PRIVATE HEART OF ENGLAND TOURS | couples • families • small groups

THE HEART OF ENGLAND
Choose your own regional day tour from our variety of options...

● Day-tour options from London in private vehicle with accredited driver-guide.
● Tailor-made for couples, families or small private groups (up to 7 persons).
● Pick-up/drop-off at any London hotel or residence. Typical timings: 08:00-18:00.
● Subject to seasonal openings & availability. Any admission fees payable on entry.
● Price (per car): 1-2 persons=£450.00; 3-4=£495.00; 5-7=£540.00. Admissions extra.

Tour Choice A: select any 2 from the 10 options below to create your full-day tour:

Option 1: Althorp (Jul-Aug 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.
● Open Jul-Aug: daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 2: Baddesley Clinton
A majestic moated medieval manor house in Warwickshire with a listed hall. Once owned by the powerful Ferrers family who remained Catholic after the Protestant Reformation. Many of the local Catholic clergy hid in the house in secret priest holes which can still be seen. They did their job, as no-one was found. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will recognise its use as a filming location for the Musgrave Ritual.
● Open Feb-Dec: Tue-Sat. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 3: Bicester Designer Village
Fancy an afternoon of designer shopping? Bicester Village is a neat complex of outlets specialising in the very best designer brands. All the great international brands have their own store here: Aquascutum, Armani, Boss, Burberry, Choo, DKNY, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Hilfiger, Klein, Lauren, Millen, Prada, St Laurent, Versace, Westwood. And all offer discounts on their top ranges.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 4: 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.
● Open Feb-Oct: daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 5: Broughton Castle
In the mid-17th century, the English Civil War was fought between Royalists and Parliamentarians. Broughton Castle had an important part to play during it. 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.
● Open May-Sep: Wed & Sun; Jul-Aug: Wed, Thu & Sun. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 6: Gaydon Motor Heritage Museum
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. With a variety of exhibitions, festivals and events, this really is a great way to while a few hours among some of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 7: Kenilworth Castle
One of England’s most famous castles stands at Kenilworth, close to the city of Birmingham. This was where Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester and suitor to Queen Elizabeth I, entertained her majesty 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.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 8: Oxford
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.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 9: Stratford-upon-Avon
William Shakespeare’s home town at the very northern edge of the Cotswolds. The wonderful thing about it is that over 400 years on, many of the places associated with Shakespeare’s life are still standing and can be visited such as his birthplace, school, and residences. Also recommended is a viewing of his wife Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. 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.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 10: Warwick Castle
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.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Tour Choice B: Select any 1 from our 4 full-day tour options below:

Option 1: Hi-Definition Tour: A Day in Stratford
Our special Hi-Definition Tours are perfect for those wanting a more singular tour experience. The tour is focussed on just one town, which means less time spent in the vehicle, and more time to enjoy a fuller day. Discuss your options with your guide. For example, you might prefer more detailed tours of local attractions, or have some time alone for a spot of shopping, or relax with a leisurely lunch. Perhaps a combination of all three! It's your tour and your choice.

This particular tour brings us to Stratford, William Shakespeare’s home town at the very northern edge of the Cotswolds. The wonderful thing about it is that over 400 years on, many of the places associated with Shakespeare’s life are still standing and can be visited such as his birthplace, school, and residences. Also recommended is a viewing of his wife Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. 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 lunch along the banks of the River Avon, with your guide pointing out the theatres and memorials now erected in his honour.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 2: The Lion & the Rose
Two of the most recognizable figures of the 20th century, Princess Diana and Winston Churchill, were in fact related. This tour visits the main country houses of one of the most powerful and famous aristocratic dynasties in British history. 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.

Blenheim Palace is 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.
● Jul-Aug only: daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 3: Princess Diana Tour
Click here for this Heart of England tour option in our Arts & Culture section.

Option 4: English Civil War Tour
Click here for this Heart of England tour option in our British History section.

ALL ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE. FOR BOOKINGS CLICK HERE.

PRICE OPTIONS:

HEART OF ENGLAND CHOICE: PERSONALLY-GUIDED FULL DAY TOUR OPTIONS	PRICE (Full day 10 hours).
BY PRIVATE CAR (1-2 passengers)	£450.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (3-4 passengers)	£495.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (5-7 passengers)	£540.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.

HOW THE TOUR WORKS:

● Important note: 'Private tour' means a privately chartered guided tour. It does not entail exclusive private access. We do not offer tours to individuals wishing to join a larger group (for this you require a scheduled coach tour operator).

● The guide: Your tour will be conducted by a friendly qualified guide (or driver-guide for car tours) providing a knowledgeable commentary, and assisting with practical issues. Where venues offer in-house guides or audio devices, your guide will still escort you.

● 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 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 or at a start time of your request. The duration of this tour is timed from pick-up to drop-off and 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.

● 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.

● 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.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR TOUR IN 3 EASY STEPS:

STEP 1: Send e-mail to tours@yourlondontours.com with the following information:
● Name or brief description of tour required.
● Date service required.
● Number of adults/children, age of children.
● Full address of hotel, place of residence or venue to be picked up from or met.
● Special interests or information to help us make your tour more enjoyable.
● Lead contact name and full billing address.
● Home phone number or cell phone number.

STEP 2: On receiving this information we will e-mail a reply confirming availability, price and payment procedure. If the tour is unavailable, eg, attractions are closed or we are fully booked, we will inform you or provide details of another operator.

STEP 3: If you are happy with your tour booking please make payment as directed.
Payments can take up to 48 hrs to process. On receiving payment, we will e-mail a tour confirmation and receipt. Please check details carefully and e-mail us with any queries.

BOOKING POLICY AND NOTES:
• Bookings are dealt with on a one-to-one basis via e-mail only.
• We do not accept bookings with less than 72 hours notice.
• To secure your preferred date we recommend booking well in advance.
• All tours subject to availability. Booking will not go ahead until availability is confirmed.
• Tour is not guaranteed to go ahead until 100% of payment is received.
• Administration fees may be added for extensive itineraries or supplementary guide hire.
• We do not arrange flights, accommodation, travel tickets or tickets for events.
• We do not usually pre-book tickets for attractions. We recommended these are paid
for at the gate on the day. In circumstances where pre-booking is the only option for
attractions, tickets must be paid for in advance and are non-refundable.

FOR ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE. FOR BOOKINGS CLICK HERE.

Vehicle spec:
Silver Mercedes-Benz Viano V6, seven-passenger luxury people carrier, high-spec interior trim with leather seats, armrests, headrests, air-conditioning, climate control, sound system, front and rear electric sunroof, sliding passenger doors, luggage space.

Driver-guide info:
Our driver-guides are smartly presented, knowledgeable and friendly. They are professionally qualified and drive fully insured private hire vehicles. They carry the 'Blue Badge' accreditation allowing them to conduct tours, walks and interior visits of the major London venues and many other attractions in the UK.