Experience Southern England:
Member Event in Devon & Cornwall

On arrival at London Heathrow Airport, your overnight airport hotel is only 5 minutes drive away from the terminals. You may wish to make private transfer arrangements, but taxis are readily available and pretty inexpensive, or you can use the airport's hotel shuttle bus. The 'Hoppa Service' operates from all terminals and you buy the ticket from the driver - please ensure you have some UK Sterling handy, small notes are prefereable. The most up to date time tables can be found HERE

The rest of the day and evening is at leisure to relax at the hotel, perhaps grab a drink or a bite to eat in the hotel's restaurant and bar.

Please note - the first night of the tour is at a hotel at Heathrow, not the Woodford Bridge Club

After breakfast this morning, we board our coach and make our way south towards our resort in rural Devon.

We will stop on route to break the journey as we travel to England's south west. Devon is probably best known for its coastal resorts, dramatic cliffs, fishing, surfing and award winning beaches. The coastal peninsula region snakes south, with Cornwall at the far end of the peninsula.

Upon arrival at resort, we'll check in and relax into our surroundings, ready for a day exploring tomorrow.

We depart this morning and drive to the seaside resort of Paignton. Here we will board the historic Dartmouth Steam Railway for a trip to Kinswear, where we then take the ferry across to the traditional seaside resort of Dartmouth. From Dartmouth, we board a river cruise to arrive in style at Greenway House, the summer home of the renowned crime writer, Agatha Christie.

After a brief overview to the house and family, we head off on a a self-guided house tour. Many of Agatha Christie's famous stories were written at Greenway House, including Five Little Pigs, Dead Man's Folly and Ordeal by Innocence. The house is now owned by the National Trust, which maintains houses and heritage sites across the UK.

Afterwards, we reboard the ferry and travel back downriver to Dartmouth where we will rejoin our coach and return to Woodford Bridge.

The evening is at leisure.

This morning, we discover the best of the nearby county of Cornwall, the tip of the peninsula.

We start with a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. The seat of the Tremayne family for more than 400 years, Heligan is one of the most mysterious estates in England. Until around 30 years ago, Heligan’s historic gardens were unknown and unseen, lost under a tangle of weeds. It was only the chance discovery of a door in the ruins that led to the restoration of this once great estate. Our local guide will help uncover the history of this truly 'secret garden' and after the tour we will have a light lunch in the garden's café. 

This afternoon we take a short drive to the picturesque harbour town of Mevagissey, to enjoy a little time exploring this traditional fishing port. There has been a community here since at least the 6th century, and the long history of the town is reflected in its narrow streets and architecture.

On our excursion today, we take a leisurely drive through the scenic Exmoor National Park before arriving at the twin coastal towns of Lynton and Lynmouth. 

Made popular by Victorian holidaymakers, the two small towns were often referred to as 'Little Switzerland' adn are connected by a funicilar railway operating up the cliff. Built in 1890, it is still in operation today! Tickets are included to ride the railway* and there will be plenty of free time to explore, shop and get some lunch and enjoy a traditional Devonshire cream tea - save some room for lashings of jam and cream!

In the afternoon, we will continue onwards to Arlington Court. An unexpected jewel on the edge of Exmoor National Park, Arlington Court has been the family home to the Chichester family for more than 500 years! The Carriage Museum in the house's stables has more than 40 vehicles ranging from elegant coaches used for state occasions to humble carts used to carry servants. 

We will return to the resort late afternoon and the rest of the day at leisure.

*Please note, there are a number of steps to negotiate on/off the funicular railway.

Sadly, we must leave Devon this morning and make our way back towards London.

Our first stop will be at the historic city of Bath. Situated in the valley of the River Avon, Bath is an elegant city full of traditional heritage and contemporary culture.

After a guided panoramic tour of the city, we will visit of the famous Roman Baths, from which the city gained its name. Roman ruins on the site date back to 60BC and the baths were in use until the 5th Century AD and became a popular spa town once again in Georgian times. 

There will be some time to explore the city further, grab some lunch or to do some shopping before we check in to our hotel for the night.

We depart Bath and the south west of England this morning as we make our way back towards the capital.

En route we will stop at one of the UK's most historic and iconic sights - Stonehenge!

A prehistoric megalithic structure, the ancient standing stones of Stonehenge date back in some areas some 3,100 years BC! Aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice, the site attracts many pagans during the festivals. Stonehenge is a site of such importance that it was declared a legally protected monument in 1882 and included on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986.

Afterwards, we continue to the outskirts of London and Hampton Court Palace. Famous as the home of Henry VIII and his many wives, the historic palace is located 12 miles upstream from London on the River Thames. Originally started in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief minister of Henry VIII, in 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, he gifted the palace to the king to check his disgrace and it became one of Henry's most favoured residences. The subsequently enlarged palace and gardens are still a sight to behold today!

We will then enjoy our final night together, checking into our hotel and enjoying dinner. 

Sadly, it's the end of our UK adventure. There will be three scheduled departures from the hotel to London Heathrow Airport.