| Intineraries and costs |
| These itineraries will give you an idea of the kind of experiences you can expect from Livingstone Colbourne. |
| Some of the markets, auctions and other activities are day-sensitive, but there are always plenty of things to do every day in the West Country. See the ‘Planning your Itinerary’ section below for more inspiration. |
| When you arrive at your hotel we will be there to meet you and ensure that you are happy with all the arrangements that we have made for you. We will also have a chance to chat and get to know each other before the tour starts the next day. |
|
| |
| Sample Tuesday |
| Pick up from your hotel and cut across country to a classic and unspoilt country market stopping off for a few minutes to see rare 17th century wall paintings in a secluded village church. |
| The market: is a lively and noisy mix of local produce, farmers’ supplies, poultry and plant auctions, and a junk auction (with the occasional treasure thrown in); on alternate Tuesdays there is a smarter auction down the hill in a typical country saleroom with lots of interesting stuff. (At all auctions the guests can either bid themselves, or leave commission bids, in which case we will arrange for their purchases to be sent to the hotel the following day). All in all masses of local colour and a quite unique experience. The town itself is also worth a look - a classic Devon hill-town with a good range of local shops and architecture - a good contrast to the bustle of the market. We’ll have coffee in either the medieval pub/hotel - or in the market café if you want a bit more of the ‘real Devon’. |
| A short drive takes us to lunch at that rare beast - an award winning pub that is still a real village ‘local’. |
| After lunch we head east to a delicious privately owned manor house which has been in the same family for over 700 years and reflects the changes in architecture and family fortunes over that long period of time. We will be shown around by one of the owners. |
| The journey back will be broken by a stop at a Georgian village house for a home-made Devon cream tea. |
|
| |
| Sample Wednesday |
| Pick up from your hotel and spend the morning at a nearby market town where we will have a private tasting at an award-winning cheese shop whose owner has an encyclopaedic knowledge of local cheeses. There will also be time to explore the town itself including the abbey ruins, the thriving market and relax over morning coffee in a historic hotel built on top of the abbey site (and retaining some of the original buildings). We will then drive up on to Dartmoor to visit one of the producers whose cheese we have just tasted. En route we shall explore one or two of the many intriguing archaeological sites with which the moor is littered. |
| Lunch will taken at an Inn on the edge of the moor from a menu designed especially to reflect the wealth and variety of local produce. |
| A short drive takes us to a really sweet castle whose ruins are perched on the edge of the moor. The castle is in a peaceful and sheltered setting and is surrounded by a bluebell wood - in the spring the smell is quite stunning. In the summer, the wild flowers are beautiful. A few miles up the road is a different type of historic site - an iron foundry which has been working for many hundred of years. After we have explored the foundry and its surroundings we shall head back to the hotel, stopping for a delicious tea at a small inn next to another ruined castle. |
|
| |
|
|
| Planning your itinerary |
| We have researched and organised a range of activities which can be put together to make balanced and interesting itineraries. Some activities are only available on certain days and dates. Distances and timings also need to be taken into account when planning. |
| We have arranged for private tours of privately owned houses which range from medieval castles to Georgian mansions. In most cases these tours will be hosted by the owner, or a member of the family. As well as these privately-owned properties, there are also many National Trust and English Heritage places including Tintagel Castle, St Michael’s Mount, Cotehele, and Castle Drogo. |
| There are many interesting antiques and collectables auctions where guests can either bid themselves or leave commission bids (in which case we will arrange for their purchases to be delivered to your hotel). Occasionally there are house or farm sales held in situ where treasures really can be hidden in the back of sheds. |
| The West Country has an ever-expanding population of passionate food producers and high-quality places to eat. The traditional products of meat, dairy, fish, and vegetables are often given a new slant but all are produced with great care. Many welcome visitors and welcome the chance to share their passion. There are a number of Michelin-starred restaurants to be visited and some offer cookery courses. |
| Many famous people have roots in or have been influenced by the West Country. Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, and Humphrey Gilbert all began their explorations here. And, of course, the Mayflower and the Pilgrim Fathers set off on their voyage from Plymouth. The region’s literary connections are considerable, from Jane Austen, Agatha Christie and Daphne Du Maurier to Wordsworth, Shelley and Thomas Hardy. |
| Town tours can include Hatherleigh, Tavistock, Hartland, Exeter and Lostwithiel and will include visits to interesting antique shops, crafts people and sellers of local produce. |
| We have arranged personal demonstrations of sheep-dog handling, water divining, falconry, and bell-ringing among other fascinating pursuits. |
| We plan our routes with great care using by-ways wherever possible and taking in villages and views that are worth a look. We use circular routes to avoid retracing our steps. |
| Coffee, lunch and tea stops are chosen for their character, quality and use of local ingredients. We consider a real log fire absolutely essential after tramping around the countryside in the cooler months! |
| We have a huge variety of ‘short stop’ destinations: churches with odd quirks, castles, monuments with a good story, ruins, prehistoric sites, ancient woodland, special views - places that will add to the interest of the journey. We can suggest the best ones for your tour once the broad outlines have been decided. |
|
| |
| A note about costs |
| The cost of each tour will depend on what you choose to do and where you choose to stay and the size of your group. |
| As a very rough guide, a daily rate per person (as part of a group of 4) staying in a good local coaching or fishing inn would c. £295 (as part of a group of 12 the cost would be £220). If you choose a suite in an award-winning 5* hotel, the cost would be considerably higher. |
|
| Our prices include: |
accommodation, breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner in your hotel; |
| |
all transport costs during the day; |
| entrance fees and arrangement fees for private visits and activities; |
| guidebooks and auction catalogues where appropriate. |
| We do include a round of drinks at lunchtime, but evening and dinner-time drinks are down to you, as are hotel incidentals such as phone calls etc. |
|
| |
| We require that you provide proof that you have arranged travel and health insurance before booking confirmation. |
|
| |
| |
|
|