THAMES VALLEY TOURS - private driving tour options from London

THAMES VALLEY CHOICE
10 top tour options to enjoy down by the riverside.

● 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: Kew Gardens
The world famous Royal Botanic Gardens in south-west London opened in 1759. It contains 1/8 of all flowering species known on earth, and many rare trees and plants. There are 40 listed buildings including the humid Palm House (1888) which maintains a tropical rain-forest climate, and contains the world's oldest pot plant. Plus the Temple of Arathusa, a Japanese farmhouse traditionally thatched with bamboo, and a conservatory. Your guide will conduct you on a walking tour, then take advantage of the land-train to see the full extent of the gardens.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Hampton Court, or (3) Windsor Castle.

Option 2: Hampton Court
The world famous Hampton Court Palace is in south-west London. It’s actually two palaces in one, covering both the Tudor and Stuart royal dynasties (in fact, Henry VIII stole it!). Highlights include the authentic Tudor kitchens, Great Hall, and Chapel Royal. There’s also an important art collection and the magnificent gardens featuring the world’s oldest maze for you to get lost in! 500 years of royal history comes alive here.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (1) Kew Gardens, or (3) Windsor Castle.

Option 3: Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the Queen's home, about 20 miles west of London. First built in 1080 and described by Samuel Pepys over 300 years ago as the most romantic of castles, it is also the largest and oldest continually inhabited castle in the world. Your guide will conduct you on a tour. Highlights include the magnificent George Chapel (ten monarchs are buried here including Henry VIII), the opulent State Apartments and the incredible Queen Mary's Doll's House. On certain days you can see the changing of the guard ceremony up-close (much better than outside Buckingham Palace!).
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (1) Kew Gardens, or (2) Hampton Court, (4) Around Windsor, or (5) Magna Carta & River Trip.

Option 4: Around Windsor, including Eton, Savile Gardens and Great Park
We start with a tour-drive looking at the old-world charm of the towns of Windsor around the castle, and Eton, with its exclusive school where Princes William & Harry were educated. Then we don our stoutest walking shoes to investigate Royal Windsor Great Park. Covering almost 5,000 acres and with a circumference of 14 miles, it is owned by the Royal Family. Discover little-known royal places such as Snow Hill, the Royal Lodge and Smithsfield. Then there's the Long Walk, with a spectacular view of the castle, and Home Park, where you can pop into the Windsor Farm shop and indulge in some organic Royal produce. This option also includes a visit to the world renowned 35-acre Savile Gardens. owned by the Queen, and partially designed by Prince Philip. During the summer it is also possible to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the gardens.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (3) Windsor Castle, or (5) Magna Carta & River Trip.

Option 5: Magna Carta & River Trip
This tour examines Magna Carta, the famous document which was originally drawn up to limit the powers of an unpopular king and became the template for modern democracy. We drive to Runnymead water-meadow, to take a scheduled short river tour, with a close-up look at Magna Carta Island, where is is said the document was signed by Bad King John. Next we visit the Magna Carta Memorial, a domed classical temple built by the American Bar Association to commemorate this symbol of liberty under law. Nearby is the Air Forces Memorial and British memorial to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy which is actually American territory.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (3) Windsor Castle, or (4) Around Windsor.

Option 6: Valley of Sin - driving tour
A right carry-on down by the riverside in this adult theme tour. The Thames Valley has long been a place of indulgence and insatiability. This very British carry-on dips its toe into wicked medieval monks, 18th century hellraisers, and the shocking sex and politics scandal that ushered in the Swinging 60s. We start in the privileged world of Eton School, well known for its odd ways and traditions. Next is the gothic mansion of Oakley Court, where the 18th century Kit-Kat Club drank to excess with rude entertainments. At Bray we hear the story of the 'swinging vicar' and the unholy statue in his church. Close-by is the celebrity restaurant once dubbed the best in the world, its reputation later sullied by a food-poisoning scandal. At Maidenhead we hear the story of the chapel built without permission for pilgrims who came to visit the skull of one of St. Ursula's 11,000 virgins. Now onto Taplow and Cliveden, where high-society was entertained and high-politics was scandalised by sex, drugs and rock & roll. Then up through the picturesque towns of Cookham, where the artist Stanley Spencer painted his deathly masterpieces, and Marlow, where Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. Finally to Wycombe's infamous Hell Fire Caves, with such naughty goings on that decency forbids their publication here.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Hampton Court, or (3) Windsor Castle.

Option 7: Thames Valley At The Movies - driving tour
Discovering the main stages of the UK film industry. Shepperton has been the UK's largest film-making HQ since it linked with Pinewood in 2002. Both studios feature on the tour. Pinewood has been a major British film studio since the 1930s. Blockbusters made here include Star Wars, several Harry Potter films, and most of the James Bond movies. Bray Studio is where the famous Hammer films were made, responsible for such horror classics such as Brides of Dracula, Curse of Frankenstein and the Quatermass Experiment. Nearby is we see the gothic mansion of Oakley Court, used as the location for St. Trinian’s School and Dracula’s Castle. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee both stayed here. Along the way we will also see the windmill at Ibstone, used for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The National Film and Television School at Beaconsfield is where many film directors and technicians have learned their craft. Many parts of the town have been used in films such as Thunderball and Brief Encounter. Finally, on to Wallingford, made famous in recent years as a setting for the hit whodunnit TV series Midsomer Murders. Note: Unlike their US counterparts, none of these studios have the capability, nor the foresight, to run tours, but we will get close to the creative heart of legendary movies none-the-less.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Hampton Court, or (3) Windsor Castle.

Option 8: Once Upon A Time (part one) (recommended for kids)
Join this tour in the world of children's classics as we visit Oxford, principally a university town, but with many famous links to children's books. Harry Potter fans will recognize the great hall at the famous Christchurch College, while fans of Alice in Wonderland will recognize a number of references here too. Lunch is an option at the Eagle & Child, where Tolkein, creator of the Lord of the Rings series, and C. S. Lewis, author of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe would often meet.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (9) Once Upon A Time (pt 2), or (3) Windsor Castle.

Option 9: Once Upon A Time (part two) (recommended for kids)
Join this tour in the world of children's classics as we visit Great Missenden, the home village of Roald Dahl, one of the world's bestselling fiction authors, with sales estimated at 100 million. Fans of Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the BFG can visit the Roald Dahl Museum, book locations and Dahl's burial place, where pilgrims leave candy-bars. Lunch is an option in Roald Dahl's favourite pub or the Red Lion pub in Knotty Green which has an Enid Blyton Room, with a gallery of original prints and a library of books. The creator of the Famous Five and Noddy lived most of her life in a house called Green Hedges (since demolished) nearby.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (8) Once Upon A Time (pt 1), or (3) Windsor Castle.

Option 10: Three Men In A Boat Tribute
We take a scenic drive through the Thames Valley in the wake of Jerome K. Jerome's quintessential novel on Thames Valley touring, Three Men in a Boat. Now regarded as a classic, its depth lies in its shallowness. With readings from the book invited along the way, we make the journey to Ewelme, where Jerome is buried in a 15th century church. Aside from this, Ewelme is a particularly attractive village. The village school was originally opened in 1437 has been continually in use since it was first opened, making it one of the oldest schools in the country.
● Best combinations with this option: (8) Once Upon A Time (pt 1), or (3) Windsor Castle.

PRICE OPTIONS
THAMES VALLEY 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.
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 tour can start at any time of your request. We recommend 09.00 to help us to beat lines and scheduled coach groups. Tour duration is 9 hours from pick-up to drop-off, and includes 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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