5 days from £399
Departs 3 August 2017
This sunny corner of Britain is a haven for anyone who loves to spend time in the garden, and this relaxing break is a great opportunity to visit four of the best. Between them they boast plant species from around the world as well as landscape design that spans hundreds of years.
We also enjoy a vineyard tour in Dorset’s green and rolling hills followed by a tasting at the winery, and no visit to Somerset would be complete without indulging in its refreshing ciders, so we also visit the renowned Sheppy’s Farm and Cider Centre for a tipple.
Day 1: Furleigh Estate
Your short break begins when you board our coach and travel to Furleigh Estate in Dorset’s green and rolling hills. Here we are met by a knowledgeable guide and taken on a tour of the vineyard, learning about how the vines are looked after and what happens at harvest time. We then head to the purpose-built winery where our guide explains the wine-making process and we enjoy a tasting of the still and sparkling wines produced on the estate. After our visit we travel to our hotel for a relaxing evening with dinner included.
Day 2: Bicton Park
After breakfast we travel to Bicton Park Botanical Gardens, which is set in the picturesque Otter valley in Devon. It is home to many rare plants with origins from all over the world, and it boasts one of the nest collections of trees in Britain. Other highlights include the Hermitage, the flint Shell House with its impressive collection of seashells, and the Palm House which predates the one at Kew by 20 years. In the afternoon we visit Exmouth, a vibrant seaside town which has two miles of sandy beach and marks the very start of the Jurassic Coast. Dinner is served back at our hotel.
Day 3: The Walled Garden, Moreton
After breakfast we visit the Walled Garden, Moreton, in Dorset. This beautiful 3-acre landscaped garden has a variety of plant environments, stream-fed ponds and large lawns, all styled on the original Georgian and subsequent Victorian design. There’s also a café and farm shop on site. We also visit Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, an award-winning attraction where rare, exotic and unusual plant species from all over the world thrive. Be sure to head to the viewpoint where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Jurassic Coast, and you can browse the gift shop and the plant centre where many of the flowers grown in the garden can be purchased.
Please note: We will be split into two groups for our visit to Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens.
Day 4: Hestercombe
After breakfast we visit Hestercombe Gardens in Somerset. Set in 50 acres, Hestercombe spans 300 years of garden design. You can wander along the lakeside paths of the Georgian Landscape Garden, admire the views from the Victorian Terrace and see the stunning Edwardian Formal Garden, one of the finest examples of Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens’ famous partnership. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore Taunton, the county town of Somerset, before we return to our hotel in time for dinner.
Day 5: Sheppy’s Farm & Cider Centre
After breakfast we check out of our hotel and visit Sheppy’s Farm in Somerset, where the very nest premium cider has been produced for almost 200 years. You are free to explore the extensive farm and orchard tracks, meet the resident animals and explore the museum which takes you to a bygone life of farming and cider-making. We also enjoy a taste of Sheppy’s cider before we set off on the return journey, arriving back in your local area in the mid to late evening.
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