Swindon & the Pioneering Spirits of the Cotswolds
A voyage of discovery in a beautiful region of the country where we feature a variary of captivationg attractions with pioneering backgrounds - some mre unexpected than others.
View Dates & BookHotel
Blunsdon House Hotel
Included
Door-to-door pick-up service - See brochure
All coach travel
4 Nights dinner, bed & breakfast
3 Excursions
Bowood House & Gardens
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre
Dr. Jenner's House#Intrductory walking tour of Bath
Supplements
Hotel single occupancy £120.00
Entry to STEAM, Swindon Adult £11.75 (2025 price. 2026 prices to be confirmed)
Entry to SS Great Britain £22.00 (2025 price. 2026 price to be confirmed)
Thursday
We travel to Wiltshire via Brecon and Cheltenham, arriving in Swndon late afternoon.
DFriday to Sunday
Day 2
All aboard and first stop today is STEAM, where the story is told of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on the Great Western Railway. The engineering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel led to the Great Western Railway network becoming regarded as the most advanced in the world. Alternatively visit The McArthur Glenn Shopping Centre which is next door.
Later, travel to Bowood House and Gardens, home to the Lansdowne family since 1754. See exhibition rooms displaying amazing family artefacts and antiques, including the Laboratory where Dr Joseph Priestley isolated oxygen gas in 1774. Surrounding the Georgian House is the Italian-inspired Terrace Garden, the Private Walled Gardens, and the herbaceous border, all radiating colour throughout the seasons.
Day 3
A full day to Bath, with an introductory walking tour of this great Roman city, early pioneers in their own rite. Later enjoy free time to explore the historic sites including the Roman Baths, ancient abbey, Georgian terraces, and picturesque setting.
Day 4
Today, travel to award winning WWT Slimbridge. The reserve, set up by visionary artist and naturalist Sir Peter Scott, opened in November 1946. Step back in time at the Scott House Museum, the home from which he championed the cause of worldwide wildlife conservation. For those wishing to venture further afield, there are numerous hides and paths to wander along, amongst the wildlife of the Severn Estuary. This afternoon is to Jenner's House where a discovery that changed the world was made! Explore the home of innovator Edward Jenner who left the ongoing legacy of vaccination, still shaping our lives today. Wander around the beautiful garden, containing many of the herbs that he would have used, before returning to the hotel.
Please note: The order of days to be confirmed!
Monday
Today we visit Bristol, which also has links with pioneering people of the industrial revolution. Brunel's SS Great Britain is on display here. A vibrant and interesting city with plenty of attractions to visit during the few hours available.
EBEB=English Breakfast Incl., D=Dinner Included
Blunsdon House Hotel
Blunsdon House is a 4* independent hotel with fantastic leisure facilities. Our hotel is set in 30 acres of beautifully maintained grounds with views to the Cotswolds. Relax beside green fields and country views, that you won't have to pay for in journey time. We are near Swindon, easily accessible from the M4 and M5.
Our unique location makes the hotel an ideal base for exploring this beautiful and varied part of England. We are in sight of the Cotswold hills but also just one hour from London, Oxford, Bath, Cheltenham and Bristol. Easy day-tripping distance from some of the finest cities in the country.
It is not possible to display the home pick-ups map because JavaScript is disabled in your web browser.
JavaScript InformationThe green shaded area of west Wales as seen below represents our Door-to-door* pick-up area for Short Breaks & Holidays of 4 days or more. To check whether or not your home address is within this area click on your location or enter your postcode and click the 'Check Location' button.
Please note: Additional door-to-door services are sometimes offered to areas outside the normal range, dependant on the location of already arranged services, so please don’t hesitate to contact the office to enquire.
*Conditions apply. See our latest brochure.
