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DAY
1 DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight
to Glasgow.
DAY
2 ARRIVE GLASGOW - EDINBURGH (2 NIGHTS)
You will be met at the airport by your Casterbridge tour manager/guide
board your own private coach and be transferred to your hotel
in Edinburgh. Upon arrival you will take a Walking Tour
that will start at Holyrood Palace and continue along
the Royal Mile to St. Giles Cathedral and
Edinburgh Castle. The "Royal Mile" runs from the castle
to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and is lined with buildings
such as the cathedral, where John Knox preached, with its
distinctive crown spire, Parliament Hall with a superb hammerbeam
roof and stained glass windows, and the Museum of Childhood.
DAY
3 DAY TRIP TO THE TROSSACH
Today we travel from Edinburgh through Stirling,
where Mary was crowned Queen of Scots, to the Trossachs where
we will view some spectacular Scottish Glen and Loch scenery.
The energetic who climb Ben A'n will be rewarded with a dramatic
and outstanding view of Lochs Achray and Katrine, a panorama
that was the setting for Sir Walter Scott's "The Lady of the
Lake". Upon returning to Edinburgh the guide can suggest various
options for the evening.
· Your First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4 EDINBURGH - HADRIAN'S WALL - DURHAM
-
MIDDLESBROUGH (1 NIGHT)
Leaving Edinburgh this morning we travel through
the wild moorland of County Durham to visit the remains of
the 4 centuries old Hadrian's Wall, a fortified wall
built by the Romans across the north of England to mark the
boundary of their ancient empire. Our day continues in historic
Durham, a medieval treasure and one of the loveliest cities
in England. The proximity of the castle, cathedral and university
surrounded by a loop of the River Wear, makes Durham a fascinating
place to visit. We will visit Durham Cathedral, completed
in 1133. The cathedral is one of Britain's most architecturally
innovative buildings, as it is the first English building
with ribbed vault construction, and the first stone-roofed
cathedral in Europe. Later we continue on to Middlesbrough
and arrive at your hotel in time to explore the town, and
its excellent shopping facilities, and to relax before dinner.
Presentation "Welcome to Middlesbrough" and an introduction
to the "John Wesley Trail", an insight into the places to
be visited and John Wesley's own reaction to them, and the
people he met.
DAY
5 YARM - GUISBOROUGH - WHITBY - PICKERING
- THIRSK -
YORK (3
NIGHTS)
Leaving the hotel we travel toYarm. Here is the
oldest octagonal Methodist Chapel in the world, referred
to by Mr. Wesley himself as "By far the most elegant in England".
In the High Street is a house where John Wesley stayed. Later
as we leave Yarm we continue to follow in the footsteps of
John Wesley with a stop in Guisborough. Here he preached on
four occasions, making reference to the receptions he received
in his diary and see the market place where "the people roared
like the waves of the sea". We will also visit the ruined
Priory or just enjoy this picturesque market town.
Continuing to Whitby not on "miserable roads" as John Wesley
had to, but in comfort across the moor and beside the seashore
to reach the ancient port of Whitby where we explore the fascinating
streets, visit the famous Abbey and church on the cliff
top, see the place where Wesley preached or visit the museums
with relics of the 18th century. Leaving Whitby we travel
inland to Pickering, here the steam trains leave for Grosmont
traveling through villages connected with the Lantern Saints,
early followers of John Wesley. We visit the old Church
with its famous 15 century wall paintings and journey on through
Middleton passing the church which boast a pulpit with a sounding
board from which John Wesley preached. Our drive takes us
through some of the most beautiful scenery in England to Hemlsley
and Thirsk, where Methodism was introduced by John Wesley
personally. Thirsk is now the heart of "Herriot Country".
Upon arrival the medieval Christian City of York, we begin
to explore its ancient walls, vast cathedral and crooked lanes.
DAY
6 YORK
In the morning we will take a guided Walking
Tour of medieval York along the 13th century city walls
to Stonegate and the Shambles. We will see many historic
buildings including St. William's College and the Guildhall
before arriving at the Castle Museum. With its splendid
presentation of period rooms and the excellent reconstruction
of Victorian cobbled streets and shops, this is one of the
world's most famous folk museums. Our day will end with a
tour York Minster, which traces its origins from the
early 7th century, and features stunning stained glass from
the Middle Ages. Those who choose can ascend the Central
Tower, for panoramic views of York
· Your Second Concert Performance will be today
DAY
7 DAY TRIP TO HAWORTH AND HALIFAX
We will drive to Haworth, the home of the Bronte sisters.
We will visit the lonely parsonage where Emily and Charlotte
lived (now preserved as the Bronte Parsonage Museum) and St.
Michael's Church where they are buried. We will walk on
the Yorkshire Moors in the midst of "Wuthering Heights" country
before continuing to Halifax and its Piece Hall, scene of
the 19th century services of over 29,000 chapel goers. The
roots of early Methodism are firmly planted in Pennine in
the surrounding districts: Heptonstall with the world's oldest
octagonal chapel still in use today, the Red House at Gomersal,
central Halifax and Birstall, birthplace of John Nelson, the
pioneer of Methodism in Yorkshire were all visited by Wesley.
DAY
8 YORK - EPWORTH - SCROOBY - GAINSBOROUGH
-
LINCOLN (2 NIGHTS)
En route to the city of Lincoln, we visit two of the most
important sites of Methodist heritage: at Epworth, John
Wesley's Birthplace, the Old Rectory and the parish
and memorial churches. Also, Tudor Gainsborough Old Hall and
Separatist Church linked by the Old Pilgrims Way to Scrooby,
birthplace of William Brewster.
DAY
9 DAY TRIP TO BOSTON (THE PILGRIM
FATHERS)
Today we visit Boston where the Pilgrim Fathers were jailed
after their first attempt to escape to Holland in 1607. We
will also visit Tattershall Castle, an important rallying
point for the second wave of Pilgrims. We return to Lincoln
to see the Cathedral with its stained glass window
commemorating Captain John Smyth, founder of the Colony of
Virginia.
DAY
10 LINCOLN - COVENTRY - WARWICK CASTLE -
STRATFORD- UPON-AVON
(1 NIGHT)
In the rebuilt heart of Coventry we visit the ruins
of the old cathedral and the new modern cathedral build
adjacent to the old. The old cathedral serves as a reminder
of the destruction of war . The new is an exciting example
of modern architecture that illustrates the indomitable spirit
of the people of Britain. Then we travel to Warwick Castle,
the finest medieval fortress in England. Collections of paintings,
furniture, arms and armor are housed in the State Rooms,
Great Hall and Armory. We will continue on to Stratford
upon-Avon, a city forever associated with the playwright William
Shakespeare This morning we visit the modern Shakespeare
Centre which was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of the Bard's birth. Our next stop will be Shakespeare's
Birthplace and to Holy Trinity Church, the parish
church where Shakespeare is buried all located in an attractive
setting near the River.
DAY
11 STRATFORD - OXFORD - LONDON (3 NIGHTS)
We journey to London via Oxford, England's oldest
University City, which is associated with many notable literary
alumni including such diverse characters as Geoffrey Chaucer,
Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis and Evelyn Waugh and
where Wesley studied himself. We will take a Walking Tour
to view many of the colleges that make up Oxford, as well
as the Sheldonian Theater and the Bodleian
Library. We will visit Christ Church College, Oxford's
biggest and grandest Renaissance College, which was founded
in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey. The college's Christ Church Cathedral
is the smallest in England. Later we travel to London for
the night. After dinner, your guide will take you on a leisurely
Walking Tour to introduce you to some of London's most
famous sights. We will begin at Trafalgar Square and
continue down Whitehall, past Horseguards Parade and Downing
Street. Your walk can continue through St. James
Park to view Buckingham Palace.
DAY
12 LONDON
Our tour today will include particular sites of
interest to Methodists: Wesley's Chapel city road,
John Wesley's House, John Wesley's grave, Bunhill
Fields Cemetery with the graves of Susanne Wesley, John
Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and other famous personages. We will
also drive by Aldersgate Street the place of the warming
heart experienced by John Wesley on May 24, 1738 and Little
Britain site of Charles Wesley's experience three days earlier.
DAY
13 LONDON
Our morning begins with a visit to the British
Museum, one of the most comprehensive collections of art
and artifacts in the world. Highlights of our visit will include:
the Rosetta Stone, whose discovery led to the deciphering
of hieroglyphs; the Elgin Marbles, from the Parthenon in Athens;
and the Sutton Hoo Treasure. After lunch we continue with
a visit to St. Paul's Cathedral, Sir Christopher Wren's
Renaissance-style masterpiece. Our visit will include an ascent
to the Whispering Gallery, an acoustic marvel
in which the faintest whisper can be heard clearly on the
opposite side, as well as the American Memorial Chapel,
honoring the 28,000 U.S. service personnel who lost
their lives while stationed in Britain during World War II.
· Your Third Concert Performance will be today
DAY
14 DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Your enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to
an end as your tour manager/guide accompanies you to the airport
for the return flight home.
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