Our wonderful clients Jillian and Gary King have written a blog about their fabulous two-month tour of the UK and Ireland, and we’ve loved hearing all about their travels!

Jillian and Gary in Windsor

To mark their 40th wedding anniversary and their retirement, Gary and Jillian booked the holiday of a lifetime with Curated Travel in California, and Janet Redler Travel was delighted to be asked to make the on-the-ground arrangements.

With over 40 years’ combined experience, the team at Janet Redler Travel was well placed to create an itinerary which showcased the best of the British Isles, from Dorset to The Lake District and from Edinburgh to Cork. The 11-week odyssey included many of the UK’s most famous sights and attractions, such as Windsor Castle, the Eden Project, Chatsworth House and the Giant’s Causeway.

Arriving at London Heathrow Airport, the Kings said: “We were not disappointed by our British travel planner, Jan Redler, we were greeted at passport check in, accompanied through baggage and delivered to our driver for a comfy ride to the countryside.”

Beginning their vacation in Windsor, the Kings enjoyed exploring the popular royal town – their visit coinciding with that of Harry and Meghan! – as well as neighbouring Eton. A tour of the exquisite Savill Garden and a boat ride on the River Thames with afternoon tea added to the Englishness of the experience.

The Sir Christopher Wren Hotel & Spa, where Jillian and Gary stayed, overshadowed by Windsor Castle

Next stop was Bath, the setting, as Jillian says, “for so many period movies that I love (The Duchess, The Remains of the Day, Persuasion, Vanity Fair, and of course most recently…Bridgerton!). Bath was high on my list for a visit, and Easter weekend with gorgeous weather made it special.”

In addition to visiting the famous Roman Baths, the Kings took a long e-bike trip around the town and visited No. 1 Royal Crescent, a museum decorated and furnished just as it might have been during the Regency period depicted in Bridgerton. They also popped into the Jane Austen Centre. 

Royal Crescent Bath, THE place to live in the late 1700s

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge is just thirty miles from Bath, and a one a quarter mile walk from the visitor centre revealed to Jillian and Gary that there’s a lot more to this incredible site than the stone circle you see in a National Geographic photo. It’s an amazingly large and rich archaeological site that’s estimated to be 5,000 years old.

The truly massive stones of Stonehenge

From Bath, Mr & Mrs King made their way to Dorset, and even a bump to the rental car as they navigated the narrow country roads couldn’t dampen spirits!

A stay at the delightful Acorn Inn in Evershot, a 16th century coaching inn which featured in Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles, proved a real hit with the Kings. Jillian said: “Wow, Jan is hitting it out of the park with accommodations. We spent two lovely evenings at the Acorn Inn in Evershot, Dorset, known for its historic setting AND award-winning chef!”

The Acorn Inn in Evershot, Dorset

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, added: “We were so pleased that Jillian and Gary enjoyed their tour and we were fascinated to hear how things went for them. This vacation truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and their fabulous blog was a great way for us Brits to enjoy an American take on our country!”

Follow the Kings’ journey at https://garyandjillian.me/spring-2022-exploring-the-british-isles/ and if you or your group would like to enjoy your own tailor-made dream vacation in the UK and Ireland, please do contact our friendly team today.

All photos with kind permission of Jillian and Gary King.