The Historic Houses & Heritage of North Yorkshire
Travelling by private executive coach from our designated pick-up points, we stay four nights on a half-board basis at the four-star Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa, on the outskirts of Garforth.

York Minster
What we will see
• Wentworth Woodhouse – guided tour
• York – guided walking tour
• York Minster
• Boat cruise on the River Ouse
• Harrogate – guided walking tour
• Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden
• Whitby
• North Yorkshire Moors steam train excursion
• Lincoln Cathedral
Itinerary
Day 1 We depart by private executive coach from our designated pick-up points. En route to our hotel we visit Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, one of the grandest stately homes in the country. During our guided tour we discover the formal staterooms including the Marble Salon, Whistlejacket and the Painted Drawing Room.
The tour encompasses the rise and fall of the house from its beginnings in the 1600s to its time as a family home and teacher training college, right through to the present day and the work of the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust. Time is then at leisure to explore the gardens, home to a wildflower meadow, ancient trees, shaded woodland copses and 18th century follies.
We continue to the Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa. Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, bar, indoor swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and a steam room. All rooms are en suite and feature television, telephone, complimentary WiFi and tea and coffee making facilities. A set three-course dinner without drinks is included in our hotel on the first night. A choice three-course dinner without drinks is included in our hotel on the remaining three nights of our tour.
Day 2 Our Blue Badge guide meets us at our hotel this morning and accompanies us throughout the day. Our guided walking tour of York takes in sights such as the City Walls and the Shambles, and includes a visit to the Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. We then spend some time at leisure in York, and on an individual basis you may choose to visit the National Railway Museum or visit York Castle Museum with its re-created Victorian street, Kirkgate. Later this afternoon we enjoy an included cruise on the River Ouse to see the city from a different perspective.
Day 3 A guided walking tour of Harrogate this morning takes in sights such as the Royal Hall and Montpellier Gardens. We continue with our Blue Badge guide to the National Trust’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, which has been attracting visitors since the 18th century. Together the Cistercian abbey, Georgian water garden, medieval deer park, Elizabethan hall and Victorian church offer an unparalleled opportunity to appreciate the range of England’s heritage at this World Heritage Site.
Day 4 Our Blue Badge guide accompanies us on a visit to Whitby, a resort dominated by the clifftop ruins of a beautiful 13th century abbey and with old cobbled streets, picturesque houses and a sandy beach.
This afternoon we enjoy an included one-way nostalgic steam train journey from Whitby to Pickering through the picturesque North Yorkshire Moors. Preserved in 1967, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway has gone from strength to strength and has featured on television and film, including the Harry Potter series.
Day 5 After checking out of our hotel and on our way home we visit Lincoln Cathedral. Taking carefully selected comfort stops en route, we return to our original pick-up points.
Cost
£819 plus £36 insurance (including Covid cover). Single room supplement £119.
To book
Contact organiser Ianthe Cox: email ianthecox72@gmail.com or telephone 01737 843105.