Lastly, we visited Stratford-upon-Avon and Wales on our Collette British Landscapes Tour. Two other posts, London and York, United Kingdom Summer Tour and Edinburgh, United Kingdom Summer Tour describe earlier parts of the tour.
While on the way to Wales, we rode by coach along the northeastern border of England through the beautiful Lakes District.
The Lakes District
The Lakes District is a very mountainous region that is very popular with hikers and campers. It was so nice to travel through that lovely part of England. It was very overcast as you can see in the photo below. The purple flower is heather and it was abundant in Scotland and northern England.
While in the Lakes District, we stopped for lunch at Grasmere. It is a village where the poet, Wordsworth, lived. He called it, “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.” Grasmere is also known for its gingerbread, which is made using a hundred and fifty year-old recipe that is kept in a bank vault. It was quite different, but delicious.
Wales
Wales is a mountainous country in Great Britain with probably the most beautiful countryside of our trip. It has a distinctive Welsh language and a strong Celtic culture.
Ruthin Castle
We had one night in Wales at Ruthin Castle , a medieval fortress that was built in the thirteenth century. If those walls could talk! We have visited many ancient castles, but this was our first opportunity to sleep in one. Ruthin Castle is reputed to be haunted by the Grey Lady, who presumably murdered her husband’s lover with an axe and consequently, was sentenced to death. Ghost or not, it was an amazing castle.
Our room in the castle had modern conveniences and a great view. The bathroom was totally modern. We had a mysterious incident with a luggage lock that freaked me out just a bit, but we slept like babies.
The grounds at Ruthin were beautiful and there were multiple peacocks roaming around.
Dinner was in the castle with the entire group. Afterwards, a charming Welsh lady told us stories about the castle and the area. She sang to the men in our group in Gaelic, hugging each one. It was amusing to watch their reactions. The next morning we headed to Stratford-upon-Avon.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford was the home of William Shakespeare, considered the greatest writer of the English language. He is also the best-selling fiction author of all time. Consequently, Stratford plays homage to him in many ways. There is a large Shakespearean theatre, a monument, his birthplace, and his daughter’s home. Lastly, he is buried there at Trinity Church.
We had two nights in Stratford at the Doubletree. It was just a short walk from the City Centre. The tour devoted one day to sightseeing in Stratford. We toured Shakespeare’s birthplace in the morning and took a cruise on the Avon in the afternoon.
Writers from all over the world have etched their names in a window in the birthplace home because it has been a pilgrimage for many.
Our cruise on the Avon was so relaxing. As an added bonus, we went through a lock. This was a first for us. It was manually operated.
The next morning, we headed to Stonehenge.
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is considered the world’s most famous prehistoric monument because parts of it are estimated to have been built approximately 5,000 years ago. The stone circle is thought to have been erected in about 2500 BC. Some think it was built to study the movements of the sun and moon. Others think it was a place of healing.
The Cotswolds
After Stonehenge, we drove to the Cotswolds. The government has designed the Cotswolds an Area of Outstanding Beauty because of its honey-colored towns built on rolling hills.
Lunch was in Burton-on-Water in Gloucestershire. I had Welsh Rarebit and it was quite good. We both had hot tea as we loved to do on the tour. While lunch was delicious, it did not leave much time for exploring.
Back to Stratford-on-Avon
We returned to the Doubletree in Stratford for the last night of the tour. There was a farewell dinner at Hall’s Croft, the home of Shakespeare’s daughter and her physician husband. The house dates back to the early 1600s and consequently, has extensive artifacts from the time.
While dining, two Shakespearean actors performed scenes from several plays. It was so wonderful!
The next morning, most of our group rode in the coach for the two-hour drive to the airport. Lastly, we said goodbye to our new friends and our fabulous Collette guide, April, and our excellent driver, Skippy. We highly recommend Collette Tours!
