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| An introduction
Do you really want to drive around Britain on the 'wrong' side of some impossibly narrow country lane trying to find some hidden-away garden, the opening hours of which you're not quite sure of?
...welcome to Adderley Travel.
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We are Tim and Sofia (see About Us) and we started this business with no experience as tour operators, but with a clear vision of what might attract like-minded people to join our tours. Chief among the attractions were:
AA small groups no more than a dozen, or so, like-minded people
AA compact tour areas no dashing about Britain, trying to see everything in two days
AA good food Britain produces some of the finest ingredients and the best chefs
AA comfortable accommodation preferably with character, but definitely not 3-star chain hotel
These 4 principles have guided us well, for over 10 years, and we're not looking to change them now. |
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Most of our tours start at Stansted Airport and I accompany them all with Sofia and the children joining us at the weekends, on some of the tours. We tend to concentrate on just one county at a time, but occasionally, as with Scotland, we cover greater areas.
Most days comprise of 2 gardens or other attractions and occasional stops at other places of interest. We travel comfortably by minibus allowing us to venture where larger buses can't and we carry water, for our customers, and a library of maps and guide books, for research and interest. |
Minibus, 2008
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We are extremely lucky in Britain. In any one year, over 5,000 gardens are open to the public, and we take you to a selection of the best ones in each area.
Although we do not guide you around the gardens, at some of the gardens we arrange private guided tours or introductory talks often by the owner or head gardener and on some tours we visit private gardens, not frequently open to the public. |
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Groups are limited to 12 and generally comprise a multi-national mix of like-minded people, aged anywhere between their early twenties to their eighties.
To date, we have been joined by people from Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
English is spoken in a range of styles, often with great humour. |
Norfolk group, 2007
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Your comfort is our chief priority and we go to great lengths in choosing where to stay. Each establishment is different from the next one, each has its own character but, collectively, they stand head-and-shoulders above the every-day chain hotel.
They range from privately-owned, personally-run hotels with award-winning dining rooms like the Castleman Hotel (Dorset) or Alverton Manor (Cornwall & Bath) to cosy 'bed & breakfasts', serving quality home-cooking like Heron Cottage (Kent) and Colston Manor (Suffolk & Essex). |
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We enjoy good food, so it's just as well that Britain has transformed itself, from a nation of over-boiled vegetables and chips-with-everything, to a nation of Jamie Olivers and Nigella Lawsons: Britain is a gastronome's delight.
We dine out frequently on the tour and, when we do, we dine at some of the very best local bistros, restaurants and country pubs. Award-winning places, using locally-sourced fresh produce to create interesting and inspirational menus, superbly cooked.
At dinner, you choose what you would like to eat from the menu and only very occasionally will you not have a choice of dishes. |
Afternoon tea, Edenbridge, 2007
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| Our prices are extremely good value for money and include almost everything that you might want for, on your holiday. |
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You may be assured of our personal service before, during and after your tour and this, together with our meticulous attention to detail, is our hallmark.
... and the reason that so many of our customers return to us, year after year. |
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Please read on, or click on the map and explore a few tours.
Thank you,
Tim & Sofia |
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