This
short break staying
at the recently
opened 4* Macdonald
Portal Hotel situated
in peaceful rolling
hills of the Cheshire
countryside includes
visits to the great
houses of Tabley
and Gawsworth Hall,
the opportunity
to explore the village
of Port Sunlight
with a tour of the
Lady Lever Gallery,
Ness Botanical Gardens
and ride the "Cathedral
of the Canals" with
a short cruise on
the canal. The hotel
is renowned for
its leisure facilities
with an established
championship golf
course and has excellent
cuisine.
Sunday 20 July:
Arrive and check
into the hotel before
the welcome drink
and dinner.
Monday 21 July:
Depart by coach
to Tabley House
- one of the finest
18th century houses
in Cheshire. It
was built for the
Leicester family
by John Carr of
York in the Palladian
style, and is now
owned by the University
of Manchester. It
contains a famous
collection of paintings,
including works
by Turner, Lawrence,
Dobson and Devis,
and furniture by
Gillow, Bullock
and Chippendale.
You will then continue
with a break for
early lunch before
visiting Gawsworth
Hall. This ancient
Tudor manor house
wrapped in romance,
intrigue and great
charm is very much
a family home. The
owner, Mr Richards,
will give an introduction
to the house before
your visit. Continuing
to Northwich where
the Anderton Boat
Lift is one of the
greatest monuments
to Britain's canal
age. Built in 1875
it was the world's
first and is currently
England's only Boat
Lift. The visitor
centre shows the
history and re-opening
after the recent
£7 million restoration
that has taken place.
There will be a
boat cruise on the
canal before returning
to the hotel and
dinner.
Tuesday 22 July:
This morning your
first visit is to
Port Sunlight. In
1887 William Lever,
a successful soap
manufacturer was
looking for a new
site for his expanding
business, it had
to be near the river
for importing raw
materials, and a
railway line for
transporting the
finished products.
The marshy, uninspiring
ground that he discovered
was eventually transformed
into the garden
village of Port
Sunlight, founded
to house his workers
and named after
his famous soap.
Lever took great
pleasure in the
planning and employed
nearly thirty different
archectects. Amongst
other buildings
he personnally financied
the Lady Lever Art
Gallery with its
famous collections
of 18/19th century
paintings, furniture
and Wedgwood. There
will be tour of
the art gallery
and the chance to
explore the village.
This is followed
by a visit to Ness
Botanical Gardens
- born from one
man's passionate
interest in plants
and a desire to
share this with
others - Liverpool
cotton merchant
Arthur Bulley created
the garden from
1898 laying the
foundations of one
of the major botanical
gardens in this
country. Lunch can
be found in the
restaurant and after
the visit you will
return to the hotel.
**It would be possible
to link this tour
with RHS Tatton
Park Show and Great
Cheshire Gardens
starting from New
Blossoms Hotel,
Chester on the evening
22 July.
Price per person:
£359 Single Supplement:
£50 Non refundable
deposit £100
Includes:
• 2 nights
accommodation with
breakfast and dinner
• Welcome reception
and light lunch
on Monday
• All entries
and tours as stated
• Professional
guide and executive
coaching
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