No Single Supplement
The greatest peril of Monopoly is you can ‘GO TO JAIL, do not pass go, do not collect £200’!
For this holiday, we’ve arranged some lovely autumn treats, including a visit to what was formerly Shepton Mallet Prison, which is now a museum; The National Arboretum at Westonbirt for autumn colour; Dyrham Park, which you’ll recognise from many films; the City of Bath and Lacock Abbey, which has also featured in films and TV programmes.
We generally try to depart between 8am and 9am, and exact times will be confirmed in the final timings itinerary which arrives about a week before travel.
We send this close to travel so we can plan for any major traffic issues which sometimes arise due to road works etc.
Monday 20th October 2025
Our aim at Pennywood Tours is to give you a relaxing and carefree time where we do all the work so you can sit back and enjoy the trip.
To this end, all tours are escorted by a group leader who will check you on board and make sure you can find your allocated seat. We’ll seat you with the person/people you are booked with but if you know of anyone else on the trip who has booked separately please let us know in advance and we’ll try to seat you all together. The coach will be a super deluxe vehicle with a toilet and is incredibly comfortable.
Our Group Leader will advise you of all the details of travel times, stops, when to return to the coach etc. so you will be in no doubt about what and when. He or she will be available for any additional questions you may have.
We will do our best to stick to our itinerary but you will understand that when there are traffic jams or adverse weather conditions, we may struggle to do everything as planned but we will let you know what information we have in these situations when we have it.
We look forward to seeing you and welcome any questions you may have by contacting us at info@pennywoodtours.com or on 01622 434 981.
We venture west and spend time at Lacock Abbey and Village, which is truly beautiful and a filming location for many programmes and films such as Downton Abbey. From here we head to our 4-star accommodation for the trip, Doubletree Hilton in central Bath, where we’ll stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis.
After a late start, we wind our way to The National Arboretum at Westonbirt. This wonderful place has the widest range of trees so whether autumn is warm or cool, there will be groups of trees in full autumn colour and normally, the spectacular Japanese Maples will be at their peak now.
Taking a short day to wander through this quiet haven and visiting the onsite café for coffee, cake and perhaps something more for lunch, we will return to our hotel to relax before dinner.
Do you remember Norman Stanley Fletcher in Porridge? Oddly, Ronnie Barker voiced the judge reading the sentence as Fletcher went through the clanking doors. Probably the only person ever to sentence themselves to a term ‘inside’.
So, what is it really like in prison? We have a tour of Shepton Mallet Prison, formerly a Category C prison, with former guards leading the way, explaining life behind bars in what promises to be a fascinating experience.
But don’t worry, we will give you a ‘Get out of Jail Free’ card at the end and even give you tea and cake before leaving!
We then head to Bath where you can get lunch and spend free time in the afternoon shopping or visiting the citiy’s lovely attractions. It is quite simply a beautiful place.
You may recognise Dyrham from something you’ve watched at the cinema or on TV. Ever seen Remains of the Day, Sanditon, Sense and Sensibility etc.? So many films have been made here.
Indeed, how ironic that the contractors of this Grade I-listed building were building a private home which has become so widely seen on film across the globe!
It is a beautiful honey-coloured stone house on the western edge of the Cotswolds, where evidence of human habitation dates back to the Bronze Age, and where the West Saxons beat the ancient Britons in battle, confining them to Wales and Cornwall.
It was recorded in the Doomsday Book, but the first property dates to Medieval times and was followed by a succession of historically significant characters and the creation in the 1700s of the current house.
Finally, we wind our way our back for tea in our own homes!
Please note, all venues will require walking, possibly with steps and steep slopes, which may be slippery and uneven. You should be prepared to dress appropriately for the weather.