Day 1: Following your morning taxi collection from home we make the leisurely drive to Bournemouth, arriving at the Suncliff hotel mid-afternoon for our seven-night stay on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis.
Day 2: This morning we take a leisurely drive through the New Forest stopping in Lyndhurst. Lyndhurst is the largest village in the New Forest and became the natural 'capital' of the area when William the Conqueror established his hunting grounds here. For centuries, Lyndhurst was the haunt of royalty, nobility and commoner alike. Kings and Queens regularly visited Lyndhurst’s own manor house. Now known as Queens House, the former manor is still home to Verderers’ Hall, the meeting place of the ancient Verderers’ Court whose history stretches back to at least the 13th century. A must for any visitor is the New Forest Centre which is home to the New Forest Museum. Later we visit the Bucklers Hard where we enjoy a cruise along the Beaulieu River. Owned by the Montagu family since 1204 they have created a largely unspoilt era and a haven for Wildlife, hear about the history of the river and its residents during the cruise. Afterwards we have free time in Bucklers Hard, birth place to many Royal Navy ships that saw action during the Napoleonic wars. This shipbuilding village remains largely untouched and is now home to the Maritime Museum.
Day 3: A day at leisure to relax and explore.
Day 4: This morning we visit Christchurch. This ancient part of the world is the gateway to an idyllic coastline with award-winning beaches and story-telling Blue Plaques aplenty through its cobbled streets. This afternoon we continue to Highcliffe Castle, described as arguably the most important surviving house of the Romantic and Picturesque style of architecture. The magnificent building, once lavishly furnished in the 18th century French style, remained a family home until the 1950s. Whilst two fires destroyed the rich interiors in the 1960s, the Castle’s renovated exterior is testimony to the remarkable skills of craftsmen and women who carried out a huge repair and conservation programme in the 1990s. There will also be time to enjoy the beautiful grounds and beach. Don’t miss the wonderful views across Christchurch Bay to the Isle of Wight.
Day 5: This morning we travel to the charming town of Wimborne Minster. The Minster itself has existed here for over 1300 years and its location on the banks of the rivers Stour and Allen, and a history dating back to pre-Roman times makes it an interesting and picturesque town to visit. A regular winner in the regional and national ‘In Bloom’ awards, Wimborne’s pretty streets and courtyards are filled with the scent and colour of flowers in summer. Our next destination is Poole. Here you can explore the historic quayside and delve deep into the heart of the old town where sea captains and pirates once stood.
Day 6: This morning we travel along the Dorset countryside to the resort of Weymouth, with its quaint little back streets that wind around the old harbour and the magnificent sweep of Weymouth Bay. This afternoon we make our way to Lulworth Cove which was formed by the combined forces of the sea and a river swollen by melting ice at the end of the last Ice Age. Lulworth Cove is world famous for unique geology and landforms including the Lulworth Crumple and Stair Hole.
Day 7: Day at leisure
Day 8: After a leisurely breakfast we depart and return to Norfolk, where our door-to-door service will be waiting to return you home.
Holiday Information:
7 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Price: £881pp
Single Supplement: £nil (Limited Availability)
Insurance: TBC (Insurance not currently available)
Tour Reference: AWE4860
Deposit Required: £50pp
Balance Due: 8 weeks prior to departure