HEART OF ENGLAND TOURS - private driving tour options from London

HEART OF ENGLAND - PRIDE OF A NATION
Shakespeare, Princess Diana, Churchill... and a host of other options.

● Personally-guided full-day driving tour from London.
● For couples, families or private groups. Duration: 9 hours.
● Prices and practical details listed below. Bookings: tours@yourlondontours.com.

ITINERARY - CHOOSE ANY TWO OPTIONS TO MAKE UP A FULL-DAY TOUR

Option 1: Althorp (July-August only)
In the county of Northamptonshire stands Althorp, pronounced Althrup, the stately ancestral home of the Spencer family for over 20 generations. Surely the most famous family member was one Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, popularly known as the Queen of Hearts, so tragically killed in Paris in 1997. Althorp was the childhood home of Diana and indeed this is the place where her body was finally laid to rest after that poignant funeral held at Westminster Abbey. There is a moving exhibition dedicated to Diana. The house, which once contained the greatest private library in world, stands in magnificently landscaped grounds. Diana's grave is set on an island at the centre of a lake and visitors can walk along the banks opposite.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, or (6) Blenheim Palace.

Option 2: Stratford-upon-Avon
The tour starts with an initial fast-track out of London. The drive takes us to William Shakespeare’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon, about 100 miles north-west of London. Stratford is a small town but very picturesque. The wonderful thing about it is that amazingly, over 400 years on, many of the places associated with Shakespeare’s life are still standing and can be visited. Your guide will take you on a tour of the town. See Shakespeare’s birthplace, school, and residences. Also recommended is a viewing of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage (his wife). A visit to the 14th century Holy Trinity Church where the great bard is buried is a must. Then follow in his footsteps and enjoy a walk along the banks of the River Avon, with your guide pointing out the theatres and memorials now erected in his honour.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (3) Warwick Castle, or (8) Kenilworth Castle.

Option 3: Warwick Castle (recommended for families)
Warwick Castle is only a short distance from Stratford. Much of the political intrigue just before Shakespeare’s time was created by the Earl of Warwick, or the ‘Kingmaker’. His meddling ensured the prolongation of the royal family split known as the War of the Roses, eventually won by the Tudors. Shakespeare became a great Tudor propagandist, using this castle for inspiration. He wrote seven plays on the Wars of the Roses. Your guide will secure your tickets and conduct you on a tour. Highlights include live demonstrations of siege engines, weaponry and falconry, a real dungeon, armour displays, and many other attractions. Younger children especially will enjoy this venue.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, or (4) Motor Heritage Museum.

Option 4: Motor Heritage Museum (recommended for families)
Close to Stratford-upon-Avon is the Motor Heritage Museum at Gaydon, which contains the largest collection of classic, vintage and veteran British cars in the world. This really is a great way to while a few hours among some of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, or (3) Warwick Castle.

Option 5: Oxford (recommended for families)
Famous throughout the world as a university town, with over 40 colleges. The poet Matthew Arnold described it as ‘That sweet city with her dreaming spires’. Your guide explain the mysterious traditions of this ancient town, its college system, and the architecture which sets it apart from other centres of academia, and the real world! We get many complaints about the academic haughtiness towards visitors, but a little forewarning from your guide will help you to smile at the bumptious attitudes rather than let it spoil your tour. There are a number of options which your guide will suggest. Fans of Harry Potter will recognize the great hall at the famous Christchurch College, while fans of Alice in Wonderland will recognize a number of references here too. There are also options to visit the renowned Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (6) Blenheim Palace, or (10) Cotswolds tour.

Option 6: Blenheim Palace
Winston Churchill’s ancestral home and birth-place. It was built to commemorate a great military victory over 300 years ago and is great example of the excesses of late baroque architecture. Stories of scandal abound throughout its history and your guide will fill you in with the scurrilous details. There is an option to join an inhouse tour or you can wander the gardens at your own pace. The landscape, designed in part by the famous Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, is simply stunning in its magnitude. There is also an opportunity to visit the churchyard in the village of Bladon to see the simple grave where Churchill is buried.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (5) Oxford, or (10) Cotswolds tour.

Option 7: Broughton Castle
Broughton Castle had an important part to play during the English Civil War. The Parliamentarian faction secretly met here in the ‘room with no ears’. Lord Feinnes, who owned the manor, raised a local regiment that included his own four sons, who fought at the nearby battle of Edgehill. After the battle, the castle was captured by Royalists.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, or (9) Stowe House.

Option 8: Kenilworth Castle
Another of England’s castles stands at Kenilworth. This was where Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, entertained Queen Elizabeth I for three whole weeks in 1575 in an attempt to win her hand in marriage, an event immortalised by Sir Walter Scott’s novel Kenilworth.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, or (10) Cotswolds tour.

Option 9: Stowe House & Gardens
Stowe was built in the 18th century by the Temple family, the richest in the UK. No expense was spared on the property. The greatest gardeners and architects of the time worked on it, including John Vanbrugh, Robert Adam, William Kent, James Gibbs and Capability Brown. They created the most influential stately home and landscape gardens in the country. In fact, it was the first garden to have its own guide book for visitors (1744). By the 19th century, thanks in part to the money spent on Stowe, they became the UK's biggest debtors. In 1848, the creditors moved in, and in what was termed the 'sale of the century' the interior was emptied. However, the National Trust preservation society took over and restored Stowe, according to them: 'Britain’s largest work of art'.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, or (7) Broughton Castle.

Option 10: An Afternoon in the Cotswolds
Build your own mini-itinerary for an afternoon in the Cotwolds. There’s no better introduction to the Cotswolds than the village of Minster Lovell. Thatched cottages, a parish church and manor house ruins compete to give this village exceptional charm. We could then drive through the heart of the Cotwolds countryside to Bibury, dubbed ‘most beautiful village in England’, and take a walk along the picturesque riverbank. Tea is also an option here. As an alternative to the Cotwolds villages, why not take in the historic Cotwolds towns of Burford or Stow-on-the Wold, both of which played a part in the English Civil War. Or we could visit Hidcote, one of England's most influential 20th-century gardens, or Kiftsgate, the creation of three generations of women gardeners, which features the largest rose in England. The choice is yours.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Stratford, (5) Oxford, or (6) Blenheim Palace.

PRICE OPTIONS
HEART OF ENGLAND CHOICE: PERSONALLY-GUIDED FULL DAY TOUR OPTIONS	PRICE (Full day 9 hours).
BY PRIVATE CAR (1-4 passengers)	£400.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (5-7 passengers)	£430.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE MINIBUS (8-20 passengers)	£750.00 (per coach) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE COACH (21-50 passengers)	£850.00 (per coach) + any entrance fees.
RENT-A-GUIDE (transport provided and arranged by client)	£240.00 (per group) + any entrance fees.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
● General: Rest assured with Your London Tours: All our tours are tailored to YOUR requirements. The guide will be exclusively dedicated to your family or group during the tour itself, so you will be able to relax and enjoy your day.

● Important note: 'Private tour' means a privately chartered guided tour by luxury car, mini-coach or public transport. We do not offer tours to individuals wishing to join a larger group (for this you require a scheduled coach tour operator).

● Availability: To avoid disappointment, we recommend early booking to secure your preferred date. Dates may be subject to the availability of appropriate guides. Access to attractions may also be subject to daily or seasonal variations in opening times.

● The guide: Your tour will be conducted by a fully accredited & qualified guide who will confirm your itinerary at the start of the tour and provide a friendly and knowledgeable commentary throughout. For private car tours the guide will also drive the vehicle.

● Pick-up/drop-off: You can be picked-up for your tour anywhere in the London area, whether at your hotel, place of residence, or any venue of your request. The same applies as a dropping-off point after the tour.

● Timings: The guide will meet you at the recommended start time of 09.00 or any time of your request. The duration of this tour is 9 hours from pick-up to drop-off, which includes built-in stops for photo opportunities, facilities, and a 1-hour lunch break.

● Lunch: An appropriate restaurant, traditional pub, or sandwich stop can be arranged for lunch (note: tour price does not include food or refreshments). Alternatively, you may want to bring a pre-packed lunch. The guide usually takes a rest during this period.

● Price: As shown in the table above. It does NOT include entrance fees (we recommend they are paid on the day) lunch or refreshments. Payment methods, privacy, cancellation and refund policies and full terms & conditions are listed on our Prices & Bookings page.

● Clothing: Clients should dress appropriately making allowances for the changeable British weather, outdoor activities or visiting churches, etc. Our main tip is to dress comfortably. For more tips to help make your tour even more enjoyable click here.

● Format: The tour has been specially researched and designed by our staff (copyright applies) and is exclusive to Your London Tours & associates. Selected elements of different tours can be combined to create even more options. See our Pick & Mix page.

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