1

An Escorted 25* Day Small Group Tour of London the 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show and South West England

including stop-overs in Dubai both ways

Tour Dates: 24th May 2016 – 18th June 2016

London & South West England“The Gardens of England”

T R A V E L L I N G M A D E E A S Y

In late spring and early summer – Southern England blooms! On this tour we will go on a

trip of discovery that many visitors to the U.K. frequently miss out on. Offering far more than

the whistle stop tours of the main tourist destinations offered by many large tour operators,

this small group tour will travel the country roads and meet locals, while making new friends

and embracing the true English lifestyle. A visit to the world famous Chelsea Flower Show

and English gardens makes this tour a must for all garden lovers!

* Inclusive of Dubai stop-overs

2

Your Tour Highlights

This tour really starts in London with a visit to the world

famous 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, followed by a

trip on the Thames and sightseeing in Central London.

Then, as we head off through the beautiful woodlands and

sleepy country byways of the “Real England” – unchanged

for centuries – the pace slows down. We will visit several

areas of outstanding natural beauty, including the Wye

Valley and the stunning Cotswolds.

Other excursions include, Bath – where the Romans built

baths and a temple in the valley of the River Avon. Oxford

– with it’s University first mentioned in 12th-century

records. Salisbury – whose Gothic Cathedral, proudly

boasts Britain’s tallest spire. Dartmouth – with it’s bustling

harbour, winding Elizabethan streets and rich maritime

heritage. And the Blackdown Hills – a hidden gem unspoilt

by tourism, and ablaze with wild flowers and butterflies in

the spring and summer months.

London

Newbury

Dartmouth

Bath

Cheltenham

Oxford

Salisbury

Bledington

Yeovil

5

7

7

AirfaresIncluded

ENGLAND

WALES

The Wye Valley, Gloucestershire

> Departs 24th May 2016London & South West EnglandDays From

25 $ 15,867*pp

* Tour prices are per person twin share in Australian dollars.

Tour Inclusions

• Return airfares Brisbane/Dubai/London, including airport transfers & taxes.

• Stop-overs both ways in Dubai, with time to explore this fascinating city

• Road transport in a private 9 seat air conditioned vehicle.

• Twenty-four nights accommodation.

• All meals and gratuities as outlined in the itinerary, plus tipping.

• All sightseeing and attractions as highlighted in bold.

• The services of a Travelling Made Easy tour guide for the full length of tour.

The Chelsea Flower Show

3

Tuesday 24th May 2016 Dinner/Breakfast

Your tour begins with your direct flight from Brisbane to Dubai.

Having completed check in, you are free to relax or maybe take

advantage of some duty free shopping.

Overnight: In-Flight

Wednesday 25th May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Your arrival in Dubai is scheduled for 05:30 Hrs. Your Tour

guide will meet you at the airport and take you to your Hotel.

After a full day relaxation we will meet up In the evening for a

Welcome Dinner.

Overnight: Dubai

Thursday 26th May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

After a good nights sleep, we head back to Dubai International

Airport for our onward journey to London Heathrow Airport.

Upon our arrival at Heathrow (14:20 Hrs) we will clear customs

and make our way to the Heathrow Express for our 15 minute

journey to London Paddington where we will transfer by Black

Cabs to The Bloomsbury Hotel our base for exploring. In the

evening we take a short stroll to Covent Garden for Dinner.

Overnight: The Bloomsbury Hotel, Great Russell Street, London

Friday 27th May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

We start with an early breakfast and then travel by tube to

Sloane Square where we have a 10 minute walk to enjoy the

day at the world famous Royal Horticultural Society’s – RHS

Chelsea Flower Show – that has been welcoming visitors from

all over the world to Chelsea since 1913. Highlights include the

avant-garde show gardens designed by leading names with

the Floral Marquee at the centrepiece. The Show also features

smaller gardens such as the Artisan and Urban Gardens. You

will be able to see floral exhibits and the latest in garden design,

learn of recent plant releases and talk to some of the exhibitors.

This is the most famous of all garden shows, and every

gardening enthusiast should attend at least once in their life.

Overnight: The Bloomsbury Hotel, Great Russell Street, London

Saturday 28th May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

This morning we head to Westminster Pier for a Thames

River Cruise on London’s oldest thoroughfare - the Royal

Thames. This is an opportunity to take a truly different view

of London, passing some its best of historical landmarks the

Thames offers including: Cleopatra’s Needle, South Bank, St

Paul’s Cathedral, the Millennium Bridge, the Tate Modern art

gallery, the Globe Theatre, HMS Belfast, the Tower of London,

Tower Bridge, Docklands and our destination Greenwich.

Slightly removed from the busy Central London, Greenwich

is popular for experiencing the expanse of Greenwich Park.

Not far away is the National Maritime Museum, as well as

the Royal Observatory where you can stand on the world-

famous Greenwich Meridian Line, which represents the Prime

Meridian of the World – Longitude 0º. Why not try a “Cockney”

lunch in Greenwich by the market at Goddard’s Pie and Mash

(22 King William Walk, Greenwich) founded in 1890. A traditional

working-class food originating in East London. After the day

at Greenwich we return up river to Westminster where we will

disembark and stroll up Whitehall through Trafalgar Square

to Chinatown where we have Dinner.

Overnight: The Bloomsbury Hotel, Great Russell Street, London

Sunday 29th May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Today we will visit Westminster Abbey and The Churchill

War Rooms. The “Abbey” has long been the worshiping

place for kings and queens, and it has a long and rich history.

Since 1066, It has been the coronation church – 38 kings and

queens of England have been crowned here. Queen Elizabeth

II was married here, Princess Diana’s funeral was held here.

And 17 monarchs are buried here. The abbey is full of art and

monuments to soldiers, statesmen, artists and poets including

Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. From the “Abbey” it’s a

short walk to the Churchill War Rooms. Where we get a glimpse

into life in Churchill’s bunker and discover the camaraderie,

secrecy and fear of WWII attacks. The War Cabinet Room

includes the Map Room and the Transatlantic Telephone Room,

taking you back in time to experience the planning and the

plotting of the Second World War. The Churchill Museum is an

interactive gallery of Churchill’s life, with a 15metre long “Lifeline”

at the centre exhibiting documents, photos and film clips of his

famous political reign. We then head to London Paddington and

from there travel by train to Newbury in Berkshire, where the

remainder of the day is free. Tonights dinner is in Newbury.

Overnight: Hilton Newbury Centre, Pinchington Lane, Newbury.

Monday 30th May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

After breakfast we take collection of our vehicle for the drive

South through the North Wessex Downs and West over

Cranbourne Chase and the West Wiltshire Downs before

arriving at our destination, The town of Yeovil in the afternoon.

Our base for the next week – The Keep – a boutique Bed

& Breakfast which has been extensively refurbished, yet still

retains some of its history and unique charm. After checking-in.

there will be enough time to take a leisurely stroll around the

area prior to to having dinner.

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

T R A V E L L I N G M A D E E A S Y

London & South West England – Tour Itinerary

4

Tuesday 31st May 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Today we head for the New Forest. The New Forest National

Park is known for its primeval forest, a rarity in Britain, but only

half of its area is wooded. It is also home to heather-blanketed

heaths, lawns, farmland, and even coastal marshes and mudflats.

It,s most famous inhabitants are 3,000 four-legged locals known

as the New Forest Ponies. These animals are free to roam where

they will, as they have for centuries. We leave the New Forest

and drive to Salisbury in Wiltshire. A magnificent medieval city,

with its chequer pattern streets overflowing with charm, and

history on every corner. The city’s historic core is Salisbury

Cathedral, an oasis of peace and tranquility and yet just

minutes from the city’s streets. We continue 8 miles north of

Salisbury to Salisbury Plain and Stonehenge, Britain’s most

iconic archaeological site. This ring of monolithic stones has

been attracting pilgrims, poets and philosophers for the last

5000 years. We drive on into Dorset, and Somerset,

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

Wednesday 1st June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Let’s stay ‘local’ and spend the day visiting some interesting

National Trust properties and gardens close to our base. Including

Montacute House, a masterpiece of Elizabethan Renaissance

architecture. Tintinhull Gardens, complete with working kitchen

and orchard, secluded lawns, colourful borders and clipped

hedges provide the perfect spot to relax. Lytes Cary Manor an

intimate medieval manor house with a beautiful garden, and finally

the town of Sherbourne an historic town nestled in green valleys

and wooded hills. With an abundance of ancient and beautiful

buildings. Sherborne was once the capital of Wessex, one of the

seven Saxon kingdoms of England. King Alfred’s elder brothers

King Ethelbert and King Ethelbald are buried in the abbey. In 1594

Sir Walter Raleigh built an Elizabethan mansion in the grounds of

the old palace, today known as Sherborne Castle.

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

Thursday 2nd June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

A fun day ahead as we head over the border and into Devon. Our

destination Paignton, is on the “English Riviera”. From Paignton

we take a Steam Train to Kingswear and the Ferry across the

The Dart Estuary to Dartmouth. The Dart Estuary is part of

the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and lies

within the South Devon Heritage Coast. Set in a picturesque

location on the River Dart estuary, the historic town of Dartmouth

is protected by the surrounding Devon hills. This small naval port

has played an important role in the UK’s nautical history as far

back as 1147 and 1190 it was used as the sailing point for the

Crusades. Bayard’s Cove is Dartmouth’s oldest wharf and the

cobbled quayside is where the Mayflower moored up in 1620 as

the Pilgrim Fathers made their way to discover the New World.

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

Friday 3rd June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

After breakfast we drive to Stourhead, on the Wiltshire-Somerset

border. A breathtaking world-famous 18th century landscape

garden with its centrepiece a magnificent lake, with grottoes and

classical temples, all set amid delightful lawns and parkland. The

Temple of Apollo and Palladian Bridge were also featured in the

2005 movie Pride & Prejudice. The 1,072-hectare estate also

includes ancient woods – with Roe Deer – and farmland managed

for nature conservation, perfect to explore on foot. Stourhead

is also home to the tallest English oak tree in the UK. (standing

40.4 metres tall) and rare and exotic trees.. We can look inside

Stourhead House, one of the first country mansions to be built

in the Palladian style, with a fantastic regency library, fabulous

collection of Chippendale furniture and beautiful art collection.

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

Saturday 4th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

A splendid day in Bath exploring this wonderful city. A city so

beautiful and special that it is the only destination in the UK

to have the whole city designated a World Heritage site by

UNESCO. Being a small city, Bath is best explored on foot. Most

of the main attractions are all within a short walk of each other, so

we’ll be able to take in quite a few sights in a long, gentle stroll.

including the Roman Baths and the Abbey Church Yard. Just

a short stroll from the city centre is the iconic Royal Crescent

and Royal Victoria Park. – the park a beautiful expanse of

green – dates back to 1829 and is named after Queen Victoria.

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

Sunday 5th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Time to relax, after a hectic few days. We take a leisurely drive to

the Dorset coast, part of The Jurassic Coast the first ever site to

be inscribed as a ‘natural’ World Heritage Site. It spans 95 miles

of dramatic coastline all the way from East Devon to Dorset and

includes a range of world-renowned fossils of all types. Following

some bracing sea air, we return to the Kings Arms to pack and

prepare to move north.

Overnight: The Keep, South Street, Yeovil.

Monday 6th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Say good-bye to our Somerset base as we head north. The

drive today is a very scenic one as we make our way through

The Cotswolds – one of England’s favourite destinations –

famous for hundreds of honey-coloured limestone villages in a

beautiful rural setting. In summer, the Cotswolds offers fantastic

walking, beautiful gardens, bustling farmers’ markets and a

delightful cafe culture. It is also the largest area of outstanding

natural beauty in England. Our next base is in Bledington

situated in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

London & South West England – Tour Itinerary (continued)

T R A V E L L I N G M A D E E A S Y

5

Tuesday 7th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

We take a pleasant drive through Stow-on-the-Wold and

up to Chipping Campden, one of the loveliest small towns

in the Cotswolds and a gilded masterpiece of limestone and

craftsmanship. The main street curves in a shallow arc lined

with a succession of ancient houses each grafted to the next

but each with its own distinctive embellishments. In the centre

stands the beautiful Market Hall. Built in 1627 this landmark

of the town was built to provide shelter for traders. Back then

townsfolk would trade goods like cheese, butter and poultry.

The stone lovingly worn away by hundreds of years of bustling

trading. In the afternoon we will see Chastleton House, a rare

gem of a Jacobean country house built between 1607 and 1612

by a prosperous wool merchant as an impressive statement

of wealth and power. The garden still largely has it’s Jacobean

layout, with divisions according to use.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

Wednesday 8th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Today we visit the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley – close to the

Welsh border. The ancient Royal Forest of Dean was originally

designated by the Saxons for hunting, thereafter it became the

hunting reserve of Kings hundreds of years to follow. Many of

the Dean’s ancient rights and privileges come from its unique

heritage as a Royal Hunting Forest. Designated as a National

Forest Park in 1938. The 20 million trees that cover the forest

include oak, beech, ash, birch and holly trees. Ross-on-Wye in

the county of Herefordshire is a beautiful market town situated

on the River Wye. Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural

Beauty in 1971, the Wye Valley combines breathtaking natural

scenery with a unique blend of Welsh and English influences.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

Thursday 9th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

A beautiful drive ahead today as we travel via Bourton-on-

the-Water to the spa town of Cheltenham This edge-of-the

Cotswolds spa town is hard to beat for refined elegance –

Regency terraces, markets, classy shops and restaurants all

surrounded by glorious countryside. Cheltenham is also known

as the garden town of England. The town’s parks, gardens

and tree lined avenues have been nationally recognised as

some of the best in the country. In 1226 King Henry III granted

Cheltenham the right to hold a market every Thursday and

nearly 800 years on, the town still hosts a market on Thursdays

each week. Montpellier Walk is one of the most beautiful

shopping streets in Britain.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

Friday 10th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

After Breakfast we will drive into Oxford known as the “city

of dreaming spires”, a term coined by poet Matthew Arnold.

One of the world’s most famous university cities, Oxford is a

wonderful place for a Walking Tour. Fans of Harry Potter or

Inspector Morse may recognise some of the locations filmed.

The oldest colleges date back 750 years, and inside the

walls, little has changed since then. The university buildings

are situated throughout the city, but the most important and

architecturally significant are in the city centre.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

Saturday 11th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

We will visit Hidcote, an Arts and Crafts garden in the north

Cotswolds. Described in the BBC documentary Garden

Seasons as “the most influential English garden of the 20th

century”. Created by the talented American horticulturist, Major

Lawrence Johnston, the garden is divided into a series of

‘outdoor rooms’, each with its own character. The formality of the

‘rooms’ melts away as you move through the garden away from

the house. It took Lawrence Johnston nearly 40 years to create

his garden at Hidcote. He started it soon after his mother bought

the estate in 1907 and it quickly grew to be his life’s work. Many

of the plants found growing in the garden were collected from

Johnston’s many plant hunting trips to far away places. It’s the

perfect place if you’re in need of gardening inspiration.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

Sunday 12th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

A big day, as we see the majestic Blenheim Palace. One of

England’s largest houses, built between 1705 and 1722 and is

designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is unique in its

combined usage as a family home, mausoleum and national

monument. The palace is also notable as the birthplace and

ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill. Following the palace’s

completion, it became the home of the Churchill, later Spencer-

Churchill, family for the next 300 years, and various members of

the family have in that period wrought changes, in the interiors,

park and gardens. At the end of the 19th century, the palace

was saved from ruin by funds gained from the 9th Duke of

Marlborough’s marriage to American railroad heiress Consuelo

Vanderbilt. Blenheim sits in the centre of a large undulating

park, a classic example of the English landscape garden

movement and style. The palace remains the home of the Duke

of Marlborough, the present incumbent of the title being Charles

James (Jamie) Spencer-Churchill, 12th Duke of Marlborough.

Overnight: The King’s Head Inn, The Green, Bledington.

Monday 13th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

This morning,we will take a short drive to see the market town of

Chipping Norton. Then we drive back to Newbury where the

remainder of the day is yours to relax, or get organised for our

return to London.

Overnight: Hilton Newbury Centre, Pinchington Lane, Newbury.

London & South West England – Tour Itinerary (continued)

T R A V E L L I N G M A D E E A S Y

6

Tuesday 14th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

This morning we head to the capital by train. We will transfer to

The Lancaster London Hotel. The remainder of the day is free for

you to visit any London sights you would like to see before you

leave. We’ll meet for dinner in the evening close to our hotel.

Overnight: Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, London

Wednesday 15th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

The last day in London, you are free to relax, do last minute

shopping or just visit even more sights – Your luggage can be

stored securely at the hotel. We will meet back at the hotel to

make our transfer back to the Heathrow Airport.

Overnight: In-Flight

Thursday 16th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Arrive Dubai International Airport at 08:05 Hrs where you will

transfer to your hotel. Your day is then free to relax, or choose

from one of the many and varied sightseeing tours available.

Overnight: Dubai

Friday 17th June 2016 Breakfast/Dinner

Depart Dubai International Airport 10:25 Hrs

Overnight: In-Flight

Saturday 18th June 2016Your flight is scheduled to arrive back into Brisbane International

Airport at 06:10 Hrs – You will be met by Travelling Made Easy

Staff who will have your transfers to home organised.

London & South West England – Tour Itinerary (continued)

www.travellingmadeeasy.com.au

T R A V E L L I N G M A D E E A S Y

For your comfort tours are limited to just 8 people so book early to avoid disappointment.