Itinerary

Day 1

London, England
London is the capital city of Britain and the start of your adventure! A population of 7.5 million people makes London one of the largest and most multicultural cities in Europe, guaranteeing something for everyone. Iconic landmarks, your thing, how about the likes of the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace? Combine this with the varied and incredible night life; consisting of clubs, bars and theatres makes London a truly must see city (of course not forgetting the un-missable Double Decker buses and red phone boxes a plenty)! We recommended spending at least a couple of days here before or after your Bus Trail adventure.

Day 2

Newquay, England
Newquay has progressed from the small rural fishing community it once was in the 14th-century to the now surfing capital of Britain (no, really you can surf in Britain and this has become the number one location for it)! As well as surfing this has become one of Britain's top party towns with numerous bars and clubs making for an unbeatable night life. Every summer a mass migration occurs in the UK of students heading towards this small Cornish town resulting in an amazing night life. For those not wanting to surf/body board the beaches here are spectacular. Huge towering cliffs give way to endless sandy beaches including Fistral and Watergate Bay, great for walking or just absorbing the atmosphere!

Day 3

Bath, England
The name of this World Heritage City is taken from the Roman baths within it. This globally renowned complex of temples and baths was created by the Romans in AD44; however these weren't the original residents with King Bladud founding the town over 2800 years ago (around the time the pyramids were being built)! The original baths combined with the abbey- founded by the Anglo Saxons in 944-results in a town with unrivalled and stunning historical architecture. A visit is not complete without seeing the original baths which are heated by the only natural hot springs in Britain supposedly possessing mystical healing properties. We recommended the free walking tours offered by The Mayor's Corps which are run twice daily by voluntary, experienced tour guides.

Day 4

Cardiff (Caerdydd), Wales
After suffering from the collapse of the coal industry Cardiff the capital of Wales has reinvented itself as a fashionable, sports mad city with a great night life and history to boot. The castle is an impressive site and dominates the centre of the city. The docks, once at the centre of the coal industry, now offer night goers a unique waterside location to take in the awesome city and a chance to experience the local (questionably drunk) singers!

Day 5

Manchester, England
Fun, fast, exciting and very cool! Manchester is surely one of the best cities in the UK. Previously renowned for being the first industrial city in the world, the present city differs vastly from its past heritage. Today Manchester has embraced technology, style and fashion bringing it slap back up to the 21st Century. The night life here has given the city an almost legendary reputation across the UK earning it the coined term “Mad-chester”! If the night life is not your thing the museums depicting the exciting but often difficult life during the industrial revolution are unrivalled anywhere else in the world. The art galleries also house some stunning works by both British and international artists, in some equally spectacular buildings. The trams are a must use transport accessory for anyone visiting this truly incredible city and of course for all sports mad enthusiasts the city plays host to a little known football team; Manchester United!

Day 6

Edinburgh, Scotland (2nights)
Edinburgh, Scotland's capital is one of the greatest capitals in the world! Despite its small size (making it ideal for walking around) it contains everything that any of its larger metropolis rivals have and often more! Edinburgh's aptly named castle, ‘Edinburgh Castle' dominates the city, towering above it where it is perched on an outcrop of rock which is actually a volcanic crag (panic not the volcano is definitely extinct!) The old town of Edinburgh consists of small winding cobbled streets; the inspiration of many a horror and ghost story, with many of the shops and buildings dating back to the 15th Century! In the past many of the poor lived beneath the city in small underground towns; these can still be visited on night time tours for those brave enough (be warned though these are supposedly the most haunted places in the UK)!

Day 7

Inverness, Scotland
Known as the gateway to the Scottish Highlands, this city-which is now classed as the fastest growing city in Europe-makes for a great stop over after searching for the famed Loch Ness monster! No doubt if you weren't able to spot “Nessie” (as he's known locally), you'll be able to find a local who has, or at least will known a friend of a friend who has (its up to you if you believe them)! Come sundown we strongly recommend taking a stroll to the castle; this relatively ‘recent' addition to the city was constructed in 1847 (recent for most castles!) after the previous one was blown up in a conflict and is truly at its best as the sun is setting. During the day the stopover would not be complete without a visit to the islands on the River of Ness; these are located just a mile out of town and demonstrates how beautiful Scotland is.

Day 8

Glenn Coe
Welcome to the wilds of Scotland. This untamed wilderness consisting of waterfalls, rivers and mountain ranges results in arguably Scotland's finest Glen! We will drive through the vast and impressive valley and hopefully get to stay on a genuine working farm, allowing us to soak up the true Scottish Highlands with a barbeque and a few drinks. The area is famous for a brutal attack, known as the Glen Coe Massacre, which took place back in 1692 where one clan (the Campbells) murdered 38 of the Macdonald clan. To this day there is still a monument in the village of Glen Coe commemorating those that died and where the Macdonald's still gather annually to pay their respects. The days of brutality between clans have thankfully passed; however you are sure to hear plenty more of these stories when visiting the real, beautiful and rugged Scotland!

Day 9

Newcastle, England
10 years ago this city would never have been on any traveller's itinerary; an abandoned wasteland consisting of derelict buildings which clung to the coal and steel which had previously dominated the local area. Wow how things have changed, Newcastle is now a majorly vibrant party city specialising in big nights out!! One of the best parts of this city is actually its occupants, the people, or ‘Geordies' as they are know, are amazingly passionate, proud people who certainly know how to party! Newcastle is built around the River Tyne which has a total of seven striking bridges crossing it within the city. An evening stroll or possibly stagger along the boardwalk of the river really shows Newcastle at its best, it is just questionable if you will remember it in the morning! For those less enamoured by the bars and clubs Newcastle has some stunning examples of commercial architecture dating back from the steel and coal heydays, the fortunes of which built the city. Art galleries and museums are also all in plentiful demand making for a great city for everyone!

Day 10

Nottingham, England
Nottingham is situated in the heart of the Midlands. The county is famed for an outlaw from medieval times, the infamous Robin Hood. Robin Hood-now the foundation for many films and books-was in fact a ruthless character in his time however has now become a much loved and quintessentially English folklore hero! However Nottingham has much more to offer than just a medieval criminal; this historical city is brimming with culture both present day and ancient. The “Trip to Jerusalem” pub claims to be the oldest in Britain and certainly one of the most novel with the entire building being carved out of the rock making for an interesting and novel evening venue!

Day 11

York, England
This walled city is home to the largest cathedral in the country, a stunning medieval masterpiece whose gothic architecture dominates and towers over the city! The city walls contain what many visitors to England consider the perfect Olde English town with medieval shops, houses and small narrow streets. The York Dungeons provide an alternative and very visual approach to history in all its gory and grim detail, so maybe not for the faint hearted! The Jorvik Centre also offers a novel approach to history giving you not just a visual display but smells and sounds too; this is all viewed from a time car which will take you back to the Viking era of York's past! After all this history it's certainly time for a drink and York is famous here for having a pub for everyday of the year, yup that's 365 pubs in one city!! With all that choice you are sure to find one which suits you; from live music venues to major clubs and for the quieter folk there are plenty of traditional English pubs.

Day 12

Stratford upon Avon, England
Stratford Upon Avon is infamous for a certain playwright resident, non other than dear William Shakespeare. His house or even houses are still the main attraction in this otherwise small quaint, archetypal English town and well worth a visit. The thatched and timber framed houses in this town really are stunning however Stratford Upon Avon has much more to offer the visitor including boating on the river Avon (hence the name) along with numerous olde world traditional English shops and pubs. For the more cultured amongst us regular performances of Shakespeare's plays take place all over the town with many offering limited tickets for performances on the day often with discounts for younger people and students!

Day 13

Cambridge, England
Cambridge's town and history is inextricably linked with the university and its students which reside there. The university was founded in the 1200's by a group of students who were fed up of the town's folk of Oxford (Cambridge's rival university town). This architecturally stunning town with its thirty two colleges is comprised of small medieval back streets and is dominated by the river Cam which runs directly through its centre. The river plays host to punting, an ancient tradition of both here and Oxford. Punting involves a flat bottomed boat (punt) which is propelled by a person (punter) with a long pole! Chauffer tours of the colleges can be taken on these punts which include a full history of the colleges or for the braver a self-hire option is available! The number of students in this town guarantees a great atmosphere in the evening culminating in a fitting last night before returning to London.

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Several activities

Extras -

Our tours for 2007 run on the following dates:

-June 5th to June 18th
-June 26th to July 9th
-July 17th to July 30th
-August 7th to August 20th
-August 28th to September 10th
-September 18th to October 1st