Grand Houses and Gardens of Yorkshire & the Lake District
Sunday 6th – Monday 14th July 2025 (8 nights)
This tour is now fully booked. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please click here.
This delightful, high season tour features the finest country houses and gardens of Yorkshire and the Lake District. We explore York, one of England’s greatest historic cities and travel through the spectacular landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Lake District National Parks visiting iconic stately homes and hidden, private gardens.
- Private garden tours at Castle Howard, Littlethorpe Manor and Levens Hall.
- Private house tour at Newby Hall.
- Walking tour of York, medieval capital of the North and a visit to the mighty York Minster.
- RHS Gardens at Harlow Carr.
- Exclusive visit to multi-award-winning, landscape designer, Arabella Lennox-Boyd’s own garden.
- Private Lake Cruise on Windermere.
- Visit to Beatrix Potter’s home.
- Stunning scenery of three National Parks – the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and the Lake District National Parks.
- The Dan Pearson garden at Lowther Castle.
Photo credits:©Littlethorpe Manor; ©Lowther Castle; Harlow Carr ©RHS; Windermere ©VisitBritain; ©Castle Howard; York ©VisitYork; all other images ©Sisley Garden Tours.
Our tour starts in the early afternoon at the 5-star Grand Hotel in the heart of historic York. You can have lunch independently before meeting the group.
We depart by coach to visit the Royal Horticultural Society’s northern home, Harlow Carr. There is time to explore these fabulous and extensive gardens and the excellent shop. Dinner is in the hotel (included).
Monday 7th July
We begin our day with an exclusive ‘closed day’ visit to Newby Hall, a delightful Queen Anne-style house with award-winning gardens. We have a private guided tour of the house with its stunning ‘Adam’ interiors before enjoying a traditional English Afternoon Tea (included).
In the afternoon, we tour the gardens with the head gardener and enjoy a floral demonstration. We return to York where your evening is at leisure (dinner independent).
Tuesday 8th July
Today we begin at one of the most recognised and loved of Britain’s stately homes, Castle Howard – made famous by its central role in the filming of Brideshead Revisited and more recently, Bridgerton. We enjoy a tour of the gardens followed by time to explore the house and have lunch (independent).
We continue on to the pretty market town of Helmsley for some free time before visiting a stunning private garden that was designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. This masterpiece incorporates a vast, productive walled garden, stepped parterres and a deep gorge woodland garden.
We enjoy dinner in a local country pub (included).
Wednesday 9th July
This morning we take a walking tour of the delightful city of York. We will explore medieval streets such as the ‘Shambles’, see the city walls and make a visit to the mighty, medieval York Minster. We have lunch in the 14th century Bedern Hall (included).
Your afternoon and evening will then be at leisure to further explore York and its excellent museums and shops. Dinner independent.
Thursday 10th July
After checking out of our hotel, we visit one of Yorkshire’s finest private gardens, Littlethorpe Manor. The head gardener will take us on a tour of the garden, which recently enjoyed a major extension and now features an apothecaries garden.
We then travel west through the scenic Yorkshire Dales National Park making a stop at the charming village of Grassington for lunch (independent). For fans of the famous vet, James Herriot, you will recognise the village as the filming location of the recent television series.
In the afternoon, we travel onwards to the Lake District – England’s largest National Park. We check in to the 4-star Low Wood Resort and Spa overlooking Lake Windermere, near Ambleside. Dinner at the hotel (included).
Friday 11th July
We begin the day with a visit to the inspiring private garden of Chelsea gold-medal winning garden designer, Lady Arabella Lennox-Boyd at Gresgarth Hall.
Next is the Elizabethan Levens Hall with its unique and ancient collection of topiary figures. The gardens were laid out in the 1690s and have changed little since. There is time for lunch (independent) and to visit the hall, before taking a tour of the gardens with the head gardener.
We have dinner in a local pub (included).
Saturday 12th July
Today, we explore the impressive Holker Hall and the south Lakeland Peninsulas. We take a tour of the garden and have time to see the magnificent Jacobean stately home before enjoying a private lunch (included).
In the afternoon, we visit Hill Top, the cottage home of Beatrix Potter; author, illustrator, scientist and conservationist, best known for her Tales of Peter Rabbit.
Your evening is at leisure (dinner independent).
Sunday 13th July
This morning we take a scenic drive through the northern Lakes to visit Lowther Castle. We have a tour of this intriguing contemporary garden, designed by Dan Pearson and set within the dramatic ruins of the castle.
We continue onto Hutton-in-the-Forest, a historic house with magnificent gardens which were laid out in the 17th century. We have lunch (included) and time to explore.
We return to the hotel for our final night dinner together (included).
Monday 14th July
This morning, after check out, we take a private lake cruise from our hotel’s jetty to Bowness-on-Windermere. From here we visit a fabulous private garden designed in the Arts & Craft era where we tour the garden with the owner and have lunch (included).
We then return to York, making a stop en-route at Oxenholme Lake District train station, arriving in York in the late-afternoon for independent onward travel.
NOTE: Some garden visits await final confirmation at the time of publication. Our tour starts and ends in the city of York. We can assist with travel planning. This tour can be combined with our Discovering England’s Iconic Summer Gardens tour.
Please read our Tour Joining and Departure Arrangements information sheet here. To download a printable version of this itinerary, please click here.
Our hotels are 4 and 5-star and are selected for their high standards of comfort and service. All rooms are ensuite and offer free wifi access.
The Grand was once the HQ for the North Eastern Railway Company, one of the wealthiest businesses of the Edwardian era. Now reborn as a luxury 5-star hotel, but retaining its original splendour, The Grand, features beautiful public spaces, spacious rooms, two restaurants, bars and indoor swimming pool and a delightful spa.
This luxury Lake District spa hotel is nestled on the Windermere shoreline, in the heart of the Lake District National Park. We stay in the exclusive Winander Suite of rooms with pale-grey woods, stylish copper lighting and huge windows. The comfortable lounges and roof terrace have views over the Langdale Pike hills and Windermere. The hotel features an extensive spa with indoor and outdoor pools.
| Tour cost per person (sharing twin or double room) | Single supplement (for single occupancy of a double room) |
| £5,550 (GBP) | £850 (GBP) |
PRICES INCLUDE:
- 8 nights’ accommodation at 4 and 5-star hotels with en-suite facilities.
- Breakfast daily, 5 lunches and 5 dinners.
- Assistance with luggage at the hotels.
- All garden visits including tours with garden owners and head gardeners.
- Deluxe coach travel with professional driver.
- An information pack with detailed booklet about the gardens we will be visiting.
- Services of your Sisley tour director throughout.
- All tour gratuities (driver, tour director and hotels).
PRICES EXCLUDE:
- Airfares.
- Passport and/or visa fees if applicable.
- Meals not included in the tour, drinks, laundry, and telephone calls.
TOUR PAYMENT: A 10% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your place(s) on the tour. Your balance payment is due 120 days prior to the tour departure.
EXCHANGE RATE INFORMATION: You can get an idea of the cost of the tour in your local currency by using a currency converter. Conversion rates are based on institutional or inter-bank daily rates. Retail conversion rates include fees and will generally differ from these rates.
To book your place(s) please complete our online booking form at www.sisley.co.uk/booking-form/ or click the BOOK NOW button below. As soon as we receive your booking form, we will confirm availability on the tour of your choice and arrange collection of your deposit which secures your booking.
BOOK NOWHOW TO PAY
There are three ways to pay for your tour and you will be asked on the booking form which you prefer:
With our travel partner in North America: You can book your tour in USD$ or CAD$ by credit card or check with our partners at DHTour – a London and UK specialist travel agent who can assist with all aspects of your trip. Find out more about DHTour here.
With Sisley Garden Tours: All clients are welcome to book a tour directly with us. We can accept payment in GBP£ by bank transfer or by credit/debit card.
With your own travel agent: We are happy to work with your preferred travel agent. Just provide us with their contact details on the booking form and we will take care of the rest.
TRAVEL INSURANCE AND BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS
It is mandatory for all overseas visitors to the UK to have travel insurance before joining our tours. Full details of our booking terms & conditions can be found at www.sisley.co.uk/terms-and-conditions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section on our website for further information www.sisley.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/
We very much look forward to welcoming you, but please email tours@sisley.co.uk if you have any queries.
