Birmingham International Tattoo & Three Counties
February 10, 2023
With the 2022 Birmingham International Tattoo having been postponed due to the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, we now have the opportunity of seeing, what is, the biggest indoor Tattoo in the country, in February.
Featuring marching bands, pipes & drums, field gun racing, dog racing and much more including a spectacular Grand Finale with over 1,000 performers, the Birmingham International Tattoo will be for some, the highlight of our long weekend away. But with visits to numerous wonderful attractions during our break, taking in three beautiful counties along the way, others will struggle to pick a favourite. From Friday 10th – Monday 13th February we will visit Oxfordshire for the Bodleian Library in Oxford City centre and Blenheim Palace en route home. In Staffordshire we will visit the National Memorial Arboretum and the lovely city of Lichfield, whilst our time at Coventry Cathedral and Ruins takes us to the historic county of Warwickshire.
The cost of the trip will be £469 per person based on two sharing a twin or double room (Single occupancy supplement of £82.50).
If you wish to book on the trip, I will require a non- refundable deposit of £85 per person to secure your place. The balance will become due about 4 weeks before our departure.
As you will no doubt appreciate, we will need a minimum number of people to make the trip viable. If you would like to join us, please e-mail or call me to book your place.
- Luxury coach travel.
- 3 nights 4* hotel accommodation on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
- Over £85 worth of entry costs.
- Free time in Oxford, Lichfield, Resorts World Arena and Blenheim Palace.
Itinerary
Friday – a civilised start to our break will find us leaving from behind the Dorking Halls at 9am. Once we have arrived in Oxford, there may be a little free time to use the facilities and grab a tea or coffee before our guided tour of the Bodleian Library. World famous and one of Europe’s oldest libraries, the Bodleian is the second largest library in the country with only the British Library itself being larger. In addition to the guided tour there will be free time in Oxford to enjoy the magnificent city centre. After our time in Oxford, we will head to our hotel for the three nights at the 4* Mercure Birmingham West. Staying on a dinner bed & breakfast basis, all breakfasts and evening meals are included.
Saturday – today we will leave the hotel at 9am, after a leisurely breakfast. From here we head to the National Memorial Arboretum. Home to over 400 memorials, set in 150 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, we will take tea and coffee on arrival. Shortly afterwards we will be treated to a tour of the Arboretum on their Land Train. This will give us a great overview, with time afterwards to head out to any specific memorials we might like to spend more time at. At around 1.30pm we will journey to Lichfield. A beautiful city, Lichfield has over 230 listed buildings, many, examples of Georgian architecture, and is home to a wonderful three spired medieval Cathedral. An optional tour of the Cathedral can be arranged if of interest. For those that just want to spend the whole time enjoying the city, that is possible too. We will leave in good time ensuring a comfortable turn around before our second dinner at the hotel.
Sunday – this morning we’ll have a relaxed start, leaving mid-morning and heading straight for the Resorts World Arena to witness the Birmingham International Tattoo. Arriving with a couple of hours free time, there will be the opportunity to grab a light bite to eat at one of the concessions before the Tattoo and, with an outlet shopping centre right on the doorstep, you should find plenty to fill your time, and perhaps empty your wallet or purse! Once the spectacle of the Tattoo has concluded, we will reboard the coach and head back to the hotel to enjoy our final evening meal there.
Monday – it might be our last day, but our break is far from over. Leaving at around 9am, Coventry Cathedral and Ruins is our first port of call. Heavily bombed during raids in 1940 the old cathedral has been preserved in its ruined state. A new Cathedral has been built right next door. Our guided tour will tell us the whole story. Once our tour is complete, we head for Blenheim Palace. One of the nation’s most popular buildings and a World Heritage site, Blenheim Palace is home to 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. 300 years old and set in 2000 acres of Parkland and Formal Gardens, our guided tour will enlighten us to some of the history those three hundred years have witnessed. With some free time to get lunch and explore the Palace and Grounds further, we expect to be back in Dorking between 6.30-7pm.