The Route:
"This years driving tour has some great highlights including the Goodwood Festival of Speed, lots of English pubs, lots of Irish pubs, an unplugged performance by Mike Brady and plenty of fantastic scenery, history and socialising."
Harry Cadle, Tour Director
Our route is designed to take you to interesting places away from the usual tourist haunts. We cater for the adventurous traveller who is comfortable on the backroads and able to explore in places where little English may be spoken. Our tour encourages sociability, with a great sense of humour as the main pre-requisite. We might be too old for Contiki, but we're definitely too young for Trafalgar Tours. This is the itinerary of our tour:
15th June – Ease into it Day (Optional at extra cost) – Those that want to get there early and check out London or chill out after a long flight arrive at our hotel.
Hotel: Novotel North Greenwich (4 Star)
16th June – Arrival Day – Tour participants check in to our hotel. An Entrants briefing will be held at the hotel followed by a welcome party.
17th June – London to Nottingham – Leave London and head north west towards Nottingham. The main attractions will be Blenheim Palace and Stratford on Avon.
Distance today - 283 kms. Hotel: Nottingham Belfry (4 star)
18th June – Nottingham to Coniston – Leave Nottingham and head North towards Coniston. Our hotel is right on Coniston Water in the middle of the Lake District.
Distance today - 250 kms. Hotel: Waterhead Hotel (4 star)
19th June – Coniston to Edinburgh - Leave Coniston heading north through the Lake District. Cross into Scotland at Gretna Green and into Edinburgh.
Distance today - 228 kms. Hotel: Radisson Blu (4 star)
20th June – Edinburgh to Belfast – In the morning we head for Doune Castle, site of filming for Monty Pythons 'The Holy Grail'. We then take the ferry from Stranrear to Belfast.
Distance today - 294 kms. Hotel: Europa Lodge (4 Star)
21st June – Belfast to Galway – The route takes us along one of the best roads around - The Antrim Coastal Road. A lot of 'Game of Thrones' was filmed in this area.
Distance today - 453 kms. Hotel: Galway Bay Hotel (4 star)
22nd June – Galway to Cork – A scenic day to the Cliffs of Moher and then via Blarney Castle to Cork.
Distance today – 293 kms. Hotel: River Lee Hotel (4 Star)
23rd June – Cork to Dublin – A day of cruising through the mountains via Waterford Crystal to a stop in Dublin.
Distance today - 281 kms. Hotel: Radisson Blu (4 Star)
24th June – Dublin Layday – A day off to check out Dublin
Distance today - 0 kms. Hotel: Radisson Blu (4 Star)
25th June - Dublin to Cheltenham- A morning ferry takes to us Holyhead, then through Snowdonia National Park to the middle of the Cotswalds.
Distance today - 347 kms. Hotel: Ellenborough Park (5 Star)
26th June - Cheltenham to Arundel - A pleasant drive via Stonehenge to Arundel.
Distance today - 276 kms. Hotel: Avisford Hilton (4 Star)
27th June - Arundel Layday - The highlight of the trip will be the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Distance today - 0 kms. Hotel: Avisford Hilton (4 Star)
28th June - Own Arrangements. - Return car or continue with pre-arranged extension.
Some Driving and General Tips for Traveling in Europe:
