ACTIEF

GARDENS CHARTER CRUISE

(INCORPORATING THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW)

 

Sunday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 1

Private transfer from the Goring Hotel in London to our mooring at Windsor below a magnificent view of the castle. Traditional cream tea on arrival is followed by a visit to Eton College, founded in 1440 and currently school to Princes William and Harry. Here a beautiful new footbridge not only allows splendid views of the collect and river but takes you to Luxmore’s Garden, an island garden created by an Eton Housemaster in 1880. There is also time to view the Provost’s and Fellow’s Gardens before returning to Actief for a short evening cruise to Boveney Lock. This is followed by a Champagne reception dinner and your first night aboard.

Monday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 2

A morning cruise, past the much filmed gothic style Oakley Court Hotel and Monkey Island, brings us to one of the most beautiful reaches on the river and our exclusive mooring at Cliveden. This magnificent estate, former home of Lord and Lady Astor, boasts amazing views and incredible gardens. First laid out in the 18th century they include a formal parterre, a wonderful water garden with a restored Pagoda made for the Paris Exhibition of 1867, a long garden with topiary and 18th century Venetian statues. Truly stunning!

Tuesday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 3

Our cruise continues through unspoilt countryside, passing under Maidenhead Bridge, the largest brick span bridge in the world designed by Brunel, until we reach the medieval village of Hurley. Here you visit Peter Freebody’s Boatyard. Peter’s family has been involved in the river for 800 years and you can see traditional Thames river craft being lovingly built and restored. This is followed by a gentle walking tour of this beautiful village pausing at Ye Olde Bell, reputed to be England’s oldest Inn founded for visiting monks in 1135. The day ends with an early evening cruise along the famous ‘Regatta Mile’ into Henley-On-Thames.

Wednesday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 4

Henley is a wonderful old town founded in the 12th century and firmly on the map of Britain’s social ‘Season’ since the introduction of the annual royal Regatta in the 19 th century. This morning there is time to explore this delightful town and perhaps catch up on a little shopping. After lunch we visit Greys Court , nestled in a beautiful wooded Chiltern valley, the lightly crenellated home of Lady Brunner which dates back to the 15 th century. Here there are quite beautiful rose, cherry, wisteria and white gardens planted amongst the ruined walls of the original 13 th century fortified manor house (the tower still remainsAfterwards we cruise past luxurious riverside homes to our next stop at Sonning.

Thursday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 5

An early morning start takes us to the Chelsea Flower Show, the most famous flower show in the world. Here nurseries, societies and charities create colour filled stands and amazing arrangements in a huge marquee outside the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. In addition to this there are wonderful and innovative display gardens, both traditional and contemporary, created by the brightest and best of Britain’s garden designers. Months of work go into these beautifully staged displays, which only last a week. After this heady and colourful assault on your senses we return to Actief and continue our cruise upstream through open meadows and wooded valleys to Pangbourne, home of Kenneth Graham, author of ‘Wind In The Willows.’

Friday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 6

Friday morning sees Actief continue on her cruise through the steep glacier formed hills of the Goring Gap and onto our final mooring at Shillingford Bridge. After lunch today’s tour is of the beautiful Harcourt Arboretum, founded in 1835 by the Harcourt family. We then continue to the Oxford Botanical Gardens. These were founded in 1621 and are the oldest in the country - the original walls still stand. The gardens are run by the University and are both delightful and educational with an amazing variety of plants, both traditional and exotic. Tonight the Captain hosts his farewell dinner on board Actief.

Saturday - Chelsea flower show Gardens cruise Day 7

09.30am: Disembark and transfer back to the Goring Hotel or Heathrow Airport.

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more about our luxury barge cruise vacation on Actief on the upper Thames, England...

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