{"id":5885,"date":"2022-03-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=5885"},"modified":"2022-05-06T15:14:07","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T13:14:07","slug":"heritage-tours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/2022\/03\/29\/heritage-tours\/","title":{"rendered":"Heritage tours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Harlech Castle<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Heritage tours<\/h2>\n\n

Rhiannon Batten <\/strong>discovers 10 ways to soak up some history around the UK and Ireland, whether you\u2019re an outdoor adventurer, a crafts whizz or a culture vulture<\/em><\/p>\n\n

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A fine view of Dolwyddelan Castle<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

LEGENDARY WELSH SCENERY<\/h4>\n\n

History buffs are well catered for by specialist tour operator Andante Travels, whose expertled UK trips range from one-day study tours of Northumbrian rock art, to three-day breaks investigating the wartime codebreakers of Bletchley Park. New for 2022 is Mabinogion: Magic Medieval Welsh Myths \u2013a fiveday journey around north Wales this June, exploring the region\u2019s archaeological and medieval sites through the lens of the Welsh legends. From crag-top castles and Roman fortresses, to rugged standing stones and windswept beaches, all will be viewed anew in relation to the Mabinogion. From <\/em>\u00a31,980 <\/em>per <\/em>person <\/em>including <\/em>full-board <\/em>accommodation, <\/em>transport, <\/em>guiding <\/em>and <\/em>entrance <\/em>fees <\/em>andantetravels.co.uk<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n

VICTORIAN BAKING<\/h4>\n\n
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Join culinary historian Ivan Day for pie making<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Nottinghamshire\u2019s School of Artisan Food has made a name for itself with a roster of practical, modern skills courses which range from cooking over fire to setting up successful microbakeries. The cookery school isn\u2019t averse to seeking inspiration from the past as well as the future, however. While courses for the end of the year aren\u2019t confirmed yet, it\u2019s expected that culinary historian Ivan Day will be returning in December to run one-day workshops on historic ices and historic pies, some of them made with the help of Day\u2019s treasured collection of antique moulds and utensils. If you\u2019ve ever dreamt of making an elaborately ornamented raised pie in the Victorian style, now\u2019s your chance. From <\/em>\u00a3185 <\/em>per <\/em>person, <\/em>per <\/em>day <\/em>schoolofartisanfood.org<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n

SAILING INTO THE PAST<\/h4>\n\n
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Jump aboard the wherry yacht Norada at Wroxham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The Norfolk Broads may be one of England\u2019s most popular outdoor recreation areas today but, in Edwardian times, these bustling inland waterways were used by specialist cargo boats known as wherries. As tourism developed, and shipping by road superseded that of rivers and canals, some of these sail-powered barges were brought into service as pleasure craft. Few survive but, happily, five are cared for by the charity Wherry Yacht Charter in Wroxham; these include Hathor, originally owned by the family behind Colman\u2019s mustard, and decorated with Egyptian-themed marquetry. The fleet is used for scheduled day trips and private charters in the summer months. From \u00a350 per person for a scheduled sailing trip, or from \u00a3995 for up to 10 people for a self-catered, two-night private weekend charter wherryyachtcharter.org<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n

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Journey through the rolling landscape of Snowdonia in search of the Celtic Otherworld. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

BALLROOM BLITZ<\/h4>\n\n

Set between 1781 and 1801, Poldark <\/em>\u2013 the BBC\u2019s blockbuster drama based on Winston Graham\u2019s novels \u2013 gave us many things. Not least a wistful appreciation of elegant Regency dancing. If you\u2019ve been yearning to give historic dancing a go, Halsway Manor in west Somerset is a great place to start. The national centre for folk arts, this stately manor house on the edge of the Quantock Hills hosts a wide range of music and folk dance courses, including regular holidays led by Stuart Marsden, the choreographer behind Poldark\u2019s <\/em>dance scenes. This September sees the return of his Dances of Poldark weekend \u2013a two-day break exploring the dances and music from the time, with the help of the Warleggan Village Band. Ballgowns and breeches are optional. From <\/em>\u00a3185 <\/em>per <\/em>person <\/em>including <\/em>tuition, <\/em>activities, <\/em>accommodation <\/em>and <\/em>all <\/em>meals <\/em>halswaymanor.org.uk<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n

HOLY SITES OF SOUTH IRELAND<\/h4>\n\n
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Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Capitalising on the reopening of the legendary Cashel Palace Hotel in County Tipperary (which beady-eyed readers may have spotted in the April issue), luxury tour operator Black Tomato is launching bespoke heritage tours to the south of Ireland from this spring. The new tours will include private after-hours visits to the Rock of Cashel heritage site, led by a historian. Other highlights include trips to local artisans, woollen mills, bee farms and distilleries, and a cruise to the monastic ruins of Holy Island, in neighbouring County Clare. Seven-night trips, including two nights at Cashel Palace, car hire, accommodation, breakfast and activities start at \u00a34,975 per person <\/span>blacktomato.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n

ENGLISH GARDENS<\/h4>\n\n

England\u2019s garden heritage is the focus of holidays organised by specialist operator Violets & Tea. Several more niche tours are available each year but, for allround interest, the company\u2019s A Touch of Magnificence tour lives neatly up to its name, taking in some of the finest gardens across the south east and south west of the country (and some of the stateliest hotels) over six nights in July. The tour takes in the immaculate botanical landscapes of Highclere Castle, Iford Manor, Stourhead, Bowood House, the Highgrove Estate, as well as private gardens such as Dan Pearson-designed Folly Farm in Berkshire. From <\/em>\u00a34,250 <\/em>per <\/em>person <\/em>including <\/em>guiding, <\/em>transport, <\/em>luxury <\/em>accommodation <\/em>and <\/em>most <\/em>meals <\/em>violetsandtea.com<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n