Hidden Gems in the Heart of England

Belvoir Castle & Melton Mowbray (full day)

We start our day with a visit to Belvoir Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Rutland and home to the Manners family for the last five hundred years. Pronounced ‘Beaver Castle’, this impressive structure lies on the site of a historic castle, originally built after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Since then, it has been rebuilt at least three times and has made regular appearances on Netflix’s The Crown TV series, standing in for Windsor Castle.

Next, we travel to the rural and quintessential English town of Melton Mowbray. Be sure to pick up a pork pie at Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe and try it with a chutney while you wander through the town centre and marvel at the many fascinating historic buildings.

Stratford-upon-Avon & River Avon Cruise (full day)

Today we make our way to Stratford-upon-Avon, the idyllic birthplace of William Shakespeare, to enjoy a relaxing cruise along the River Avon. Afterwards, we have time at leisure to explore. There’s plenty to see, with many picturesque, thatched cottages and timber-frame houses throughout the town. Walk in The Bard’s footsteps, visit his birthplace or pay your respects at Holy Trinity Church, his final resting place.

Rutland Water Cruise & Leicester (full day)

Rutland Water is a large, horseshoe-shaped reservoir set within three thousand acres of beautiful English countryside on the borders of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. Here we enjoy a scenic cruise before we journey to Leicester, where we spend some free time in the city. Did you know that Leicester is home to the burial place of King Richard III and is the base for the National Space Centre?

Stratford-upon-Avon is a historic market town in Warwickshire situated on the banks of the River Avon and a popular tourist destination attracting over three million visitors a year. With its beautiful surroundings it’s not hard to see why it’s such a hit with coach trip visitors.

Best known for being the birthplace of the poet and playwright William Shakespeare and home to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford plays host to a rich programme of events and activities from festivals and music in the park to river racing and cruises.

Take a lovely sightseeing cruise along the River Avon departing from charming Stratford-upon-Avon with live commentary from an expert guide.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the views from the comfort of your cruise boat as you pass through Stratford’s two historic bridges, Clopton and Tramway, wend your way past the Royal Shakespeare Theatres down to Holy Trinity church where William Shakespeare is buried and then return upstream into the glorious Warwickshire countryside. Admire lovely riverside gardens and look out for the resident wildlife including herons, buzzards and the famous Stratford swans while learning fascinating facts about Shakespeare and his hometown from your tour guide.

This is a fantastic river cruise experience not to be missed!

Rutland Water is one of the best nature reserves in the country, set within 3,000 acres of stunning English countryside on the borders of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. The vast wetland is the perfect place to spot water birds, birds of prey and woodland wildlife all year round. With over 200 species of bird recorded, the reserve also provides one of the most important wildfowl sanctuaries in the UK and is home to the Rutland Osprey Project. Look out for the majestic birds soaring over the lagoons and diving to catch fish on a relaxing cruise.