June 2014
The Regular Newsletter of Ellen Smith Tours
Tiger Talk
Welcome to our June issue of ‘Tiger Talk’. Inside we have an array of tours from late June to the end of July for you to enjoy as well as some newly advertised tours which will hopefully whet your appetite together with some lovely & exciting day excursions - including a ‘Coronation Street’ Tour ~ maybe you could be the new barmaid/barman at ‘The Rovers’!
~ Grand Theatre, Blackpool ~ KEN DODD
ONLY £115.00 OH YES! The Master of Mirth is back! Britain’s funniest comedian Ken Dodd OBE returns to Blackpool’s Grand Theatre to tickle audiences with the ‘longest stand up routine ever’. Oh yes, Doddy is back and ready to amaze audiences with hilarious joketelling, boundless energy and non-stop entertainment all night long... literally! An evening full of plumptiousness is promised from Professor Chucklebutty, who has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious British Comedy Awards and also features in the Guinness Book of Records for telling 1,500 jokes in three and a half hours. That’s more than seven jokes a minute!
TWO DATES AVAILABLE
Sunday 19th October 2014 (2 Days) Sunday : Monday :
OR
Sunday 26th October 2014 (2 Days)
Itinerary: After being picked up from home we enjoy our outward journey making a stop at Oswaldtwistle Mill for some free time before we continue to the Carousel Hotel, Blackpool. There will be time to freshen up before we enjoy a High Tea at the hotel. Our coach transports you to Blackpool for the evening performance of Ken Dodd’s Show. Following the show our coach will transport you back to the hotel. Following breakfast we leave the hotel and make our way to the traditional Victorian seaside town of Southport, where we spend some free time prior to continuing our journey home.
HOW TO BOOK:
Carousel Hotel, Blackpool ~ This 3 star traditional hotel is conveniently located on the seafront on Blackpool’s new South Promenade. All of the bedrooms are en-suite and have satellite TV, hairdryer, telephone and tea/coffee makers. The hotel offers a Restaurant & Lounge Bar. Meal Arrangements while at the hotel include 1x High Tea and 1 Breakfast. Lift. Single Supplement: £5.00
At our Shop: Ellen Smith Tours, Newgate, Rochdale, OL16 1BA By Telephone: 01706 648126 Website: www.ellensmith.co.uk
New (ish) website coming soon!
We are seeing a month on month increase of bookings, for both tours and day excursions, made via our website. For bookings made this way customers can save £5 per person for tours, and £1 per person for day excursions. The website is currently under reconstruction, particularly the front page.
We are trying to make the site more informative, relative and current. The picture on the left is an early draft but shows some of the new features we intend to include. There will be a constant Twitter feed, easy access to our facebook site and hopefully lots of our and your photographs showing lots of places of interest and happy customers. There will also be on-line access to our brochure, our
seasonal leaflets and recent Tiger Talks. There will also be on-line access to our brochure, our seasonal leaflets and recent Tiger Talks. We know lots of people browse using a tablet or mobile now so the site will be adapted to suit. You can also sign up for our email service on-line, the quickest way to find out about all our new tours and excursions. Happy browsing!
C.I.T.O. - what’s it got to offer? “CITO is a select organisation of proven quality coach tour operators which have satisfied the strict criteria for membership.”
Customers who have travelled with us for a few years may remember that we were once members of the Consortium of Independent Tour Operators. We withdrew a few years ago because our customers did not particularly appreciate the tour sharing scheme for continental tours that it operated. We now know that our customers like to travel on our vehicles, with our drivers and with other customers drawn from across our normal picking up area. However we were recently approached and asked to rejoin a much changed CITO.
Following a meeting with their Chairman and General Manager we have decided to take them up on their offer. Firstly, to assure all our customers, particularly the more adventurous ones who like to travel abroad, we will not be undertaking any shared coach tours with any other operator. What we will be able to offer is a full colour brochure packed full of escorted worldwide holidays and cruises designed with our type of passenger in mind.
Why not check out their website www.cito-holidays. com. There you will find details of the other coach operators involved and an online 2014 brochure. We intend to circulate the 2015 “CITO” brochure in late summer to all our tour customers. All the holidays are secured by CITO’s ATOL licence and will, of course, include our ’Door to Door’ service – to wherever the plane or ship departs from. Watch this space for further details…….
Your comments from our tours operated during early May…………… “The holiday was up to the usual Ellen Smith standard and we enjoyed it as much as the previous trips with the company. A friendly crowd as always on the coach.” Mr PH - Landscapes of Norfolk 12th May 2014 “The feeder driver and the coach driver were friendly and very efficient. The coach driver was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and nothing was too much trouble.” Mr PF - Gilsland Spa 5th May 2014 “Great break as usual - up to Ellen Smith’s high standards.“ Mrs MB - Bournemouth 5th May 2014 “_____________ our driver was very friendly, professional and flexible. He had a lot of local knowledge which made the tour very interesting.” Mrs ST - Isle of Man 15th May 2014 “First time used Ellen Smith, excellent holiday look forward to using you again.” Mrs AP - Durham Dales 12th May 2014 “The driver ___________ was excellent and he is concerned that all his passengers are comfortable.” Mrs YN - Sidmouth 16th May 2014 “____________ our driver was thoughtful and considerate to his elderly passengers.” Mrs VT - Pembrokeshire 4th May 2014 “This was the second holiday we’ve had with ___________ as a driver and we have to say that he is an absolute GEM!! He is thoughtful, courteous & friendly as well as being a great driver, thanks for a most enjoyable holiday look forward to the next one!!” Mr DG - Landscapes of Norfolk 12th May 2014 We have purposefully omitted the driver’s names from the above comments as it would be unfair to mention just one or two. All the reports regarding drivers, both ours and those from Swans Travel are excellent! Thank you lads - (and lassies!)
Bonnie Scotland
The Wye Valley
Monday 23rd June 2014 (5 Days)
Monday 30th June 2014 (5 Days)
Based in Central Scotland this delightful tour features a train journey from Crianlarich to Oban through the Pass of Brander and a train journey from Crianlarich across Rannoch Moor to Fort William. As well as trains we include a visit to The Hollow Mountain, Glenturret Distillery and sightseeing includes: Loch Levan & Glencoe; Glen Dochart & Killin; Loch Tay & Aberfeldy - a lovely tour to suit all tastes.
Discover this magical borderland fought over for centuries. We include a lovely River Wye Cruise from Symonds Yat with its spectacular scenery; a ride on the Dean Forest Railway to take in the beautiful Forest landscape plus lovely market towns such as Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye and to top it off we take time to visit the magnificent ruins of Tintern Abbey.
We stay at the 3 star Crianlarich Hotel in the village of the same name, a lovely part of Scotland.
We stay at the 3 Star Bells Hotel & Forest of Dean Golf Club a place to relax & unwind and enjoy the pleasant surroundings.
Mountains, Glens, Lochs & Lines
Only £379
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 48 of our 2014 brochure
Southsea, D-Day Museum & ‘Wartime Farm’
Monday 7th July 2014 (5 Days)
& The Royal Forest of Dean
Only £329
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 19 of our 2014 brochure
London Highlights
Monday 7th July 2014 (5 Days)
A lovely tour that takes us back in time as we visit the D-Day Museum & Overlord Embroidery - Britain’s only museum dedicated solely to covering all aspects of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France on 6th June 1944. We also take time to visit Portsmouth, the historic cathedral city of Winchester and Manor Farm where the popular TV series ‘Wartime Farm’ was filmed and the presenters were challenged to turn back the clock, dig for victory and run the farm as it would have been run during the second world war. A nostalgic tour of times gone by.
Our Capital City has some of the worlds best attractions, there’s so much to see & do. This tour highlights some of the most popular attractions and includes visits to: The Household Cavalry Museum, A self-guided audio tour of Westminster Abbey, a relaxing River Thames Boat Cruise, a visit to The Cutty Sark, a Guided Tour of Theatre Royal Drury Lane and a chance to do some shopping in one of London’s iconic department stores - Harrods. So many attractions at such a great price!
We stay at the 3 star Best Western Royal Beach Hotel which stands proudly on the seafront at Southsea
We stay at the 3 star Mercure Hotel, Watford
Only £349
Single Supplement: £32.00
For more info please see page 9 of our 2014 brochure
Only £359
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 23 of our 2014 brochure
Blackpool
Sailing, Steaming & Dreaming
Sunday 13th July 2014 (6 Days)
Monday 14th July 2014 (5 Days)
Enjoy the summer sunshine at the popular seaside resort of Blackpool for 6 days in July. Our excursions on this tour include the Old Market Town of Kendal & the charming Edwardian resort of GrangeOver-Sands in the Lake District and Liverpool’s Albert Dock which boasts some great tourist attractions. There are also 2 days at leisure to enjoy Blackpool.
On this tour we explore the dramatic landscapes of the Lakes as we enjoy a Mountain Goat Minibus Tour taking us to places our coaches can’t get to as well as visiting Hill Top House Beatrix Potter’s House; Hawkshead & Tarn Hows; Cruises including a Gondola Cruise on Coniston Water, a boat cruise on Lake Ullswater & a boat cruise on Lake Windermere. We also enjoy a train ride on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. There’s so much included on this tour it will suit everyone and is a great price.
Includes: Kendal, Grange Over Sands & Albert Dock
We stay at the 2 Star Doric Hotel situated on Queen’s Promenade on the North Shore. The Doric Hotel offers nightly entertainment.
Only £289
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 32 of our 2014 brochure
Hampshire Delights
Inc. The Watercress Line & Basingstoke Canal Cruise
Thursday 17th July 2014 (5 Days)
In The Lake District
We stay at the 3 Star Best Western Shap Wells Hotel.
Only £359
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 34 of our 2014 brochure
Delightful North Devon Sunday 20th July 2014 (5 Days)
A delightful tour offering a varied choice of excursions & attractions including: a pleasant return train journey on the Mid-Hants Railway ‘The Watercress Line’; a visit to historic Winchester with its cathedral; a relaxing cruise on the Basingstoke Canal; a visit to Milestones Living History Museum where you can wander down cobbled streets, chat to staff in period costume and experience everyday life from 1810 to 1950; and also a visit to Portsmouth with its Maritime connections.
North Devon has a unique International Biosphere Reserve and is famed for its surfing beaches, quaint villages and historic market towns. On this tour we explore the rugged terrain of Exmoor, an area steeped in history; visit the pretty twin towns of Lynton & Lynmouth; Dunster with its castle guarding the medieval buildings; Bideford with its pannier market & traffic free lanes; RHS Garden at Rosemoor - with its pretty gardens; and a visit to the National Trust’s Arlington Court - an intimate & intriguing treasure house.
We stay at the The Holiday Inn Hotel Basingstoke located on the outskirts of Basingstoke and ideally placed for this tour.
We stay at the 3 star Royal & Fortescue Hotel, Barnstaple
Only £299
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 11 of our 2014 brochure
Only £369
Single Supplement: £44.00
For more info please see page 13 of our 2014 brochure
From The Severn to The Thames And The Avon Monday 21st July 2014 (5 Days)
A lovely holiday as we explore the triangle between the three famous rivers and with excursions into Oxfordshire and Wiltshire with a variety of attractions this is a delightful tour. We visit Historic Tewkesbury & Gloucester; enjoy a Guided Tour of Oxford; make a stop at Devizes; a short stay at Caen Hill ‘Staircase’ Locks; visit Lacock & Tetbury as well as a visit to the Great Western Railway Museum in Swindon. We stay at the 4 Star Mercure Bowden Hall Hotel located at Upton St Leonards on the outskirts of Gloucester.
Only £329
Single Supplement: Nil
For more info please see page 21 of our 2014 brochure
A Highland Adventure The Black Isle and Moray Firth
Orchards & Vineyards Castles & Cruises ~ Kent
Monday 28th July 2014 (5 Days)
A fabulous tour which takes us into the lovely county of Kent to visit some great attractions. We enjoy the delightful town of Faversham before heading to Brogdale, the home of the National Fruit Collection for a tour & tasting. We enjoy time at the Historical Naval Dockyard, Chatham and an afternoon visit to Rochester Castle. We relax & enjoy a River Medway Cruise before a visit to ‘The Most Beautiful Castle in the World’ - Leeds Castle. We stay at the 3 Star Best Western Manor Hotel.
Only £339
Single Supplement: £68.00
For more info please see page 16 of our 2014 brochure
Great Little Trains of Snowdonia
Monday 28th July 2014 (5 Days)
Monday 28th July 2014 (5 Days)
The Scottish Highlands have so much to offer with spectacular mountains, waterfalls, rivers and mirror-like Lochs. Our tour includes a train journey from Aviemore to Broomhill; A Distillery Tour & Tasting at Glenfiddich Distillery; A Tour & Tasting at The Black Isle Brewery as well as a visit to Fort Augustus, the Gateway to Loch Ness and the lovely towns of Nairn & Forres on the Moray Firth. A beautiful part of Scotland with spectacular scenery.
The Great Little Trains of Wales are a great way to see some of the best scenery that Wales has to offer. We enjoy trips on: Ffestiniog Railway; Bala Lake Railway; Welsh Highland Railway; Llanberis Lake Railway and A Vale of Conwy Train Journey - All are narrow gauge steam railways, some of which are over 100 years old. All have in common the charm of steam trains with polished paintworks & brass. On this tour we also include a visit to Portmeirion Italianate Village on the shores of Cardigan Bay.
We stay at the The Nethybridge Hotel, Nethy Bridge This Victorian Hotel has magnificent character and is situated amidst the splendour of the Cairngorm Mountains and the lushy wooded Strathspey.
We stay at the 3 star Celtic Royal Hotel, Caernarfon
Only £289
Single Supplement: £53.00
For more info please see page 51 of our 2014 brochure
Only £389
Single Supplement: £76.00
For more info please see page 55 of our 2014 brochure
Bruges Mini-Cruise with P&O North Sea Ferries With Motown Soul Entertainment
The fun begins as soon as you step on-board a P&O North Sea Ferries Mini-Cruise. From a choice of great restaurants, serving the very best of British and Continental food, to live entertainment – there’s something for everyone!
Tuesday 4th November 2014 (3 Days)
Irish Music Festival Blackpool Due to the success of this tour for the past 2 years we are pleased to have secured tickets for the 2014 Irish Music Festival in Blackpool.
Friday 14th November 2014 (3 Days) This great weekend is packed with non-stop Irish Country Music featuring top artists flown in from Ireland. Entertainment takes place in the lovely surroundings of the Hilton Hotel, Blackpool where you will be staying for 2 nights on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis and we'll even throw in a Sunday Lunch. The cost of the tour also includes entry to the Music Festival and a morning excursion to Southport.
Join us for a Motown Soul Mini-Cruise to Bruges with P&O Ferries where ‘Soul Kinda Wonderful’ will relight the magic of the splendid Soul and Mowtown era and breathe life back into those magical songs we all love. This timeless music has never left us, and its influence remains strong to this day. Performing on both the outward & return crossing, the show consists of all the Motown and Soul classics. Sweet harmonies and slick dance routines are guaranteed to have you singing and dancing along to the legendary songs. Itinerary: Tuesday : A late morning departure. We travel to Hull by coach where you board the cruise ship to Zeebrugge. Evening at leisure. Wednesday : We rejoin our coach and travel to Bruges to enjoy some free time. In the late afternoon we return to the ship for the return sailing to Hull. Again evening at leisure. Thursday : We disembark in Hull and make the return journey to the region. Bruges – A must see city in Europe, known as ‘Venice of the North’ and historically well-preserved. Walking through the city streets there is an abundance of medieval culture to appreciate together with a warm, friendly atmosphere. SUPPLEMENTS OUTSIDE CABIN (2 persons sharing) £16.00 per cabin LOW BERTH INSIDE CABIN (2 persons sharing) £8.00 per cabin SINGLE OCCUPANCY (inside cabin) £40.00, return
Itinerary: Friday: A mid morning departure as we head to Blackpool and onto our hotel, the 4 star Hilton. Dinner in the hotel this evening is followed by tonight’s music and dancing in the ballroom, to some great Irish Country Music live bands, which begins at 20:30 hours. Saturday:A leisurely breakfast is followed by a visit to the Victorian seaside resort of Southport. We return to the hotel during the afternoon where there will be live entertainment in the hotel lounge. Following dinner this evening we again head to the ballroom for more live Irish Country Music. Sunday: Following breakfast we enjoy a relaxing morning or maybe take a stroll to unwind from the weekend’s events. Lunch will be served at the hotel. Following lunch we leave Blackpool mid-afternoon and make our journey home.
• • • • •
ONLY: £139.00
(based on 2 people sharing an inside cabin)
(INCLUDES: DINNER & BREAKFAST, BOTH WAYS) Obligatory Requirements: Passport, European Health Insurance Card & Travel Insurance. A Visa may be required for Non-British Passport Holders.
Tour Highlights: 4 Star Hotel 2 Evening Meals, 2 Breakfasts & 1 Carvery Lunch on Sunday Live Music Each Evening Visit to Southport Door to Door
ONLY: £259.00 Single Supplement: £40.00
2013 PRICE HELD
June & July Day Excursions Sun Wed Fri Sun Mon Tue Fri Sat Sun Thu Sat Sun Sat Sun Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Sat Sun Mon Tue Sat Sun Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
01-Jun 04-Jun 06-Jun 08-Jun 09-Jun 10-Jun 13-Jun 14-Jun 15-Jun 19-Jun 21-Jun 22-Jun 28-Jun 29-Jun 04-Jul 05-Jul 06-Jul 07-Jul 08-Jul 12-Jul 13-Jul 14-Jul 15-Jul 19-Jul 20-Jul 22-Jul 23-Jul 24-Jul 25-Jul 26-Jul 27-Jul
York Express Skipton & Boundary Mill Ludlow Express RAF Cosford Air Show + Keswick & kendal Lytham & St. Annes Ripon & Richmond Llandudno Blackpool or Cleveleys Pots & Perennials + Cleethorpes Express Arley Hall Garden Festival + Shugborough Estate Express *** Bowness & Windermere Castle Howard incl admission Whitby Express Blackpool or Cleveleys Matlock Bath & Bakwell *** Southport Durham Express Kendal & Grange-over-Sands Chester, Cheshire Oaks or Zoo *** Coronation Street Tour + Beverley Fleetwood Tram Sunday Llandudno Boundary Mill & Canal Cruise + Port Sunlight & New Brighton + Stratford-upon-Avon Express York Express Tatton Park Flower Show ***
Middleton 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 08:00 09:00 09:00 08:00 09:00 08:00 08:00 09:00 08:00 09:00 09:00 08:00 09:00 08:00 09:00 08:00 08:00 09:00 09:00 09:00 09:00 08:00 08:00 09:00 08:00 08:00 09:00
Rochdale 08:40 08:30 08:20 08:20 08:20 09:20 10:05 08:30 09:20 08:30 08:40 09:30 08:20 09:30 10:05 08:40 09:20 08:20 09:20 08:40 08:20 09:30 09:20 10:05 09:20 08:30 08:30 09:30 08:20 08:40 09:30
Heywood XXXX 08:45 XXXX XXXX 08:35 09:35 09:50 08:45 09:35 08:45 XXXX 09:45 XXXX 09:45 09:50 XXXX 09:35 08:35 09:35 XXXX 08:35 09:45 09:35 09:50 09:35 08:45 08:45 09:45 XXXX XXXX 09:45
Summit XXXX 08:50 XXXX XXXX 08:40 09:40 09:45 08:50 09:40 08:50 XXXX 09:50 XXXX 09:50 09:45 XXXX 09:40 08:40 09:40 XXXX 08:40 09:50 09:40 09:45 09:40 08:50 08:50 09:50 XXXX XXXX 09:50
Bury 08:20 09:05 08:40 08:40 08:55 09:55 09:30 09:05 09:55 09:05 08:20 10:05 08:40 10:05 09:30 08:20 09:55 08:55 09:55 08:20 08:55 10:05 09:55 09:30 09:55 09:05 09:05 10:05 08:40 08:20 10:05
Whitefield XXXX 09:15 XXXX XXXX 09:05 10:05 09:20 09:15 10:05 09:15 XXXX 10:15 XXXX 10:15 09:20 XXXX 10:05 09:05 10:05 XXXX 09:05 10:15 10:05 09:20 10:05 09:15 09:15 10:15 XXXX XXXX 10:15
Price £17 £14 £17 £29 £15 £12 £15 £16 £12 £25 £17 £24 £17 £15 £24 £17 £12 £14 £15 £17 £15 £15 £29 £17 £12 £16 £29 £19 £17 £17 £15
Notes + Entrances or extras included *** no entrances included
Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat This colourful retelling of the biblical story about Joseph, his uncanny abilities and his designer coat sings out to young and old alike with a score which is wall to wall hits - including Close Every Door and Any Dream Will Do. In this retelling of the Biblical story, Joseph is a handsome young man who is his father's favourite child, able to interpret dreams, and the bearer of an amazing coat.
Thursday 23rd October 2014 - Matinee Centre Stall Seats £39
Castle Howard Castle Howard has been home to the Howard family for over 300 years. Castle Howard is a magnificent18th Century residence set within 1000 acres of breathtaking landscape in the Howardian Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in North Yorkshire. Visit and enjoy world-renowned collections, stunning architecture and inspiring family stories, relax amid idyllic gardens, enjoy woodland and lakeside walks, and let off steam on the adventure playground.
Coronation Street Tour Book your place on Coronation Street The Tour for your chance to walk down Weatherfield’s hallowed cobbles. peek into a star’s dressing room, watch rare footage and reminisce over favourite plots and characters with family & friends. Explore interior room sets as part of the behind the scenes tour and see where some famous scenes were filmed, revealing insights into production. The highlight of the tour itself will be the Street itself with time to explore and take an iconic photo outside the Rovers Return, Roy’s Rolls or the Kabin.
Fleetwood Tram Sunday Tram Sunday, as it is known locally, is a one day event for all the family. Classic and vintage vehicles will be on display along with fairground rides for the younger ones and a vast amount of stalls selling a wide assortment of goods for all the family. This is the must see event of the years and its free.
Boundary Mill & Canal Cruise This interesting tour takes in a cruise of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. It starts and ends in the attractive village of Foulridge just 15 minutes away from Colne. Step aboard the Marton Emperor - a 48 seater canal cruise boat as it sails along one of the highest and most scenic stretches of the canal through the Pendle countryside. The tour includes lunch and time for shopping at Boundary Mill.
Port Sunlight Port Sunlight is unique and those who visit for the first time are usually astonished at what they discover. It is argued to be the finest surviving example of early urban planning in the UK. The late 19th Century village was built by William Hesketh Lever (later Viscount Leverhulme) to house his soap factory workers at Lever Brothers which eventually turned into the global giant Unilever. Lever was a philanthropist with a passion for art and architecture and Port Sunlight is an enduring testament to the achievements of this remarkable man. The sheer scale of his philanthropy was unprecedented and the whole of Port Sunlight is now a Conservation Area and a major tourist attraction for The Wirral.
Tatton Park Flower Show Join us on this ever popular day trip. The four zones of Inspire, Escape, Feast and Grow will be back at Tatton in 2014 with brand new features alongside regular show favourites which include the RHS National Young Designer of the Year, Themed Gardens, the popular Winsford Education Partnership School Gardens will be back with a theme of Childrens stories, The Feast Theatre will feature family orientated cookery demonstration along with workshops on growing your own produce with RHS experts so you can get some practical, hands on experience.