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Rutland Riches & Lincolnshire Landscapes

Heritage, landscapes, traditions, great houses and gardens – Lincolnshire certainly has more than its fair share and tiny Rutland boasts a proud and rich history. Join us on this discovery weekend and experience some of region’s top attractions including England’s greatest Elizabethan House, Lincolnshire’s ‘lost gardens’, the ancestral home of a Duke and Duchess, the beautiful Georgian town of Stamford and a Rutland Water Cruise.

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Highlights

  • 3 nights near Grantham with dinner & breakfast
  • Tea / coffee after dinner
  • Two included excursions as stated
  • Entrances to Burghley House and Belvoir Castle
  • Entrance to Barnsdale Gardens and Easton Walled Gardens
  • Rutland Water Cruise
  • Porterage
  • Free use of leisure facilities

Hotel

URBAN HOTEL GRANTHAM (May & September tours)

The 4* Urban Hotel Grantham is a modern, low-rise hotel on the edge of the market town of Grantham, located just off the A1. It offers a variety of facilities including a heated in door pool, gym and spa (treatments at additional charge). The Urban Bar and Grill offers an extensive menu and the 89 spacious guestrooms feature all mid cons including complimentary WiFi and tea / coffee making facilities. There is no lift but the hotel does have ground floor rooms.

 


THE OLDE BARN HOTEL, MARSTON Nr Grantham (June tour only)

Located in the heart of the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside, approximately one mile from the A1, this comfortable 3* hotel offers an onsite leisure club with a spa, fitness centre, swimming pool, sauna, steam room and jetted hot tub.The comfortable guestrooms have free high-speed WiFi, spacious desk, ironing facilities, safe, flat screen TV and tea / coffee making facilities. There is a stylish bar and restaurant as well as some outdoor seating area. There is a lift in part of the hotel and there are also ground floor rooms.

Itinerary

Day 1 - From your chosen joining point your feeder vehicle will take you to your designated interchange point where your holiday begins. Head north with a stop en-route at Barnsdale Gardens, home to 38 individually designed gardens created by the much-loved, late BBC Gardeners' World presenter, Geoff Hamilton. Continue to your hotel for your 3-night stay with DBB

Day 2 - 3 At leisure with two included excursions.

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
BURGHLEY HOUSE & RUTLAND WATER CRUISE
Visit the magnificent Elizabethan Burghley House near Stamford (entrance included). Still a much loved family home and favourite film location (Rosings Park in the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice), the palatial house is home to an historic collection of paintings, ceramics and works of art. Enjoy a self-guided tour of Burghley's 18 dramatic State Rooms and the surrounding 'Capability' Brown parkland, Garden of Surprises and the Contemporary Sculpture Garden. Then it's onto Rutland- the smallest county in England but arguably one of the prettiest and it certainly lives up to its motto, Multum in Parvo (much in little). The quaint county town of Oakham is home to an impressive Norman castle and the Rutland County Museum, a fascinating treasure trove of artefacts and archaeology discoveries (admission FOC). Enjoy a relaxing afternoon cruise on Rutland Water, one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe set in over 3,000 acres of beautiful rolling countryside. One of the most iconic features of Rutland Water is Normanton Church which was saved from demolition back in 1970, when plans were outlined to flood the area to create the Rutland Water. The church now sits safely on a new level of rubble topped with concrete above water level, on its own peninsular. It is a spectacular sight to behold and creates a picture-perfect backdrop for your Rutland selfie.

EASTON WALLED GARDENS & BELVOIR CASTLE
Easton Walled Gardens are the ‘lost gardens’ of Lincolnshire where a country house was demolished and the gardens abandoned for fifty years. Since 2001, Ursula and Fred Cholmeley have restored the ancient gardens from an overgrown wilderness to the nationally important garden it once was. The restoration continues year on year with innovative new planting schemes including herbaceous borders, roses, sweet peas, spring bulbs, flower and vegetable gardens in a stunning parkland setting, creating habitats for butterflies, bees, birds and mammals. Onwards over the border to Leicestershire to Belvoir Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke & Duchess of Rutland. It is one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in England and sits proudly on a hilltop. Its history dates back to 11th century and the name Belvoir – meaning ‘beautiful view’ in French and pronounced today as ‘beaver’ – dates back to Norman times. The castle takes a starring role as one of the stunning locations featured in Netflix’s The Crown where it doubles for Windsor Castle.

Day 4 - Stop in Stamford, ‘the finest stone town in England’. Stamford’s narrow alleyways and hidden courtyards are home to a variety of speciality shops, fine jewellers and designer boutiques, whilst the High Street has a great choice of independent and recognised retailers. Continue to interchange and head home.