CRICKET ST THOMAS, SOMERSET

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Departures throughout 2008 & 2009
From 4 days 3 nights
Return Executive Coach Travel
Local pick up points
From 3 nights half board accommodation at the Warner property in Cricket St Thomas with en suite facilities in all rooms.
Included excursion package - see below for suggested itinerary and inclusions
FREE Comprehensive Travel Insurance for selected departure dates

SUGGESTED ITINERARY

Day 1 - Departing your pick up point we travel westwards stopping en route at a place of interest for lunch (not included) which will be determined by your date & location of departure and the interests of your group. Time permitting we can also make a brief stop in the medieval city of Salisbury and then onward to Cricket St Thomas arriving in time to freshen up before dinner this evening.

Day 2 - Today is a leisurely day to enjoy your surroundings and take advantage of the facilities available to you at Warner's Cricket St Thomas. For those that want, there is an excursion available to Forde Abbey & Gardens this afternoon (entrance payable locally) which has a peaceful solitude because of its secluded position. It is possible to imagine just how Forde Abbey looked to many of its previous owners, from its medieaval beginnings to the present day: monks going about their daily round of work and prayer, prosperous parliamentary gentlemen discussing the cavalier threat, gifted philosophers debating the imponderable, elegant Victorian ladies fanning themselves by the fireside and country gentlemen going about their work on the estate. Each part of Forde Abbey's history can be clearly read in the architecture and structure of the house and garden. It is a living testament to the people who have lived and worked here over the past nine centuries and makes it one of the most fascinating buildings in the country.

Day 3 - This morning we include a visit to the Fleet air Arm Museum, Europes No. 1 Naval Aviation museum in Yeovilton which houses a very large and well presented collection of aircraft and memorabilia. Four display halls portray the development of naval aviation from World War I to the Gulf War. The centrepiece of the museum is the 'Carrier' display, in which visitors are 'flown' inside a Wessex helicopter onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Here they can examine the aircraft ranged on deck and follow a guided tour of the carrier's 'island' - finishing up at FlyCo where all aircraft operations are controlled. In addition, the 'Leading Edge' gallery contains a Concorde prototype and examples of several post-war research aircraft. You will have several hours at your leisure here before our next visit which is to England's smallest city, Wells. Here you will have some free time to purchase lunch and explore at your leisure before your included visit to the Bishop's Palace & Gardens which is more than simply an historic house and garden, this splendid medieval Palace has been the home of the Bishops of Bath and Wells for 800 years. There are 14 acres of gardens including the springs from which the city takes its name. Visitors can also see the Bishop's private Chapel, ruined Great Hall and the Gatehouse with portcullis and drawbridge beside which the famous mute swans ring a bell for food. Alternatively if preferred, we could include a visit to Wookey Hole, a land of mysteries where a river flows out of the underworld and pagan and Christian legends intermingle. Here, too are mysteries of man himself. How did the early cavemen, who inhabited these caves, really live from day to day? And what makes a modern diver explore the caverns beyond the sunlight? Visit Brtain's last surviving hand made Papermill or the fairy garden, this is an attraction for all ages!! We return to the hotel later today where dinner is included.

Day 4 - Today we offer a half day excursion to the seaside resort of Lyme Regis an exquisite picture-book fishing village, with charming tea rooms and shops and which was also the location for the filming of the The French Lieutenant's Woman. You will have a couple of hours free time here before we return to Cricket St Thomas stoping briefly at Perry's Cider which is set in the picturesque Somerset village of Dowlish Wake. The cider mills and visitor centre still occupies the original family farm and visitors can sample the atmosphere of old West Country life and the traditions of our working cider farm. We return to the hotel mid afternoon so that you can relax in the tranquil surroundings making the most of your last few hours in Somerset.

Day 5 - Checking out of the hotel we retrace our steps, stopping at Longleat which is set within 900 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland, Longleat House is widely regarded as one of the best examples of high Elizabethan architecture in Britain and one of the most beautiful stately homes open to the public. It was the present Marquess of Bath’s father, the 6th Marquess, who first perceived that a house of this magnitude and splendour could become a major tourist attraction and, in 1949, opened Longleat House to the public on a fully commercial basis - it was the first stately home to do so! A passport ticket is included, giving you access to all areas. We depart here mid afternoon for your onward journey making comfort stops during the journey, arriving back in Kent mid evening.

The Cricket St Thomas Experience : This well- known and much-loved manor house is set in vast gardens designed by Capability Brown. In fact, between 1816 and 1860, the second Lord Bridgeport spent £250,000 laying out the grounds and gardens. Now hundreds of years later, you can enjoy the results of his investment. Also enjoying the beautiful scenery, are over 600 rare animals housed in the finest wildlife park in the South West. There’s all that to take in plus all the pleasures of a Warner Break. Take time for a swim in the pool, enjoy the spa, a treatment in the health club and take advantage of our extensive sports and leisure facilities. At night, enjoy a feast fit for a Lord of the Admiralty, then take in all the excitement of the live entertainment.

PRICE & SUPPLEMENTS

Price on application
Single supplements and minimum numbers apply

HOW TO BOOK

Choose your departure date
For your instant quote / more information:
Call Simply Groups on 01943 605999 or
click here to use our online enquiry form.

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