ever a place, it’s bonny Scotland.

of Galashiels, you’re sure to be held completely in its thrall.

Get better acquainted with the mechanics of travel at the Museum of Flight in East Fortune, and Glasgow’s award-winning Museum of Transport, the latter housed behind the instantly recognisable jagged facade of the Riverside Museum. And speaking of riversides, what transport tour would be complete without a glide on the Firth of Forth, to see three magnificent bridges from three centuries, and a visit to Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia?

The steam engine, the world’s first pedal cycle and even tarmac — you might be surprised to learn about the sensational Scottish inventions that have had an impact on the world of transport...But from our first day on tour, we’ve no doubt that you’ll start to get very comfortable with the idea of Scotland as a centre of remarkable innovation, and as the home of some of the most wonderful methods of transport to utilise them.

Out here, steam is king — and as we chug steadily along the Borders Railway, starting from the urban tangle and clamour of Edinburgh’s Waverley station and forging a route to the riverside burgh


Departures

3 September, 2017

Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway

Scotland’s Transport Heritage

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Riverside Museum in Glasgow


What’s included


• 3 nights at the Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching and rail travel• Rail journeys from Dingwall to Wick

and Kyle of Lochalsh; from Fort William to Mallaig on the Jacobite; and from Aviemore to Broomhill


Loch Carron & the Kyle Line

Scenic Scottish RailwaysTracing the contours of the Scottish landscape, the land seems almost to have been made for rail travel. Craggy mountains, sparkling lochs and startling vistas of all kinds spring up either side of tracks that carve through rolling hill and gentle glen with an ease unmatched by any other mode of transport — take your time, and take it all in.

of Strathpeffer, the former royal burgh of Dingwall, the waterfront Kyle of Lochalsh, and the Highland town of Fort William.

But as much as these beautiful places are impossible not to enjoy from any aspect, we think you’d agree that discovering them by train brings another dimension altogether. Gain a new perspective on, and understanding of, the rich variety of Scotland’s landscape — distant hills foregrounded by still, glassy lochs; undulating countryside dotted with isolated hamlets, and bustling ports — as it slides, dreamlike, past your carriage window.

A gently rocking carriage, a continuous reassurring chug punctuated here and there by a reedy whistle, an unmistakable smell of smoke — a trip by train is a trip for all the senses. When that trip is taken through the breathtaking landscapes of the Cairngorms and along Scotland’s northwest coast, it quickly takes a turn for the unforgettable.

We begin our journey at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park in the town of Aviemore, home to the Strathspey Railway. From here, we discover this beautiful part of the British Isles on a series of scenic journeys by coach and by rail — see the Victorian spa village


Departures9 June, 20177 July, 201725 August, 2017

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Strathspey Railway

Kyle of Lochalsh


What’s included

Hoops of the Falkirk Wheel



• 3 nights at the Arrochar Hotel, Arrochar – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching and rail travel• Journeys on PS Waverley, SS Sir

Walter Scott, and the Fort William to Mallaig line on the Jacobite; visit to the Falkirk Wheel

Chart a course and set the propeller going — it’s full steam ahead on our Classic Scottish Steam break! Discover firsts, lasts, exclusives and superlatives on this unique tour which will take us back to the heady days of the era of steam, and join us in travelling by track and tide through some of Scotland’s most picturesque landscapes.

Another unforgettable experience is sure to be our journey over the iconic Glenfinnan viaduct, immortalised in numerous films, but perhaps most recognisable as part of the route of the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films. We also take an enchanting trip on the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, PS Waverley, and on the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first rotating boat lift.

From the gently sloping beauty of the Argyll hills to the lucid Kyles of Bute, via famous feats of Scottish engineering there’s simply no better way to explore the many scenic gifts that the country has to offer.

Ever wanted to see Britain’s highest mountain? Its shortest river? How about the deepest freshwater loch in Europe? On our Classic Scottish Steam Break, you can — and then some. The experiences to be had on this tour run from Britain-wide superlatives to global exclusives, including a ride on the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer.

With this in mind, you’ll forgive us if we find it difficult to pin down just one highlight! First, we take the Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig on one of the longest steam-hauled rail journeys available in Britain today — an 84-mile round trip through some truly spectacular scenery.


Departures

22 June, 201720 July, 2017

Glenfinnan Viaduct

A Classic Scottish Steam Break

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Original Sir Walter Scott cruising on Loch Katrine


What’s included


• 4 nights at the Kinloch Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visit to the gardens of Brodick Castle,

Whiting Bay, Lamlash, Brodick, and Pirnmill


• *Optional excursion to Achamore Gardens and the Isle of Gigha

Lochranza

Arran‘Scotland in miniature’ might just be the most apt way to sum up the country’s seventh largest island — separated into Highland and Lowland, geographically and ecologically diverse, and full of history, it shares more in common with the mainland than you might think. The big difference is its size, squeezing all of its charms into one bijou package.

Apostles’ fishermen’s cottages in Catacol to the etymology of local towns like Whiting — or ‘Viking’ — Bay. We explore Arran’s Victorian legacy, too, in the grounds of Brodick Castle — its formal walled gardens, woodland walks, and almost-always efflorescent collection of rhododendrons are a joy to behold.

And then, between these engaging visits, there is ample time to spend at leisure as you wish. Why not join our optional excursion to the beautiful, southerly Isle of Gigha; visit the legendary King’s Caves, take a dram at the Isle of Arran Distillery, or simply take it easy? The choice is all yours...

Despite being Scotland’s seventh largest island, Arran’s diminutive size means that it’s still quite possible to pack a good number of its sites into one day. But then, why would you want to when you can join us on tour and take it all in at a relaxed pace more befitting of the laid-back Firth of Clyde?

On Arran, picturesque villages — Sannox with its curved beach and Corrie with its twin harbours — give way to wide expanses, all waiting to be explored. A way of life that revolves around the sea is still alive and well on the island, and there are plenty of clues to those that have come before, too — from the unique windows of each of the ‘Twelve

4 nights from £495

Departures

19 May, 201726 June, 201728 August, 2017

Brodick Castle

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Blackwaterfoot, Arran


What’s included


• 3 nights at the Isle of Mull Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to Tobermory, Staffa, Iona,

Duart Castle, Fingal’s Cave and Morvern


Faroe Puffins

Mull, Staffa & IonaTranquil Iona, awe-inspiring Staffa, rugged Mull: we like to think that the wildly differing moods of these three isles represent the very best of what the Inner Hebrides has to offer. Join us on a tour that takes in mysterious sea caves, medieval castles, and magnificent scenery, and you’re sure to find that good things really do come in threes.

ancient castles and timeless craggy mountain ranges, to boot.

Staffa has served as a source of inspiration for many — Mendelssohn, Turner, Keats, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Scott...and that’s just the artists. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert also fell in love with the island on their royal visit in 1847. With wonders like Fingal’s Cave, with its uncannily geometric interior, it’s hardly surprising.

You might be pleased to hear that it doesn’t stop there...even on our return home we pass through some of the most magnificent scenery in the country.

From Mull, the second largest of the Inner Hebridean islands, to tiny Iona, via unspoilt, uninhabited Staffa — get acquainted with our carefully-curated list of Hebridean beauties. It’ll soon become apparent that each one has its own distinct air.

As we set foot on the isle of Iona, the ‘cradle of Christianity’, that air is a sort of sacred hush. Once here, you have free rein to explore — why not take a look inside the famous Abbey? Arrivals on Mull are greeted, by contrast, with the bright bustle of Tobermory, with its pastel-coloured waterfront houses, shops and taverns. Go just a little further, though, and you’ll soon encounter


Departures14 April, 201712 May, 20172 June, 201714 July, 20179 September, 2017

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Iona

Mull


What’s included


• 4 nights at the Port Askaig Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to Bowmore Distillery, Loch

Finlaggan Visitor Centre, Loch Gruinart RSPB, and Jura

• Optional excursion to Colonsay and Colonsay House Gardens


Round Church at Bowmore

Islay & JuraExploring Islay and Jura is a study in contrasts: Islay’s verdant fertility to Jura’s mountainous sobriety; the former’s contented bustle to the latter’s wild mystery. But these close Hebridean cousins also have plenty in common, with nine working whisky distilleries between them, ample beautiful beaches, and an abundance of heritage sites.

Throughout the rest of our tour, enjoy a series of experiences that we feel have distilled the essence of these beautiful, idiosyncratic isles. Take a trip to Loch Finlaggan, historic site of the Lordship of the Isles; then, head out to Loch Gruinart RSPB Nature Reserve with the hope of spotting the rare chough which frequents the area, or even migrant barnacle geese from Greenland.

And, of course, no visit to these whisky-producing wonders would be complete without a visit to at least one distillery: Bowmore Distillery, to be exact, where we enjoy a guided tour and take in a wee dram or two...

Islay, best known for its numerous whisky distilleries and profusion of seabirds, is rightly called ‘The Queen of the Hebrides’. Dramatic Jura, meanwhile, is perhaps best summed up by the slogan employed to describe its world-famous distilled export: ‘The Isle of the Unexpected’.

Now that you’ve become better acquainted, we think that the best way to discover these beautiful islands is up to you — spend your third day at leisure, or join our optional excursion to nearby Colonsay for the opportunity to take a drive over to Kiloran Bay, and see the island’s fine gardens and crescents of sandy beach.


Departures

3 April, 20175 June, 201731 July, 2017

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Jura - Craighouse

A friendly local


What’s included


• 3 nights at the Isle of Barra Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to the Isle of Barra, Kisimul

Castle, Vatersay, South Uist and Eriskay


Traigh Mhor

Kisimul Castle


Departures

11 July, 20175 September, 2017

Isle of BarraAs we set foot on the Isle of Barra, you’ll soon see why this Outer Hebridean gem is affectionately known as ‘Barradise’ by locals and devotees. Blanketed in machair and moor, fringed by beautiful beaches and crystal-clear seas, and home to a huge variety of flora and fauna, you might find it difficult to believe this place exists in the UK...

the waves and head out to Kisimul, the ‘Castle in the Sea’ just off Barra’s coast which appears to float in the bay; cross Castlebay to Vatersay, where the film adaptation of Sir Compton Mackenzie’s ‘Whisky Galore!’ was made; and take a trip to Cockleshell Beach’s unique airport, where the schedule is still governed by the ebb and flow of the tide.

Both on land and on sea, there’s plenty to discover on Barra and beyond — why not join us on tour and encounter the unique beauty of this most southerly of the inhabited Outer Hebridean islands for yourself?

...but exist it does, and we’re very glad for it indeed. Barra and its neighbours offer a wonderful mix of Gaelic heritage, stunning landscapes, and endlessly watchable wildlife, the perfect introduction to the Outer Hebrides.

There are manifold land-bound wonders to be experienced here — spying waders and waterfowl on South Uist; walking the curve of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Bay on Eriskay; and discovering over a thousand species of wildflower on Barra’s machair-blanketed neighbour, Vatersay.

As you’d surely expect on an island chain, the sea also has plenty of say in this destination’s unique charms. Take to

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Isle of Barra Hotel



What’s included


• 3 nights at the Royal Hotel, Ullapool – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Corrieshalloch Gorge and the Falls of Measach, Handa Island, The Summer Isles, and Inverewe Gardens


Departures

18 May, 201713 July, 20173 nights from £455 Single room supplement £75

Just off the west coast of Scotland, at the mouth of Loch Broom, you’ll find a small sprinkling of islands with a big personality. Here, on Handa and the Summer Isles, wildlife enamours and landscapes astound.

come here to breed on its sandstone cliffs every summer. The next morning brings us a leisurely breakfast and a cruise from Ullapool Pier aboard the MV Summer Queen, a fittingly regal vessel from which to discover the beauty of the Summer Isles.

In contrast to their rugged majesty, Inverewe Gardens are a magnificently lush sub-tropical eden — we visit on our final day, admiring plush rhododendrons and constellations of olearia before our scenic journey home via Loch Maree.

You may not have heard of Handa and the Summer Isles, but get acquainted, and they won’t be leaving your mind in a hurry... We begin our tour in breathtaking style, with a journey through the captivating scenery of Corrieshalloch Gorge, and the dramatic culmination of the river which carved it at the Falls of Measach.

The laid-back pace of life here is something we’re wholeheartedly in favour of. We dedicate a whole day to exploring Handa Island, a haven for wildflowers and wildlife, particularly the hundreds of thousands of seabirds which

Handa & the Summer Isles

The Summer Isles


• 3 nights at the Dunollie Hotel, Broadford – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Eilean Donan Castle, Eilean Ban, Dunvegan Castle and Portree, Armadale Castle Visitor Centre, and the Museum of the Isles



18 May, 2017

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A place where Medieval castles crown peaceful lochs and jagged mountain peaks punctuate the landscape, Skye is pure drama; its neighbour Raasay is pure charm — join us and get to know them both.

The Isle of Skye takes its name from the old Norse ‘sky-a’, meaning ‘cloud island’. Fitting, when you consider the stirring sight of its mist-wreathed peaks, the more-than occasional mists over sloping moors. We make our way from the sweeping northerly peninsula of Trotternish, whose fantastic vistas we absorb on a scenic circuit, to the bustling port of Portree, Skye’s largest settlement and main town.

If Skye is characterised by its drama, then neighbouring Raasay is surely distinguished by its intimate charm,

which we devote a day to discovering. And what better way to do so than by the single-track Calum’s Road? Named for local legend Calum MacLeod who almost single-handedly completed the road in the 1970s, it is a prime example of indomitable island spirit.

Then there’s the iconic castles, wonderful museums, charming towns, ferry rides affording us uninterrupted views of the neighbouring Small Isles...the pleasures of Skye and Raasay really are manyfold — why not come and encounter them for yourself?

The Isles of Skye & Raasay

Dunvegan


What’s included



29 July, 2017


• 4 nights at the Kirkwall Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to Westray, The Scaun Natural

Arch, Quoygrew, the Island of Hoy, Maeshowe and Skara Brae


The Northern Isle of Orkney boasts ten millennia of history — and that’s just the bit we know about. Ancient brochs, remarkably intact, are lapped by crystalline seas in a startling contrast; Neolithic chambered graves are dug into lush ground; ruined Medieval castles are an almost ghostly presence on the landscape, and monumental henges preside over sparkling lochs.

As for more recent happenings, there’s the scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow, commemorated at the solemn Lyness Naval Base, and the squat stone Martello tower at Hackness.

But for all the history that has been packed into this archipelago, there is just as much excitement to be gained from Orkney’s more recent endeavours. We head to Highland Park Distillery for a sneak peek at the production of one of Scotland’s most beloved exports. The perfect opportunity, we think, to see if you agree with their beautifully honeyed Single Malt being christened three-times ‘Best Spirit in the World’.

From the moment we set foot on Orkney, its plentiful charms are apparent — but look a little closer, and you never know what you might find...

Ten thousand years of human history, set in unfathomably ancient landscapes, and wild expanses populated just as much by wonderful wildlife as by people — welcome to Undiscovered Orkney.

Undiscovered Orkney


• 2 nights at the Queen’s Hotel, Lerwick and 2 nights in 2-berth cabins on a Serco Northlink Ferry — dinner, bed & breakfast

• Two full days on mainland Shetland and the islands of Yell and Unst


Departures

10 June, 201715 July, 20174 nights from £845Single room supplement £200

Skara Brae

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Once the seat of Northmen, who travelled from Norway to make their mark on the wild and rocky landscapes of the archipelago, Shetland and the Outer Isles are a soul-stirring joy to behold and explore...

harbour seals and storm petrels, and, very occasionally, stirringly beautiful, enigmatic orca breaking the surface of the water. Nowhere is this more true than on the little island of Mousa, a nature reserve in its entirety, which we have the privilege of exploring.

But where a hardy few once settled, many now flourish — charming towns, busy harbours, and top-notch museums all feature on our itinerary, and alongside them, the unmistakable warmth and hospitality of the Shetlanders themselves.

Belatedly gifted to the nation of Scotland in 1469, Shetland’s status as a relative newcomer to the British Isles might go some way to explaining its uncanny, unfamiliar, yet wildly beautiful air. Relics of former Scandinavian rule abound, from place names with a distinct Nordic flavour to concrete evidence of Viking occupation, such as the settlement at Jarlshof and the legendarily grisly Murder Stone.

But forget the Viking leaders for a moment — today, nature is the true king here, with rocky outcrops ruled by

Shetland & its Outer Isles

Shetland Seascape


What’s included

Please note: quotations for rail/air connections to Inverness available on request. Cabin upgrades for both cruises are also available on request.

• Full board in a lower deck twin cabin• Return coach transfers between

Inverness and the ship• Full cruising programme plus shore

excursions/visits (detailed itineraries available)

Lord of the Glens - on the Canal

The Lord of the Glens CruisesThe Lord of the Glens has proved enormously popular, with its winning combination of comfortable cruising and breathtaking scenery. Sailing at a relaxed pace, with every aspect of your holiday already taken care of – can you think of a better way to take in all this glorious corner of the world has to offer?

Having negotiated the Caledonian Canal, the ship glides out into Loch Linnhe in the shadow of Ben Nevis and cruises among the remote and breathtakingly beautiful scenery of the west coast.

Depending on the cruise you choose, ports of call can include the Isle of Mull, featuring the famous harbour town of Tobermory and photogenic Duart Castle; the peaceful, sacred Isle of Iona; picturesque Plockton and the Clan Donald centre on the Isle of Skye; the remote village of Inverie, which can only be reached by boat, and the tranquil little island of Eigg.

We can’t wait to welcome you aboard!

We are once again delighted to offer a selection of cruises which feature the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness as well as the many delights of Scotland’s wonderful west coast.

The cruises include a complete transit of the Caledonian Canal between Inverness and Banavie. Among the highlights of this section of the cruise are Urquhart Castle; the perfect photo opportunity on Loch Ness; Laggan Avenue — a deceptively wild-looking man-made section of the canal — and Neptune’s Staircase, the longest staircase lock in Britain. Designed by Thomas Telford, this engineering masterpiece enables boats to navigate the steep Highlands.

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Ruins of Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness

7 nights from £1,945 Single cabin supplement on request

Heart of The Highlands30th April, 20187th May, 201814th May, 201821st May, 201824th September, 2018

2017: 5 nights from £9952018: 5 nights from £1025 Single room supplement from £440

Highlands & Islands

Departures

18 April, 201723 April, 201725 September, 201730 September, 20175 October, 201710 October, 2017 20 April, 2018 25 April, 2018 1 October, 2018 6 October, 201811 October, 201816 October, 2018


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Oban



What’s included


10 September, 2017

Departures


10 May, 201728 June, 2017


• 4 nights at the Cabarfeidh Hotel, Stornoway — dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to Callanish, The Broch of

Carloway, and Standing Stones


Join us on a journey encompassing the most remarkable antiquities in the Western Isles, conducted across rolling moor and glassy loch, tracing trails through lonely mountain and bustling town.

Stonehenge — and what an answer they are. Arranged in a cruciform pattern, the rough columns of rock seem almost to grow out of the landscape. Lesser known, but equally prone to strike wonder into the heart is MacLeod’s Stone, with its superb views across to Taransay.

But ancient stones are just one piece of the puzzle of Outer Hebridean settlement — learn more about the people who have made their lives here over the millennia at the Bosta Iron Age Village, the Norse Mill at Shawbost, and the Genealogy Centre at Northton.

An early evening arrival into Stornoway’s welcoming port, as an otherworldly late-summer dusk descends over still sea...what better way to set the tone for what will surely be an enchanting tour?

The Outer Hebrides are steeped in myth and magic, a chain of islands inhabited since the Mesolithic and occupied by Nordic explorers. We see this tapestry of influence today, in its place names, its ruins, and — most importantly — its ancient stones. Undoubtedly the most famous of these are the Standing Stones of Callanish, Scotland’s answer to

Ancient Stones of Outer Hebrides

Callanish Standing Stones


• 3 nights at the Cabarfeidh Hotel, Stornoway – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Visits to Callanish, the Broch of

Carloway, Blackhouse village and St. Clement’s church

• Services of a professional driver/guide

The archipelago of St Kilda represents Scotland’s western extreme, and the most remote part of the British Isles. Its profound isolation and almost unearthly landscapes have to be seen to be believed.

different species of seabird, and a hotbed of archaeological interest, we take a full day to explore main island Hirta’s many disparate points of interest.

From our base in Stornoway, we also expand our journey into Lewis and Harris, the largest island in Scotland and a fascinating contrast to St Kilda. See the remarkably well-preserved broch of Dun Carloway and the cruciform Standing Stones of Callanish, St Clement’s Church and squat stone blackhouses, before embarking on a final scenic coach tour of Harris.

On your approach to St Kilda, its tremendously craggy profile gives it an air of mystery more befitting of the setting for a fantasy or adventure novel than a guided tour. We’re hardly going to let that stop us though...

St Kilda is perhaps best known for the complete evacuation of its remaining inhabitants in 1930, after a long and devastating struggle for survival. Today, the uninhabited archipelago is a spectacular national nature reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site. An important breeding ground for many

St Kilda

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St Kilda


What’s included


• 3 nights at the Kinlochbervie Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Durness, Oldshoremore

Beach, Smoo Cave, Assynt, Loch Inver, Loch Eribol, and Loch Shin

• Services of a professional driver/guide

Smoo Cave

Scotland’s Extreme North WestWith a landscape that veers wildly from snow-capped peak to white-sand beach, and a coastline punctuated by deep sea caves and charming fishing villages, this farthest corner of Scotland’s north-west is extreme in more than just location. Discover the paradox of supreme, unspoilt isolation meeting the warmest of welcomes in scenic Sutherland...

spectacles in the British wildlife calendar, as the salmon of Loch Shin make their famous ‘leap’ back upriver to the breeding grounds. We also take a leisurely afternoon to explore the village of Lochinver, with its superb views of famous Suilven, a mountain with a very distinctive shape...

We make our base throughout in the charming harbour village of Kinlochbervie. Set on the tip of the northwestern coastline and facing out towards far-flung Nordic lands, it is a gentle reminder of this beautiful region’s splendid isolation, and of all the other wonders we have yet to discover.

A rough, rippling landscape jewelled with freshwater lochans; white-sand beaches fringing lucid blue bays; echoing sea caves and snowy peaks...it might seem to the onlooker that Scotland’s north-west has more than its fair share of extremes.

But here, at the very remotest reaches of Scotland’s mainland, there is just as much to be found welcoming as wild. Try — officially — the finest hot chocolate in the world at remote artisan chocolatier Cocoa Mountain, set in the craft village of Balnakeil.

Join us in October, and you are sure to witness one of the most exciting


Departures

10 March, 201720 October, 2017

Ardvrech Castle, Loch Assynt

Sango Bay Beach

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Castle of Mey


• 2 nights at the St Clair Hotel, Thurso and 2 nights at the Kinlochbervie Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughouts• Visits to Duncansby Head, John O’

Groats Museum, Castle of Mey, Cape Wrath, Balnakeil Churchyard, and Smoo Cave



Departures

5 June, 201723 August, 2017

Stacks of Duncansby

Scotland’s Northern EdgeThe sweep of Scotland’s northern edge is truly epic, a wildly beautiful frontier shaped by wind and sea over millions of years. We carve a course from east to west, tracing the rugged lines and unearthing the wonders of a breathtaking northern coast; from leaping salmon to the world’s best cup of cocoa — or so we’ve heard — they are manyfold.

Beginning with a scenic coastal drive, we make our way to the most northerly point on the mainland: Dunnet Head. We explore the enormous Smoo Cave, and pay a visit to Cocoa Mountain, whose chocolates are as beautiful as their isolated location in the heart of the North-west Highlands Geo-Park. Then, it’s onto Loch Shin, whose falls are considered by many to be the best place to watch for Atlantic salmon making their legendary autumn leaps. Add to this the history and mystery of Strathnaver, castles and capes, villages and museums, and you’ll soon find that Scotland’s northern edge is unique indeed...

Scotland’s extreme northern boundaries are not only a sight to behold, but a treat for all the senses. Imagine isolated hamlets set in rough, beautiful landscapes; harbourside towns soundtracked by the hum of passing boats and the cries of seabirds; warming drams of whisky and cups of cocoa consumed fireside in a Highland pub...

Join us on our tour of Scotland’s northern edge, and you’ll have to imagine no longer. Granted, charming port towns and pubs — not to mention whisky — are thankfully plentiful throughout the land, but go that extra mile, and you’re sure to be rewarded with unforgettable experiences.

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Loch Eribol


What’s included


• 3 nights at Gleddoch House Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• All coaching and ferry transfers• Guided tour of Glasgow• Visits to Ardkinglas House, Hill

House, Dumfries House, Culzean Castle, Pollok House and Holmwood House


Glasgow School of Art

A Celebration of Scottish ArchitectureWonders both manmade and natural are cause for celebration on this exuberant tour. Enjoy the juxtaposition of the wild and the metropolitan, the urban and the untamed as we travel city, country, and coastline in pursuit of sheer architectural perfection.

beauties, we also think it appropriate to raise a toast to the landscapes which surround them — don’t you? Argyll Forest Park is a prime example of the inspiring nature of the Scottish landscape, a land of tranquil glens and soaring peaks, jewelled with still lochs. Then there’s Rest and Be Thankful — if there exists a more aptly named beauty spot, then we have yet to find it. It’s all too tempting to stop here and soak in the arresting views, but we’re sated with just a glimpse as we make our way to Mackintosh-designed Hill House. All in all, whether you delight in urban places or green spaces, this is a wonderful tour for the visually curious.

For such a comparatively small country, Scotland’s architectural range and influence have been surprisingly vast. From Scots Baronial to Brutalist, from mid-Victorian to Modernist, there’s plenty to see and admire.

Accordingly, we begin our tour in prestigious fashion, with a guided walk around the city of Glasgow. This is a veritable ‘who’s who’ of architectural prowess: see Mackintosh’s Glasgow School of Art, Thomson’s St Vincent Street Church and the Egyptian Halls, Hamilton’s Royal Exchange, and more...

But as much as this tour is a jubilant celebration of Scotland’s architectural


Departures

8 October, 2017

Pollok House

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Glasgow Riverside Museum

ArchaeologyTours

Explore Neolithic houses, Bronze Age cemeteries and millennia-old brochs; get up-close and personal with bog bodies and Minotaurs, and admire colourful frescoes and standing stones in the places where they were created thousands of years ago... On our archaeology tours, the past is ever-present.

Explore a roster of remarkable sites on carefully curated itineraries with tours starting at £439pp and 5000 BC. From the megalithic temples of the Mediterranean to the Viking trading posts of Norway; ancient Balkan cities to Anglo-Saxon treasure found right here in the UK, why not join us and unearth something new?



What’s included


• 5 nights: 1 in Shetland, 2 in Orkney & 2 aboard Serco Northlink Ferries – dinner, bed & breakfast

• 2 full-day coach tours of mainland Orkney including entrances to Skara Brae and Maeshowe

• 2 full-day coach tours of mainland Shetland: Jarlshof and Mousa


Clive Warsop

Departures

Tomb of the Eagles

5 nights from £1,095Single room supplement £225 Outside cabin supplement £25pp

22 May, 201712 June, 20174 September, 2017

Orkney & Shetland - An Archaeologist’s ViewOrkney and Shetland are an archaeologist’s dream — beautiful, isolated archipelagos ringed by the North Sea, blanketed by windswept landscapes, and dotted here and there with the remains of ancient cultures. Join us on an island-hopping tour, and follow our expert archaeologists as they bring the extensive relics of these isles to life.

Orkney; and marvel at the complexity of the former Norse settlement at Jarlshof as you consider the Scandinavian chapters of Scotland’s history.

While the human history of these striking archipelagoes is our main focus, there’s plenty more to see. Take a free afternoon to wander the lanes of Kirkwall, the vibrant harbour-front capital of Orkney; and walk the rugged cliffs of dramatically craggy Sumburgh Head, soundtracked by the chattering call of resident fulmars. Finally, top it all off with an overnight ferry voyage back to the mainland, the perfect opportunity to look out at the still North Sea under a blanket of stars.

Scotland’s Northern Isles are imbued wth an allure that’s difficult to pin down. Surrounded by sparkling seas, you get the feeling that you are separated from the mainland by more than just distance — by time itself, in fact. Timelessly stark landscapes, strewn with ruins from a distant Nordic past, go a long way to maintaining this illusion.

Gain a fascinating insight into Stone Age life at Skara Brae, whose everyday objects — the beds, jewellery, and even medicines of inhabitants long gone — paint a telling picture. Enjoy a unique hands-on experience at the Tomb of the Eagles, where we ponder the still unanswered questions of ancient life in

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The Standing Stones of Stenness


What’s included

Departures

There is one night of the year — the last Tuesday in January, to be exact — when the ordinarily sleepy town of Lerwick undergoes an uncanny transformation. The darkened streets are lit up by the warm flicker of flaming torches as hordes of armour-clad Vikings pass through, singing uproariously. The reason? Up Helly Aa, a festival of fire held to mark the end of the yule season and usher in the just-dawning new year.

Join us on a five-day experience — of which the celebration is just the start — taking in startlingly beautiful landscapes, wonderful wildlife, and a whole host of historical sites. Explore the home of thousands of nesting birds — including

puffins, kittiwakes and razorbills — at the Sumburgh Head RSPB reserve, explore the maritime town of Lerwick in the calm before the Up Helly Aa storm, and take a series of scenic ferry rides that offer a breathtaking perspective on the Shetland Islands. We travel through Tingwall and Girlsta, enjoy the panoramic views at Saxa Vord on Unst, and admire the utilitarian grandeur of the Sullom Voe Terminal.

All in all, between the affable hospitality of the Shetlanders, fascinating sites, and the flickering torches and rousing songs of the festival itself, there’s no better way to warm up from a long winter.


• 2 nights at Busta House Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast; 2 nights in 2-berth cabins on Serco Northlink Ferry

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to Shetland, Yell, and Jarlshof• Free day in Lerwick to enjoy the

events of Up Helly Aa


Viking Longboat

Up Helly Aa in full swing

4 nights from £795Single room supplement on requestShetland hotel supplement £80pp

28 January, 201828 January, 2017 — On Request

Fight off the lingering gloom of winter with blazing torch and bone-rattling cry, and see warm island hospitality and unabashed merrymaking come together in a festival unlike any other. This is Up Helly Aa, a once-yearly invocation of flame and festivity when Vikings take over the sleepy Shetlands — sure to put fire in the belly.

Up Helly Aa

The prehistoric site of Jarlshof, Shetland

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What’s included

Departures

Please note: Return flights from London are included in the price of the holiday. Alternative airports are also available on request.

• 7 nights: 2 in Uppsala, 1 in Malmö, 2 in Copenhagen & 2 in Aarhus – bed & breakfast plus 3 dinners

• Flights from London to Stockholm; Copenhagen to London

• Visits to Skokloster Castle, Ales Stenar megaliths, and the archaeological sites at Jelling


Copenhagen’s colourful waterfront

via the rolling greenery of the Jutland Peninsula and the clifftop majesty of Ales Stenar.

But it’s not just about the Vikings — drive the spectacular Øresund Bridge, the eponymous bridge of the celebrated Scandi noir drama; come face-to-face with the remarkable ‘bog bodies’ of the magnificently preserved Tollund Man and Elling Woman, and explore the personal art collections of a brewing dynasty at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.

This unique combination of castles and capitals, standing stones and warships, and some of Europe’s most beautiful landscapes, makes for a memorable tour.

The Nordic lands of Denmark and Sweden are, unequivocally, Viking country — megaliths, mounds, tales of legendary kings and ruined ring castles abound, enabling us to build up a vibrant image of this near-legendary civilisation.

Our understanding of the Vikings tends to revolve around a certain set of images, those of warriors, explorers and seafarers — but, as we find out on visits to several fascinating sites and museums, they were also farmers, fishermen, and family men. Prepare for a perception-challenging, fun, and informative tour as we embark on a journey that takes us from the achingly cool Swedish capital to...well, the achingly cool Danish capital,

Runestone at Anundshög, Vasteras


10 July, 201722 August, 2017

Join us as we embark on a journey of discovery through southern Scandinavia, going on the trail of Vikings and warriors, commoners and kings. Denmark and Sweden are home to a rich variety and abundance of artefacts, from enormous carved runestones to the best-preserved prehistoric body in the world.

Archaeology of Denmark & Sweden

The Vasa warship

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What’s included


• 7 nights: 2 in Oslo, 1 in Bergen, 2 in Skei & 2 in Ålesund – bed & breakfast; 6 dinners; 1 lunch

• Flights London to Oslo; Ålesund to London

• Visits to Norsk Folkemuseum, Akershus Festning, Nærøyfjord, Sognefjord, Balestrand, Linge, Eidsdal

• Services of archaeologist Clive Warsop as tour manager

The town of Ålesund

As you glide along mirror-like fjords and chug through alpine landscapes, it’s suddenly no surprise that the official slogan of Norwegian tourism is “powered by nature”. Certainly, this is an archaeology tour, but what good fortune that the fine sites and museums we’ve come to see exist in such beautiful settings...

Sail along the Nærøyfjord and Sognefjord on a scenic ferry ride to Skei, and reach dizzying heights on the Fløibanan Funicular, which affords us terrific views over the time-carved coast of Bergen. And that’s before we even get to the heart of our journey — take a step back in time at the Norsk Folkemuseum,

which tells the tale of human settlement in Norway from 1500 to the present; visit the city-centre Akershus fortress, and set eyes on the original Kon-Tiki raft at the Kon-Tiki Museum.

But don’t get us wrong, there’s ample opportunity for downtime — take a visit to Fjærland’s ‘bokbyen’, or ‘book town’, where bijou book dispensaries, cafés and art galleries rub shoulders between glaciers and fjords; or spend an exploratory afternoon ambling the art nouveau streeets of Ålesund. Yes, Norway might be “powered by nature”, but on tour you’re sure to discover that this Nordic country has that to offer and so much more...

The Stave Church


20 June, 2017

Norway is an enigma, a place gracefully suspended between full-on drama and utter serenity, between a rich past and a promising future: join us on tour and see it for yourself in the country’s modern capital and its glacial fjords, Viking sites and up-to-the-minute museums.

The Best of Norway

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One of Norway’s famous fjords




Flights: London to Lisbon; Porto to London. Alternative travel on request.

• 8 nights in a variety of hand-picked hotels – bed & breakfast; 3 dinners

• Visits to Almendres Stone Circle, Anta Grande do Zambujeiro, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and Museu Nacional de Arquelogica



11 April, 2017

The city of Coimbra

“All the world is made of change, and forever attaining new qualities”, so wrote Portuguese national poet Luís Vaz de Camões. Wise words indeed — although, as archaeology enthusiasts, we’re also immensely thankful for the things that stay the same.

And what wonderful things they are — around Portugal’s burgeoning modern cities, rugged coasts, and hushed woodlands, you’ll find clues to those civilisations which came before. Visit the Almendres Cromlech, where the sun-warmed soil supports mysterious 8,000 year old stones; walk the former

streets of Conímbriga, an extensive Roman settlement, and marvel at the remains of the Iron Age hill fort at Citânia de Briteiros. Fast forward to the Middle Ages — which brought us the charming town of Guimarães and the monumental baroque majesty of the Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary — and even further to the present, and enjoy all that Portugal’s thousands of years of history have to offer. There’ll also be plenty of time to relax, whether on lazy boat rides on the Douro or walks in the woods, making for a wonderfully varied getaway.

Variety, as the old adage goes, is the spice of life — and nowhere is this more true than in Portugal. From the sacred hush of woodlands and ancient sites to rolling rivers and buzzing cities, we take it all in.

Portuguese Archaeology

Return flights London to Malta. Alternative airports on request.

• 7 nights at the Dolmen Hotel on St Paul’s Bay – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to St. John’s Cathedral, Barracca Gardens, Ħaģar Qim Temples, Mnajdra Temples, Qrendi, Blue Grotto, and Dingli Cliffs



7 November, 2017

Barracca

Arriving in Malta, with its golden limestone-cliff coasts, lucid seas, beautiful laid-back towns and heart-stirring views, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve already seen all there is to see. But take a peek beneath the surface, and no doubt you’ll be astounded by the wealth of wonders to be found there.

Among them are catacombs, sea caves, and cities — venture inside the walled citadel of Mdina, explore the warren of narrow tomb-lined passages of St Paul’s Catacombs, and take to the waves for a

boat trip around the spectacular cliffs and caverns of the famed Blue Grotto.

But most startling of all, perhaps, are the mysterious ancient sites, left by civilisations with whom we are just starting to get properly acquainted — the millennia-old Mnajdra Temples, the megaliths of Ħaġar Qim, and the Brocktorff Circle, the unique underground burial site. These, along with fantastic museums displaying the best of the evocative finds discovered here, make for a truly unforgettable archaeological expedition.

Malta’s diminutive archipelago is by no means any indication of the riches it holds — from the Neolithic to now, they are many and varied, and all out there to be discovered on tour...


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Departures

What’s included

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Please note: Return flights from London are included in the price of the holiday. Alternative airports are also available on request.

• 8 nights in a variety of hand-picked hotels – bed & breakfast

• Return flights London to Olbia; Cagliari to London

• Visits to the Pre-Nuraghic Altar at Monte d’Accoddi, Neptune’s Grotto, Anghelu Ruju Necropolis, Santa Cristina, Tharros, and the tomb of S’Ena e Thomes


Neptune’s Grotto, Sardinia

Beautiful street of Castelsardo


10 May, 2017

“Sardinia is different” — at least, according to DH Lawrence, and who are we to argue? Come and see the ample evidence for yourself on a tour that takes in the very best of Sardinian archaeology, luscious landscapes, local delicacies, and more.

Travel by boat to the natural splendour of Neptune’s Grotto, with its jagged stalactites and stalagmites; admire the hushed cork oak-groves which shelter the village of Aggius; and get acquainted with a traditional Italian hill-town in Castelsardo.

And that’s not even mentioning the astounding archaeology, the extant sites

and the excellent museums. Walk among Punic and Roman remains at the ancient, sea-fringed city of Tharros; explore the rich necropolis site of Anghelu Ruju, or get up close and personal with important finds at the Ethnographic Museum.

Whatever the order of the day, each one brings with it the opportunity to soak up the unique atmosphere of this idiosyncratic island. Sprawling Medieval towns clinging precariously to hillsides, unbelievably lucid jewel-toned seas, white sand beaches...it’s all out there to be discovered in the presence of our expert archaeological guide — and, hopefully, some new friends as well.

Get to the root of the Mediterranean story, journeying from prehistory to present, in the company of our expert archaeology guide. But no trip to beautiful Sardinia can truly be a case of all work and no play...picturesque towns, maritime jaunts and more await.

Sardinian Archaeology

Ancient columns by Tharros sea




Butrint

17 October, 20177 nights from £ 1,295Single room supplement £175

Kazanlak Tomb

3 October, 20178 nights from £1,365 Single room supplement £160

Return flights: London to Sofia. Alternative airports on request.

• 8 nights in a variety of hand-picked hotels – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to Nicopolis ad Istrum, Veliko Tarnovo, Madara, Devnya, Varna, Nessebar, Kazanlak, Karanovo, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv, and Rila Monastery


As they say in Bulgaria “you can’t make something beautiful by force”, and true enough, we say. It becomes abundantly clear from your first day on Bulgarian soil that its sheer beauty is the result of millions of years of glacial progress — and, more recently, centuries of human endeavour.

First, there’s the cities: the old-world ambiance of Veliko Târnovo; Plovdiv, where ancient Roman ruins rub shoulders with the burgeoning modern town; the laid-back air of the capital Sofia... Then, go a little deeper, and you’ll see how Bulgaria has earned its

reputation as a haven for religious art. Undoubtedly the jewel in our tour’s crown is a visit to the Rila Monastery — set in the Rila Mountains, surrounded by coniferous forest, its remarkable frescoes are truly a sight to behold. Last — but certainly not least — is the wealth of wonderful archaeology, the extant ruins crowning hills and peppering cities, the rock-carved monasteries, the tombs, reliefs, amphitheatres, and so much more. A whole host of discoveries await you in this extraordinary, yet little-known pocket of the Balkan Peninsula.

Between its soaring mountains and curious towns, it’s not difficult for Bulgaria to capture the imagination of any traveller. Throw in millennia of archaeology, and it becomes nothing short of enchanting.

Bulgarian Archaeology

Return flights: London to Tirana. Alternative airports on request.

• 7 nights in a variety of hand-picked hotels – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Roman amphitheatre in Durrës, Apollonia, the temple of Asclepion, Butrint, Gjirokastra, Byllis and Berat


Albania is a true sleeping beauty. Having emerged from almost five troubling decades of Communism, it is slowly opening its doors to the world, and behind those doors lie a bevy of wonders, from ancient Greco-Roman theatres to medieval towns, via the colourful capital of Tirana.

It is here that we begin our journey, visiting the National Historical Museum, the triumphant Tirana Mosaic, and Skanderbeg Square, still resonating with the reverberations of recent unrest.

In such an evocative place, the temptation to fixate on the tumult of the 20th century is understandably great, but this is an archaeology tour after all! Sites are plentiful and exquisite — temples dedicated to Diana and Asclepius, the sprawling, majestically situated city-sites of Butrint and Byllis just a few among them. Crucially, all this is just made to be enjoyed as a group — after all, as the Albanian proverb goes: old friends are the best, but new ones are the most fun.

Albania’s rich past and recent isolation have made a land of intact ruins nestled amongst unspoilt landscapes. Go beyond stories of modern troubles, to delve deep into the story of the ancient Balkans...

Albanian Archaeology

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Knossos Palace

25 April, 20177 nights from £995Single room supplement £175

The Eternal City

21 March, 20175 nights from £995Single room supplement £150

Return flights: London to Rome. Alternative airports on request.

• 5 nights in a centrally located 4* hotel in Rome – bed & breakfast

• Visits to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Capitoline Museums; St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel


As it has no doubt always been, the Rome of today is a masterpiece, a model of urban development where icons such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon exist happily alongside the medieval and modern.

These titans of ancient architecture are relics from Rome’s time as caput mundi, or ‘capital of the world’, and it is impossible not to sense their sheer importance as you explore. But while these once-in-a-lifetime sites are certainly impressive must-sees, they are by no means the last word in an archaeological tour of Rome...

Go deeper with visits to the Vatican and Capitoline Museums; cross the city limits with an excursion to the port town of Ostia Antica; ramble through the old Trastevere neighbourhood, and go subterranean at the Catacombs of San Sebastiano.

Finally, this might be Classical Rome, but in this corner of the world, there’s no forgetting the Renaissance — and why would you want to? No Roman holiday is complete without a little time to marvel at the masterpieces of the Sistine Chapel, or the architectural wonder that is St Peter’s Basilica.

After thousands of years as a centre of European civilisation, Rome has lost precisely none of its heady excitement, urban fervour, culture, or passion — something for which we travellers are incredibly grateful!

Classical Rome

Return flights: London to Heraklion. Alternative travel on request.

• 7 nights at the Atrion Hotel, Heraklion – bed & breakfast plus 4 dinners

• 1 lunch in a traditional taverna* (*included in optional excursion)

• Visits to sites and museums


Crete — so expansive, so idiosyncratic, with a wild interior and charming towns, that it’s often acknowledged it could be its very own country. And from the moment you set foot on this most striking of islands, we’re sure you’ll find yourself in agreement.

For the duration of our tour, we make our base in Heraklion, a place of uplifting bustle and vibrancy, where it’s very possible to lose yourself among hidden backstreets and while away hours on the waterfront.

From here, we are ideally placed to explore the many archaeological wonders that Crete has to offer — labyrinthine Minoan palaces, including the world-famous Knossos; Bronze Age settlements, and world-class museums filled to the brim with momentous finds.

But despite being the home of such famed ancient sites, there is also ample opportunity to focus on the present — slow down, enjoy the heart-warming hospitality, great company, and delectable cuisine, and savour what will surely be a tour to remember.

Four thousand years ago, the island of Crete became the home of the first advanced society in Europe — the Minoans. What better place, we say, to get acquainted with Bronze Age Greece, and beyond?

Crete

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Departures

What’s included

Anglo-Saxon treasure

Birmingham Musem

Richard III

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1 September, 2017



• 3 nights at the Mickleover Court Hotel – dinner, bed & breakfast

• Comfortable coaching throughout• Visits to the Staffordshire Hoard

exhibitions at Birmingham Museum and the Potteries Museum, Tamworth Castle, St Wystan’s Church, and Lichfield Cathedral


The Staffordshire Hoard & Richard IIIHave you ever heard the one about the king, the cathedral, and the car park? How about the one with the metal detector? On this fascinating tour, Anglo-Saxon archaeology meets modern miracle as we learn all about the Staffordshire Hoard, and follow the story of a much-maligned king to its surprising conclusion in present-day Leicester...

Join us on tour as we learn of two of the most startling — and downright strange — tales of recent archaeological discovery. Starting in Birmingham, we follow two different but equally absorbing historical threads from two extremely rich periods of this area’s history.

Visit Tamworth Castle, with its strong Anglo-Saxon connections; Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, site of one of English history’s most famous battles and scene of Richard III’s demise; Leicester and Lichfield Cathedrals, and more, as we plot the points which will help us piece together the stories of the great Hoard and the dastardly York king.

On 22nd March, 2015, King Richard III of York was finally buried in a manner befitting a monarch. Laid to rest in Leicester Cathedral, in the presence of Bishops, Archbishops, and nobles, it was a far cry from the council car park under which the king’s remains were first discovered in 2012 — over 500 years after his death on the battlefield.

A few years earlier, and just over fifty miles away, a similarly surprising discovery took place as a Staffordshire man came upon the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure ever found — some 3,500 individual pieces — with the help of his metal detector.


Calendar 2017/18


Up Helly Aa28 January

82

Calendar 2017

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

The Gardens of Costa Rica7 February

33

Gardens of the French Riviera23 February

16

Galicia’s Camellia Route8 March

25

Scotland’s Extreme North-West10 March

77

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens17 March

38

Classical Rome21 March

88

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 24 March

38

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes 24 March

21

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 26 March

61

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 27 March

38

Seasonal Gardens of Japan28 March

31

Cornwall’s Spring Flower Show 31 March

41

April 2017

Islay & Jura 3 April

70

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 3 April

38

Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia 4 April

24

Spring in the Dutch Bulbfields 7 April

15

Portuguese Archaeology 11 April

85

Naples & the Gardens of the Amalfi Coast 11 April

19

Mull, Staffa & Iona 14 April

69

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands 18 April

74

May 2017

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes 1 May

21

Private Gardens of East Anglia 2 May

43

Gardens of Herefordshire 3 May

52

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 3 May

38

Gardens of the French Riviera 4 May

16

Highgrove & the Cotswolds 5 May

37

Wildflowers of the Hebrides 5 May

58

Patios of Córdoba 7 May

25

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 7 May

61

Orkney & Shetland Highlights 8 May

64

Gardens of Florence & Tuscany 9 May

23

Rome, Ninfa & Castel Gandolfo 9 May

22

Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia 10 May

24

Sardinian Archaeology 10 May

86

St Kilda: Voyage to the Edge of the World 10 May

76

Gardens of Devon & Cornwall 19 April

47

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes 19 April

21

Highgrove & the Cotswolds 21 April

37


74

Madeira at its Best 24 April

26

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 24 April

38

Crete 25 April

88

Spring in the Dutch Bulbfields 27 April

15

Spring in the Dutch Bulbfields - Air 28 April

15


May 2017

Mull, Staffa & Iona 12 May

69

Gardens of Normandy 12 May

17

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 13 May

38


61

Arts & Gardens in Cornwall 15 May

46

Palladian Villas of Veneto 16 May

20

Gardens of the Far North 16 May

57

Handa & the Summer Isles 18 May

72

Skye & Raasay 18 May

72

Arran: Scotland in Miniature 19 May

68

The Genius of Monet 19 May

18

An Archaeologist’s View of Orkney & Shetland 22 May

81

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 25 May

40

RHS Chelsea Flower Show & Classic English Gardens | 25 May

40

Higland & Island Gardens 25 May

49

In the Footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie 26 May

63


61

Gardens of Kent & Sussex 29 May

48

June 2017

Private Gardens of Guernsey & Sark1 June

42

Best of Angus Private Gardens 2 June

45

Mull, Staffa & Iona 2 June

69

Southern Ireland’s Gems3 June

59

The Legacy of Gertrude Jekyll 4 June

50

Islay & Jura5 June

70

Orkney & Shetland Highlights5 June

64

June 2017

Scotland’s Northern Edge5 June

78

RHS Chatsworth Show & Gardens of Derbyshire 6 June

39

Yunnan: Footsteps of the Plant Hunters6 June

32

Rome, Ninfa & Castel Gandolfo 6 June

22

Gardens of the Loire9 June

18

Scenic Scottish Railways9 June

66

Gardens of North Wales 9 June

55

Shetland & its Outer Isles 10 June

73

Private Gardens of Dorset & Somerset 12 June

43

Gardens of the Lake District 12 June

53

An Archaeologist’s View of Orkney & Shetland 12 June

81

Charles Rennie Mackintosh 14 June

56

Gardens of Normandy 16 June

17

Dumfries & Galloway 16 June

56

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 18 June

61

Gardens of West Wales 19 June

54

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes 19 June

21

Berlin International Garden Exhibition20 June

28

Gardens of Royal Deeside 20 June

57

The Best of Norway 20 June

84

WAFA: Barbados 21 June

35

Gardens of Devon & Cornwall 22 June

47

A Classic Scottish Steam Break 22 June

67

Highgrove & the Cotswolds 23 June

37

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 25 June

61

Gardens of Kent & Sussex 25 June

48

Calendar 2017


July 2017

Private Gardens of Caithness & Sutherland 2 July

45

Private Gardens of Hampshire 6 July

44

Gardens of Surrey & Hampshire 6 July

50

Scenic Scottish Railways 7 July

66

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 9 July

61

Archaeology of Denmark & Sweden 10 July

83

Isle of Barra 11 July

71

Handa & the Summer Isles 13 July

72

The Genius of Monet 14 July

18

Mull, Staffa & Iona 14 July

69

Shetland & its Outer Isles 15 July

73

Orkney & Shetland Highlights 17 July

64

Gardens of Cheshire & RHS Tatton Park Flower Show | 19 July

41

A Classic Scottish Steam Break 20 July

67

A Grand Tour of the Inner Hebrides 23 July

62

Undiscovered Orkney 29 July

73

Islay & Jura 31 July

70

Arran: Scotland in Miniature 26 June

68

Gardens of the North of Ireland 26 June

59

Alpine Flowers of Wengen 27 June

27

St Kilda: Voyage to the Edge of the World 28 June

76

Castles & Gardens of North Wales 28 June

55

Landscape Gardens of Capability Brown 30 June

51

June 2017 August 2017

September 2017

Southern Ireland’s Gems 3 August

59

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 6 August

61

Durham Arts & Gardens 11 August

53

Highgrove & the Cotswolds 11 August

37

Gardens of the North of Ireland 14 August

59

Treasures of Norfolk 14 August

52

Dumfries & Galloway 18 August

56

A Grand Tour of the Inner Hebrides 20 August

62

Archaeology of Denmark & Sweden 22 August

83

Scotland’s Northern Edge 23 August

78

Gardens & Wildflowers of South Africa’s Western Cape | 24 August

29

Scenic Scottish Railways 25 August

66

Arran: Scotland in Miniature 28 August

68

Orkney & Shetland Highlights 28 August

64

Gardens of Normandy 31 August

17

Gardens of Florence & Tuscany 31 August

23

Highgrove & the Cotswolds 1 September

37

The Staffordshire Hoard & Richard III1 September

89

Scotland’s Transport Heritage3 September

65

An Archaeologist’s View of Orkney & Shetland4 September

81

Arts & Gardens in Cornwall 4 September

46

Gardens of West Wales4 September

54

Gardens of the French Riviera 4 September

16

Rome, Ninfa & Castel Gandolfo 5 September

22


Calendar 2017

October 2017

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 2 October

38

Bulgarian Archaeology 3 October

87

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands 5 October

74

A Celebration of Scottish Architecture 8 October

79

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 9 October

38

Arts & Gardens of Barcelona 10 October

26

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands 10 October

74

Sri Lanka: Pearl of the Indian Ocean 12 October

31

Marrakech & the Flowers of the Atlas 12 October

29

Albanian Archaeology 17 October

87

Scotland’s Extreme North-West 20 October

77

Seasonal Gardens of Japan 24 October

31

November 2017

Malta’s Archaeological Heritage 7 November

85

September 2017

Isle of Barra 5 September

71

Charles Rennie Mackintosh 6 September

56

Gardens of Surrey & Hampshire 7 September

50

Gardens of Devon & Cornwall 7 September

47

Landscape Gardens of Capability Brown 8 September

51

Mull, Staffa & Iona 9 September

69

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 10 September

61

Ancient Stones of the Outer Hebrides 10 September

76

Gardens of India 12 September

30

Private Gardens of East Anglia 13 September

43

Gardens of North Wales 15 September

55

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 15 September

38

A Grand Tour of the Inner Hebrides 17 September

62

Orkney & Shetland Highlights 18 September

64

Tresco’s Abbey Gardens 18 September

38

Architecture & Gardens of Andalucia 19 September

24

Private Gardens of Guernsey & Sark 21 September

42

A Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides 24 September

61

Villas & Gardens of the Italian Lakes 25 September

21

Naples & the Gardens of the Amalfi Coast 25 September

19

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands 25 September

49

Castles & Gardens of North Wales 29 September

55

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands 30 September

74


Calendar 2018

January 2018

Chile: A Botanical Adventure 9 January

32

Up Helly Aa 28 January

82

February 2018

The Gardens of Costa Rica 6 February

33

April 2018

Gardens of India 2 April

30

Japanese Gardens & the Art of Bonsai4 April

34


74


74

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Heart of the Highlands 30 April

74

May 2018

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Heart of the Highlands 7 May

74


74


74

September 2018

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Heart of the Highlands 24 September

74

October 2018

Lord of the Glens Cruises: Highlands & Islands1 October

74


74


74


74

As tour organisers, it’s only right that we’re...well, organised. To that end, we’re already looking ahead to 2018 and all the potential adventures it might bring. There will be plenty more to come, but for now, here are some we made earlier... To enquire about any of our 2018 tours — or just to have a good chat — don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01334 657155, or email us at [email protected].

For further informationEmail: [email protected]: 01334 657144Tel: 01334 657155

www.brightwaterholidays.com


Booking Conditions

Data Protection

Complaints

Passports

If we change your holiday

If you change your holiday

If we cancel your holiday

The price of your holiday

If you cancel your holiday

Booking form and payments

Brightwater Holidays will only share your data with companies within our group, or with the RHS if you are booking on an RHS Garden Holiday. If you do not wish to be contacted or to share your details please let us know at the time of booking.

In the unlikely event that you have a complaint please inform your tour guide immediately so that action can be taken on the spot. If the matter cannot be resolved complaints should be submitted in writing to us within 20 days of your return from holiday. We cannot accept liability for claims reaching our office more than 20 days after the conclusion of the holiday concerned.

A full passport is essential for travel to all destinations outside of the UK. All passports should have at least three months left to run from the date of return to the UK, although some countries require you to have up to eight months validity on your passport. It is the responsibility of travellers with non-EU passports to obtain the necessary visas, documentation etc. for all overseas holidays.

It is unlikely that we have to make any changes to your holiday, but we do plan the arrangements many months in advance. Sometimes we do need to make changes which we reserve the right to do at any time. Most changes are minor, but where they are significant you will be informed as soon as is reasonably possible. Please note pick-up points are subject to minimum numbers and will be confirmed when we send out joining instructions.

If, after we have accepted your booking, you wish to change details of that booking, we will make every effort to satisfy your requirements, although this cannot be guaranteed. When a request has been met, an amendment fee of £35 per person will be charged and a revised invoice will then be issued.

We reserve the right in any circumstance to cancel your holiday. In the unlikely event of this being necessary we will offer you an alternative available holiday or a full refund of all monies paid. A minimum of 20 passengers is required to operate a tour with a Brightwater Holidays representative.

It is our policy to calculate holiday costs at prices which include any increase planned by hoteliers, transport companies or other suppliers known at the time.

We are proud to offer a no surcharge guarantee. If the cost of your holiday increases for any reason, including governmental action, airline surcharges or fuel or currency fluctuation we will not pass on these costs to you.

In the event of a member of your party wishing to cancel their holiday, we must be advised in writing by the person who made the booking. In order to compensate our expenditure we charge a cancellation fee as a percentage of the holiday price, according to the following scale:

More than 56 days’ notice: Deposit only 31 – 56 days: 50% 15 – 30 days: 95% 0 – 14 days: 100%

The cancellation charges will apply from the day we receive written confirmation. You may make a claim on your Holiday Insurance if the reason for the cancellation falls within the terms of the insurance policy.

Your completed booking must be made with the appropriate deposit and the premiums for any insurance if required. If you choose to take our insurance we would ask that you read all sections of the policy document fully. There is a 14 day cooling off period in which you can return the policy for a full refund if it does not meet with your requirements. The person making the booking warrants that he/she has the authority of all other persons included in the holiday to make the booking on their behalf and confirms that everyone is fit enough to participate in the tour. Upon receipt of your booking we will reserve your holiday, if available, and send a confirmation/invoice which will advise you of the balance due.

YOU MUST PAY THE BALANCE IN FULL EIGHT WEEKS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE UNLESS OTHERWISE STIPULATED.

VISA/MASTERCARD/BARCLAYCARD/SWITCH/DELTA/MAESTRO/ VISA DEBIT are accepted for deposits with no surcharge. Balance paid by credit card will be subject to a 2.5% administration charge. Balances may be paid by debit card, cheque or bank transfer without surcharge.


Insurance

Our responsibility to you Financial protection

A full set of Brightwater Holidays booking conditions is available on request or on our website.

It is a condition of booking that you have adequate insurance protection for all overseas holidays and we strongly recommend insurance cover for all other holidays.

We strongly advise you to take out Brightwater Holidays’ recommended travel insurance.

Flight inclusive tours: we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s License issued by the CAA (ATOL No. 4498) which provides for your protection in the event of Brightwater’s insolvency. The price of your air holiday packages includes the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. This charge is included in our advertised prices. When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 for Brightwater Holidays, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for the following: 1. non-flight packages commencing in and returning to the UK; 2. non-flight packages commencing and returning to a country other than the UK. 1 and 2 provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled while clause 1 provides for repatriation. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Brightwater Holidays.

Brightwater Holidays will accept responsibility for the proven negligent acts and omissions of: employees or agents and suppliers, sub-contractors, servants and/or agents of the same whilst acting within the scope of or in the course of their employment in respect of claims arising as a result of death, bodily injury or illness caused to the lead passenger and/or any other named persons on the booking.

Brightwater Holidays do not accept responsibility or liability to any person for loss of baggage, money or other property whatsoever. Brightwater Holidays do not accept liability for any loss or additional expenses caused by delay or interruption to travel services through weather conditions (such as fog), civil disturbance, strikes, wars, floods, sickness or any circumstances amounting to Force Majeure.

While there are no age limits or health requirements on our holidays, please note that for certain destinations, for example the smaller Scottish islands and some botanical tours, a good degree of mobility is required to get the most out of the holiday, for example getting in and out of boats, ascending steps and standing for a degree of time.

“ The holiday itself was extremely interesting with most welcoming hosts - head gardeners, etc.. I came home much refreshed & relaxed."

“ I had a most enjoyable holiday. Our guide was excellent and organised everything, so we never had to wait for anything."

“ A fantastic tour which I would highly recommend to everyone. Tour guide very informative – an excellent trip.”

Guest, 2016

Guest, 2016

Guest, 2016



01334 657155 Call our Group Travel Manager Ellen Today

Since its inception, Brightwater Holidays has provided tailor-made travel arrangements for many private groups and societies. Packages have ranged from a short city break to a grand 21-day tour of South Africa. So trust us when we say that options are practically limitless. You set the destination, budget, group size, and any little extras to make your getaway extra special, and let your imagination run wild...we’ll do our absolute utmost to do the rest.

Typically, tours include all transport, accommodation and entry costs: visiting gardens, stately homes, art galleries and other specialist attractions to suit the group’s individual requirements.

Tailor-Made Group Travel

On most occasions we also provide an experienced Tour Manager to help keep everything running smoothly.

Even before you set off on an adventure of your very own devising, we like to try and fully understand the requirements of your group. That’s where Ellen Walker, our Group Travel Manager, comes in. Ellen puts considerable time and effort into the preparation of every proposal, helping to make it the very best it can be.

Naturally, we’re extremely proud of the amount of effort and dedication our team put into making every departure a success, but don’t just take our word

for it — the level of service we offer our Group Tour Organisers was recently acknowledged in a glittering Group Travel Awards ceremony in London’s West End – where Ellen collected rather a splendid award for her efforts.

All in all, it’s clear we know our stuff when it comes to unforgettable group travel experiences, but we’ll always keep one thing in mind above all — it’s your tour. It is our ultimate goal and absolute pleasure to supply the perfect holiday to match your requirements and budget. Now – if all of that has got the cogs whirring and the inspiration flowing – why not give us a call and get your dream holiday in the works?

Tel: 01334 657155 | Email: [email protected]

www.brightwaterholidays.com | Brightwater Holidays Ltd,

Eden Park House, Cupar, Fife KY15 4HS3552

Documents

Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2017 today on 01334 657155 Quality Garden & Special Interest Tours 2017 7 “Pauline our Tour Manager was a wee star, her personality and knowledge