What’s on : Activities

Delightful Dorset Tour

Activities
Date
16 May 2016
Start time
8:00 AM
Venue
Speaker
N/A
Delightful Dorset Tour

Event Information

A 5 day tour from Mon 16 – Fri 20 May inclusive.  £393 p.p. couples, £60 single supplement

Dorset is a glorious combination of beautiful unspoiled rolling countryside containing within its hollows, settled picturesque villages of thatched cottages and small market towns; and a wonderfully varied coastline, part of which contains the same fossiliferous geological strata – the famous “Jurassic Coast” – that surfaces again on the Yorkshire coast. We shall aim to get a taste of these delights.

Prospective Itinerary outline

Monday 16 May

An 8.00 a.m. start (it’s a long way!) from Memorial Gardens, Leeman Road, York, where we board our comfortable coach southwards. After a comfort break en-route, we stop at the Cotswolds Wildlife Park which has a surprising range of creatures on view and where lunch may be purchased. Our next stop will be a break in peaceful Blandford Forum, often considered as one of the best examples in England of a Georgian town (thanks to being burnt down 4 times in the 17th & 18th centuries!), and where there are plenty of cafes. On then to our base at the Crown Hotel in Weymouth.

Tuesday 17 May

In the morning we explore the nearby Portland headland (of stone fame), unique Chesil Beach with its graded pebbles,  and visit Portland Castle (EH). From the top of Portland there are splendid views to the west of Chesil Beach, and to the east of the huge Portland harbour where the Olympic sailing events were held. There will be an included coffee stop on the top. Then on to Bennetts water gardens just outside Weymouth, where lunch can be bought and the gardens toured at leisure. We return to Weymouth around mid-afternoon for a short orientation tour of Weymouth by coach and then some free time to explore before dinner at our hotel.

Wednesday 18 May

This morning we turn inland to visit Sherborne Abbey with its fine fan vaulting, misericords, and tombs including those of two Saxon kings. We then move down to the Jurassic Coast to Charmouth Coastal Visitor Centre where a short AV presentation about the areas fossils will be shown.  Access to the beach will be dependent on tides.

After Charmouth we drive to spend the afternoon at Abbotsbury Tropical Gardens and Swannery with an included simple lunch en-route. The hatchery is expected to be very busy at the time of our visit.

Thursday 19 May

Heading east towards the Isle of Purbeck, we first visit Lulworth Cove before moving on to Corfe Castle (NT) and the popular seaside town of Swanage where there will be time to explore and buy lunch.

We return to Weymouth via the county town of Dorchester where there will be free time to visit some of the attractions there. These include the Dorset County Museum, Tutankhamun Exhibition, Terra Cotta Warriors Exhibition, Dinosaur Museum, Military Museum or Teddy Bear Museum.

Friday 20 May

We return home today via Slimbridge Wildlife Centre where large numbers of a variety of waterfowl are usually to be seen. The Centre was created by the naturalist Peter Scott as a haven for birdlife on the shores of the Severn estuary. A simple lunch will is included.

An information pack giving more details of visit sites will be given to those who book.

Our hotel in Weymouth will be the Crown Hotel (tel. (01305) 760800) on a DBB basis. It is a modest town centre refurbished Victorian hotel located near the busy harbour (no views alas), and handy as a base for exploring both Weymouth and the surrounding area. All rooms en-suite with tea/coffee facilities.

Tour costs include admissions, gratuities, meals and refreshments as stated, but do not include admission costs to National Trust or English Heritage sites, as so many people are already members. Remember to take with you any membership cards for NT, EH, and HHA.

N.B.  Hotel rooms have to be secured by 16 March latest, and requests for places after this date cannot be guaranteed, so early booking is recommended.

Alan Owen           Tour Organiser      Tel. 01904  791543 or email alowen2000@yahoo.co.uk

 

To download a copy of the prospectus and booking form as a Word document, click here:-Dorset Prospectus

To see the full terms and conditions click here.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

To Alan Owen,  YPS,  The Lodge, Museum Gardens, York YO1  7DR

Please reserve ………places for me on the YPS tour to Dorset, 16 – 20 May

Preferred accommodation –       Double             Twin                  Single        (pl. circle as appropriate)

Cheque enclosed (to YPS pl.)  for £……. ..(£50p.p.deposit;    or £393 p.p. couples, £453 singles for full payment)

Any outstanding balances (£343 / person for couples/sharing,  or £403 singles) are due by  16 March

Name(s)   ………………………………………………..                    Postcode  ………………………

Address    ………………………………………………..                   Tel.No.  ………………………….

………………………………………………..                 email  ……………………………

………………………………………………..

………………………            I / we are members of  NT   EH   HHA  (circle as appropriate)

Special dietary requirements    ……………………………………………………………………………..

Reservations will be acknowledged by email. Please enclose a SAE if a receipt is required by post