» DEPARTURE
DATES & PRICES FOR YEARS 2003 & 2004
|
Tour
Code |
Depart
London |
Return
London |
|
SWS |
Saturday |
Tuesday |
|
|
2003
|
|
|
SWS11
|
23-Aug
2003
|
26-Aug
2003
|
|
SWS12
|
06-Sep
2003
|
09-Sep
2003
|
|
SWS13
|
20-Sep
2003
|
23-Sep
2003
|
|
SWS14
|
04-Oct
2003
|
07-Oct
2003
|
|
SWS15
|
18-Oct
2003
|
21-Oct
2003
|
|
|
Depart
London
|
Return
London
|
| |
Wednesday
|
Saturday
|
|
|
2004 |
|
|
SWS01
|
24
Mar 2004 |
27
Mar 2004 |
|
SWS02 |
14
Apr 2004 |
17
Apr 2004 |
|
SWS03
|
28
Apr 2004
|
01
May 2004
|
|
SWS04
|
12
May 2004
|
15
May 2004
|
|
SWS05
|
26
May 2004
|
29
May 2004
|
|
SWS06
|
09
Jun 2004
|
12
Jun 2004
|
|
SWS07
|
23
Jun 2004
|
26
Jun 2004
|
|
SWS08
|
07
Jul 2004
|
10
Jul 2004
|
|
SWS09
|
21
Jul 2004
|
24
Jul 2004
|
|
SWS10
|
04
Aug 2004
|
07
Aug 2004
|
|
SWS11
|
18
Aug 2004
|
21
Aug 2004
|
|
SWS12
|
01
Sep 2004
|
04
Sep 2004
|
|
SWS13
|
15
Sep 2004
|
18
Sep 2004
|
|
SWS14
|
29
Sep 2004
|
02
Oct 2004
|
|
SWS15
|
13
Oct 2004
|
16
Oct 2004
|
|
SWS16
|
27
Oct 2004
|
30
Oct 2004
|
|
SWS17
|
03
Nov 2004
|
06
Nov 2004
|
» TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day One -
Nightstop South Wales
Leaving London early, we shake off
the city dust using the M40 freeway to speed our journey
to wonderful Wales. Our route will give us a glimpse
of the the beautiful English Cotswolds as we head
for the Royal Forest of Dean, bordering Wales, and
the stunning Wye Valley, with a lunch stop beside
the river Wye. What better introduction to Wales,
"Land of Song", than the imposing 12th century
Norman castle of Chepstow Chepstow
Castle. and the romantic Tintern Abbey (inspiration
for one of William Wordsworth's loveliest poems).
If there's time we'll also see the fallen walls of
the once mighty Roman city of Caerwent, reputed by
some to be the home of the great King Arthur and his
Knights of the Round Table.
Our
accommodation is at a 17th century working Welsh
Farmhouse, imposing country manor or vineyard depending
on the time of year.
Day Two - Nightstop South Wales
The civic centre of
the Welsh capital - Cardiff - is magnificent by world
standards. It will be the showpiece of a panoramic
city tour (which will also feature the Millennium
Stadium, formally known as the Arms Park, Mecca for
the millions of Rugby Football fans worldwide). On
then to the superb cathedral at Llandaff before arriving
at the open-air Museum of Welsh Life in the nearby
village of St Fagans. This fascinating mirror of
hundreds of years of Welsh life embraces dozens of
authentic buildings, removed from all corners of
the country and painstakingly and faithfully rebuilt
and refurbished here. Houses, churches and chapels,
a mill, bakery, pubs and even a school, have been
wonderfully preserved.
This afternoon we explore
the verdant Vale of Glamorgan, choosing from the
market town where Sir Anthony Hopkins went to school,
the Valley of Kings where the wizard Merlin was schooled,
rugged coastline where smugglers lured ships to the
rocks, and we'll cross a river by 13th century stepping
stones.
Day Three - Nightstop South Wales
According to our accommodation
stop, today will either begin or end in the once
grey and hard world of a Welsh mining valley, now
transformed, but a time so memorably captured in
the great novel of industrial Wales, 'How Green Was
My Valley'. We'll climb the rim of the saucer of
the coal-seam bearing, Rhigos Mountain to view the
sole surviving deep Welsh coal mine and the breathtaking
scenery of the Brecon Beacons, our next calling point.
'There'll be a welcome in these hillsides' sing the
Welsh. The market town of Brecon could be our lunch
stop (where there's an interesting military museum
), or perhaps Wales's oldest inn, used by the infamous
'Hanging Judge' Jefferies as a court room. We'll
also view the remote and atmospheric ruins of Llantony
Priory and a historic 'hidden' rural church.
Depending on time,
we'll also be visiting Abergaveny and its cattle
market or the historic town of Monmouth, well-known
to Admiral Nelson, Mr Rolls of Rolls Royce and
Henry V.
As with all Back-Roads
Touring Co. Ltd tours, tour participants will be
able have an input into what we visit as we'll
make allowance for weather conditions, local festivals
and individual interests.
Day Four - London, Nightstop not included
On
our way back to London we'll visit the mysterious
ancient standing stones of Avebury and the amazing
Silbury Hill. But this will only be after a final
memorable morning in Roman Wales. The now small
village of Caerleon was named after the camp of
the Roman Legions - perhaps up to 6000 Roman legionaries
were based here almost 2000 years ago. The imposing
remains of that camp remain and can be visited
and include the barracks, the only complete amphitheatre
in Britain, the Roman baths, and the remains of
a Roman port.
We'll take our leave of the land
of the Red Dragon, crossing the river Severn in a
most unusual fashion before heading east and experiencing
a spectacular exit from Wales. Our drive back to London
sees us passing through some of England's timeless
West country scenery and we'll arrive back into London
in the late afternoon.
Price US
$649.00
Single Supplement US
$135.00
Whats Included ? Click
here for full details
Advantages and
price justification - click here.
