TOP TEN CRUISES

MIDSOMER MURDERS & THE GORING GAP CRUISE

At the Goring Gap the mighty River Thames chiseled its way through the Chiltern Hills during the last Ice Age. All around are picturesque locations filmed as the county of Midsomer - quaint Dorchester and Alfred the Great’s Wallingford. We round off the day with a 90-minute cruise to the Goring Gap. Include morning coffee & biscuits and a main course lunch in Dorchester or include just the morning refreshments and leave folk to do their own thing for lunch in Wallingford.

We begin at 10.30am for morning coffee in Dorchester (8 miles SE of Oxford). This old coaching inn has starred four times as Midsomer Murders inns. This tiny village has a very big Abbey - founded by a Saxon bishop it’s one of the earliest Christian sites in England and has some fascinating features. We return to the 15th century coaching inn at midday for a main course lunch before continuing onto Wallingford, which serves as Midsomer’s Causton, for some free time before the cruise or drive direct to Wallingford if you opt for free time for lunch.

Board our private boat at Wallingford Bridge at 3.00pm for the six-mile swoop beneath the Chilterns to the Goring Gap. The magnificent scenery is also the setting for such classic books as Wind in the Willows, Watership Down and Three Men in a Boat. You’ll be heading home from Goring at 5.00pm.

Weekdays May, June & Sept

Adults & Seniors: £28

Add 1-course lunch for £8

Arts & Crafts man William Morris was born in the Lee Valley village of Walthamstow just above the City and just below Epping Forest. An award winning gallery dedicated to his life and work is now housed in his splendid Georgian Manor house home.

Arrive at 10.30am to buy morning refreshments. Our Blue Badge guide will give you a good insight into the man before we follow the trail through the beautiful rooms that illustrate his many talents and interests from wallpaper and furniture to book publishing and politicking. There’s enough detail to satisfy Morris enthusiasts and enough variety and exceptional items (the Utrecht Velvet used on the Titanic springs to mind) to appeal to the more casual visitor.

We head through a slip of Epping Forest, hearing about the long history of this ancient hunting ground, as we head to the genteel old market town of Epping for free time to buy lunch.

Then it is on to Broxbourne in the Lee Valley Park for the 90-minute cruise with a cream tea served on board a comfortably appointed broad beam boat where you are seated around tables. Snippets of commentary from the guide and time to relax and watch life roll by at 4 miles an hour makes for a perfect afternoon. You’ll be heading home from Broxbourne on the A10 ,close to Junction 25, M25 at 5.15pm.

Weds - Fri March to October

Adults & Seniors: £25

WILLIAM MORRIS, EPPING FOREST

& THE LEE VALLEY CREAM TEA CRUISE

DOWNTON ABBEY COUNTRY & THE PORT MEADOW CRUISE

We visit a farm where time stands still, enjoy a tour of Downton Abbey Country in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds (we don’t see Highclere Castle in Hampshire) and cruise through the serene and ancient landscapes into the heart of Oxford. Even people who’ve never heard of Mrs. Patmore or Mr. Carson will nevertheless be thoroughly charmed by the beautiful locations we visit.

The day begins at 10.30am at Cogges Manor Farm at Witney with time to buy refreshments before exploring and enjoying a short film showing how they turned Cogges into Yew Tree Farm for the filming. Next a tour of the beautiful Oxfordshire Cotswolds. You’ll see golden Shilton where the valet John Bates moved to when he left Downton Abbey and the mediaeval small market town of Bampton where they filmed the Downton Village scenes including the Cottage Hospital, Isobel Crawley’s House and Mrs Patmore’s troublesome cottage.

Have free time for lunch in Witney (market day Thursday) or add a 1-course group meal. On lazy summer cruises from Godstow to Folly Bridge Lewis Caroll created his Adventures in Wonderland. We sail these same shallow broad waters through the ancient Port Meadow and skim beneath the lowest bridge on the Thames. We arrive at Folly Bridge at 4.00pm – head straight home or buy tea and drinks at the pub by the bridge and make tracks at 4.45pm.

Tue to Fri April, May, June, Sept

Adults & Seniors: £31

Maximum 44 people

Add a one course carvery £10pp

We start with time to buy morning coffee in the Saxon town of Cricklade, see the most important mediaeval stained glass in the country and enjoy a two-course lunch in a handsome Cotswolds hotel. We spend the afternoon in the old inland port of Lechlade enjoying a little 30-minute meander in a replica of a traditional Edwardian launch to the very highest navigable point on the Thames. Meet the Blue Badge guide at 10.30am in Cricklade to buy morning refreshments just a few miles from where the river rises in the Cotswolds Hills. We head to the elegant Cotswolds market town of Fairford to see the remarkable fire and brimstone mediaeval stained glass windows and enjoy an optional 2-course lunch at the handsome old coaching inn on the market square or have free time for lunch in Lechlade. Lechlade-on-Thames was once one of England’s busiest inland ports with barges taking salt, wool and cheese to Oxford and London. We are going to take you (a dozen at a time) on an enjoyable 30 minute meander in a replica Edwardian launch from the Ha’Penny Bridge to the very highest point of navigation on the Thames.

After time to buy tea you’ll head home at 5.00pm.

Daily April - Sept (not Weds or Sun)

Adults & Seniors: £37

Or have free time in Lechlade to buy lunch.

The day without lunch is: £22.

Maximum 48 people

THE COTSWOLDS RIVER THAMES EXPLORER

We visit two of the most beautiful tidal rivers in East Anglia

starting with morning coffee and a Danish pastry overlooking the

River Orwell. We mix sightseeing from the coach with a visit to

the attractive heart of Ipswich and an afternoon tea cruise on the

peaceful River Deben. This day runs from 10.30am to 4.45pm.

This day includes:

• A top notch Blue Badge Guide throughout

• Morning coffee and a Danish pastry

• Free time at the Suffolk Food Hall

• Ipswich walking tour and free time

• 90 Minute Deben River cruise with Tea, Scone and Jam

Daily from May to October

Adults: & Seniors: £32

THE TALE OF TWO RIVERS

We begin where England began, at Kingston upon Thames and

include the option of a riverside pub lunch in handsome Thames

Ditton or free time for lunch in Windsor. In the afternoon we cruise

past the Queen’s backyard to the meadows at Runnymede.

This day runs 10.30am to 4.45pm or 5.45pm and includes:

• Top notch Blue Badge guide throughout

• Morning coffee and biscuits

• Optional 2 course lunch with coffee or free time in Windsor

• 90 minute cruise Windsor to Runnymede.

• Optional visit to see the Magna Carta anniversary sculpture

Available Mon, Thur & Fri - May to Sept

Adults & Seniors: £27

Add 2-course lunch & coffee £13

THIS COUNTRY CALLED ENGLAND

Visit the London Olympic rowing lake (on occasion when there’s

an event we visit the lovely village of Dorney instead) followed

by a walking tour of Eton or a coach tour of Thames villages in the

Queen’s neck of the woods with a stop at the Windsor Farm Shop.

Our afternoon cruise is two hours of beautiful Thames scenes from

Windsor to the homes of the rich and famous on the Maidenhead

Millionaires Row. This day runs 10.30am to 4.00pm and includes:

• A top notch Blue Badge guide throughout

• 90 minute Thames Cruise Windsor to Maidenhead

• Optional Eton Walking tour or Thames Villages Coach tour

• Free time for lunch at the Windsor and Eton Riverside

• One and ¾ hour river cruise

Available every day from April to September

Adults & Seniors: £32

THE ROYAL RIVER EXPLORER

This day starts at noon in elegant Marlow, with free time to buy

lunch and join the Blue Badge guide for a short but sweet town trail

before boarding the coach to explore the Cookham area.

We board our pleasure cruiser at 4.00pm to enjoy one of the most

beautiful stretches of the Upper Thames heading home at 6.30pm.

This day includes:

• Visit to Marlow with free time for lunch

• Coach tour of Thames villages including Cookham

• Two and a half hour pleasure cruise from Boulters Lock at

  Maidenhead to Higginson Park in Marlow

Available daily from April to September.

Available daily from April to September

Adults & Seniors: £25

BEECHWOOD BEAUTY

Come and meet our top notch Blue Badge guide for an 11am start

in Marlow to buy morning refreshments before enjoying a scenic

coach tour to lovely Henley, Queen of the Thames for a couple of

hours free time for lunch. At 4pm, we board our Edwardian boat

for a gorgeous late afternoon cruise back to Marlow, heading home

at 6.30pm. This trip is not suitable for the new very long coaches.

This day includes:

• Free time for morning refreshments in Marlow

• Free time for lunch in Henley

• Late afternoon river cruise from Henley to Marlow

Available daily from April to the end of September

Adults & Seniors: £25

CHILTERN CURIOS & THE ROYAL REGATTA CRUISE

To fully appreciate Oxford, one must explore on foot. This tour

allows you to do just that without having to walk too far as we take

in the narrow streets and ancient buildings with an expert Blue

Badge Guide. Includes morning coffee with the option to do your

own thing for lunch or add a fish & chip lunch for the whole group.

• Oxford walking tour with a top notch Blue Badge guide

• Visit an Oxford College

• Isis (Thames) River cruise to Iffley Lock

• Visit Romanesque Iffley Church to see the John Piper window

• Thur-Sun enjoy pub drinks at the remote pub on the tow path

• Day runs 10.30am to 5.00pm or Noon to 6.00pm

Available daily March to end October

Adults & Seniors: £26

Add fish & chips for £10

OXFORD, THE ISIS & IFFLEY

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