Literary England

A delightful 4 day tour for literary enthusiasts, on the Literary England Tour you can see the work of some of the world's greatest wordsmith's come to life. Walk in the footsteps of your favourite characters and experience the inspiration of their creators. No matter how much you love literature, you'll find this tour more enthralling than any award-winning novel. Enjoy re-discovering the works of Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, AA Milne and Rudyard Kipling to name but a few.

Day 1- Rochester and Knole House

From London we journey along the banks of the River Thames an area rich in literary associations of both Samuel Pepys and Charles Dickens. We visit Rochester where Dickens spent most of his life in the small cathedral city. The charming old fashioned high street is reminiscent of the Dickens era and one can still easily imagine we're aboard a stagecoach heading with Mr Pickwick to Rochester. After lunch we make a visit to Knole House a grand house which was the birth place of Vita Sackville West and her inspiration for The Edwardian. It was also the setting for Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando.

Overnight Kent (Dinner Included).

Day 2 - Chawton and the Home Counties

Today we explore the lush Home Counties of England - a quintessentially English region. First we visit the Ashdown Forest and the home of Winnie the Pooh creator A A Milne. The we visit number of sites related to Arthur Conan Doyle and his timeless creation, 'Sherlock Holmes'. Kipling fans are not disappointed as we view his dreamlike manor house, Batemans which remains just as he left it and where you can view original illustrations from The Jungle Book. In the afternoon we make a scenic journey to Jane Austen country and her former home at Chawton.Here, in this quaint village she wrote most of her works; you may choose to visit her house, or enjoy the pretty village of Chawton, that provided the setting for many of her novels.

Overnight Hampshire.

Day 3 -Thomas Hardy's Hampshire

Today we immerse ourselves in the world of Thomas Hardy visiting some of the most memorable scenes from his novels, like the prehistoric temple at Stonehenge , before passing through quaint towns and villages that are easily recognisable as the source of his inspiration. We visit Shaftesbury and the woodland cottage where Hardy grew up before seeking out those smaller villages with a timeless English air to them. Unsurprisingly this area is regularly used as a location for many period films and TV series such as Nether Wallop; this beautiful Hampshire village has served as the setting for Agatha Christie's Miss Marple films.

Overnight Hampshire.

Day 4 - Winchester and Oxford

Passing through Hampshire, we visit the beautiful city of Winchester which boasts an impressive cathedral which is the site where Jane Austen is buried. Taking the country lanes we see the village where Jane Austen was born and the local church where her father was once the Minister. Our scenic drive then brings us to Oxford , the 'city of the dreaming spires'. This is the jewel in the literary crown, linked with many famous English authors such as T.S Eliot, J.R Tolkein, Graham Greene, John Le Carre, Oscar Wilde and most famously, C.S Lewis. Oxford and the surrounding countryside was also the setting for Colin Dexter's famous police series, Inspector Morse. Soaking up the dreamy academic atmosphere your guide will take us on a walking tour between the cycling students to some of the city's highlights, including Christ Church College and the pretty college quads.

Return to London in the early evening.

Optional Extras

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

Tour Itinerary

Prices

Dates and Rates

Departs London every other Thursday throughout 2010 season.

Prices are per person land only based on 2 people sharing a twin room. Single supplements apply. For other currencies please ask.

What's Included

Maximum group size 16 passengers!

• 3 nights accomodation tradtional and unique accommodation.
• All transport (by minicoach) and fuel costs.
• Services of your driver/guide companion.
• Full English breakfast daily.
• 2 x three-course evening dinner.
• Entrance fees to attractions visted as follows:

1. Knole House
2. Batemans House
3. Jane Austen's House, Chawton
4. Stonehenge
5. Thomas Hardy's Cottage
6. Christ Church College

Images

Map