Wonders of the west - exploring Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.
● 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: Bath
See how the Romans made their sandal-print on British history in the City of Bath, a World Heritage site. The stunning Roman Baths unearthed at the end of the 19th century just have to be seen. Bath is renowned for its naturally occurring thermal waters, the only hot water mineral springs in the country. Try a glass in the Pump Room. Bath was at the heart of the Georgian social scene. Fans of writer Jane Austen will discover a delightful museum dedicated to her. The whole city, entirely carved out of a local honey-coloured stone reflects architectural achievements past and present.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (4) Longleat House, or (5) Salisbury.
Option 2: Cheddar Gorge (recommended for families)
The Cheddar Gorge is a three-mile long glacial ravine of unique geological and scientific interest. On either side of the gorge are magnificent limestone cliffs up to 400ft high. Underneath there is a fascinating network of show caves to explore. Visit Cox’s Cave, famous for stalactites and stalacmites. Or the huge and spectacular Gough’s Cave. See the famous 9,000 year old skeleton, known as Cheddar Man. The caves provide the perfect temperature and humidity for storing and maturing the locally produced cheese, the world renowned Cheddar Cheese. Real Cheddar takes 2-5 years to mature. Only 10 farms still produce it traditionally and it is still stored in the caves.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (3) Glastonbury, or (9) Wells.
Option 3: Glastonbury
Glastonbury is a shrine where myths, music and monasticism co-exist. It is notable for some famous legends. Joseph of Arimathea is said to have built an abbey here in the first century AD to house the Holy Grail, making it one of the oldest pilgrim sites in the world. In the 12th century, monks claimed to have found the graves of King Arthur and Guinevere in the grounds of abbey. The monastery has been a magnificent ruin since the reformation. In late summer, a nearby farm hosts the largest music festival in the world. Literally millions apply for the limited number of tickets to spend a weekend in a huge tented city on a foundation of grass, mud and liquefied cow dung. In the past ‘Glasters’ has featured a diverse spectrum of sounds from Green Day to Al Green, and Neil Diamond to Neil Young.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Cheddar Gorge, or (9) Wells.
Option 4: Longleat House & Safari Park (recommended for families)
Longleat House is a fine example of Elizabethan architecture. It was owned by Queen Elizabeth I's civil servant Thomas Thynne. The queen visited herself in 1574. The Tudor exterior and great hall have survived remodelling and the library, which contains some 40,000 books, is considered to be the finest private collection in world. The Thynne family still own Longleat today, under the aristocratic title the Marquess of Bath. The current Marquess is something of a flamboyant nutter. Much of the art on display reflects his eccentricities. The 900-acre grounds by Repton and Brown includes the world’s largest maze, and has been re-landscaped to include a famous safari park which has featured in the BBC television series Animal Park.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (1) Bath, or (8) Stourhead.
Option 5: Salisbury
Salisbury was once a Roman garrison, but now is a thriving market town. In its centre is the stunning Salisbury Cathedral, the tallest medieval building in the world. It contains an original copy of the Magna Carta, a very early written constitution. The cathedral’s environs have been described by the writer Bill Bryson as the most beautiful place in England. Certainly both Turner and Constable found it an inspiration for their paintings and the town was also the setting for Thomas Hardy’s Melchester and Anthony Trollope’s Barchester.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (1) Bath, or (10) Wilton House.
Option 6: Shaftesbury and the Jurassic Coast
Visit the village of Shaftesbury, once home to England’s largest monastery founded by King Alfred in 888. It is also the setting of one of the most famous television commercials in advertising history. Time permitting, take a drive round the county of Dorset, famous for the countless prehistoric fossil discoveries that have formed the collection of many a natural history museum. See the mysterious ancient symbol of fertility known as the Cerne Abbas giant, a 180ft tall hillside chalk carving of a man ‘standing to attention’. Options to visit Clouds Hill, Lawrence of Arabia’s home, the cottage home of Thomas Hardy, the great Wessex writer, or Kingston Lacy, an Italianate mansion and relic of the Grand Tour.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (4) Longleat House, or (8) Stourhead.
Option 7: Stonehenge
A drive deep into the county of Wiltshire takes us back in time. Here we discover the mysterious World Heritage site of Stonehenge, an ancient stone structure older than the pyramids of Egypt, and a rare surviving monument of the pre-historic world. Some hold a deep fascination with this place, and wonder about its meaning. Those not so swayed by the stones’ magical charms are left pondering the biggest mystery of all - how did they get there?
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (5) Salisbury, or (10) Wilton House.
Option 8: Stourhead
Stourhead is a stately home situated near the Wiltshire village of Stourton where the River Stour rises. It was one of the first Palladian manor houses in UK, but it is best known for its magnificently landscaped gardens. The designer Henry Flitcroft worked with nature for a basic structure, shifting rivers and lakes by hand, creating tree lined avenues, and using twists, turns and techniques which later inspired the most famous of landscape gardeners Capability Brown. Paths around the lakes are punctuated with repro temples, effecting an epic and dramatic English version of the Grand Tour. Inside the replica of the Pantheon temple, there is a statue of Hercules, with a body modelled on a local prize fighter hired by the sculptor. Stourhead is truly an Arcadian paradise.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (4) Longleat House, (6) Shaftesbury.
Option 9: Wells
Wells is the smallest city in England with a population of just over 10,000. It has enjoyed city status since 1205. The famous Wells Cathedral dates from the 10th century. Its clock features a 24-hour astronomical dial and a set of jousting knights that perform every quarter-hour. The Vicars' Close from around 1350, is the oldest residential street in Europe with its original buildings all surviving intact. William Penn stayed in Wells shortly before leaving for America, spending a night at the Crown Inn. Here he was briefly arrested for preaching in the market place. Wells was also the final location of the Bloody Assizes of 1685, the rebel trials presided over by the infamous Judge Jeffreys. In just one day, he tried over 500 men and sentenced the majority to death.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (2) Cheddar Gorge, or (3) Glastonbury.
Option 10: Wilton House
Wilton House was once a nunnery, which was dissolved in Henry VIII's reformation and given to the king's brother-in-law, the Earl of Pembroke, via his last marriage to Catherine Parr in 1544. The second Earl of Pembroke was William Shakespeare's sponsor and married the poet Philip Sidney’s sister Mary. The family later started the Wilton carpet empire. The house has been constantly remodelled. Architects Inigo Jones classicised and Wyatt gothicised. Highlights include Jones's single and double cube room (with paintings by Van Dyck and furnishing by Kent and Chippendale), and the renowned gardens.
● Entrances payable - family/group rate available. Not included in tour price.
● Best combinations with this option: (5) Salisbury, or (7) Stonehenge.
WESSEX 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 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.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES
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