Day Trips

Great Kitchen & Windsor Castle
Tuesday 6th March 2012
£60 Limited Availability

An extraordinary insight into the behind-the-scenes life of the Castle; the guided tour begins in the Castle's Winchester Tower with refreshments and an introduction to royal dinning past and present and then proceeds through the medieval Undercroft to the Great Kitchen. The visit concludes in the magnificent State Apartments, which are regularly used on State and ceremonial occasions. The Price includes an introductory talk, a private tour of the Great Kitchen, refreshments, an audio tour, the official guidebook, and admission to the Castle.



Houses of Parliament
Saturday 24th March 2012
Price £38

This Blue Badge guided tour includes the House of Commons, House of Lords plus highlights such as Queens Robing Room, the Royal Gallery, Central Lobby and St Stephens Hall. The tour is booked for 11.30am and lasts approx 75 mins.

We depart Halstead at 8.30am and will depart from London at 5.00pm.



The Orient Express, Signature Journey
Friday 30th March 2012
Price £290

From the moment liveried stewards welcome you to your immaculately appointed carriage, the adventure begins. Stepping aboard the British Pullman is like stepping back in time. For every detail, from regal carpets, woven brass luggage racks and mahogany glass-panelled doors to silken lampshades and velour tapestry armchairs, transports you back to back to a more gracious age. In the care of your steward as time passes unnoticed, enjoy a delicious five course lunch, champagne and wine unruffled and unhurried. Few journeys will take you out of modern time quite so thoroughly and into another era. Your journey aboard the British Pullman takes you on a circular tour. Guests are invited to disembark at Whitstable for a champagne reception. This is one time in your life when you are free to look fabulous; dressing down is just not our style. Please do not wear jeans or trainers.

Leaving Halstead at 9am, the train departs at 11.45am and returns at 4.40pm for our journey home.



2012 Olympic Venues Tour
Saturday 14th April 2012
Price £38

See the 80,000 seat Main Stadium, the Multi-Sports Arena, Aquatics Centre, Velodrome, Olympic Village, Broadcasting and Media Centre, as we walk around the perimeter. Our Blue Badge Guide will be with us for the morning, giving us the most up to date information that is available. The afternoon can be spent in the new Westfield shopping centre or at Greenwich.

We will leave Halstead at 8.30am departing approx 5pm. Other pickups arranged on booking.



Columbia Road & Camden Lock Markets
Sunday 13th May 2012
Price £28

A fantastic place to buy all your summer planting, every thing you could want at prices you can't believe. We then fill the coach with our purchases and move on to Camden; a mix of world wide coulters, crafts and foods to please everyone.

Leaving Halstead at 8.30am and departing at 5pm.



Horse Drawn Canal Trip & Cream Tea
Thursday 17th May 2012
Price £45

Travel the Victorian Way along this unspoilt waterway in Surrey as generation of boatmen before you. Your journey on the narrow boat "IONA" and pulled by one of our heavy horses, traverses both river and canal and passes through a lock. You will be served a Cream Tea during the trip.

Leaving Halstead at 8.30am you will have some free time in Goddalming before the canal trip. We depart for home approx 4.30pm



RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Friday 25th May 2012, Leaving Halstead at 1pm
3.30pm - 8pm Ticket
£56, price held
RHS Member £52 (we must have your membership number at time of booking)

New for 2012 are the Fresh Gardens and Tradestands - a whole new zone at Chelsea where you'll see the very latest in garden technology and innovation. You will have the opportunity to appreciate the fabulous combination of modern and classic design as you wander amongst the gardens and Floral Pavilion with over 3 acres of plants and flowers for all seasons.

We will depart Halstead at 1pm, (other pickups arranged on booking) and depart aprrox 8.15pm. There are places to buy food or you can bring your own.



Beating Retreat, Horse guards Parade
Wednesday 13th June 2012
£48

An unforgettable evening as 300 musicians, drummers and pipers perform this age-old ceremony. A major event in the Army's ceremonial calendar, delivering an evening of spirited marches as well as poignant and evocative hymns and anthems of special significances to our fighting forces everywhere. The salute is taken by Her Majesty The Queen or another member of The Royal Family. The participants of Household Division Beating Retreat are drawn from the bands of the two Household Cavalry Regiments and the five Foot Guards Regiments which make up the Household Division. This is a seated event.

Depart Halstead at 4.30pm



Royal Ascot on Saturday 23rd June 2012
Saturday 23rd June 2012
Silver Ring Ticket £58
Grandstand Ticket £98

Royal Ascot has a great party atmosphere with high fashion and great horse racing, enjoy the full Royal Ascot experience even if you've never been racing before.

Grandstand Admission provides viewing area at ground and lawn level. Watch the Royal Procession and racing action from the lawns and the Pre-parade and Parade Ring and track is a short walk away. Smart Occasion wear is a must this is where the ladies come into their own and most wear hats. You are not permitted to take food or drink into the Grandstand area. Grandstand Ticket £98

Silver Ring Admission has a less formal atmosphere and does not provide access to the Parade Ring or main Grandstand. It's still an excellent position to watch the Royal Procession and the racing action. Food and drink are allowed in to the Silver Ring area. Silver Ring Ticket £58

This trip is a FANTASTIC DAY OUT!

Leaving Halstead at 8am, pickups from Stanway, Earls Colne and Braintree arranged on booking. We will leave Ascot approx 7pm.



Wells-next-the-Sea & Blakney Seals
Saturday 30th June 2012
£46

We will spend a few hours in Wells then make our way by coach then boat for a short ride that will take us to the seals. They are usually basking on the sandbanks. We have been guaranteed you will always see some seals - the question is: How Many? The colony is made up of Common & Grey seals and numbers around 500. Common seals have their young between June and August. The seals are generally quite inquisitive and often pop up and swim around the boats. Hopefully we can sail very close to the basking seals on the beach which gives a great opportunity for photographs.



RHS Hampton Court Flower Show
Sunday 8th July
£58, price held
RHS Member £53 (we must have your membership number at time of booking)

The world's largest annual flower show is a must see for passionate gardeners and "grow your own" enthusiasts. Explore inspirational show gardens and grow your own exhibits, discover rose and plant marquees bursting with the highest quality floral displays and shop your way through a wide array of quality plants and must-have accessories. Be inspired by the stunning outdoor features and learn from the experts in all aspects related to horticulture with practical demonstrations and first class advice. View our amazing Conceptual Gardens by up and coming as well as established gold medal winners. To make the most of this day we will be leaving Halstead at 8.30am and departing approx 5.30pm. RHS Member £53 (we must have your membership number at time of booking) £58, price held

Leaving Halstead at 8am, pickups from Stanway, Earls Colne and Braintree arranged on booking. We will leave Ascot approx 7pm.



Dunwich (with Fish & Chips) & Southwold
Friday 10th August 2012
£41

Pickups start at Braintree; 10.15am, Halstead 10.30am before heading to Flora's Tearooms for a Fish & Chip lunch (included). Please choose when booking between Cod, Plaice, Haddock or Salad. The afternoon will be spent in Southwold before departing approx 5pm for Home.

This trip was very popular last year, book early to avoid disappointment.



Buckingham Palace & Garden Tour
Tuesday 28th August 2012
Adult £50, Over 60's £48, Under 17 £40

We have combined a visit to Buckingham Palace with a guided tour of the famous garden. The garden tour includes the Herbaceous Border, the summer house, the Rose Garden and views of the Waterloo Vase and Palace tennis court. For the Diamond Jubilee there is a spectacular exhibition at Buckingham Palace showing the many ways in which diamonds have been used by British monarchs over the last 200 years. The exhibition includes an unprecedented display of a number of The Queen's personal jewels. A visit to Buckingham Palace lasts approximately two and a half hours and guided tours of the garden last 45-minutes.