Gorgeous Gardens & Heritage Havens

Itinerary

Gorgeous Gardens & Heritage Havens

Day 1 - After boarding your tour coach, head towards Hampshire with an en-route stop in Guildford, the lovely riverside Surrey town boasting a lively High Street with a historic setting and beautiful architecture as well as a stunning cathedral. Check into the Elvetham Hotel, near the village of Hartley Wintney for 4 nights DBB

Days 2 - 4 At leisure in Hampshire with three included excursions

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
RHS Garden Wisley & Rural Living Museum
Today you head off to a real showstopper and one of the world's great gardens, RHS Garden Wisley. Packed with horticultural inspiration and home to the RHS, you will delight at the extensive plant collection as you browse the various themed areas from the Wellbeing Garden, the Wildlife Garden, the Exotic Garden, Seven Acres, Heron's Bonsai Walk and of course, the Glasshouse. There is so much to see any time of year that you will be truly spoilt for choice. Enjoy some free time for lunch in the historic town of Farnham before the afternoon visit to the nearby Rural Living Museum. 

This open-air museum is set in over 10 acres of open space and woodland with arboretum of over 100 trees. Discover the nostalgia and stories of the countryside through its unique collection of historic buildings, masterfully re-located to allow access to visitors to explore inside. The museum is also home to an impressive collection of agricultural implements and objects form everyday life from times gone by. The museum founders realised that agricultural implements used by earlier generations were being lost and destroyed and so they visited farm sales and local auctions determined to save these historic artefacts, including waggons, binders and hand tools. Volunteers get fully involved with demonstrating old skills and work machinery at various times throughout the day.

Savill Garden & Windsor River Cruise with Cream Tea
Since its creation in the 1930s, Savill Garden has been an inspiration to all who visit. It is a natural haven with beautifully designed gardens and woodland and offers 35 acres of interconnected gardens to explore including seasonal areas of flower, plants and trees. Savill Garden is stunning throughout the year - you may like to visit the Hidden Gardens, Spring Wood, the Summer Gardens, the New Zealand Garden, Summer Wood, The Glades, Autumn Wood and the Winter Beds - a treat for everyone from the most dedicated of horticulturists to the amateur hobby gardener.

Next stop is Windsor to join a 2-hour circular river cruise on the Thames. Sit back and relax with a delicious cream tea and take in the scenery form the river viewpoint including a picture-perfect panorama of mighty Windsor Castle, the famous Eton College, Windsor racecourse as well as passing through Boveney Lock as you head upstream before returning to Windsor Promenade

Whitchurch Silk Mill & Winchester
Travel into rural Hampshire for a visit to Whitchurch Silk Mill, the oldest working silk mill still in its original setting. This is a true gem of industrial heritage dates back to 1813 and a 1-hour guided tour will reveal the traditional art of weaving and how it has changed and developed over the years. The mill opened in 1990 as a working museum after extensive renovation to ensure the survival of winding and weaving machinery and technique. There will be time to see the original mill wheel, stroll around the gardens and browse the gift shop before a light sandwich lunch. Then head into Winchester, England's ancient capital, for the afternoon. Winchester's major landmark is its monumental Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the distinction of having the longest nave and overall length of all Gothic cathedrals in Europe (admission fee applies - approx. £12.50 pp in 2023 - not included). The famous novelist Jane Austen died in Winchester on 18 July 1817 and is buried in the cathedral. Take a stroll through the bustling centre where the Saxon street plan laid out by Alfred the Great is still evident today.

Day 5 - Check out of the hotel. Make a stop on the way back to interchange in Kingston upon Thames, beautifully situated on the banks of the River Thames.  Arrive back in your home towns early evening.

Highlights

• Hotel for 4 nights with breakfast & dinner
• Porterage
• Entrance to RHS Garden Wisley
• Entrance to Rural Living Museum
• Entrance to Savill Garden 
• Thames River Cruise with cream tea
• Guided tour of Whitchurch Silk Mill
• Light sandwich lunch at Whitchurch Silk Mill
• Leisure time in Winchester

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Accommodation

Elvetham Hotel, Hartley Wintney, nr Hook

This historical country estate dates back to Elizabethan times and enjoyed frequent visits by Queen Elizabeth I, being owned by the Seymour family.

This beautiful 4* property has now been transformed into a 61-bedroom hotel within extensive grounds.

Each of the smart bedrooms are equipped with hairdryer, iron & ironing board and in-room safe. Accommodation is divided between the main house and the adjacent stable house.

There are no lifts but there are several ground floor rooms in the stable house (a flat 50m walk outdoors from the main building). Public areas include an impressive lounge, traditional bar and a bright conservatory style restaurant opening onto a large terrace.

There is a lovely (relatively flat) walking route around the estate (with some stiles). Single rooms are doubles for sole use Back to top