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Our tour takes us to the eastern counties of England - to the university town of Cambridge and on to the old world villages, timber-framed houses and 'chocolate box' cottages of Suffolk.
Our route takes us through the lovely countryside of northern Essex to the elegant centre of learning at Cambridge. It is renowned for the beauty of its colleges, which for over seven centuries have had wealth and skill lavished on them, a succession of distinguished architects contributing to one of the finest collections of buildings in Europe. After a short orientation driving tour of the city, we'll set off on foot to wander through the hushed courtyards of some of Cambridge's most picturesque Colleges, watch the punting on the River Cam and stroll through the narrow thoroughfares and bustling streets to the Marketplace.
We'll pay a visit to one of the most stunning buildings in Cambridge: King's College Chapel. It was the grand project of pious King Henry VI in 1441. An architectural masterpiece inside and out, the most splendid feature is possibly the fan vaulting of the ceiling which has been called "the noblest stone ceiling in existence". The famous King's College Chapel Choir is the official sound of Christmas in many homes around the world, with their Festival of Carols broadcast live on Christmas Eve.
Another must see is Trinity College, founded by King Henry VII in 1546. Prince Charles, Lord Byron, Francis Bacon, Rutherford and Alfred Lord Tennyson were students here. (Lord Byron kept a bear in his rooms at Trinity and he led it around the college on a chain). Trinity boasts some 31 Nobel Prize winners.
Sir Isaac Newton laid the cornerstone of modern physics with his Theory of Gravitation - see the tree from which an apple fell, to give the slumbering scientist a knock on his noggin! You'll find out why St John's College doesn't have a clock tower, and learn about the final resting place of Oliver Cromwell's head!
Suffolk is a county of pastoral views and picturesque villages with thatched, colour washed, timber-framed cottages. We'll leave Cambridge and take the country lanes, winding our way across this landscape to the village of Clare. It has many historical gems including a 13th century Priory, the ruins of a Castle dating back to William the Conqueror and antique shops and art galleries to visit.
The countryside is dotted with ancient villages, never more than a few miles apart, but they hide in the hollows, and from a distance you may not see more than a church tower, just like our next stop at the village of Cavendish. The traditional colour for house walls in Suffolk is pink and nowadays it is at least as common as ever it was in history. (There are some beautiful pink-washed thatched cottages nestled next to Cavendish church). You half expect to see Miss Marple strolling across the village green.
Long Melford is in the heart of the valley of the Stour River. The scenery is something special, and two hundred years ago John Constable thought so too, using scenes from the river in many of his famous paintings. The most impressive single thoroughfare in Suffolk – Long Melford has a long and wide, tree-lined High Street with charming historic houses. Apart from its splendid architecture, Long Melford is well known for its art galleries and antique shops.
Our next stop is Lavenham - probably the most beautiful village in Suffolk with its timber and plaster buildings, many of which have been preserved since the Middle Ages. Wealth from the medieval woollen cloth-making industry built the splendid houses and more than 200 of them are listed as being of architectural and historical importance. Lavenham is the perfect place for you to browse the shops or sample a traditional English Cream Tea.
Our return journey to London takes us through Sudbury, the town where the artist Thomas Gainsborough was born. You may wish to visit the museum and art gallery at the birthplace of Gainsborough or the working silk mill just outside of the town.
This tour could be changed to include a visit to Duxford Air Museum instead of touring the Suffolk countryside. During the Second World War Duxford was one of the most important air bases in Britain, and planes flying from here played a major role in the Battle of Britain. Today Duxford houses the largest collection of historic aircraft in Europe, ranging from WWI vintage biplanes to Spitfires, Concorde and Gulf War jets. Duxford also has one of the finest collections of tanks, military vehicles and naval exhibits in the country and the American Air Museum, which has the largest collection of US aircraft outside America.
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