THE BEST OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND - 20 Nights
This holiday takes you on gentle-to-moderate walks through the beautiful
hills, rolling moorland, pretty river valleys and the dramatic coastline
of the South of England. Along the way you will visit some of England’s
finest cathedrals - Canterbury, Winchester, Salisbury, Exeter &
Wells. Throw in a few abbeys, castles, Stonehenge, gardens and some
delightful small towns and villages and you have the perfect English
Holiday!
You will stay overnight in excellent hotels in Canterbury, Kent (2 nights)
; Arundel, W. Sussex (2 nights) ; Salisbury, Wiltshire (2 nights) ;
Dorchester, Dorset (3 nights) ; Dartmoor, Devon (2 nights) ; Golant,
Cornwall (3 nights) ; Porlock, Somerset (2 nights) ; Wells, Somerset
(2 nights) ; Faringdon, Oxfordshire (2 nights) and Windsor, Berkshire
(1 night).
You will enjoy lovely walks and moderate hikes in the North Downs, the
South Downs, Salisbury Plain, the South Dorset Downs, the South Coast
Path, Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor, Exmoor, the Mendip Hills, and along the
Ridgeway across the North Downs.
This holiday can be taken as a Fully Escorted Group Holiday, based
on a minimum of 6 people per departure on the dates shown, or on a self
drive independent basis using your own car on any date or on a self
drive independent basis using a rental car arranged by us, or on a chauffeur
driven basis, on any date.
The Prices shown are for an escorted small grouptrip. For prices for
self drive and chauffeur driven tours please ask for our detailed Fact
Sheet.
DAY 1: Depart by small, fully fitted coach or comfortable 12/15 seater mini-bus(passenger van) from Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester & London. (It might be possible to arrange other pickup points en route, dependent on the location of other participants). Continue to Canterbury in Kent, for a 2 night stay. Accommodation will be in an excellent 3 star hotel, or similar. Dinner in the hotel.
DAY 2: Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a full day hiking around the beautiful North Downs and end at historic Canterbury Cathedral. Dinner in the hotel.
DAY 3: Breakfast at hotel. Today you transfer to Arundel in West Sussex, with its impressive castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Norfolk. The route takes you through the Weald and the rolling countryside of Kent and East Sussex. Dinner at the hotel. 2 nights stay.
DAY 4: Breakfast at hotel, followed by a full days hike along the South Downs Way. Dinner in the hotel.
DAY 5: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Salisbury, in Wiltshire, via the old capital of England, Winchester, city of King Alfred. Visit the great cathedral, which has the longest nave of any church in Britain. Dinner at the hotel, where you stay 2 nights.
DAY 6: Breakfast at the hotel. Full day hike on Salisbury Plain, with a visit to Stonehenge on the way home. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 7: Breakfast at the hotel. Visit to Salisbury Cathedral, one of Britain’s most beautiful buildings, with the tallest spire in Britain. Transfer to Dorchester in Dorset, via the New Forest and walk along the South Dorset Downs. Dinner at the hotel. 3 nights stay.
DAY 8: Breakfast at the hotel. The lovely South Coast Path takes you on a walk which includes an optional visit to the ancient Abbotsbury Swannery. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 9: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from Dorchester to your hotel on Dartmoor in Devon, visiting Exeter and its cathedral en route. Dinner at hotel. Stay 2 nights.
DAY 10: Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a full days walk on wild and lonely Dartmoor. Dinner at hotel.
DAY 11: After breakfast you continue your journey to Golant, near Fowey in Cornwall. En route you will see the pretty fishing villages of Looe and Polperro and take the ferry to Fowey. Dinner at the hotel. 3 nights stay.
DAY 12: Breakfast at the hotel then drive to Mevagissey, another picture postcard fishing village. From here you will have a great walk along the South Coast Path, with dramatic seascapes and cliffs. Return to the hotel for dinner.
DAY 13: Breakfast at the hotel, then drive to Bodmin Moor for another walk in different terrain. You will have the option of walking to the summit of Brown Willy, Cornwall’s highest point at 1375 feet.
DAY 14: Breakfast at the hotel before travelling to Porlock in Somerset. Dinner at the hotel. 2 nights stay.
DAY 15: Breakfast at the hotel then off to Exmoor, famous for its wild ponies, for a lovely day’s walk. Return to the hotel for dinner.
DAY 16: After breakfast at the hotel you transfer to Wells, visiting mystic Glastonbury, supposedly the hiding place of the Holy Grail, en route. Visit lovely Wells Cathedral before taking dinner at the hotel. Stay 2 nights.
DAY 17: Today, after breakfast you will set off on a full day walk in the rolling Mendip Hills. Dinner back at the hotel.
DAY 18: Transfer after breakfast to Faringdon in Oxfordshire, with en route visits to the delightful village of Lacock and Avebury Stone Circle. Dinner at the hotel. Stay 2 nights.
DAY 19: After breakfast enjoy a fascinating days walk along the Ridgeway, an ancient trackway across the North Downs, linking many prehistoric sites, including Wayland’s Smithy, Uffington Castle and the Uffington White Horse. Dinner back at the hotel.
DAY 20: Breakfast at the hotel before setting off for Windsor, in Royak Berkshire, on the last leg of your journey, with a visit to Windsor Castle en route. You have dinner at the hotel and stay one night.
DAY 21: Your final English breakfast before leaving for the airport and your flight home.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS
Accommodation will be at comfortable hotels of 3-stars or equivalent
and all bedrooms will have private bathroom & toilet. Each day you
will take dinner and breakfast at the hotel.
TRANSPORT
Will be by either a small, fully fitted coach, in the case of larger
parties or comfortable mini-bus driven by our Leader, for smaller groups.
THE WALKING PROGRAMME
The programme is designed for Grades 3 & 4, as described below.
With smaller parties you will have one Footloose Leader, and the walks
will be a mix of grades 3 & 4, according to the make up of the group
and its abilities. With larger parties we have two Footloose Leaders,
in which case we offer a choice between a Grade 3 and 4 walk on each
waking day.
The distances and ascents may be modified, according to the abilities
and wishes of the party but will generally be as detailed in the menu
section on Walking Grades in Homepage.
DATES & PRICES
20 Nights: 28 June, 26 July, 23 August, 20 September 2007
£1,835 per person
THE PRICE INCLUDES
* 20 nights accommodation in twin or double rooms, all with private
bathroom & toilet, in good quality hotels of 3 stars or equivalent.
* Services of one Footloose Leader (or 2 Leaders with larger parties).
* Dinner and breakfast each day, from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on
Day 21.
* Transport by small coach or mini-bus throughout the holiday.
* All the costs of the walking programme.
* V.A.T. and all local service charges and taxes.
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Lunches ; insurance ; admissions to castles, museums etc. ; personal
items, e.g. drinks, telephone calls etc.
