Day 1: Following your home taxi collection we join our luxury tour coach and head north to Newcastle and our hotel for the next 4 nights. Tea /coffee will be served on arrival while our cases are delivered to our rooms.
Day 2: This morning we head to the Beamish ‘Living Museum of the North’, where we step back in time and see how people lived and worked in the late 19th and early 20th century. Staff in period dress add to the amazing atmosphere as they tell their story and guide you through living history. Browse through the schoolhouse, have a peek in the newsagents or even buy freshly baked goods in the bakery! Take the tram to Pockerley Manor and see what farm life was like in the 1820s. After all this excitement, you can even relax in the Sun Inn, a good old-fashioned pub or take a trip to the traditional tearoom.
Day 3: Today we take the road north, past Blyth and Ashington to historic Alnwick. Here, we visit the magnificent Alnwick Castle. Dubbed the Windsor of the North, Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in the country and has been home to the Duke of Northumberland’s family, the Percys, for over 700 years. The Castle’s rich history is brimming with drama, intrigue and extraordinary people; from a gunpowder plotter and visionary collectors, to decadent hosts and medieval England’s most celebrated knight: Harry Hotspur. In recent years it has also taken starring roles in a number of film and television productions, featuring as the magnificent Brancaster Castle in Downton Abbey and previously appearing as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter films. This afternoon we visit Alnwick Gardens, set within a secretive walled garden, its centrepiece the Grand Cascade, the largest water feature of its kind in the country. More than 120 separate water jets create spellbinding water displays. It is a garden for all seasons; the Tree House (one of the largest structures of its kind in the world) will provide an amazing selection of buildings linked together by suspended walkways in the sky. A place to eat, walk, rest and much more.
Day 4: After a leisurely breakfast we travel to the resort of Seahouses on the North Northumberland Heritage Coast. This colourful fishing village has a bustling harbour, a number of shops, some of the best ‘takeaway’ fish and chips in Northumberland.
Following miles of sandy dunes and unspoilt beaches we reach Bamburgh. As the royal capital of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, spell-binding Bamburgh holds a history worth discovering. All the while, awe-inspiring Bamburgh Castle will be your backdrop, and you can wander down the main street, past Bamburgh's cafes and towards the village’s landmark red phone box for an especially staggering and scenic view. Subject to tidal conditions we travel over the causeway to Lindisfarne (Holy Island), the birthplace of British Christianity. Holy Island is a pint-sized island that holds pubs and cafés a-plenty, Lindisfarne Castle and ancient Lindisfarne Priory (attractions today are subject to individual choice and payment). Words cannot describe the magic of The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, particularly as you cross the causeway, admiring staggering views as you go, and feel as though you are entering a secret world as you approach the island. NOTE: The crossing of the causeway to Holy Island is governed by tide times. It may be necessary to amend this excursion.
Day 5: Sadly this morning it’s time to bid farewell to our hotel and head back to Norfolk making suitable stops en route. Upon arrival our taxi service will be waiting to return you home.
Holiday Information:
4 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast (Dinner will be table service)
Price: £687pp
Single Supplement: £191 (Will be allocated a twin or double room for sole occupancy, depending on availability)
Tour Reference: AWE5186
Deposit Required: £50pp
Balance Due: 8 weeks prior to departure