Great Houses and Gardens of Yorkshire & the Lake District
Saturday 11th – Saturday 18th September 2021 (7 nights)
This delightful, late season tour takes in some of the very finest country houses and gardens of Yorkshire and the Lake District. We’ll explore York, one of England’s greatest historic cities and travel through the spectacular landscapes of the Yorkshire Dalesand Lake District National Parks visiting iconic stately homes and hidden, private gardens.
- Private garden tours at Littlethorpe Manor and Levens Hall
- Private interior tours of Castle Howard and Newby Hall
- Walking tour of York and a visit to York Minster
- Exclusive visit to Gresgarth Hall
- Private Lake Cruise on Windermere
- Visit to Beatrix Potter’s home
- Stunning scenery of two National Parks
- The Dan Pearson garden at Lowther Castle
Our tour starts in the early afternoon at our base for the first four nights of the tour, the 5-star Grand Hotel, in the heart of the historic city of York. From here we’ll take a walking tour of York. We will explore medieval streets, the ‘Shambles’, city walls and visit the mighty York Minster. Join your Tour Director and fellow travellers for dinner in the hotel (included).
Sunday 12th September
We begin our day with a visit to Newby Hall, a delightful Queen Anne style house with award winning gardens and home to one of the world’s finest dollhouse collections. Here we’ll enjoy an exclusive pre-opening guided tour of the house before enjoying a traditional English Afternoon Tea for lunch in the private Orangery (included).
From here we take a drive through the Georgian spa town of Harrogate to the Royal Horticultural Society’s northern home, Harlow Carr where we enjoy an exploration of the gardens and the RHS shop offering an incredible selection of gardening books. On our return to York, the evening is at your leisure.
Monday 13th September
Today we enjoy a visit to one of Yorkshire’s finest private gardens, Littlethorpe Manor. The designer and head gardener will take us on a tour of the gardens. After, we enjoy morning coffee in the gardens (included).
We stop for a delicious pub lunch (included) before visiting a spectacular private garden in the afternoon. Your evening is at leisure in York.
Tuesday 14th September
Today we begin at one of the most recognised and loved of Britain’s stately homes, Castle Howard. It is home to the Howard family and was made famous by its central role in the filming of Brideshead Revisited. We’ll be treated to a private pre-opening tour of the house and morning coffee, followed by free time to explore the gardens and grounds, all 1,000 acres of them!
After lunch we’ll discover one of Yorkshire’s newest gardens, Scampston Walled Garden – a contemporary master-piece of the renowned Dutch designer, Piet Oudolf. We enjoy dinner (included) in the centre of York at one its best restaurants which specialises in local produce.
Wednesday 15th September
Checking out of our York hotel, we head west, travelling through the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with it’s ancient dry-stone walls, big skies and breathtaking scenery. We make a stop at Parcevall Hall, an historic hall (now a retreat) hidden in a dale, which reveals a delightful Arts & Crafts style garden and unique bedrock limestone rock garden.
We stop off for lunch (included) at the Craven Arms – a rather special Yorkshire Dales pub complete with medieval designed cruck barn. After lunch we travel onwards to the Lake District, one of the finest corners of England, full of superlatives – England’s largest National Park, largest lake and highest mountain, the most wonderful views and home to some of our most celebrated poets and authors.
Here we visit the Elizabethan Levens Hall with its unique and ancient collection of topiary figures under-planted with over 30,000 seasonal flowers. The gardens were laid out in the 1690’s and have changed little since. We will enjoy access to the Hall and a guided tour of the gardens with the head gardener before travelling onto our 4-star Lakeside Hotel on the shores of Lake Windermere for the final three nights of our tour. Dinner at the hotel (included).
Thursday 16th September
Today we visit the home of Chelsea Gold Medal winning garden designer Arabella Lennox-Boyd at Gresgarth Hall. These stunning gardens are a testament to a lifetime of passionate involvement in great gardens. We’ll enjoy a private visit to the gardens before heading to Holker Hall, the home of Lucy Cavendish. We have a tour of this magnificent Jacobean stately home which is set in exceptionally beautiful countryside with gardens that merge into parkland, framed by the Lakeland hills. We have a guided tour of the Hall and free time to explore the gardens. We return to the hotel for dinner (included).
Friday 17th September
This morning we depart the hotel by boat for our private lake cruise along Windermere. We disembark and make a visit to Holehird Garden – home of The Lakeland Horticultural Society. This extensive garden holds four National Collections – Astilbe, Daboecia, Meconopsis and Polystichum, as well as the Lakeland collection of hydrangeas. It will be wonderful to see at this time of year.
We make a stop for lunch (independent) and exploration in the quintessential Lake District town of Grasmere, formerly home to one of the England’s most celebrated poets, William Wordsworth. In the afternoon we visit Hill Top, the home of Beatrix Potter, author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her Tales of Peter Rabbit. The cottage feels as if Beatrix has just stepped out into the surrounding countryside that she loved so well. Final night dinner at the hotel (included).
Saturday 18th September
Our final day takes us back to York. En-route we stop at Lowther Castle, an intriguing contemporary garden designed by Dan Pearson, set within the dramatic ruins of the castle. Here we have time to explore the gardens and enjoy lunch (included) in the Sculpture Gallery. We return to York late-afternoon for independent onward travel. We can advise on departure planning.
Please read our Tour Joining and Departure Arrangements information sheet here or if you would like to download a printable version of this itinerary, please click here.
Our Hotels
Our hotels are 4-star 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 of the North Eastern Railway Company, one of the wealthiest businesses of the Edwardian era. Now reborn as a 5-star hotel and retaining its original splendour, The Grand, York features beautiful public spaces, spacious rooms, two restaurants and bars, and a delightful spa. The hotel sits within the city’s historic walls and ideally located to enjoy the many restaurants, shops and museums on its doorstep.
This luxurious 4-star hideaway is located in the heart of the English Lake District on the shores of Windermere. With restful bedrooms, delicious fine dining inspired by fresh local produce, beautiful gardens and indulgent spa, Lakeside is the perfect place to relax and soak up the atmosphere and views from its terraces and conservatory.
| Tour cost per person (sharing twin or double room) | Single Supplement (for single occupancy of a double room) |
| £3,400 (GBP) | £500 (GBP) |
PRICES INCLUDE: Accommodation at 4 and 5-star hotels with en-suite facilities based on twin/double room share; buffet breakfast daily; 4 lunches and 5 dinners; admissions to gardens; deluxe coach travel with professional driver; guided tours as described in an information pack provided at the start of the tour; services of your Sisley tour director throughout; all tour gratuities.
PRICES EXCLUDE: Airfares; passport and/or visa fees; beverages; laundry; telephone calls; lunches and dinners (except where included in the itinerary); souvenirs and items of a personal nature; transport to and from York at the start and finish of the tour.
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 conversation rates include fees and will generally differ from these rates.
We are delighted that you have decided to join us. It is straightforward to book places on our tours.
Firstly, please complete our booking form (link below). The booking form will ask you to indicate how you would like to book the tour from the following options:
- In $USD by check or credit card with our appointed travel agent in the USA, Worldwide Traveler
- In your local currency through your own travel agent. The booking form asks for their contact details so that we can contact them to progress your booking
- In £GBP by credit card via Paypal or by direct bank transfer directly with Sisley Garden Tours
Once we have received your booking form, we will confirm that places are available and ask you (or your preferred travel agent) for a 10% deposit to secure your booking. Tour balance payment is due 90 days prior to the tour.
BOOK NOWWe very much look forward to welcoming you, but please email tours@sisley.co.uk if you have any queries.
