Chatsworth & The Gardens of the Peak District

Date: Sunday 5th - Wednesday 8th August, 2012

Cost: €665 per person sharing

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE IRISH GARDEN MAGAZINE

Itinerary:

Chatsworth is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family. The house architecture and collection have been evolving for five centuries. In 2012, you will see the newly restored south and west facades of the house with beautiful clean stonework and luminous gold detailing.

The house has over 30 rooms to explore, from the magnificent Painted Hall, to the family-used chapel, regal State Rooms, newly restored Sketch Galleries and beautiful Sculpture Gallery. Chatsworth also has one of Europe's most significant art collections.

The 105 acre garden has evolved over more than 450 years and continues to change today. There is plenty to discover at every turn; the famous waterworks include the 300 year old Cascade, the trough waterfall in the rockery and the enormous gravity-fed Emperor fountain. As well as the huge maze, the rockery and the rose, cottage and kitchen gardens, there are also over five miles of walks with rare trees, shrubs, streams and ponds to discover. This tour is based in the pretty town of Buxton in the wonderful countryside of Derbyshire featured in Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. The 2005 film version was filmed at Chatsworth, as was The Duchess. It is believed that Jane Austen based Pemberley on this stunning estate.

Sunday 5 August
Meet Frances MacDonald at Dublin Airport for your afternoon flight to Manchester. On arrival we are transported by private coach to Buxton where we are based at the historical 4**** Barcelo Palace Hotel. We dine there each evening as a group.

Monday 6 August
We depart after breakfast for a full day at Chatsworth, beginning on arrival with a private guided tour of this magnificent house described as 'the most beautiful in England'. Free time for lunch in one of the restaurants and then we explore part of the 105 acres before returning to the hotel.

Tuesday 7 August
A free morning to explore the historical spa town of Buxton with its Crescent, Opera House and Pavilion. Our garden today is Haddon Hall - a fortified medieval manor house dating from the 12th Century. It is the home of Lord and Lady Edward Manners, whose family have owned it since 1567. A romantic house in an exquisite setting with terraced gardens and herbaceous borders. We visit a small private garden on the way back to the hotel.

Wednesday 8 August
Check out of hotel after breakfast and take a scenic drive through the Peak National Park which lies at the southern end of the Pennines to Biddulph Grange – a unique and exotic garden, and one of the most innovative of the 19th century with Chinese, Egyptian and Italian styles all seamlessly linked together. Free time for lunch here before visiting Little Moreton Hall – one of England's most famous half timbered manors, complimented by a reconstructed period garden. We then transfer to the airport for our return flight arriving in Dublin at 21.10hrs.

GUIDES: Frances MacDonald, a qualified and experienced gardener and guide, escorts this tour; she will be available at all times to help and advise you.

HOTEL: We are based at the historical 4**** Barcelo Palace Hotel.

Further details from: Frances MacDonald (tours@thebaygarden.com)

Cost includes ...

• flights
• private coach transfers
  
• garden entrances
  
• guides
  
• dinner, bed & breakfast in hotel

COST: €665.00 per person sharing

Single Supplement: €75.00

Deposit: €250.00 – Cheque or bank draft payable to Bay Garden Tours.

All of our tours have a final booking date but as our numbers are limited, they tend to book out before those dates (particularly single rooms) so we would recommend early booking.

Itinerary subject to change