Ellison Travel & Tours Ltd

Day 01 – Friday, March 09 – IN FLIGHT (elapsed flying time: 6 hours 50 minutes) D

2:30pm - 1/47 passenger highway motorcoach to report to the Clock Tower/Rehearsal Hall on Main Street in Stouffville for passenger and luggage loading (one way transfer arranged only)

3:00pm - arrive at the Markham Community Centre (Old Arena) for passenger pick-up and continue to Pearson International Airport

4:00pm - estimated arrival at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (Terminal #1) three hours in advance of your flight

- check into the Air Canada counter as a group, receive your boarding passes/seating assignments and continue to your designated gate for boarding

7:00pm - scheduled departure via Air Canada flight # 856 to London’s Heathrow International Airport (Terminal #1)

6:50am - scheduled local arrival time at Heathrow International Airport (Terminal #3) where you will clear customs, claim your luggage and meet your 49 seater executive highway motorcoach and driver Harry Macpherson who will remain with you throughout your tour (set your watches ahead 5 hours)

8:00am - depart for Folkestone and travel southeast to Leeds Castle (located 7 miles east of

10:00am - estimated time of arrival at Leeds Castle (main coach /car parking is a two minute walk from the visitor reception area and group check-in window)

- upon arrival, visit the outside gardens and grounds with over 500 acres of rolling parkland and a sanctuary for wildlife and waterfowl (open at 10:00am) and enjoy a self-guided visit inside the castle (castle opens at 11:00am) …there will be guides stationed in every room that will answer any questions

- options are available for food and drink to purchase at the Fairfax Courtyard, the greenhouses and near the main entrance where you can purchase refreshments, sandwiches, ice creams, hot and cold drinks

- the Wykeham Martin Tea Room offers (adjacent to the greenhouses) offers a selection of sandwiches, cakes, pastries and hot/cold drinks

12:45pm - arrive in Canterbury where you will have free time to wander the streets lined with

historic houses and inns and view Canterbury Cathedral, the cradle of English Christianity

- time to purchase your lunch at your choice of eateries and local cafés in Canterbury

3:30pm - meet your coach in a designated area and continue on to Folkestone, a traditional British seaside town situated on the English Channel

4:00pm - check in to the beautiful old Burlington Hotel overlooking the famous Leas Promenade for a three-night stay

5:30pm - enjoy dinner at the hotel with evening to rest after a long travel day!

The Burlington Hotel – stands in its own garden and overlooks the famous Leas Promenade. All

rooms are ensuite with remote control colour televisions, direct dial phones, tea/coffee making

facilities, hairdryer and trouser press. Onsite restaurant and 2 bars. Located 1 mile from city centre.

- a packed lunch will be supplied from the hotel today for you to take along. You will be responsible to purchase your own dinner today in Brugge.

7:45am - meet in the lobby, board the coach and depart for Dover and your ferry crossing

9:15am - scheduled departure by ferry for your English Channel crossing from Dover to

Calais (P & O Stena Line – crossing time 75 minutes)

11:30am - estimated local time of arrival at Calais (time change – 1 hour ahead) and continue to

12:45pm - estimated arrival at Vimy, France and meet your contact Jacques Morel

1:00pm - Men of Note will begin presentation at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial

- after your program, you will have a guided tour of the monument (20 minutes) and then walk to the visitor centre and proceed with a self-guided tour of the museum (25 minutes)

- board the buses and drive down to the tunnels and trenches (located 1.5 km from the monument) (tentative to field conditions at time of your visit)

- you will be given a guided tour of the tunnels and trenches/craters (you will split into 2 small groups for this)

- time permitting, you may have the opportunity to tour the battlefield of Vimy Ridge by bus (takes about 1 hour and goes through Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, French and German cemetery and back to the monument)

- the Battle of Vimy Ridge has become one of the most significant moments in Canadian military history and marks the first time that the Canadian Corps went into battle as a national unit

5:00pm - arrive in Brugge where you will park in the coach park and walk a short distance to the Grillhuisje Restaurant

5:30pm - purchase your dinner at the Grillehuijse Restaurant (group reservation is confirmed for 5:30pm – optional for those wishing to eat here)

7:00pm - after dinner, board your coach and depart Brugge for Calais for your ferry crossing

10:00am - this morning, enjoy an orientation tour (narrated by Harry and Doug) of one of the most exciting cities in the world with internationally renowned museums, buildings, monuments and cultural entertainment – the choices will seem endless

- for those wishing to explore London at their leisure, you may depart the coach and meet the group by 4:00pm at a pre-determined place

- after the tour, the remainder of the day will be “free time” to explore London on your own (admissions and local transportation costs will be at your own expense today)

- *visit Covent Garden with their open-air cafes, street entertainers, stylish shops and markets

- *visit some of London’s best churches…Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Martin-in-the-Fields

- *visit one of London’s best museums and galleries…the British Museum, National History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum or the Tower of London

- *choose to shop London’s best shopping districts….visit Harrods featuring 300 departments and their spectacular food hall or London’s West end shops featuring big department stores such as Selfridges and John Lewis

4:30pm - meet your coach and Harry at a pre-determined place and transfer back to

7:00pm - enjoy dinner at the hotel with an evening get together in the hotel lounge

6:00am - early morning buffet breakfast at the Burlington Hotel followed by check-out

7:15am - meet in the lobby, board your coach and promptly depart Folkestone for Cambridge

9:45am - estimated arrival in Cambridge, the charming university town with medieval colleges lining the banks of the River Cam

10:00am - meet your guide at the Silver Street coach stop and enjoy a 2 hour guided panoramic city tour of Cambridge to include a visit to the American Cemetery and Grantchester

12:00pm - your guide will finish the tour in Cambridge town centre and show you places for you to purchase a quick lunch (many pubs, cafeterias and restaurants located in this area)

12:45pm - walk to the entrance of Great St. Marys the University Church and meet your contact, Mr. John Talbot (coach must park at the nearby Silver Street coach stop as traffic restrictions do not allow to park or stop near the church)

1:30pm - scheduled 1 hour lunchtime choir performance by Men of Note in Great St. Marys – The University Church

2:30pm - return to your coach and continue to Scarborough, a popular resort town on the shores of the North Sea

7:00pm - arrive and check in to the St. Nicholas Hotel dramatically located on the cliffs overlooking the South Bay of Scarborough for a three-night stay

7:30pm - enjoy late dinner at the hotel followed by an evening of relaxation (the Saints Leisure Club is open from 7:30am to 8:30pm daily)

The St. Nicholas Hotel – located on the cliffs overlooking the South Bay of Scarborough. This hotel

has an indoor leisure centre with heated indoor pool and sauna. All rooms are ensuite with colour

television, direct dial phones, hairdryer and trouser press. Hotel features the Terrace Restaurant and

lounge bar and Snooker Room.

8:30am - meet in the lobby, board your coach and transfer to historical York (make sure you have good walking shoes on today)

10:00am - meet your 2 guides at the St. Johns Coach Park and enjoy a 2 hour guided walking tour of its narrow streets with wonderful names such as Whip-ma-Whop-ma gate, Goodramgate and the Shambles where medieval buildings seem almost to meet overhead

- your tour will include a visit and entry into York Minster – with its breathtaking stained glass windows and soaring architecture

12:00pm - free time (briefly) to continue exploring York and time to purchase lunch

1:30pm - promptly meet together at a pre-determined place and continue to Whitby located in the timeless Esk Valley (1 ½ hour travel time)

3:00pm - estimated time of arrival at the Metropole Hotel on the West Cliff Whitby (near St. Hilda’s Church) where you will meet Jim Muir and some of the Dalesman Singers group

- time and weather permitting, the Dalesman Singers will show you a bit of their historic town this afternoon

7:00pm - scheduled evening concert by Men of Note and the Dalesman Singers at St. Hilda’s Church in Whitby

9:00pm - after the concert, you will enjoy buffet dinner and social time with the Dalesman Singers at a local hotel

11:00pm - say good-bye to the Dalesman Singers, board your coach return to Scarborough and your hotel (1/2 hour travel time)

9:30am - board your motorcoach and Harry will take you on a daytrip into James Herriot country, the Yorkshire Dales, where much of the landscape is composed of lush green valleys (known locally as"dales") crested with white limestone cliffs (known as "scars") cutting through wilder uplands beneath towering peaks ("fells") of dark millstone grit

- watch for distinctive white drystone walls which criss-cross the hillsides in elaborate patterns; set against the limestone cliffs and escarpments these walls (which were originally built by sheep farmers in days gone by) look almost a natural part of the limestone scenery as viewed today

6:00pm - enjoy dinner at your hotel with remainder of the evening to relax and enjoy the hotel

7:30am - enjoy buffet breakfast at the St. Nicholas Hotel followed by check-out

9:00am - board your coach and transfer to Harrogate, an elegant spa town whose extensive parks and gardens, small shops and tearooms make it a perfect break

10:30am - arrive and explore Harrogate at your leisure with time to purchase lunch at your choice of eateries (you will have 2 hours in Harrogate)

1:30pm - enroute, stop in Haworth and enjoy a self-guided visit to the Bronte Parsonage Museum, home from 1820 – 1861 to novelists Charlotte, Emily and Anne and their brother Branwell and family (allow 1 hour here)

4:00pm - arrive and check in to the Palace Hotel, a refurbished Victorian spa hotel for a three-night stay

8:00pm - tonight, you will have a joint concert with” the South Derbyshire Youth Band” in the Chatsworth Suite at the Palace Hotel (Harry will provide transportation for the Youth Band to the Palace Hotel)

The Palace Hotel – situated in the centre of the classic English Spa town of Buxton. All rooms are

ensuite with views overlooking the town and gardens. The Leisure Club onsite includes a 14 m indoor

heated pool, fitness studio and sauna. This hotel features The Dovedale and Library Restaurant and the

Robert Rippon Duke and Derby Bars.

7:30am - enjoy buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room at the Palace Hotel

10:00am - spend the day in Chester whose main streets are lined with unique timber buildings known as the Chester Rows – above the first tier of shops, the second tier extends out into the street with dramatic effect

- if you are feeling energetic, take a walk around Chester on the best preserved ramparts of any English city

- be sure to get a snack as your dinner this evening is scheduled for after the concert

- Jim will direct your group to the Parish Church in New Broughton (near Wrexham), your venue for this evening’s concert

7:00pm - scheduled evening performance by the Men of Note with the Rhos Male Voice Choir

9:15pm - following the concert, you will enjoy a light dinner and social gathering in the church hall

11:00pm - say good-bye to your hosts and depart for the Palace Hotel in Buxton (1 ½ hour travel time)

- enjoy a visit to the Royal Crown Derby Visitor Centre (open from 10:00am to 5:00pm on Sundays) housing fine bone china that is known and collected around the world, for insights into the tradition, history and skills that go into the making of their product

- a visit to the centre includes the museum, the demonstration area, the factory shop and on site restaurant

11:30am - board your coach and transfer north to the Cat ‘n Fiddle Pub in Cheshire, the highest public house located in the Peak District and situated on the main road from Buxton to Macclesfield

1:00pm - arrive at the Cat ‘n Fiddle Inn for your buffet lunch provided today

2:30pm - after your lunch, spend a relaxing afternoon as Harry takes you on a coach tour of the Peak District

- where the wild landscape of moorland crags and rushing trout streams are interspersed with picture-postcard villages surrounded by famous gritstone walls

4:30pm - return to Buxton and the Palace Hotel with time to freshen up before your dinner meal

6:00pm - enjoy a four course evening “farewell dinner” in the Palace Hotel Dining Room

Day 11 – Monday, March 19 – HOME (elapsed flying time: 7 hours 50 minutes) B/D

6:30am - early morning continental breakfast at the Palace Hotel followed by check-out

8:30am - arrive at Manchester International Airport where you will check in at the Air Canada counter (International groups (overseas) must check in at least 2 hours prior to scheduled departure)

10:55am - scheduled departure via Air Canada flight # 842 (from Terminal #1) non-stop

1:45pm - estimated flight arrival (local time) at Pearson International Airport, Toronto (Terminal #1) (remember to set your watches back 5 hours)