Floral Cheshire & Beyond

DAY 1

We arrive in Chester where our hotel is conveniently situated opposite the railway station. In the afternoon we can take a stroll to the ancient City Walls or Roman Gardens before our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

After breakfast we board our coach and travel to Arley Hall Gardens where we enjoy a guided tour within the eight acres of formal gardens. The gardens are regarded as one of the finest in Europe and have been created over the past 250 years, offering an interesting blend of long history, traditional design, and inspired modern ideas. Following our visit we enjoy free time for lunch in the nearby historic town of Knutsford, renowned for its array of restaurants, bars, and fine food purveyors. We return to Chester in the afternoon and enjoy a 30-minute cruise on the River Dee followed by free time at leisure in the city’s charming streets of black-and-white houses, its Roman museum, beautiful Cathedral, and the famous Rows.

DAY 3

Today our private coach takes us over the Welsh border to Llanfair, here we board our vintage carriages and enjoy a delightful 8-mile return steam train journey along the Banwy Valley passing through country halts and over bridges on the Welshpool & Llanfair Heritage Railway. We then continue by road to Llangollen with time to look around the beautiful riverside town and enjoy lunch at leisure. In the afternoon we visit the Erddig House & Gardens, an impressive National Trust property surrounded by a 13.5 acre walled garden. The garden is one of the most important surviving 18th century gardens in Britain and probably the biggest. During our visit we can also explore the hall’s servants’ quarters and gain a fascinating insight into the lives of the people who worked below stairs.

DAY 4

We transfer the short distance to The Wirral and our morning begins with a visit to Ness Botantic Gardens. We have an introductory talk on the history of 64 acres of spectacular gardens that offer lovely views over the Dee Estuary and have free time to explore the wonderful gardens bursting with life and vibrant colour. Following our visit, we continue to Port Sunlight, the village that William Hesketh Lever built for his Sunlight Soap Factory workers in 1888. Our guide explains the fascinating story of the village and we have free time to explore the many attractions including the Port Sunlight Museum and Lady Lever Art Gallery before our return to Chester by train.

DAY 5

We bid farewell to beautiful Cheshire as we make our way homeward.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner