2012 JULY 06
FRIDAY

 DAY 00  An overnight flight from Toronto to Heathrow Airport.

2012 JULY 07
SATURDAY

 DAY 01  Arrive at Heathrow Airport about mid morning and transfer to Chipping Camden. Upon arrival we will be picked up by Dave Southall, “our man in the British Isles”, who is very patient, drives our small bus (which limits us to 12 people) and makes our lunches. Depending on flight arrival time, the afternoon will be spent visiting Blenheim Palace, home of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. His gravestone is in the nearby village of Woodstock. Overnight at The Court, Chipping Campden.
[The Court, Chipping Campden, Calf Lane, Chipping Campden, Gloucester GL55 6JQ
01386 840201]. Other websites depicting this B&B: One | Two

The Court B&B

2012 JULY 08
SUNDAY

 DAY 02  Mickleton - An introduction to hiking in the Cotswolds. The route includes optional visits to two National Trust Properties, Hidcote Manor and Kiftsgate Court. We walk about 8 km on farm tracks. Overnight at The Court, Chipping Campden.

2012 JULY 09
MONDAY

 DAY 03  Guided tour of Stratford-upon-Avon, shopping and optional attendance at an evening performance (7:30 p.m.) of Shakespeare's Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company website) at the Swan Theatre. The Swan Theatre "shares its front of house space with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre". Please note that this is an optional extra with tickets ranging in price from £5 to £34 (approximately ~ $9 to $55). Tickets are already on sale so an early commitment to going on the trip and purchasing a ticket for Richard III is essential to ensure your seat. NOTE: If you want a ticket(s), please contact Greg a.s.a.p. Overnight at The Court, Chipping Campden.

 DAY 04  A loop walk on a section of The Winchcombe Way ascends Cleeve Hill to the Neolithic Long Barrow, Belas Knap at an elevation of 300 m providing panoramic views of the Cotswold Hills. This walk is about 8 km on farm tracks and country lanes. Transfer to Cirencester. Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester [5-7 London Road, Cirencester,Gloucestershire, GL7 2PU; 01285 656099]

The Old Brew House B&B

2012 JULY 11 WEDNESDAY

 DAY 05  A guided tour of Oxford Colleges. The University of Oxford has 38 colleges. It is the second oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester.

 DAY 06  A level walk starting from the village of Bibury, described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in the Cotswolds. The village boasts a Saxon church and 16th Century cottages. This walk is about 10 km on farm tracks and country lanes. Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester.

 DAY 07  A visit to the street and antiques markets in Cirencester in the morning will be followed by a walk in the grounds of Cirencester Park, family seat of the Earls of Bathurst.
Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester.

 DAY 08  A hike through the valley of the River Brook starting at the 14th Century Market Cross in the village of Castle Combe. The surrounding hills were occupied by ancient Britons, Romans, Saxons and Normans. This walk is about 9 km on farm and woodland tracks and country lanes. Rumour has it that trolls reside under some stone bridges in this area and there may be a "a reasonable Pooh Sticks bridge". Reference: The walk file: Castle Combe, Wiltshire by By Angus Watson. Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester.

 DAY 09  A walk through Paradise. This linear walk has a variety of woodland, panoramic viewpoints and Iron Age artifacts. It includes a visit to Great Witcombe Roman Villa in the care of English Heritage and passes through the small hamlet of Paradise named by Charles I when he visited during the English Civil War. This walk is about 11 km on woodland paths. Links to: 1) Painswick, Stroud District [While Royalists were encamped in Painswick, tradition has it that King Charles went up to the Beacon (Hill) and, seeing the beautiful valley to the east said, "This must be Paradise". Since then that valley, and the hamlet on its western side to the north of Painswick have been called Paradise.], 2) Painswick Hill, Hillfort, 3) Map of Painswick Beacon. Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester.

 DAY 10  A day in the city of Bath, a World Heritage Site. Go where you please and explore. Overnight at The Old Brew House, Cirencester.

 DAY 11  ‘Open meadow, woodland shade, a sloping common scattered with birches and some of the finest views along the Cotswold make this stage memorable for its variety (Kev Reynolds: Cicerone Guide to the Cotswold Way). This walk is about 11 km. Overnight at: Church Farm B&B [Hartham Corsham nr. Chippenham Wiltshire SN13 0PU, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1249 715180] and Pickwick Lodge Farm B&B [Guyers Lane, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 0PS, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1249 712207].

Extract from Costwolds accommodation guide: "The farmhouse (Pickwick farm) is a picturesque Grade II Listed building which was built in 1650 and extended in Victorian times. It is said that Charles Dickens was so inspired by this beautiful Wiltshire village that he named his first successful novel, Pickwick Papers, after it."

 DAY 12  Visit Longleat Estate, home of the 7th Marquis of Bath, probably the most eccentric member of the English aristocracy. Overnight at: Church Farm B&B [Hartham Corsham nr. Chippenham Wiltshire SN13 0PU, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1249 715180] and Pickwick Lodge Farm B&B [Guyers Lane, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 0PS, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1249 712207].

 DAY 13  A very leisurely cruise on a traditional English narrowboat along the Kennet and Avon Canal stopping at a canal-side pub for lunch. Cost of lunch not included. Canal and River map. Overnight at: Church Farm B&B [Hartham Corsham nr. Chippenham Wiltshire SN13 0PU, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1249 715180] and Pickwick Lodge Farm B&B [Guyers Lane, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 0PS, UK Telephone: +44 (0)1249 712207].

 DAY 14  Departure from Heathrow Airport where we catch our flight to to Toronto.

Greg Vincent has led nine trips to England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland handled by Dave Southall. Greg has led hikes for the past thirty years in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean  and Europe. Although the walking part of the outings is important to Greg, he is very much interested in the human history, geology,flora and fauna of the areas he walks. When the day is done and the day's walk is discussed the whole experience of the walk is what keeps him wanting more. Greg's training as an Air Force navigator and Army artillery officer helps getting the group to the destination!

Dave Southall has been mountaineering in Great Britain and Ireland for more than 30 years and is the only combined Blue Badge Guide and qualified Mountain Leader (Northern Ireland Mountain Leader Training Board) in the country.  A former bank manager he was awarded a first class honours degree in Environmental Science (2006) and Master of Research degree by the University of Ulster. He is currently studying for a D. Phil. in post glacial landscape evolution. He also holds a Certificate in Archaeology from the Institute of Lifelong Learning at Queens University, Belfast. He is hopeless at identifying birds and flowers.

Dave lives in Port Rush Northern Ireland and is a keen hiker,student of archeology and currently a PhD candidate in an obscure branch of geology. Dave is very patient, drives our small bus (which limits us to 12 people) and makes our lunches.

For information about the tour cost, what is covered, what is not covered, other information and to book a spot for this tour contact Judy Anger at Goliger's Travel Plus - contact details appear below.

Contact: Judy Anger
Goliger's TravelPlus & Bradley Walters Journeys, Waterloo
234 King Street South, Waterloo, ON
N2J 1R3

Telephone: 519-741-0770 ext 246
Toll free: 1-800-465-4437
Website: www.go.travelplus.ca