Staying at The Spa Hotel near the centre of Tunbridge Wells and visiting local attractions as well as locations en route.

Suffolk Short Holiday.. 3 days and 2 nights 

13th to 15th May inclusive

staying at Ufford Park Hotel in Woodbridge, Suffolk

Provisional  itinerary includes:

Audley End House, Long Melford, Lavenham and Ickworth House  

Reservations with deposit will be taken at our November meeting

North Norfolk 21st to 23rd May, 2024

Our two-night/three-day trip in 2024 is to beautiful and unspoilt north Norfolk.

Day One

Our trip will begin with a visit to Ely Cathedral.  Rising majestically above the fens, the cathedral is a landmark from many miles around.  We will have lunch in The Almonry Restaurant, followed by a guided tour of the Cathedral.  We will then go on to our hotel, The Dukes Head, in Kings Lynn, a delightful ancient town which still has an active river port, within easy walking distance of our hotel, with small coastal vessels arriving daily from the Baltic.  Dinner will be in the hotel.

Day Two

In the morning the coach will take us to Houghton Hall and Gardens.  Built by Britain’s first Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, and still owned by his descendants the Marquesses of Cholmondeley, this handsome classically designed house is unspoilt and remains very much a family home.  In addition to the house, there is a beautiful walled garden and a major new exhibition by the sculptor Antony Gormley.  We will have lunch at Houghton before going on to Oxburgh Hall.  This National Trust property was the home of the Bedingfeld family for nearly 500 years.  Trusted courtiers during the medieval period, the Bedingelds remained unshakeably Catholic at the time of the Reformation, with the result that royal patronage was withdrawn and they were often treated with suspicion.  The family’s fall from political grace meant that few changes were made to the house, which remains in essence a 15th century moated manor house.  After leaving Oxburgh we return to our hotel in time for dinner.

Day Three

Our coach will take us to Holkham Hall, the family home of the Earls of Leicester.  Magnificent Holkham is one of the jewels in the crown of the area.  There is much to see in the house and in the extensive grounds. We will spend most of the day there, including lunch, leaving mid-afternoon for our journey home.  Sir Edward Coke, who founded the family fortune, was a respected jurist under both Elizabeth I and James I and amassed considerable land holdings in the Holkham area.  The palatial house now on the site was built by his descendant, Thomas Coke, the first Earl of Leicester and is packed with artistic treasures.    

The cost of the trip will be between £300pp and £350pp depending on numbers.  This covers two nights half board (dinner, bed and breakfast) at the Kings Head, coach travel, and entry to all the places visited.   There is a single room supplement of £20 per night.  Lunch on the three days is not included.  

As of 1st February all places are reserved however there will be a 'waiting list' in case of cancellations. Please contact Mrs Sarah Green if you wish to be on the list.

Dorset and Wiltshire  Short Holiday 15th to 17th May, 2023 inclusive

Unfortunately it has become necessary to cancel this tour however we plan to visit two of the places in a day visit on May 16th, 2023

3 days and two nights staying very close to the seafront in Bournemouth, with half board at the Marsham Court Hotel.

From there we plan to visit within Dorset and Wiltshire:

Kingston Lacy

The Russell-Cotes Museum

Compton Acres Garden

Mapperton House

Reservations will be taken with a £40 deposit from our November meeting onwards

Chatsworth House tour and other Derbyshire highlights postponed from May 2020

It has now been decided to hold this tour between 17th and 19th May, staying for two nights in a Sheffield Hotel which will act as a good central base for our visits to Chatsworth House, Hardwick Hall and Haddon Hall as well as the possibility of a Theatre visit on one evening.

Haddon Hall  We start our 3 day/2 night break with a visit to Haddon Hall near Bakewell in Derbyshire. Simon Jenkins described the house as the most perfect to survive from the middle ages. It sits amidst it's Elizabethan terraced garden overlooking the Rover Wye. Present day Haddon Hall dates from the 12th century to the 17th century.

We drive onto Sheffield for our two nights at the 4 star Mercure Kenwood Hall Hotel, just one mile from the city centre. On the evening of May 19th there will be a performance of TBA by the TBA Opera Company. Members are welcome to purchase their own tickets for the evening performance.

Chatsworth On day two we travel a mere 16 miles to Chatsworth.  We have already enjoyed a lecture about the late Duchess of Devonshire and now await  our Study Day in March 2020 about the collectios within the house . All should be fresh in our memories when we enjoy our guided tour of the house. We shall see amongst other things the Painted Hall, the Sculpture Gallery and the State Rooms.

Outside is the 105 acre garden with it's cascade water feature, rock garden and maze. There is even a working farmyard with animal handling and milking demonstrations. Finally there are food and gift opportunities aplenty.

Hardwick Hall We visit Hardwick Hall on our return home. In this fine Elizabethan House we shall see some of the best  examples in Europe of Tapestries and Embroderies adorning the rooms and famous Long Hall. We can learn about 'life below stairs' visit the roof with it's breathtaking views and, if lucky, see the last blossom in the orchards.

NB.. the above may change when the tour finally takes place between 17th and 19th May 2022

Our 2018 overseas holiday is to Belgium and the Netherlands and will depart in early October.  We will travel by coach and the Eurostar and will have 2 nights in Bruges and 3 nights in Delft.  The trip will include visits to Amsterdam and to The Hague.  On our return we will also visit Ypres and the site of the battle of Paschendaele.  

More details to follow.  

Our 2018 British holiday is to be to the Pennines, leaving here on18th June and returning on the 22nd June.

Lots more details later, but put the dates in your diary!

Our tour to south east Ireland is organised in conjunction with Manor Excursions, a specialist travel company based  in Standlake.  In order to ensure that the holiday is financially viable it is being offered not only to Upper Thames but to two adjacent NADFAS groups, Cotswold DFAS and West Oxfordshire DFAS.  This means that as well as enjoying the company of old friends, participants will have the opportunity to meet new people who live in our area.

We will be staying in the Hotel Minella, Clonmel, in the Golden Vale of Tipperary. It is a privately owned 4* hotel set in extensive grounds running down to the River Suir. Views from the bedroom windows are of either the river or of the Comeragh Mountains. The restaurant has a rosette for culinary excellence.

Sites to be visited include Kilkenny City, Jerpoint Abbey, the elegant Georgian city of Waterford, Cahir, and the magnificent Curraghmore House and garden.     There will also be a visit to the Minella Racing Stables owned by John Nellen.

Manor Excursions have to book and pay for flights before details of the tour are generally circulated, so are asking you to book and send your deposit as soon as possible .  They have divided the cost into three segments, i.e. the initial deposit of £100, to be followed by two equal payments of £437 each, at intervals. The full cost is therefore £974, and this includes flights, all coach travel, all guided tours and group admissions, and 4* hotel accommodation with dinner, bed, and breakfast. It does not include drinks, lunches, snacks, optional visits, and gratuities. There is a single supplement of £25 per night. You will need to have an up-to-date passport.  For further details please contact Jo Haine or Claire Burke.

One of the most ancient cities in Europe, Portugal's second city, Porto, is superbly located facing the Atlantic Ocean, and overlooking the River Douro. Famous throughout the world as the original home of port wine, the city is also known for its stately bridges, winding streets and architectural heritage, which has developed around the medieval centre of Ribeira do Porto, and been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Our tour will include one of the port wine lodges and also a visit to the ecclesiastical city of Braga, before we arrive in the north west corner of Spain where we will experience the delights of Galicia from the 5 star Parador de los Reis Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela.

This tour will be led by Dodo Rawlings The cost of the tour is £1,040 per person sharing a twin/double room (excluding flights). Single room supplement: £235 A deposit of £350 per person is due by Friday, 29th January 2016. The final balance is due by Friday, 22nd July 2016.

Further details and brochures are available from Dodo.

We have a fascinating and varied tour planned for next spring, mainly in beautiful North Norfolk, and with a couple of surprise visits included. The tour has been organised by Manor Excursions and will be led by Jo Haine and Claire Burke. The cost of the tour is £558, (plus £15 per night single supplement). This includes luxury coach travel, three nights’ dinner, bed and breakfast at the 4* Dunston Hall Hotel, all entrances, and guided tours. It does not include lunches, snacks, drinks, optional visits in Norwich, or gratuities. Further details about how to book will be available in the new year.

We begin with pick-up points in Lechlade, Highworth, and Shrivenham, and travel by motorway to South Mimms on the M25, where we shall have a coffee break, before continuing to Duxford, part of the Imperial War Museums, set within a Battle of Britain airfield. It has an excellent restaurant for lunch or snacks, and a superb museum. There is also a fascinating shop. We then continue to our hotel, the 4* Dunston Hall near Norwich, which will be our base. The hotel has its own Spa and golf course, which our members can use. We shall have three nights there, on a dinner, bed, and breakfast basis.

The next day, 1st June, sees us visiting the lovely Blickling Hall and Gardens. After morning coffee, we shall have a private tour of the house, and free time in the gardens, café (for lunch), book shop, and small air museum, before the short drive to Norwich itself. There, we shall have a tour of the Cathedral, then there will be free time to explore the City centre, perhaps visiting the Castle, or one of the museums. Maps will be provided. A short drive takes us to the hotel for a well-earned rest before dinner.

On 2nd June, sixty-three years to the day since the Coronation of Her Majesty the Queen, we have arranged to have a private tour of Sandringham, Her Majesty’s Norfolk home. We are very privileged. Afterwards, we have a scenic drive along the North Norfolk coast to Holkham Hall. We shall have a free-flow tour, and shuttle buses are available to run us to the Walled Garden. There is an excellent café, where we can have lunch, and later a cup of tea before our journey back to our hotel.

Our last day is nice and easy. After a leisurely start, we go to Wymondham Abbey, an amazing Norman / Romanesque church, together with the ruins of the medieval abbey, and then we shall continue to South Mimms for a lunch break, before our journey home.

Even in a country known for its rich and varied cultural heritage, the Emilia-Romagna area of Northern Italy commands attention. Our tour will explore the very best art, history and architecture this area has to offer, and we will be based in the region's vibrant capital, Bologna, which is home to a whole host of cultural treasures. Visits further afield will take us to the charming city of Ferrara, a recognised UNESCO world heritage site which was once ruled by the Este family dynasty; Ravenna, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire renowned for its magnificent collection of early mosaics, and Urbino , with its astonishing wealth of Renaissance art.

Ireland’s capital city, Dublin, and its environs include a wealth of art and architectural delights. We will be seeing the glories of some of its cathedrals, churches, Georgian squares, town houses, castles, country houses and monuments. Included in the itinerary are the medieval High Crosses at Monasterboice, the Gothic cathedral of St Patrick’s, Merrion Square, with its elegant eighteenth century architecture, and Trinity College. We will also visit the great country houses of Castletown and Russborough, both of which contain important works of art, visit two privately owned castles, Howth and Leixlip and make a special visit to two of Dublin’s finest town houses.

Tour price £710 (single supplement £170 per person) Tour price includes coach travel throughout, return Eurotunnel crossings, 4 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at the 3 star Hotel l’Univers in Arras, 2 dinners, full programme of visits, all entrance charges, local guides to walking tours, resident guides at the Louvre-Lens Museum and the Andre Diligent Museum and gratuities.

The cost of this tour is £550 per person sharing a double/twin room. There is a single room supplement of £100. Booking Forms and a detailed itinerary of this tour are available from Paul Larsen