South Yorkshire & The Peaks

Itinerary

South Yorkshire & The Peaks

Day 1 - After joining your holiday coach, enjoy a scenic drive north with comfort stops on the way. Check into 4* Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa for the next 4 nights with porterage on arrival. DBB

Day 2 - 4 At leisure with three included excursions 

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
WENTWORTH WOODHOUSE & ELSECAR
Standing in 87 acres of gardens and grounds, opulent Wentworth Woodhouse is one of the finest Georgian houses in England. It was built for the 1st Marquess of Rockingham around 1725, with the work continuing over four decades and then passed to the Fitzwilliam family. The Palladian style architecture creates the ideal backdrop for period dramas and has been used as a location for iconic TV series such as Downton Abbey and Victoria. Discover the formal State Rooms of Wentworth Woodhouse and its vast history on a tour led by a knowledgeable guide (approx. 70 mins). Learn about the rise and fall and the secret stories of the house from its beginnings in the 1600s to its time as a family home and teacher training college, right through to the present day. There are over 300 rooms in total, but it is the State Rooms you will see first-hand including the iconic Marble Saloon Whistlejacket and the Painted Drawing Room. The tour takes place on the ground and first floors (accessed via two flights of stairs) and afterwards you can visit the gardens and grounds, full of ancient trees, shaded woodland copses and 18th Century follies. A light sandwich lunch with tea & coffee is included today at Wentworth Woodhouse. Before heading back to the hotel this afternoon, pop into Elsecar, a heritage centre village built by gentry which became an international centre of iron making and coalmining. The site is now a vibrant destination, home to independent shops, artists, artisan studios, cafés, a pub and an antiques centre but it still holds the stories of those who moved to Elsecar and built their lives here. 

PEAK DISTRICT - CASTLETON & BUXTON
Founded in 1951, the Peak District was England's first national park with 555 sq miles of glorious open English countryside. It is a natural playground of different sights and places to visit from old churches to the stunning natural wonder of the peaks, caverns and rocky gorges. Start your journey today via the tranquil Ladybower Reservoir, the large Y-shaped reservoir in the Upper Derwent Valley, at the heart of the Peak District National Park. Work began on the reservoir in 1935 and during construction, the villages of Derwent and Ashopton were flooded. It was officially opened by King George VI on 24th September 1945. Make a stop in Castleton, one of the most beautifully situated villages in the White Peak. Lying in the lee of mysterious Mam Tor, locally known as the 'Shivering Mountain', you'll appreciate the fabulous views created by its location on the cusp of the Peak District's breath-taking limestone and gritstone landscapes. Onto lovely Buxton where you have time at leisure to explore. Set in the rolling hills of Derbyshire, Buxton's fortunes were built on its natural water springs which attracted health tourists at the turn of the century. Today, visitors can enjoy the flamboyant Regency architecture, Georgian terraces and manicured parks. Take a stroll through the lovely Pavilion Gardens and enjoy Buxton's wealth of independent shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. 

CHESTERFIELD & SHEFFIELD BOTANICAL GARDENS
One of Derbyshire's most popular and historic market towns, Chesterfield is perhaps most famous for the distinctive Crooked Spire which dominates the skyline. There are numerous local legends as to why the spire twisted, but its unusual shape is thought to have been triggered by green timber covered with heavy lead tiles. The charming Shambles are a cluster of independent shops and cafés, while you'll find famous High Street names at the Pavements and Vicar Lane Shopping Centres. Monday is market day.  

Pop into the excellent Sheffield Botanical Gardens, just over a mile away from the hotel. A seven-year, £6.69 million, restoration project funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund's Urban Parks Programme was completed in December 2005. A central feature of the Gardens are the sweeping lawns with mature trees which create a setting for the restored linear glass Pavilions. The grand central Broadwalk leading up to the glass Pavilions is framed by colourful herbaceous borders. The splendid Gatehouse entrance arch and tearooms are complemented by formal Victorian bedding displays. The Gardens opened to a paying public in 1836 but by the turn of the century Sheffield Town Trust instituted free public access, which still remains today. During your visit, a local enthusiast will give you an insight into the history, restoration and wonderful plants of the gardens.

Day 5 - Homeward today with lots of memories and with comfort stops on the way to interchange. You can expect to be back in your local towns mid-evening.

Tour Highlights

• Hotel for 4 nights with breakfast & dinner
• Porterage 
• Use of leisure facilities 
• Entrance & tour of Wentworth Woodhouse 
• Light lunch with tea/coffee at Wentworth Woodhouse
• Visit to Sheffield Botanical Gardens with highlights tour
• Peak District Drive - Castleton & Buxton
• Visit to Elsecar & Chesterfield

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Accommodation

Mercure Sheffield Kenwood Hall & Spa

Built as Kenwood House in the 1840s, the property was turned into a hotel in 1924 and is now the 4* Mercure Sheffield Kenwood Hall & Spa, just one mile from Sheffield city centre, easily accessible from the M1.

The hotel combines a convenient location and idyllic country setting with its 12 acres of beautiful parkland providing a perfect backdrop for your stay.

Relax in one of 114 elegant ensuite bedrooms with all mod cons and in the onsite Leisure & Spa facilities with small indoor pool and fitness facilities.

Enjoy the views on the outdoor terrace or in the Lounge Bar or Restaurant.

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