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HF Holidays
Rover Tours
Dartmoor
and South Devon
2008 Dates:
May 3, May 17, June 21, Aug 30
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HF Rover Tours include
accommodation staying at the same hotel for seven nights. Groups
are
small - usually 12 - 15 participants. Breakfast and dinner plus
a picnic lunch are included each day. Transportation
is by minibus with an expert guide. |
Stay
for a week at Moorlands in England's South-West region of Dartmoor.
Based in this quiet country location, each day we travel by
private minibus to explore historic houses and sites as well as lovely
countryside in this
fascinating region. The
lush green of Devon contrasts with the wide open hills of
heather and moorlands as we wind our way along narrow country
lanes bordered by hedgerows filled with wildflowers. The
area has an endless variety of attractions - visit seafarers'
cities, castles and prehistoric stone circles. This is region
that inspired famous authors and from which came daring
adventurers.
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Itinerary:
Saturday: Arrive mid-afternoon in time for afternoon
tea at Moorlands. This hotel and its lovely location inspired
Agatha Christie to write her first novel.
Sunday: We spend our first day exploring the area of
Dartmoor around Moorlands. First is a visit to Widecombe-in-the-Moor,
world-famous thanks to Uncle Tom Cobley, his Grey Mare and the annual
Widecombe Fair. From here we go to Hound Tor, a granite outcrop
on the moor and on the side of the hill are the remains of a
deserted medieval village. After a picnic lunch at a quiet spot
on the East Dart River we visit Princetown which is presumed to
have been the site of Arthur Conan Doyle's tale The Hound of the
Baskervilles. Crossing the hard granite moor we see ancient
stone bridges, hidden settlements, and beautiful ancient oak
woodlands rich in wildlife, and we are sure to see some wild Dartmoor
ponies along the way.
Monday: Today we make our way along narrow moorland
roads pausing to take in some of the lovely Dartmoor villages
such as Chagford to see thatched cottages and interesting
churches. After lunch we visit the fascinating Finch Foundry, a
working forge powered by waterwheels.
Tuesday: We travel over high moorland, enjoying a
short walk at Dartmeet, and then reach the western edge of
Dartmoor to explore the market town of Tavistock. The
surrounding area is littered with archaeological remains from
the bronze and iron ages and it is believed a hamlet
existed on the site of this present town long before the town's
official history began in 961. Tavistock's most famous son was
Sir Francis Drake.
In the afternoon we visit Buckland Abbey. This was originally a small but influential
Cistercian monastery. The house, which incorporates the remains
of the 13th-century abbey church, has rich associations with Sir
Francis Drake and his sea-faring rival, Sir Richard Grenville,
and contains much interesting memorabilia from their time. There
are exhibitions on Buckland’s 700-year history as well as a
magnificent monastic barn, an unusual herb garden, delightful
estate walks and several craft workshops.
Wednesday: Free day.
Thursday: On our way across the moor we stop for a short
walk at Newbridge. We then head east to the River Exe and have
have lunch at Topsham where unusual 17th and 18th century Dutch
style merchants houses echo the town's sea-trading past. Our
main afternoon visit is to the maritime and cathedral city of
Exeter. Here we find narrow cobbled streets, the historic
quayside and St Peter's Cathedral. The Quay House which was
rebuilt in 1680 at the height of Exeter's wool industry, was
used to store cloth and other
goods before they were transported down the canal. Today
the history and development of Exeter's Quayside is brought to
life with lively displays, illustrations and artefacts. There is
an opportunity to see "Exeter - 2,000 years of
history," an exciting audio-visual presentation
highlighting Exeter's history from Roman times to the present
day.
Friday: We start with a
gentle stroll around the Blackdown Rings, an Iron Age hillfort.
We then move on to Torcross where
the sweeping sands
of Slapton stretch along the coast of Start Bay. There is time
to wander alongside the sea before we head to the delightful naval town of
Dartmouth. We enjoy a boat trip up the River Dart to the small
market town of Totnes with its Elizabethan atmosphere.
Saturday: Depart after breakfast.
Cost per person: (based on double occupancy) 674 UK
pounds
Single Supplement: 252 UK pounds
A few small single rooms are sometimes available with no
supplement.
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We stay for seven nights at
Moorlands. Set in 12 acres of grounds with sweeping views over the
rolling Devon countryside and towards the coast, this Country
House's setting inspired Agatha Christie to write her first
book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, while staying
here. Today, the atmosphere is very much like a house party - a far
cry from the anonymity of a conventional hotel. Public
Rooms include two lounges, bar, ballroom, games room,
laundry facilities, mini-shop, croquet, table tennis, putting
and pool table. All HF Hotels are non-smoking. |
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