A Harvest of History Windsor, Bath & Stonehenge - 1 day

Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday - to 29 Feb 2012
Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - from 01 March 2012

This tour is also available on a daily basis for small groups - contact us for details.

This tour can only only be booked online or by calling 0044 (0)1223 244 555. We do not accept bookings through hotel concierge desks.

Taking the very essence of those well loved periods of English history, we spend our time on this tour discovering many aspects of our long and illustrious past, enjoying subtle changes from one era to the next, as old gives way to new and the new in turn becomes old, our guides will bring to you a 'harvest of history'. You will have the option to visit Windsor Castle and discover a montage of monarchs from Saxons and Normans to our present-day Queen, we travel to the delightful city of Bath forever linked to the ancient Romans and those opulent Georgian playboys and drive down country by-ways and leafy lanes to Stonehenge heading further back in time to prehistoric cultures and mysterious civilizations. By operating the tour in the opposite direction to the bigger coach tours from London we strive to give you a chance to see these wonderful sites before or after most of the crowds have arrived and left.

We make our first call at Stonehenge*, travelling through mysterious Wessex, arriving before the crowds in the mid-morning. Facts and theories abound at this ancient site, why and how? Who were the builders? What was its purpose? During our guided tour we learn about the different periods of building, stretching back over 5,000 years. We learn of the people who worshipped there, of the various ideas behind the alignments and use. 

From here we head westwards to the golden limestone-clad city of Bath. People have been coming to Bath for centuries owing to the hot springs that bubble up to the surface at several locations in the city. At a constant temperature of 46.5C, the only hot springs in the country, the Romans enjoyed this place when they settled here almost 2,000 years ago, naming the resort Aqua Sulis. The city was beautifully re-invented in the 18th century when it became the fashionable place to see and be seen. Elegant crescents, squares and terraces were built as the rich and famous travelled from London for 'the season' to relieve themselves of rheumatic diseases, stiffness of the joints and gout. This fully guided tour includes admission to the Roman Baths museum and a tour of the highlights of Georgian Bath, including the Royal Crescent, Royal Circus and the Assembly Rooms.

Departing Bath we head along the Cotswold edge with views of the estuary of the River Severn and the distant mountains of Wales (weather permitting!) and onwards to Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. After a guided introduction to the town itself there is time to go inside and visit the Royal apartments, see Queen Mary's dolls house and gaze upon the last resting place of Henry VIII and Charles I in St George's chapel. Lavishly furnished rooms, a wonderful gallery of world famous art and views from the battlements across the Thames valley await the visitor as we wander around inside. We end the day at Runnymede. Long ago this was a Saxon meeting place but more importantly, after long drawn out negotiations between the barons and King John, the place where Magna Carta was agreed upon in 1215. We can walk around this historic site and learn of the implications of this document and then in turn learn how other nations have adapted this major constitution.It is here by the River Thames that we end the tour before our short journey back to London.

Important information regarding Windsor Castle

If you specifically want to visit Windsor Castle, please note the restrictions below. This information is provided in good faith and has been sourced from the Royal Collection Trust website. We are not responsible for further updates and do strongly recommed that you double check opening information on the link above if you are intending to go inside Windsor Castle.

The State Apartments closed
11-14 June 2011

The Semi-State Rooms closed
Closed until 24 September 2011 (reopens to the public on 24 September)

St George's Chapel is closed
10-13 June 2011
06 August from 13.00hrs  (our tour arrives after this time)

The entire castle is closed
12 and 13 June 2011
25-26 December 2011
24 December 2011


As a working Royal palace, the Castle is used frequently by The Queen for State ceremonies and official entertaining and opening arrangements may change at short notice. 

Our tours operate regardless of Windsor Castle's opening dates, as entrance to the castle is not included in the tour price. If you are intending to vist the castle during our tour, you should note the infomation above and also check the Windsor Castle website for the latest known information. 

Entrance fee to Windsor Castle is not included in the tour price and this can be purchased on arrival if required. This is because we always arrive when the Castle is less busy and we find that not all visitors want to go inside the castle.

Why choose this tour?

On this tour you will be travelling with no more than 16 other people - guaranteed! Our purpose-built minibuses have large windows, good air circulation and clear PA systems so that your professional guide can escort you comfortably through our wonderful country. Our itineraries are carefullly planned (with many years of experience) so that you discover as much as possible, without spending too much time on the road.

As we travel in smaller vehicles, we normally use the most scenic routes, where large coach are prohibited from travelling. Additionally, as our group sizes are smaller we are able to more time out of the vehicle. We also employ a the very best driver/guides.

Friendly and Professional Guides - Small Groups - More Scenic Routes - More Time Sightseeing- No Time Wasted Travelling around London- Great Value for Money

Departure details

Tours between 01 March 2010 and 31 October 2011 - Summer Schedule
07.20AM Great Russell Street, outside British Museum main entrance (MAP)
07.30AM International Students House Car Park, 229 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5PN (MAP)
07.40AM Outside Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch (MAP)
07.50AM Outsode main entrance to Zara Fashion, 79 Brompton Road, SW3 1DB. This store is next to Harrods (MAP)
08.00AM Outside Premier Inn, Knaresborough Place, Earls Court (MAP)

Tours between 01 November 2011 and 29 February 2012 - Winter Schedule
08.20AM Great Russell Street, outside British Museum main entrance (MAP)
08.30AM International Students House Car Park, 229 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5PN (MAP)
08.40AM Outside Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch (MAP)
08.50AM Outside main entrance to Zara Fashion, 79 Brompton Road, SW3 1DB. This store is next to Harrods (MAP)
09.00AM Outside Premier Inn, Knaresborough Place, Earls Court (MAP)

If you intend to travel to our central London meeting points by public transport, you can plan your journey in advance on the Transport for London website  - click here

To find great deals on hotels (often close to the above tour departure points) in central London click here

We prefer to spend your valuable time touring the places you have chosen to visit and we therefore offer a choice of 4 meeting points, which are easiliy accessable by public transport from all parts of London and form our natural route to the west. Most large coach tours spend over an hour driving around the busy congested roads of London - with us you are out of London before you know it.

We wanted to let you know what an outstanding experience we had.  This was our first trip to London and we typically avoid tour groups.  We heard about your small tour groups through Rick Steve's London guide.  We couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised.  Not only were the sights amazing, but David was an incredible guide!  He was very knowledgeable and personable.  He did a fabulous job and we would recommend the trip to everyone!  We will also notify Rick Steve's what a great experience it was and to keep your tours listed in his future books!
 
Thanks,
Len and Kathleen

For more tour reviews, click here

*Between 01 November 2011 and 29 February 2012, the order of the places visited is Windsor, Stonehenge and then Bath due to the opening times of Windsor Castle and Stonehenge during the winter months. The scheduled departure times  from London will also be 1 hour later than our summer times between 29 November 2010 and 28 February 2011 inclusive.