Country Roads of Wales, Devon & Cornwall

Welcome to England. From lush green rolling hills to old-world villages, this pretty country surprises and delights at every corner. At 07:30 you’ll be picked up from the hotel in London before making your way along the scenic Great West Way road to Oxford. A city built to be discovered, Oxford is a wholesome image of leather-bound books, libraries, storybook buildings and picnics. Continue your journey on to the Cotswolds. Just as charming as Oxford, this breathtaking area is about as quintessentially British as it gets. Honey-coloured stone houses line the winding streets of the area’s most beautiful towns and villages, while rapeseed fields decorate this colourful part of the UK in splashes of gold. See Bourton-on-the-Water and the pretty market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, before heading to the historic city of Bath, with its Roman and Georgian architecture. Head on an orientation of the city before checking in to your accommodation for the night, the luxury Apex Hotel. End your day in the most British of manners with a traditional Sunday roast at your Welcome Dinner.

After a relaxed start to enjoy the amenities at your spa hotel, begin your exploration of Bath in a rejuvenated manner. Having attained UNESCO World Heritage status in 1987, this unique city is famous for its Georgian and Victorian architecture and of course its Roman-built baths. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you visit the incredibly well-preserved Roman Baths, also an important hub of culture and education for the area. During free time perhaps learn more about the life of the esteemed author Jane Austen, who made Bath her home?

After a relaxed start you’ll move cities, and countries, as you make your way to Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Along the way you’ll visit the Brecon Beacons. A mountain range in South Wales, it is little surprise this striking location is a chosen destination for so many hikers and nature enthusiasts. Its old red sandstone cliffs hold a variety of plant life, including roseroot, green spleenwort and rue-leaved saxifrages, while its range of fauna includes otters, herons, kingfishers and the soaring red kite, which is the national bird of Wales. Visit the Brecon Beacons with Insight Choice. Choose to enjoy a nature walk with a photographer and snapshot Brecon Beacons National Park under its best light. Alternatively, visit a local kitchen garden for a peak into the freshest seasonal aromatics from the Brecon Beacons. After a morning in the great outdoors, rectify your lethargic bliss with a hearty Farm-to-Table pub lunch, where a delicious seasonal menu with local ingredients will be available. In the afternoon, you’ll arrive in Cardiff, Wales’ cultural hub.

Enjoy a relaxed start this morning. Join your Travel Director for an orientation of this vibrant city. See Principality Stadium, home of Welsh Rugby, and Cardiff Castle. The rest of your day is at leisure.

Start your day at Glastonbury Abbey, where you can explore its historic ruins. Founded in the 7th century, the monastery is now registered as a Grade I listed building. Later, you’ll move on to Exmoor National Park, a beautiful area of moorland in Somerset. A protected Area of Outstanding Beauty, this stunning park is a mass of verdant open land, livestock and flora. Your day ends at Bovey Castle, where you’ll stay for the next two nights in the rolling valleys of Dartmoor National Park. Catch up with your fellow travellers tonight over a wholesome dinner at the hotel.

This morning, head to the port city of Plymouth in Devon. Famous for its cobbled streets, gin distilleries and of course the Mayflower, the English ship that transported the first English Puritans to the New World. Next, you’ll journey to the quaint coastal town of Looe. With its turquoise waters and sandy beach, on a sunny day you could easily pass this destination off as one in the south of France. A holiday hotspot in the Victorian era, explore Looe’s comely stores and winding streets at leisure before travelling back to Bovey Castle.

Begin your day in Padstow. Though it has become more gentrified in the past few years, the town has not lost its nautical ambiance. If anything, its gentrification has brought a glitzy gastronomic scene to this pretty port town. Move on to Port Isaac, a pretty fishing village on the Atlantic coast. It is the filming location of British television show Doc Martin, and more recently, Poldark. Be sure to have your camera ready as you enjoy an orientation around the village. Continue your scenic drive to Tintagel, mentioned in the legendary tale of King Arthur. See the ruins of its 13th century castle. Stop in historic Bideford. Your day ends in the river-port town of Barnstaple.

Begin your full day exploring Cornwall with a trip to Penzance. Famous for the comic opera, “The Pirates of Penzance”, true to the story, its shores just 100 years previous, in the late 18th century, had met real-life pirates. Explore this beautiful destination with your group before moving on to St Ives. Perhaps England’s equivalent of St Tropez, it has long been popular with artists, with galleries and studios lining its fanciful streets. It is also the preferred retreat for British celebrities Gordon Ramsay and Kate Winslet, who both have holiday homes close by. Your final discovery for the day is Land’s End. A world-famous landmark, you’ll explore Britain’s most southwestern point. From its wild cliffs you can see the Isles of Scilly. Beyond that is the Atlantic Ocean and North America. In the evening, you have the option of heading out for a traditional Cornish meal enjoying the ambience of a local pub.

Visit a manor house, nestled in Devon countryside, and learn about the history of the property. Join the owner for a quintessential Devonshire high tea, with freshly baked scones garnished with seasonal fruits from the kitchen garden. Later, move on to your accommodation for the next two nights, the beautiful Summer Lodge Country House Hotel and Restaurant.

After a relaxed start, meet with a professional instructor to learn the quintessentially English sport of croquet and try out your new skills in a game with your fellow travellers. This afternoon is at your leisure, perhaps visit nearby stately homes Montacute House or Mapperton House? In the evening, join your fellow companions for an elegant Celebration Dinner at your hotel's famed restaurant. Delight in a seasonal and local menu.

It’s time to say goodbye to Dorchester as you make your way to Stonehenge. A prehistoric monument found in Wiltshire, its ring of standing stones is believed to have been constructed between 3000 BC and 2000 BC. It was made a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1882 and as one of Britain’s most iconic sites, it draws visitors in every year to find out more about its mystical formation. Later, head to Selborne to visit the Selbourne Pottery workshop famous for the pottery established by Robert Goldsmith in 1985. Meet Robert himself and learn more about how he makes these acclaimed ceramics over a demonstration. End your day back in London, where you’ll be transferred to the airport or to the hotel if you choose to extend your stay.