A Special Note from GPB President Bert Wesley Huffman

TO THE MANOR BORN TOUR PROVIDES ADVENTURE IN ENGLAND

by GPB President Bert Wesley Huffman

I’ve just returned from the trip of a lifetime, and it was all thanks to GPB! In August, GPB CEO Teya Ryan and I had the pleasure of traveling to England with a group of thirty GPB supporters immersed in the magic of British television.

Here at GPB, we started planning this trip in 2019 with our friends at Transcendent Travel, and it was such a joy to finally see it come to fruition following multiple pandemic-related travel delays. After landing in England on August 8, we hit the ground running with stops along the way at the beautiful, historic cities of Windsor and Bath, a visit to Agatha’s Christie’s birthplace of Torquay as well as her lush holiday getaway Greenway Estate, Cricket St. Thomas (better known from its starring role in the British comedy To the Manor Born) and of course Downton Abbey itself, Highclere Castle! Add to that some time at Hampton Court Palace, the sprawling home of King Henry VIII, as well as the grandeur of London, and you have the recipe for a once in a lifetime experience.

Since returning, I’ve been asked many times about my favorite part of the tour. And, honestly, it had to be meeting so many friends who love GPB and its programming as much as I do. I have many wonderful memories of late night and dinnertime conversations about anything from favorite PBS shows to just how much GPB means to Georgia. Certainly, the beauty of the English countryside, the delicious food and the company of this group of GPB superfans was enough, but I would like to share a couple of thoughts in particular… Port Isaac -- If you’re fan of Doc Martin, you are intimately acquainted with the lovely seaside village of Port Isaac, even if you don’t know its name. The idyllic locale is home to all the exterior shots and a few of the interiors for the long-running program. We were

Home seen in PBS series Doc Martin located in Port Isaac.

GPB CEO Teya Ryan and GPB President Bert Wesley Huffman at HighClere Castle along with a tour group of GPB supporters.

treated to a walking tour of the town, and I found myself in awe of the beauty and the excitement of standing right in the middle of one of my favorite GPB programs.

We also had some time for a quick pub lunch to experience that quintessential of English lunch dishes – fish and chips. As I stood in the back of this walking tour, I had to take a moment to reacquaint myself with what makes GPB so special – community. And, community can be found here in Georgia or halfway across the world as I counted the smiles of our guests experiencing exactly the same feelings!

Highclere Castle - Okay, so we’re all enamored with the beauty and fun of one of MASTERPIECE’s most beloved dramas, Downton Abbey, right? Well, if you find yourself in the position to visit the alluring Highclere Castle estate, do it! The day we visited Highclere we were hypnotized by the beauty of the nearly 5,000-acre estate. What we see on the show is merely a tiny representation of just how enchanting this place is in person. Yes, touring the home was almost surreal, as we all recalled specific memories of hallmark scenes that were filmed in many of the rooms and around the main house. But, perhaps even more entrancing to me were the stunning gardens housing rows and rows of rich greenery and English flowers. It was really something. It was here that we stopped for our first group photo and looking at it now has me yearning to visit again.

If it has you craving an experience like this, I’ve got news for you! Stay tuned because Transcendent Travel has a brand-new tour on the horizon, and I’m excited to share with you that we will be traveling back to England next Fall for a week themed on the popular PBS program All Creatures Great and Small!

If you find yourself looking for a week of adventure next year, consider joining us for this tour. If that’s not in the cards for you, then escape with me every time you tune to GPB. Either way, you’ll be educated, enlightened and certainly entertained.