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BRITISH DISCOVERY TOURS

SOUTH LAKE DISTRICT  - CONISTONWATER   

On this Discovery Tour we stay for seven nights at Conistonwater overlooking the lake and with stunning mountain views.  With our expert guide we visit the attractive villages of Grasmere and Hawkshead and discover the area's literary connections with Wordsworth, Ruskin and Beatrix Potter.  We take a cruise on Lake Windermere and ride the steam train from Haverthwaite. We explore the gardens at Holker Hall and Muncaster Castle and each night return to our hotel at Conistonwater..

Highlights:

  • Cruise on Windermere and catch an old-fashioned steam train from Haverthwaite
  • Visit the Lakeland town of Ambleside and historic Grange-over-Sands
  • Holker Hall and Gardens and Muncaster Castle
  • The dramatic mountain scenery of the Great Langdales
  • Experience the delightful villages of Hawkshead and Coniston and the medieval village of Cartmel

2017  Dates: One week tours start May 6, Aug 19, Sept 16.

Price in British pounds:  865.00 GBP  based on double occupancy.
A few single rooms have no supplement, 
Non-member associate fee is 10 GBP per person


Accommodation:   MONK CONISTON is a romantic Gothic style Country House, complete with a minstrels' gallery, ornate public rooms  and a traditional 17th century barn for activities.  Once owned by Beatrix Potter, this historic  building is leased from the National Trust and occupies a premier Lake District location with lovely grounds including a walled garden. There are glorious  views of Conistonwater and the surrounding fells. All rooms have private ensuite bathroom. Guests are all participating in HF Holiday programmes so the atmosphere is like that of a private club.

Meals: All meals are included. Breakfast is a hot and cold buffet. Lunch is a packed lunch. Dinner is a three course meal with a choice of four main courses including one vegetarian. Special diets can be catered to.

Itinerary:

Saturday: Arrival day
You can check in to your room from 2.30pm onwards. Afternoon tea at 4pm to introduce your leader and welcome you.

Sunday: Haverthwaite, Windermere Cruise and Blackwell
Ride on the Haverthwaite-to-Lakeside steam train before sailing to Bowness on the Windermere lake steamer. Then we visit the internationally important icon of Arts and Craft architecture at Blackwell, with fine views overlooking England’s largest lake. Stroll amongst the magnificence of the Lakeland Horticultural Society’s gardens at Holehird.  Experience the bustling atmosphere of the jewel in Lakeland’s crown at Ambleside, with its quirky, most-photographed 300-year old Bridge House.

Monday: Tarn Hows, Hawkshead and Hill Top
Visit stunning Tarn Hows, Lakeland’s famed beauty spot, and enjoy its tranquil magnificence with picturesque views towards the Helvellyn Range and the Langdale Pikes. Take a step back in time and experience Beatrix Potter’s life at Hill Top, her much loved Lake District Farm House and inspiration for many of her famous tales. Explore charming Hawkshead Village nestling in the vale of Esthwaite before strolling along the tranquil western shore of Lake Windermere beneath the imposing turrets and towers of the gothic revival Wray Castle, former holiday home to the Potter Family.

Tuesday: Eskdale and Muncaster Castle
Take a spectacular ride over the Wrynose and Hardknott passes to view the impressive Roman Fort at Hardknott. Ride on Lakeland’s most scenic miniature railway from Eskdale to the west coast village of Ravenglass. Visit the haunted historic Muncaster Castle with 70 acres of stunning gardens and the owl centre, returning over Corney Fell with superb views of the west coast and Irish Sea.

Wednesday: Free day
A free day for you to explore the local area or to relax in the Country House. Enjoy the superb scenery, or discover more local history with various museums, including the Kendal Quaker Tapestry or the Ulverston Laurel and Hardy museum.

Thursday: Morecambe Bay and Holker Hall
Travel to Grange –Over-Sands, a charming Edwardian resort on the Cumbrian South Coast with fantastic views of Morecambe Bay. Visit the quaint historic village of Cartmel, home of the famous Sticky Toffee Pudding with its impressive medieval gatehouse and magnificent priory. Tour Holker Hall, one of Britain’s best loved stately homes, set in exceptionally beautiful countryside with gardens that merge into parkland, framed by the Lakeland Hills.

 Friday: Grasmere, Rydal and Langdale
Stroll the gentle slopes of Loughrigg Fell with unforgettable views looking down in to the vales of Grasmere and Rydal. Enjoy a guided tour of Dove Cottage, home of the famed Lakeland poet William Wordsworth. Sample the delights of the quintessential Lake District village of Grasmere, forever associated with the Romantic Lake Poets and its unique, world-famous Gingerbread. Take in the scenery of the Great Langdale valley and stroll along the shores of Elterwater, enjoying refreshment at the much-acclaimed tea room, Chester’s By The River.

Saturday: Depart after a leisurely breakfast

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