If you like customising UK tours, take a look at some of the exciting travel experiences that can be blended into tailor made tours for families, pre or post cruise extensions and imaginatively themed special interest tours. These and other bright ideas will transform your itineraries and help you impress your clients with your knowledge and connections.
Putting together these and other pieces of the Great British Jigsaw Puzzle is what I do as I transform your wish list into a unique “travel less, see more” value added UK tour…
Starting with a Seaweed Festival and a Giant Peach, here we go!
It’s All About SeaweedClovelly’s picturesque Seaweed Festival celebrates seaweed for its immense health and nutritional benefits, and it’s the only one of its kind in the UK. Several of the quayside kitchens will be serving a variety of dishes, while other stalls will be selling a range of seaweed products along with street entertainment, demonstrations, arts, crafts and live music talks. Expand the itinerary to include locations used in the filming of Doc Martin, Poldark, and some Arthurian myths and legends. |
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A Fantabulous Family VisitRoald Dahl has captured the imagination of children around the world with his tales including James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The BFG. Visit the award-winning Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre where he lived and wrote for 36 years and in London, include a performance of ‘Mathilda’ and an actor-led tour of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This works well in conjunction with a visit to the nearby Warner Brothers ‘Making of Harry Potter’ Studios Tour. |
Make Your Dollars Go FurtherImagine spending a day in the cathedral city of Guildford where you can enjoy good food, explore heritage dating back to medieval times, and have an excellent shopping experience – and all just 35 minutes from Central London. Welcome to the Tunsgate Quarter, situated between the historic cobbled High Street and the imposing medieval castle. Head to the top of the Great Tower for a panoramic view of the city, have lunch at the Ivy Restaurant, and shop till you drop! |
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Fly Back In TimeIn the centenary year of the RAF, and just 30 minutes from LHR, discover what it was like to fly a Spitfire in the authentic flight simulator at the Windsor and Maidenhead Heritage Centre. With the throttle wide open and the roar of the iconic Merlin engine, use the replica flight controls to become one of those famous World War II Spitfire pilots. Time this to coincide with the Changing of the Guard at nearby Windsor Castle. |
Fine Wines, Architecture and GardensBaron Ferdinand de Rothschild built Waddesdon Manor as a French Renaissance-style château to display his outstanding collection of art treasures, and to entertain the fashionable world. The 45 rooms on view combine the highest quality French furniture and decorative arts from the 18th century. Their Manor Kitchen Discovery tour reveals what life was really like below stairs in Waddesdon’s historic kitchens. Include a visit here on the way to, or back from, 2-3 nights in the Cotswolds. |
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Discover Historic BeaulieuBeaulieu is the ancestral home of the Montagu family. Their Palace House tour follows in the footsteps of the medieval monks who lived there, goes below stairs in the Victorian Kitchen, and peeks into the late Lord Montagu’s private wing. Home to the National Motor Museum, the gleaming collection of more than 250 vehicles tell the story of motoring in Britain. Think about adding this as part of a post cruise transfer from Southampton to London. |
Royal Maritime Museum GreenwichTake an early morning River Thames cruise and discover the Royal Museums Greenwich which comprise of the Royal Observatory, Cutty Sark, the National Maritime Museum, and the Queens House. Located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of historic Royal Greenwich, they’re all within easy walking distance of each other. Enjoy a guided tour of the Cutty Sark and take pictures on the meridian line. While you’re there, have an English Afternoon Tea after seeing the exquisite displays at the Fan Museum. |
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Full Steam Head on The Bluebell RailwaySituated in the heart of the Sussex countryside, the Bluebell is the country’s oldest standard gauge heritage railway and home to the largest collection of Southern steam locomotives. Trains run most weekends, daily from April to the end of September, and getting there and back couldn’t be easier as there’s a main line train link to London at East Grinstead. Step back into history with their Footplate Taster and ‘Full Steam Ahead Days’ which deliver a much more intense experience. |
Paull Tickner, owner of U.K.-based Custom GB, is known for his expertise in creating and operating imaginative, value-added tours of Great Britain and Ireland. Visit his website at www.customgb.co.uk or email him at ptickner@customgb.co.uk.
