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Yes, my Lord. Deluxe Small Group Scottish Castle Tour.
Scotland’s turbulent history has left a lasting mark on the landscape in shape of the many castles, fortresses and tower houses that pepper the countryside
These imposing structures have the power to fire the imagination and with your guide’s expert storytelling this tour will bring the past to life on a wonderful and unique journey around Scotland
From Edinburgh to the east coast, along the castle trail of the Royal Deeside and into the Highlands. From here you will visit Scotland’s highest Whisky Distillery and back into the Kingdom of Fife finishing the tour with a boat trip on Loch Leven, following the footsteps of Mary Queen of Scots Stay like a lord or lady in Ardoe House Hotel near Aberdeen for 2 nights and 1 night at Knockomie House Hotel near Forres, where a farewell banquet dinner is included in the package. View current prices and departures here
Day 1
You depart from the World Heritage City of Edinburgh and travel north, crossing the Forth Road Bridge into the ancient Kingdom of Fife. Your first visit of the day will be Falkland Palace, where during a private, guided tour you will be able to discover more of this pretty Royal Palace
Built between 1502 and 1541, it is set in the heart of the unique medieval village of Falkland and has been residence and hunting lodge of eight Stuart monarchs. Highlight of the visit will be to see the Real Tennis court, built in 1539! You continue to St Andrews and during a town walk your guide will tell you more about its past and more recent history
Its connection to the patron Saint of Scotland, birthplace of Golf, ancient University town and matchmaker to a Royal couple – there is a lot to see!
Your afternoon visit will be at the House of Dun near Montrose. This beautiful Georgian house, overlooking Montrose Basin, was built in 1730. It features superb plasterwork and now houses the Hutchison collection of Scottish colourists and the Stirling collection of furniture, ranging from the 18th century to the 1960s
On route to Aberdeen you will make a photo stop at Dunnottar Castle, a dramatic and evocative ruined cliff top fortress in a truly stunning setting. Dunnottar is where they filmed Hamlet’s Macbeth and provided inspiration for Disney Pixar’s movie “Brave”. From here you continue to Ardoe House Hotel, a lovely 19th century mansion house, where you will stay for 2 nights
Day 2
Today will be spent in the Royal Deeside area, famous for its many castles.
Your first visit will be Castle Fraser, one of the grandest of the Scottish baronial tower houses. Begun in 1575, the present castle contains an evocative Great Hall, fine furniture and many Fraser family portraits. You can round the visit off with a walk through the beautiful 18th century walled garden
The tour continues to Banchory where you might be able to see salmon jumping at the Falls of Feugh. Maybe take short nature walk in Glen Tanar or the Burn o’ Vat
Lunch stop is at Ballater before continuing with your afternoon programme. Crathes Castle provides the highlight for the afternoon. Turrets, gargoyles and the ancient Horn of Leys given in 1323 by Robert the Bruce are just a few of the features of this historic castle. You will be free to explore the house and the stunning gardens at your own pace
The gardens stay green irrespective of the time of year, as with the ancient yew hedges that frame the upper parts of the gardens, particularly the fountain and rose gardens. Wandering through the outstanding, world-renowned June Borders, beautiful vistas of the castle can be seen through the fusion of colourful flowers
You return back to Ardoe House later for another overnight
Day 3
Your tour heads further north today and starts the day with a visit to Fyvie Castle near Turriff, which will open its doors especially for our party at 9.30
Fyvie Castle dates back to the 13th century and has a fine collection of arms and armour as well as 17th century tapestries and opulent Edwardian interiors.You then continue, travelling through beautiful scenery and on to Nairn, where lunch will be taken at nearby Brodie Castle. Then you have time to explore the castle further. Dating from the 16th century, this imposing castle stands in rich Morayshire parkland
It has very unusual plasterwork and a major art collection and tells the fascinating story of the Brodie family.
In the afternoon you will be able to take the Clan Walk at the Culloden Visitor Centre. The Clan Stone Walkway is designed to commemorate the Scottish Clans and their clansmen who fought at the battle of Culloden with a special Insignia Stone. The Clans are represented with their individual Crest and personal inscription
After the visit you continue to Knockomie House Hotel. A dinner for our group will be held tonight in one of the private rooms
Day 4
Today sees you travelling south again through some of the most stunning scenery Scotland has to offer
You pass Inverness and travel to Kingussie for a photo stop at the Ruthven Barracks. From here you continue to Dalwhinnie Distillery. Dalwhinnie is the highest Distillery in Scotland and takes its waters right from the source of the River Spey. A tour of the distillery is included and you will also have the chance to taste the ‘Water of Life’
After a lunch stop in Pitlochry you head to Loch Leven by Kinross. In the middle of the Loch you find Loch Leven Castle, a late 14th century tower, which was the setting for the most traumatic year in the life of Mary Queen of Scots
It was in 1567 that she was imprisoned and forced to abdicate her throne before her dramatic escape a year later
You will enjoy a short boat ride over to the castle, following in the footsteps of Mary Queen of Scots. Then explore at your leisure the island and tower house, before returning back to Edinburgh, arriving around 18.30
This exclusive Scotland tour can be booked through our preferred travel partners ‘Best Value Tours’
More Scottish Day Tours and multi day tours can be viewed here
Welcome2Britain
The Small Group Tour Experts
www.Welcome2Britain.com
Searching for a Small Group Tour of Northern Ireland and Atlantic Coast
Small group tours men you can get off the beaten track and explore the scenic back roads.
Searching for short Small Group Tours of Western Ireland
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Looking for a small group multi-day tour of England and Wales
Small groups are more fun……………
If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, find out where episodes were filmed.
Highclere Castle in Berkshire (South East England) is the real castle that plays the role of Downton Abbey. Set in 1,000 acres of parkland, this Victorian manor is home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, whose family have lived on the site since 1679. Downton Abbey author, Julian Fellowes is a longstanding family friend and had Highclere in mind while penning the series.
If watching this award-winning show makes you wish you were having afternoon tea in a magnificent stately home, then wish no more. We’ve put together a list of must-visit locations from the series.
Britain’s favourite period drama, Downton Abbey has been taking the world by storm of late, so get your top hats and teacups at the ready, and prepare to get a taste of Edwardian-era England.
Downton Abbey: Winner of best mini-series at the 2012 Golden Globes, Downton Abbey is the most successful British period drama since Brideshead Revisited, with ratings exceeding 10 million viewers
Highclere Castle is one of England’s most beautiful Victorian Castles set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland
The Carnarvon family has lived at Highclere since 1679, and the current Castle stands on the site of an earlier house, which in turn was built on the foundations of the medieval palace owned by the Bishops of Winchester for some 800 years Visitors follow a route through the Castle though rooms with guides in each State room happy to share anecdotes and information. Visitors can then go up the Red Stairs to view some of the Bedrooms and the Gallery before walking down the Oak staircase to the Saloon in the heart of the Castle. As well as the castle, the extensive grounds are rewarding to explore
Make a trip in 2014 when the castle is open to visitors and experience Downton life first hand: sip tea at the café, stroll the gardens and admire the sumptuous rooms, many of which are used during filming. Buy tickets and book tours in advance to avoid disappointment.
View our Downton Abbey Tours from London and book early!
Guest Travel Blogger
The Small Group Touring Experts: www.Welcome2Britain.com
Downton Abbey finale – what do we want to happen in the last episode of Season Four?
We now have exclusive day tours available throughout 2014…..
Bath is the perfect base to explore the West Country.
Travelling to and around Bath
Bath is the perfect base to explore the West Country. Bath is less than a 2 hour train trip direct from London and can save you lots of time and money by joining a tour from Bath rather than London. Located in the South West of England, Bath is easy to get to – only 90 minutes from London Paddington by train and a short drive from the M4/M5 motorways. Bath is 120 miles west of London and just 20 miles from Bristol Airport.
The train station is in the heart of the city centre and there are plenty of car parking spaces available. Bath is a compact city making it easy to walk around during your visit.
Download the Visit Bath Bath Travel Guide to help you plan your travelling to Bath
Bath. Royal Crescent.
Travelling by Train
There are regular train services direct from London Paddington and London Waterloo to Bath Spa, with an average journey time of around 90 minutes.
Bristol Temple Meads is just 15 minutes away by train. It is a major hub for travel to all other parts of the country. A number of services to Bath Spa will change at Bristol Temple Meads including services from northern England, Scotland, Devon and Cornwall.
You can get direct trains to Bath Spa from a number of destinations in the UK including Cardiff. Regular train services run from Cardiff Central train station to Bath Spa, with an average journey time of around 65 minutes.
Travel discounts are also available for groups with First Great Western’s GroupSave offer, allowing groups of three or four adults and children to travel off-peak for the price of two adults. Also, if you travel to Bath by train you can take advantage of First Great Western’s 2 for 1 offers at top Bath attractions and restaurants.
If you are staying in Bath for a few days you can easily take a day trip by train to a number of nearby destinations including Bradford on Avon and Bristol
Sightseeing Tours out of Bath
The small group touring experts (Welcome2Britain) offer half and full day tours from Bath include The Cotswold’s, Stonehenge, King Arthur Country, Avebury, Lacock, Castle Combe, Salisburt Cathedral, ancient stone circles / burial mounds and even mysterious crop circles in the summer months. We have a range of tours to the surrounding area, rich in history.
Private Guided Tours from Bath
You can join one of our organised tours or let us help you organise a private guided tour from Bath. A tailor-made tour from Bath is the ideal travel solution for small groups of friends, families, local groups or clubs looking to travel in the West Country. Our dedicated charter team are able to organise every aspect of your private tour, from your hotel accommodation to pre-booking delicious meals in local restaurants, offering local advise and organising entrances to important places of interest. We can tailor the tour to your specific budget
Accommodation in Bath
Bath is host to a whole range of accommodation from your traditional bed and breakfasts where you should be able to find a bed with breakfast included for 60 GBP per person per night, to the luxurious hotels which can charge up to 200 GBP a night. A good option in Bath is one of the smaller, often family run, bed and breakfast or guest house hotels.
Enjoy your stay in Bath and we hope to see you on board one of our award winning tours
Travel Team
www,Wecome2Britain.com
The Small Group Tour Experts
Clocks go back today! The origins of British Summer Time (BST)
BRITISH summer time officially ends today as the clocks will went back one hour today at 2 am
But why was this implemented and when did we begin to see a distinction between “summer time” and “winter time”?
Uniform legal time
Clocks normally go forward in March and return to GMT in October
The legal time that Britain uses now was implemented relatively recently. Up until the coming of the railways, people kept time by the sun – so Manchester, for instance, would be on a different time to London. This was known as local mean time.
However, once the use of railways became widespread and commonplace the use of local mean time began to cause significant problems.
It meant that the time at one end of a railway line often differed significantly from the other, meaning passengers were often unsure at what time their train was actually departing from their station.
As a result, rail companies began to keep London time from the 1840s and in 1847 a formal recommendation was put forward for all railway companies to adopt Greenwich mean time.
In 1880 an Act of Parliament made Greenwich mean time the standard for the whole of Great Britain. Ireland initially adopted Dublin mean time but this was changed in 1916 to Greenwich mean time
British Summer Time
In 1907 William Willett – a keen horse-rider – put forward a proposal to advance the nation’s clocks by one hour during the summer.
He was incensed by what he saw as the waste of good daylight, as very often during his early-morning summer rides he would notice that, despite the sun having been up for several hours, people were still asleep.
However, he met with much opposition and spent the rest of his life fighting to implement British Summer Time. He failed to convince Government to adopt his plan and died in 1915.
However, a year later Germany adopted the system and Britain soon followed.
By this time, the two countries were at war and it was hoped by the British government that this initiative would save fuel and money. It was rapidly passed through Parliament and the first day of British Summer Time began on 21 May 1916.
Yet this was not a permanent change. During World War II, Britain adopted Double British Summer Time, where clocks remained one hour ahead of GMT in winter and two hours ahead during the summer.
Then, in 1968 a three-year experiment – called British Standard Time – was begun where the country remained one hour ahead of GMT throughout the year.
After the end of the experiment, the Government carried out an analysis – the three-year trial had produced mixed reviews from the public and it was decided to return to the original British Summer Time.
When do clocks change?
The dates that clocks should be changed was laid out by the British Summer Time Act of 1972, which stipulated that GMT would begin on the morning of the last Sunday of October and BST on the morning of the last Sunday in March.
In 2010, the date for the beginning of BST is Sunday 28 March. GMT begins on Sunday 31 October.
To change or not to change?
Nowadays the debate surrounding British Summer Time is as strong as ever and usually grows in intensity around the time of each clock change.
Safety campaigners have recommended that British Summer time be maintained during the winter and a “double summer time” enforced during the summer months.
They point to the fact that, during the experiment of 1968-71, there were fewer recorded casualties during the evenings (although the number of casualties was higher during the darker mornings).
However, others raise concerns that children going to school in such an environment would have to make the journey in the dark at the start of the day, thereby increasing the risk of accidents during that time.
For them, the fact that the number of casualties increased during the mornings between 1968 and 1971 would support their argument that putting the clocks forward in winter is unwise and the system should be left as it currently stands.
Still others have put forward arguments for doing away with British Summer Time entirely and that the country should follow Greenwich Mean Time throughout the year.
They believe that changing the clocks twice a year creates a misconception that, by doing so, people are somehow gaining an extra hour of daylight.
In spite of these arguments, it seems that for the time being British Summer Time will remain and we will continue to change our clocks twice a year.
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/weatherwise/newsid_8518000/8518587.stm
Welcome2Britain
The Small Group Tour Experts
Visit Bath Christmas Market on a sightseeing tour from London.
Bath Christmas Market will take place between 28th November and 15th December 2013. Set in the heart of the city, alongside the stunning architecture of the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey, the market consists of over 120 beautifully decorated stalls.
Our small group guided tours depart daily from central London. Our guided tours allow time to enjoy the wonderful Christmas market.
Bath Christmas Market 2013
The World Heritage city of Bath has a well-established reputation as a city of luxury, entertainment and relaxation – so what better time of the year to take advantage of this but at Christmas? With so much happening over the festive period, Bath is now becoming well known as the ‘Christmas Capital of the West’, with very good reason…
Once in Bath, you’ll find that there is so much more to explore and experience. The city centre is a shoppers’ heaven, plus there are many festive experiences for all the family to enjoy. It’s simply a question of which to do first: ice-skating in the crisp winter air, or watching the steam rise as you bathe in warm spa water overlooking the twinkling city?
Don’t forget to check the action packed events calendar too, as Christmas in Bath brings festive carols, parties, markets, pantomime and more.
http://www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk/
http://www.welcome2britain.com/uk_day_tours.htm
However you like to ‘make merry’ during the festive season, celebrate in style – celebrate Christmas in Bath.
Welcome2Britain
The U.K Small Group Touring Expers
Stonehenge Private Vieweing Tours. Go beyond the fences and into the inner circle
The best way to visit Stonehenge is to go at Sunset or Sunrise (with special permission from the English Heritage) beyond the fences and after the crowds have gone home.
Welcome2Britain have arranged with English Heritage for you to experience a unique guided visit to this ancient sacred site . Walk amongst the stones and experience the magical atmosphere within the inner circle. A unique photo opportunity and a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity’
Tick it off your bucket list in 2014
We anticipate publishing our 2016 small group Stonehenge private viewing dates shortly, however should you wish to have advance priority notice of 2016 availability at 2015 prices then simply send us your email address (info@welcome2britain.com)
- Private guided tours for couples, families and small groups but need to be booked well in advance. 2014 dates for private groups are available now!
Regular visit to Stonehenge
For those of you who have not visited this sacred site, we should mention that the complex is roped off. Visitors observe the stones from a distance and are not permitted within the temple complex……….
A selection of other Stonehenge Tours from London that can also include: Bath, Lacock Village, Salisbury Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Avebury Stone Circle, The Cotswolds, Oxford etc click here
You can always follow us on Twitter for updates: https://twitter.com/Welcome2Britain
http://www.welcome2britain.com/stonehenge_access_tour.htm
http://www.welcome2britain.com/uk_day_tours.htm
Welcome2Britain
The U.K Small Group Touring Experts
Welcome2Britain 