Shakespeare to Stonehenge: A Walk Through The Cotswold of England July 24-August 3, 2019

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1 Shakespeare to Stonehenge: A Walk Through The Cotswold of England July 24-August 3, 2019 Leader: Dick Cable Trip #1907 Co-Leader: Janis Stahlhut Typical Cotswold cottages and villages, lush green countryside, historic houses, welcoming country pubs and inviting shops make the Cotswold a walker s paradise. You are sure to fall in love with the Cotswold over and over again. We begin and end our trip in London one of Europe s most iconic and recognizable cities. From a city center small hotel we will recover from our overnight flights with some London-town sightseeing before we board a private mini-coach to carry us to Stratford Upon Avon. Here we will take our lunch and have an opportunity to walk around the town that gave the world William Shakespeare. We will then proceed to the Regency town of Cheltenham Spa to begin our 6-day walking exploration through the picturesque towns of the North Cotswold. We will enjoy some of the most scenic walking in England,. soon discovering for ourselves why The Cotswold is described as a honey pot for walkers. Completing our loop back in Cheltenham, we will transfer to Bath, a UNESCO Heritage Site. Known as the most beautiful city in Britain, Bath is the home of many historic Georgian and Roman spas. After a night in a quaint inn, we will wake fresh and head back to London, stopping along the way at another of England s icons Stonehenge.

2 Accommodations, Meals and Amenities We will stay 9 nights at small inns and city center hotels with en-suite facilities, serving typical English breakfasts. Our Cotswold inns are nestled in picture-book villages, with nearby pubs where we will sample the local foods and brews, and hear some local music. During our Cotswold Walk, our luggage will be transported each day to the next night s hotel. You will receive a $40/9 day meal voucher for dinners and lunches. Daily Itinerary The walking itinerary includes walks of 7-16 miles along paths and country lanes. The terrain is the rolling hills known as The Cotswold Hills, which rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment, known as the Cotswold Edge, above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. Day 1 Thursday, July 24: Depart USA Day 2 Friday, July 25: After an overnight flight, arrive in London and settle into our city center hotel. You may enjoy an afternoon stroll along The Thames or visit any of the nearby London sites before meeting the group for happy hour and dinner at a nearby pub. Overnight London.

3 Day 3: Transfer to Cheltenham by way of Stratford Upon Avon Boarding our mini-coach transport after breakfast, we will enjoy a lunch in Stratford Upon Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare. If time allows, we may visit his home and the recently renovated Royal Shakespeare Theater. We depart mid-afternoon for the transfer to Cheltenhem Spa for a good night s sleep before starting our walk. (B) Overnight Cheltenham. Day 4: Cheltenham Spa to Winchcombe Miles After breakfast we start our walk through the Cotswold Hills. The walk starts at the Pittville Pump Rooms, probably the finest example of Regency architecture in Cheltenham, set in the beautiful Pittville Park. Leaving Cheltenham we skirt the famous racecourse and soon climb the Cotswold Escarpment at Cleeve Hill. The next six miles to Winchcombe over Cleeve Common offer some of the most enjoyable walking on the Cotswold Way, through an area of sublime open unchanged limestone grasslands. (B) Overnight Winchcombe. Day 5: Winchcombe to Broadway Miles Following the Cotswold Way we head north to the idyllic villages of Stanton and Broadway. On the way we may visit Hailes Abbey and Stanway House, some of the Cotswolds real gems. Broadway has lured visitors for centuries and a stroll down the broad tree lined High Street is the perfect way to while away the evening. (B) Overnight Broadway. Day 6: Broadway to Moreton on Marsh Miles We start the day with a steady climb to Broadway Tower, a unique Capability Brown folly tower. Located at the second highest point on the Cotswold Escarpment it will reward us with one of the finest views in England. Then we enjoy a gentle stroll down to the honey coloured cottages, tea rooms and gift shops of Chipping Campden before continuing through the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, wander through Broad Campden, Blockley and then to Moreton-in- Marsh one of the most important market towns in the Cotswolds, which still holds a weekly market on the wide main street. (B) Overnight Moreton on Marsh Day 7: Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourtonon-the-Water 10.5 Miles As we leave Moreton-in-Marsh we look forward to our most delightful day of walking. Hopping between some of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds you

4 soon reach Stow-on-the-Wold, an important market town, whose streets are lined by art galleries, gift shops and inns. We will not linger long, as we have a few more miles through the rolling Cotswold countryside to Bourton-on-the-Water, probably the prettiest village in Britain. Bourton is an absolute delight and is sure to live up to your every expectation. Overnight Bourton-on-the-Water. Day 8: Bourton-on-the-Water to Cheltenham Spa Miles Following the river Windrush out of the Bourton-on-the-Water we continue through the Cotswold countryside. Naunton is the first of several delightful Cotswold villages we visit. The day is punctuated by wideopen views, quiet woodlands and secluded valleys. The route leaves the Windrush Way at Guiting Power and roams through the countryside to cross the Cotswold Way and finish at Prestbury, on the outskirts of Cheltenham. (B) Overnight Cheltenham. Day 9: We leave Cheltenham in our minicoach and strike out for Bath, one of England s most picturesque cities, known for its hot springs and historical Gregorian and Roman baths. In the afternoon we will enjoy a walking tour of the city. Overnight Bath. Day 10: After a morning stroll, we leave Bath for London, stopping along the way for a visit to the Stonehenge, Great Britain s best-known prehistoric monument. Though visitors are no longer allowed to walk among the stones, except on special astral events or as part of a scientific expedition, we will be able to view the stones from a viewing location and learn what archeologists have deciphered about why and how they were built and what role they played for ancient inhabitants of these lands. We end our day back in London. (B) Overnight London. Day 11, Saturday, August 3: Depart for home or onward travel. Fitness Level and Level of Difficulty Each of our daily activities is described in the Daily Itinerary. Because of the distances, this trip is rated as easy-moderate. The activities described require no specific skills other than basic fitness and the ability to walk and lightly hike on gentle but sometimes steep terrain, covering distances of 7-15 miles, carrying a light daypack with your day s

5 needs. Though we will use a leisurely pace, we will be mindful of the distance remaining each day and adapt our pace to reach our destination in a timely manner. You will need sturdy walking or hiking shoes (not sneakers), appropriate for walking and day hiking on varied terrain, and a daypack for carrying lunch, water, warm layers, and rain gear. You may wish to use hiking or walking poles. When you participate in this trip, you should be in proper condition for the activities outlined in this prospectus and aware of the risks involved including the inclement weather and long days. Because we are committed that everyone has a safe and enjoyable trip, we contact all potential participants to discuss your capabilities, expectations, and experience. We may request references to confirm your fitness level and suitability for participating in trip and group activities. While leaders are vigilant to ensure participant safety, each individual is ultimately responsible to keep themselves safe and within their physical capabilities. Please note that though our luggage is transported each day, this is not a passenger vehicle and you should not expect to take a day off or catch a ride should you become incapacitated. In such an event, private transfer will be provided to the most logical location, at your personal expense. It may happen on any trip that a trip member is or becomes unable to participate in one or more of the planned activities. AMC Trip Leaders in their sole judgment, have the right and obligation to refuse participation in any activity to any group member for reasons of safety, whether it is of the group or of the individual. It will not be possible for leaders to find a substitute activity on this trip. If unable to participate or continue, you will be responsible for the personal expense of being transferred private to our next location. Depending upon the circumstance, you may be able to use your trip evacuation or interruption insurance. Check with the insurance agent to know what your policy will cover. (Your AMC trip includes emergency medical evacuation coverage up to $200,000.) TRIP PRICE: US $ A deposit of $1000 is due with the application. A second payment of $1000 is due June 1, The balance of $875 is due December 1, The price for this trip is based on quotes or estimates obtained at the time the trip was submitted to the Adventure Travel Committee for approval, as much as months in advance of its departure date. AMC-AT trips are operated on a non-profit basis: trip participants will share any savings we achieve, as well as bear any cost increases we incur. Our cost estimates, including foreign currency exchange rate projections, are conservative, and so a refund is considerably more likely than a price increase. Refunds, if any, are issued after the trip s financial accounting is complete. To secure our hotel reservation, our small inns will require deposits in the summer of Thus, the trip will need to have a minimum of 12 registrants by that time in order to submit the deposit. Since trips of this nature and in this price range sell out quickly, sometimes as much as a year in advance, we strongly recommend applying as early as possible, and by all means before summer 2018!

6 Included in Trip Price 9 nights accommodations including English style breakfast and meal voucher of $40 / 9 days; $65 airport land transfer voucher; private mini-coach transfers to and from London; entrance to Stonehenge (basic pass); walking maps; 2 AMC-AT leaders certified in CPR and Wilderness First Aid; emergency medical and evacuation insurance (for dates of the trip only). Not Included in Trip Price Airfare (approximately $700-1,000), excursions not listed in the Itinerary, tips, meal costs above $40/day; land transfer costs above $45; personal expenses such as laundry, phone and internet charges, etc.; cancellation charges including airline tickets; trip cancelation and other travel insurance; lost baggage, medical and evacuation insurance beyond that provided in AMC-AT trip price or for trip extensions. (We highly recommend participants have their own personal medical insurance and purchase trip cancellation insurance.) Application and Deposits To apply, you must complete and submit a Participant Application, Confidential Health Questionnaire, and Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk and Release form, enclosing also a registration deposit of $1,000, $50 of which is non-refundable should you decide for any reason to withdraw your application and deposit. Your check will be deposited when you have been accepted onto the trip. If the trip is cancelled for any reason by AMC, your deposit will be refunded in full. You will be accepted on the roster through a screening process of application review, including a telephone call from one of the leaders to determine if this trip is appropriate for you. If the trip fills (maximum 16 participants), we will start a wait list. Deposit checks from wait-listed applicants will not be cashed until we offer them a spot on the trip AND they accept. Please make all payments by check, payable to Appalachian Mountain Club and mail to the address shown on the Participant Application. Cancellation Policy The AMC Adventure Travel cancellation policy is based on the intent that your cancellation may not raise the cost to the other participants or to the leaders. If expenses already incurred on your behalf, and any unavoidable future expenses that will be incurred as a result of your registration and cancellation, cannot be applied to another suitable participant, they will be assessed to you and subtracted from any refund. If the leaders are able to replace you, you may be charged a reduced or zero penalties. In some cases, this may not be determined until after the trip. Please refer to medical evacuation insurance info in the section above, This Trip Includes. This is the only insurance provided in your AMC trip price. No one expects to cancel or interrupt a planned trip, or to incur costs due to emergency medical expenses or lost luggage. However, such events do occur. If you are concerned about this possibility, or prefer to avoid cancellation penalties, we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Policy information for such insurance made available through AMC s agency will be supplied to all participants upon acceptance into the trip or you may purchase coverage from any of a number of travel insurance companies.

7 Your AMC Trip Leaders Your leaders have a strong interest in sharing the allure of adventure excursions to the most beautiful and intriguing places on earth. Leader Dick Cable has been an AMC member for many years. He is a CT and Berkshire Chapter bike and hike leader, and an Adventure Travel Leader for 10 years having led nearly 25 trekking, hiking, horse-trekking, walking, and biking trips to Yosemite, Mongolia, Nepal, Italy, Sicily, France, Spain, Norway, Finland, Tanzania, Cambodia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Patagonia, Peru, Easter Island, India, and Bhutan. Dick is a retired teacher, Early Childhood administrator, and a national and international educational consultant. Additionally Dick is a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor. When in Connecticut, he teaches senior fitness at a YMCA. He spends part of his year in Salamanca, Spain. Co-Leader Janis Stahlhut, a lifelong outdoor enthusiast with a passion for global exploration, is a Connecticut Chapter hike and bike leader and an AMC- AT leader since She has led and co-led AT hiking and biking trips to Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Sicily, Spain, France, Italy, Finland, Norway, South America, Greece, and New Zealand. A communications specialist, Janis spent 15 years in marketing and public policy for major telecommunications firms, before swapping her desk job for a second career as a personal trainer and exercise instructor. A former triathlete, Janis occasionally writes a travel blog. Her 15 minutes of fame came when, at the age of 50, she tried out for the US Women s Bobsled Team. In accordance with AMC Adventure Travel policy and oversight, participants are subsidizing all or a portion of the leaders' costs of planning and conducting this trip. The trip price also includes an AMC administrative overhead fee to help cover the club s expenses of offering Adventure Travel excursions. AMC Adventure Travel trips are run in a manner supportive of and consistent with the traditions, principles and mission of the Club. Trip leaders encourage participant conduct consistent with Leave No Trace environmental and conservation principles, and respectful of local customs. Local regulations must be followed. For more information or an application package please contact: Dick Cable, r.cable@sbcglobal.net or Janis Stahlhut, jstahlhut@me.com, (please call before 9pm).