Devon and Cornwall Explorer
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View of St Michael's Mount from the beach ©Matt Jessop
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Pendennis Castle ©English Heritage
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Exeter, South Devon - The Cathedral © Visit South Devon
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Stonehenge ©English Heritage
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Winchester Cathedral
Connect with England’s noble past and spirituality, as well as the legends of King Arthur.
You can understand why this land is full of folklore.
The fossils on the beaches resembled King Arthur’s slayed dragons. The stones of Stonehenge looked like they could have been moved by giants. And who could have known what beasts lurked the in misty, craggy climes of Dartmoor. On this tour, we enliven your imagination and take you to all of Devon and Cornwall’s mystic landscapes and hidden-away alcoves. You experience Norman cathedrals, Roman towns, harbour villages, beautiful beaches, ruined castles, and more. But watch out; because spend enough time here, and you may start to believe some of the mythical tales yourself.
Tour Highlights Include:
- Winchester – An ancient city dominated by the statue of Alfred the Great and an impressive Norman cathedral.
- Stonehenge – Witness the iconic Neolithic stone structure of the standing stones and gaze in awe at the capabilities of our ancestors.
- Dartmoor – Roam this distinctive craggy landscape and take a glimpse at the Dartmoor ponies grazing in the shadow of the granite outcrops.
- Exeter – Stroll through this ancient Roman city, from the magnificence of its gothic cathedral to the city’s medieval underground passages.
- Boscastle – One of the last remaining unspoilt harbour villages in the British Isles, the medieval harbour and its charming fishing boats are a joy to see.
- Tintagel Castle – This ruined castle full of Arthurian legend is perched on cliffs above an immense cave full of magic.
- Land’s End – This iconic location is lined with coastal paths and cliff trails.
- St. Ives – An artists’ haven for over 100 years, with galleries on narrow streets and a beach that’s a surfers’ paradise.
- Glastonbury – A significant religious and spiritual site infused with stories of early Christianity, Arthurian legend, and pagan culture.
When you are on tour, you will travel by comfortable minibus, maximum 16 persons per tour, with an experienced driver/guide.
Return to our other England Tours https://www.ukincoming.com/england-incoming-group-tours/
Dates
Available April to October 2023
Itinerary Summary
Day 1
Welcome to London
Arrive at Heathrow or Gatwick Airport, where we will meet and take you to your central London hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day free to explore or relax in London.
Overnight in London.
Day 2
Winchester, Stonehenge & Exeter
Breakfast in the hotel, and then make your way to the central pick up point in London, where you will meet with your group leader and fellow travellers.
Leaving central London, you travel through Wessex, one of England’s ancient kingdoms. You pass through this millennia-old setting on the way to the historic city of Winchester. The former capital of Anglo-Saxon England is synonymous with Alfred the Great and boasts a magnificent cathedral and the Norman Great Hall. From this bustling city, you head to a quieter but equally profound place: the standing stone circles of Stonehenge.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Stonehenge site has been skilfully preserved. At the award-winning visitor centre, you can view the exhibition of hundreds of prehistoric items from the Stonehenge collection. By joining the land train shuttle, you make your way to the world famous stone circles. You then travel to Exeter*, an important fortified settlement in Roman times and your base for two nights.
*Please note that on some rare occasions, this tour may stay in Torquay instead of Exeter.
Day 3
Dartmoor and Exeter
Breakfast in your accommodation, then explore the remote windswept magnificence of Dartmoor, where you can see strings of the native ponies grazing close to the striking rock formations. Dartmoor is also home to an immense diversity of flora and fauna, so enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the moor’s isolated beauty. You cross the ancient Clapper Bridge at Postbridge before heading to Tavistock, the historic market town and birthplace of Sir Francis Drake.
Arriving back in Exeter* in the early afternoon gives you a chance to explore the city’s ancient riches at a leisurely pace. The city walls, the Norman cathedral, the Royal Albert Memorial, and the Quayside all await you.
Day 4
Cornwall – Boscastle, Tintagel and Port Issac (Doc Martin)
Arthurian legend mixes with genuine Celtic history in Cornwall, England’s most western county. Today, you explore the ancient Cornish capital of Launceston and its 12th century Norman castle. You head west to the North Cornish coast and the Elizabethan fishing village of Boscastle.
Indulge in a cream tea, take a stroll out to the dramatic headland, or learn a spell or two in the Museum of Witchcraft. You travel to the village of Tintagel and the ruins of its headland castle; whose romantic cliff top setting is purportedly the birthplace of King Arthur. After lunch, you head to Port Isaac where you can get your Doc Martin’s fix and fall in love with this picturesque fishing village. You then head south to the bustling port town of Falmouth for the next two nights.
Day 5
St Michael’s Mount Lands End – Poldark Country
Today, we explore the most westerly tip of England. We take a brief stop to look at the island community of St.Michael’s Mount. We then travel onwards to the unique setting of the Minack Theatre perched above a thundering ocean and the beautiful National Trust beach at Porthcurno.
You visit Land’s End before following a landscape dotted with the relics of the Cornish tin mining heritage, and now a filming location for the Poldark series. St Ives is the final stop of the day with its plethora of artists’ galleries in the maze of narrow, harbour-side streets. You return to Falmouth for the night.
Day 6
Bodmin Moor, Glastonbury and return to London
This morning, you say farewell to Cornwall and travel across Bodmin Moor, a wild moorland that’s designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty. We’ll take a break before leaving Cornwall and continuing to Glastonbury.
Here you can visit the ruins of 7th century Abbey, relax over some lunch or scale Glastonbury Tor for the views across five counties. From here, you travel back to London, a busy city far removed from the experiences you’ve enjoyed in the magical counties of Devon and Cornwall.
Return from the central drop off point to your London hotel.
Day 7
Home time
Breakfast in the your London hotel.
It’s time to leave London – or maybe extend your stay for some additional nights in London.
Private transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Accommodation in London will be in a central 3 star standard hotel and will include English style buffet breakfast.
On tour you have the choice of either guest house / bed & breakfast accommodation or hotel accommodation (2/3 star standard).
All accommodation offers en suite bathrooms.
Entrance fees to attractions are not included in the tour, and any entrance fees must be paid locally.
| 2023 Devon & Cornwall Tour | April, May & October 2023
Departures |
June to September 2023
Departures |
| 3 Star London & Guest house on tour | From GBP £1399 | From GBP £1549 |
| 3 Star London & 2/3 star hotel on tour | From GBP £1499 | From GBP £1745 |
All prices shown are per person, and based on 2 persons travelling together and sharing one room.
Rooms for single occupancy are available and a supplement will apply – please contact us for details.
Rates are Nett and non commissionable and are available to Travel Trade only – Public rates are available on request.