Robin Hood County

Day 1

We depart home area and after making a suitable comfort stop, we head for the delightful town of Stamford, where many period dramas have been filmed. Time here for lunch to be obtained and to take a stroll around the independent shops. We then continue to our hotel where we are greeted with a tea or coffee.

Day 2

After breakfast, we meet our guide 'Ezekial Bone', Nottingham's official outlaw, Robin Hood, for a 3-hour part walk, part step-on guided tour. We stroll around the Victorian Lace Market, once the commercial heart of a world-wide empire in machine-made lace, learning about the evolution of Nottingham's textile industry. We hear the truth behind the Robin Hood legend with masterful storytelling by our aptly dressed guide. This afternoon we take to the water for a relaxing 3-hour cruise on the River Trent. As we sail, we tuck into a 2-course traditional roast lunch with tea and coffee, taking in the lovely scenery and superb views of the historic city.

Day 3

This morning we visit magnificent Lincoln Cathedral, one of Europe's finest gothic buildings dating back to the 11th century. Our visit includes a 1-hour Floor Tour where an expert guide takes us on a journey revealing hundreds of years of history. We have free time for lunch and a wander around the city, before we finish our day with a relaxing 1-hour guided canal cruise with entertaining commentary taking in the sights of Lincoln and the surrounding countryside.

Day 4

This morning we visit Belvoir Castle, used as 'Windsor Castle' in series 3 of the hugely successful Netflix series, The Crown. We enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with biscuits before we embark on a guided tour of the castle and learn about the rare treasures and impressive painting collection, walking in the footsteps of past Dukes and Duchesses. We have time at leisure to explore the choice of gardens including the Rose Garden, Japanese Woodland, Hermits Garden and Dukes Walk and to purchase lunch. This afternoon, we return to Nottingham and visit Southwell Workhouse. The best-preserved workhouse in England. A place of despair or a beacon of hope? We decide ourselves. It offers a fascinating vignette of how the poor lived as we explore the rooms, vegetable garden and yards and find out about the role of the workhouse and how it evolved through time.

Day 5

After breakfast, we make our way home stopping in Melton Mowbray, famous for the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie and known as the 'Rural Capital of Food'.

B=Breakfast Included, L=Lunch Included, D=Dinner Included