Travelling Solo - East England

Itinerary

Holiday Highlights

• Hotel for 4 nights with breakfast & dinner
• Porterage
• Fun quiz with £20 holiday voucher prize
• First night pre-dinner drinks reception (beer, house wine or soft drink)
• Entrance to Burghley House
• Entrance to Wimpole Hall
• Entrance to Ely Cathedral & Stained Glass Museum
• Visits to Stamford, Cambridge and Ely 
• En-route stop to St Ives, Cambs

Great Houses & Little Cities

Day 1 - After joining your holiday coach, head to Cambridgeshire with a stop in the historic town of St Ives. The 15th-century St. Ives Bridge is the town's most iconic landmark, spanning the River Great Ouse with its distinctive stone arches and rare chapel built on the bridge itself, one of only a few remaining in England. Check into the 3* Milestone Hotel for the next 4 nights. DBB

A fun quiz will be distributed today which you may like to complete (either on your own or perhaps team up with a fellow traveller) for a chance to win a £20 Crusader Holidays voucher. Perhaps compare notes this evening when you meet for a pre-dinner drink in the bar

Day 2 - 4 At leisure in Cambridgeshire with three included excursions

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
Burghley & Stamford
Enjoy a visit to the magnificent Elizabethan Burghley House. Still a much loved family home and favourite film location (Rosings Park in the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice), the palatial house is home to an historic collection of paintings, ceramics and exquisite works of art. Built in the 16th century, this splendid house stands as a lasting legacy of William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. Enjoy a self-guided tour of Burghley's 18 dramatic State Rooms and the surrounding 'Capability' Brown parkland, Garden of Surprises and the Contemporary Sculpture Garden. Next stop is quaint Stamford, 'the finest stone town in England'. Stamford's narrow alleyways and hidden courtyards are home to a variety of speciality shops, fine jewellers and designer boutiques, whilst the High Street has a great choice of independent and recognised retailers.

Cambridge & Wimpole Estate 
Abounding with exquisite architecture and renowned for its quirky rituals, Cambridge is a university town extraordinaire, brimming with history, tradition and scholarly charm. The tightly packed core of ancient colleges, the picturesque riverside 'Backs' (college gardens) and the leafy green meadows surrounding the city give it a quieter appeal than its historic rival Oxford. Handsome facades of the ancient colleges dominate the layout of the centre, lining up along the main streets. The buildings here seem unchanged for centuries, and the city has inspired academics, philosophers, historians and economists throughout history, from John Milton to Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking. You may like to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum which houses over half a million objects - an amazing variety of beautiful artefacts and art from around the world. See everything from Egyptian coffins to Impressionist masterpieces; illuminated manuscripts to Renaissance sculpture; rare coins to Asian arts (Free entry in 2025 - donations welcome). Your driver may be able to offer you an optional city tour. 

This afternoon head to nearby Wimpole Estate, a living working estate, guided by the seasons with an 17th century impressive mansion, parkland, gardens and rare breed farm. Over the centuries, Wimpole has been owned by several families, and each has left its mark. Intimate rooms contrast with beautiful and unexpected Georgian interiors, including Soane's remarkable Yellow Drawing Room and wonderful plunge bath. The fascinating basement corridor offers a glimpse into life below stairs. Take a stroll around the parterre garden and wander through the Pleasure Ground to the Walled Garden with its beautiful herbaceous borders. NB there is a 10-min (fairly flat) walk to the house from the parking area - a golf buggy shuttle service may be available. There are 12 steps up to the front of the house

Ely Cathedral
Jaw-dropping Ely Cathedral is widely acknowledged as 'one of the wonders of the Medieval world'. Its origins dating back to AD 673 when St Etheldreda built an Abbey Church. The present building dates back to 1083 and was granted Cathedral status in 1109. Entrance is included for you to explore both the magnificent cathedral and the Stained Glass Museum, 'A Gem in the Fens' and a hidden treasure within the cathedral. It is uniquely dedicated to the art of stained glass and displays over 100 original stained glass panels dating from the early 13th century to the present, including more modern work by William Morris, John Piper and Brian Clarke. There will be time at leisure for you to explore charming Ely itself which takes its name (ee-lee) from the eels that once inhabited the surrounding undrained Fens. Today, beyond the dizzying heights of its cathedral towers, Ely is a cluster of medieval streets lined with traditional tearooms and pretty Georgian houses; a quaint quayside adds extra appeal. As the second smallest city in England, it is compact enough to explore on foot. Ely has gained global recognition as a prominent film and tv series location featuring in Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Other Boleyn Girl, Macbeth, The King's Speech and The Crown.

Day 5 - After a relaxed breakfast, it time to check out and head homewards with a stop enroute before interchange. Arrive at your hometowns this evening Back to top

Accommodation

Milestone Hotel, Peterborough

This modern, low-rise 3* hotel has a strategic position close to the A1 providing easy access to neighbouring locations such as Cambridge and Stamford and making it a perfect choice to explore this enchanting region.  

Each guestroom is equipped with free Wi-Fi, a flatscreen TV, free WiFi, a desk and tea/coffee making facilities.

There is a bar and a restaurant.

There is no lift but there are ground floor rooms.

Single rooms are doubles / twins for sole occupancy. Back to top