A wonderful opportunity to enjoy staying at the luxury Gisborough Hall Hotel, surrounded by the outstanding landscape of the North Yorkshire Moors.   Both tours include visits to the dramatic and medieval Raby Castle, with its impressive artworks and elaborate architecture, and the collection of fine art treasures that can be found in the remarkable surroundings of the Bowes Museum.   A journey steaming across the stunning Yorkshire Moors from Whitby – Pickering and a tour of the imposing baroque architectural grandeur at Duncombe Park.  Tour 1 includes an afternoon at sea viewing the Tall Ships Race Parade of Sail, starting this year from the historic 18th century maritime port of Hartlepool. Tour 2 includes a privileged opportunity to visit two great houses, Scampston Hall, rarely open and the other never to the public. The Gisborough Hall Hotel, near Middlesborough, privately owned but managed by Macdonald Hotels, was a Victorian ancestral home but is now a four-star country house hotel with award winning restaurant and spectacular views of the Cleveland Hills.

Sunday 8 or 15 August:  Arrive and check into the hotel in time for a welcome drink and, diary permitting, a talk about the hotel by Lord Gisborough before dinner.

Monday 9 or 16 August:  Depart by coach for a private visit to Raby Castle, home to Lord Barnard’s family since 1626. Set within a large deer park, rolling landscape and walled gardens, it is an impressive castle with opulent 19th C interiors, a vast Baron’s Hall with a history of plots and rebellion, superb furniture and works of art.  Refreshments served in the Great Hall on arrival and an opportunity to enjoy the gardens and find lunch after the tour.  Continue to the Bowes Museum – a hidden treasure built in the style of the French chateau created by the imaginative, visionary and enterprising founders, John and Josephine Bowes, housing a vast collection of European fine and decorative arts including the Silver Swan, the museum’s musical icon. A tour of the highlights of the collection. 

Tour 1 - Tuesday 10 August: Depart in the morning for Hartlepool – where depending on the programme of events a chance to visit the Maritime Museum and historic harbour before boarding a pleasure boat with lunch and refreshments to watch the Tall Ships Parade of Sail in the afternoon. Exact details still to be finalised.

Tour 2 - Tuesday 17 August:  Over the moors to Scampston Hall, a family home owned by Sir Charles and Lady Legard dating from 1690 and recently completely restored by the present owners. It has a superb collection of paintings, porcelain and furniture and was voted Country Life House of the Year in 2000. There are lovely gardens and the park was designed by Capability Brown; however set within the walls of the Kitchen Garden is an exciting and unashamedly contemporary garden designed by the leading garden designer, Piet Oudolf. A tour of the house, enjoy the gardens and light lunch provided in the walled garden café. After which continue to another great private house, details on request.  This house is never open to the public and this is a rare opportunity to enjoy an informal tour of the house and its great works of art, hosted by a member of the family. 

Wednesday 11 or 18 August:  Depart by coach over the moors to the coastal town of Whitby.  Time to enjoy the cobbled streets and numerous small shops selling the infamous Whitby black jet or perhaps visit the Captain Cook Memorial Museum before boarding the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway for the journey to Pickering. A picnic lunch will be delivered en-route.  From Pickering continue to Helmsley for an afternoon visit to Duncombe Park with a guided tour of the recent restoration of this imposing family house. The 35 acres of gardens are described as ''the supreme masterpiece of the art of the landscape gardener'' in a classical English setting.  Return to the hotel around 5 pm having taken the high road over the moors with rugged scenery and spectacular views. You may depart after touring or opt to stay the extra night departing on Thurs 12 or 19 August.

Tour Price:
Tour 1 – 8-11/12 Aug (Tall Ships) 
£549 (3 nights)  £628(4 nights)

Tour 2 – 15-18/19 Aug (Historic Houses)
£525 (3 nights)  £604 (4 nights)
Non refundable deposit  £120 pp
Single Supplement £ 25 per night.


Extra night at the hotel (12th) we are holding some rooms – please reserve at time of booking  £78 pp DBB ss £20

Tour price includes:

	3/4 nights dinner, accommodation an full English breakfast
	All entries, special tours, train tickets
	Tea Tail Ships parade day/lunch at Scampston Picnic lunch on train
	Executive coaching professional tour manager guide

Staying at the Macdonald Gisborough Hall Hotel