Corners of Cornwall

Prices From: $2086
Days: 7 days

A 7 day tour exploring England's West Country and Cornwall. Guests will enjoy fine food, historic architecture, inspiration for literary works and breathtaking scenery from coastal cliffas to inland moors. This is the tour that has it all, but even its busy schedule allows ample scope to embrace the back roads and add a few adventures of your own.

Itinerary

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 - Dorset

On our introductory morning we leave London and travel along the old stage-coach route to Salisbury, gateway to the West Country and home to one of England's most magnificent cathedrals. Built in the 13th century, the cathedral has the second highest spire in Europe and contains the oldest working clock mechanism in the world, as well as an original copy of the Magna Carta. From here we follow the old Roman road to Dorchester, made famous by Thomas Hardy's novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge. This sleepy town of Roman origin has as much to offer the casual visitor as it has to Thomas Hardy fans, with its award-winning town museum and typically eclectic English architecture - a country town par excellence. Just to the south we can climb a hill fort that's even older than Dorchester - the prehistoric settlement of Maiden Hill, largest of its kind in Britain and site of a battle that secured Roman control of southern England led by Vespasian in AD 43. This afternoon's drive will take us along the UNESCO World Heritage 'Jurassic Coast' to the home of fossils, Lyme Regis. This unspoilt Georgian seaside resort was once an important port and retains its Saxon harbour wall called the 'Cob' where Meryl Streep gazes out to sea in the film The French Lieutenant's Woman. Jane Austen was a frequent visitor and set part of her novel Persuasion here.

(D)
Overnight Accommodation: Dorset or South Cornwall

Day 2 - South Cornwall

Our journey this morning takes us through Devon to the gorgeous south Cornish coast. Here we visit the impossibly quaint fishing village of Polperro where some of the streets are so narrow you can touch both sides while standing in the middle. The region enjoys a temperate climate and the British love of flowers and plants is demonstrated by the large number of wonderful sub-tropical gardens in the area. This afternoon we visit one of the best, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, a 19th century paradise re-discovered and restored to its former glory by gardener-magician Tim Smitt. Our late afternoon drive winds its way along the Cornish coast down country roads that highlight our ability to reach places that other tour companies cannot, as we travel towards our accommodation in a lovely Cornish resort.

(B)
Overnight Accommodation: Cornwall

Day 3 - West Cornwall

Today we discover more of the region's history as we travel to Cornwall's largest fortress, Pendennis Castle. The castle was Built by Henry VIII in the 16th century to guard the peninsula from Spanish or French attack when England was challenging these two countries for control of the High Seas. Next, the lovely Gardens of Trebah, a sub-tropical Eden on the tranquil Helford River. Why not enjoy lunch in the award winning cafÃ© before we make our way to today's highlight, St Michael's Mount. Legend says this fairytale island was once home to a giant, Cormoran, the last of his race, who inhabited Britain at some indeterminate, mythical time, when history was story and story was fact. Discover the medieval castle once a monastery - and delve into the island's past, the fortress, its church, and a harbour that saw the galleys of Phoenician traders. Depending on the tide, we follow a cobbled causeway (walked by pilgrims since the Middle Ages) or take a small boat to the island from the little Cornish town of Marazion. Finally today, we drive the short distance to our base for the next three nights.

(B/D)
Overnight Accommodation: Cornwall

Day 4 - West Cornwall

Today is free for you to explore the delightful old fishing town of St Ives at your own pace. Being on a peninsula and surrounded by sandy beaches, St Ives offers some great walking and cycling opportunities and wonderful views of stunning coastal scenery. The town has always attracted artists for its light and a host of galleries have sprung up; the most famous include Tate St Ives (of international fame) and the Barbara Hepworth Gallery - both well worth a visit. If you don't have a passion for art you will find plenty to occupy you here in the maze of streets around the old harbour. Surfers and sunbathers, artists and foodies all flock to this special place. Here's your chance to sample rich ice-creams and clotted-cream afternoon tea, Cornish pasties or Atlantic crab & oysters.

(B)
Overnight Accommodation: Cornwall

Day 5 - West Cornwall

More Cornish delights unfold as we admire the stunning scenery and wide vistas of a ship-wrecking turquoise sea on our coastal drive towards the British mainland's south-westerly extremity towards Land's End. Our journey takes us through a landscape, unique in Europe, of tiny Iron Age fields bounded by stone walls, so old they're now earthen banks, strewn with native flowers that proliferate in this most unpolluted of regions. Stone circles, Celtic crosses and the remains of ancient villages still dot the peninsula. Adding to the mix are the eerie stone engine-buildings, remnants of Cornwall's tin-mining past, a contribution to this coast that has earned it UNESCO World Heritage Status. We visit one of these buildings and the late Iron Age village of Chysauster, making other stops at interesting spots that punctuate a classic Back-Roads day. Before returning to our accommodation, we take a peek at another of Cornwall's most celebrated fishing villages, Mousehole (no, this isn't a typo) where we have time to stroll around the tiny harbour and poke a nose into one or two of the miniscule cottages that surround it.

(B)
Overnight Accommodation: Cornwall

Day 6 - Dartmoor

Today we glimpse the rugged north coast of Cornwall. We see several more fishing villages including the picturesque Port Isaac, (featured in the television series, Doc Martin) and the gastronomic Padstow, the home of several of Rick Stein's award winning restaurant. We head inland across windswept hills to the old capital of Cornwall, Launceston, where we visit Cornwall's grandest medieval castle, supposedly the 'White Castle' of Arthurian legend. Our scenic drive takes us back towards Dartmoor to tonight's charming accommodation.

(B/D)
Overnight Accommodation: The Two Birdge Hotel, Dartmoor or similar

Day 7 - Dartmoor, Somerset and Wells Cathedral

This morning we explore the high lanes and sunken lanes of Devon's Dartmoor, keeping our eyes open for the wild ponies and roaming sheep that have right of way on many of the roads up here. We have time for a few 'Back-Roads' stops before driving to our last major highlight of the tour, the cathedral city of Wells in Somerset. This is the smallest city in England and is often said to have the most beautiful cathedral. It may also have the best preserved medieval precincts of any cathedral in Europe. Your guide will make sure that you see both and you will also have some free time to explore the local shops, or perhaps enjoy a coffee before our return to London.

(B)

Optional Extras

Pre or post tour accommodation.
Private or rail airport transfers.
Make your mini-tour part of an extended London city break.

Prices

Prices

Dates and Rates

Departs London every other Friday throughout 2011 season.

Departs London	Arrives London	Price pp (USD$)
Fri 15th Apr	Thur 21th Apr	$2176
Fri 29th Apr	Thur 5th May	$2176
Fri 13th May	Thur 19th May	$2176
Fri 27th May	Thur 2nd Jun	$2176
Fri 10th Jun	Thur 16th Jun	$2176
Fri 24th Jun	Thur 30th Jun	$2176
Fri 8th Jul	Thur 14th Jul	$2176
Fri 22th Jul	Thur 28th Jul	$2176
Fri 5th Aug	Thur 11th Aug	$2176
Fri 19th Aug	Thur 25th Aug	$2176
Fri 2nd Sept	Thur 8th Sept	$2176
Fri 16th Sept	Thur 22th Sept	$2176
Fri 30th Sept	Thur 6th Oct	$2176
Fri 14th Oct	Thur 20th Oct	$2176