Seymour Travels Small Group Tours

English Landscape Gardens. Because I’ve created a new Cotswolds small group tour, that will include a couple of very special gardens, I thought that I should write a little piece on England’s gardens....landscape gardens in particular. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit some great gardens scattered all over  the British Isles, and I have to say that the Brits are justifiably proud of this aspect of their culture. The predecessors of the landscape garden in England were the great parks created by people such as Sir John Vanbrugh (1664–1726) and Nicholas Hawksmoor at Castle Howard (1699–1712), Blenheim Palace (1705–1722), and the Claremont Landscape Garden at Claremont House (1715–1727). These parks featured vast lawns, woods, and pieces of architecture, such as the classical mausoleum designed by Hawksmoor at Castle Howard. At the center of the composition was the house, behind which were formal and symmetrical gardens in the style of the garden à la f

The Horses of Britain - Are they wild ? As a young man, I lived near to both Dartmoor and Exmoor. These are two National Parks that sit nicely in the SW peninsula of England. At weekends, I would often head out to one of the moors with friends, to go and try to find the ‘wild’ horses...    It was never a difficult task. Because they have no natural predators they roam freely and are found in ever increasing numbers, all over the moors. Growing up in the British Isles, I was fully aware of the fact that there were other horses, roaming freely all over our islands. In the Shetlands, you will find short stocky horses, wandering amidst the heather. In North Wales, you’ll find the gorgeous Carneddau horses, and only about 240 of them left in existence. In the South of England, you’ll find horses grazing in moorland areas, contentedly. It really is a wonderful thing to see. Imagine driving through the gorgeous moorland areas of Britain, and as you turn a bend in the road, ther

The Roman and Georgian City of Bath Why is Bath such a popular destination for tourists today ? What is so intriguing about this small city that sits amongst 7 hills in the heart of Somerset, in England.? As a boy, I grew up in and around Bath. It was a dirty city. It’s buildings were caked in coal tar and the 1960s style shopping centre was terribly ugly and rundown...even by the 1970s! However, I enjoyed Bath because as a rugby player, I was recruited into the ranks of the most powerful rugby club in the world at the time, Bath Rugby Football Club... a huge honour for a young 16 year old. And as a teen I was able to enjoy the wonders of Baths nightlife. It’s subterranean pubs and clubs were a huge draw to the youth of the area as it still is today. In the 1980s a programme of architectural ‘cleansing’ was put into place, and plans to tear down the 1960s shopping centre and to start cleaning every stone surface in the city, were put into place. Slowly the city, began to at

Scotland Is A Part Of The United Kingdom ! ....it really is ! But how did this come to pass ? First of all, let’s not forget that James 6th of Scotland became James 1st of England.... yes, a Scottish King became king of England which led to the Stewart dynasty ruling for decades. Scotland was a land inhabited by warring families and wracked by political intrigue. However it certainly wasn’t any different than any other kingdom in Europe. It certainly became a whole lot more powerful, with one of its own families in the throne at Westminster. So, how did Scotland become a part of what we now call the United Kingdom and Great Britain.? There are probably many different reasons but I’m going to focus on the race for overseas territories, and the fact that even though James came to power in England, the two realms were never properly unified under him. In 1603, James VI, King of Scots inherited the thrones of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Ireland in the Unio

My North Wales- Snowdonia Tour Wales is a land that continually surprises me. I’ve been heading up there with my small group tours for several years, and I always eagerly anticipate it. The land and seascape is rugged, it’s unforgiving, and yet it’s welcoming. I have developed a 10 day tour that is based in one boutique style hotel in a splendid Victorian seaside town called Llandudno. It’s a perfect base for striking out into the mountains or reaching into the heart of Anglesey. The whole tour came about after a discussion on a hilltop with local legend, tv personality, author and farmer, Gareth Wyn Jones ( he’s also a friend of mine).i wanted to do a regular bus tour of Wales, but also spend time with him and his family, absorbing his culture, lifestyle and Welshness. He wanted to show off his farm, his knowledge and his generosity to more curious people. The discussion turned into a lengthy Welsh whiskey ‘session’, and the tour idea had taken route. Welsh history,

Plymouth Is not the first place you’d think of visiting, if you travel to Britain. It’s a large city that was devastated during the Second World War because of its status as a significant naval seaport. Much of the city that was rebuilt after the war was quite shoddy and unattractive. However...  and I emphasise that word.. HOWEVER, the oldest part of the city survived the blitz and retains a wonderfully atmospheric charm about itself.  The seafront or Hoe, as it’s known, radiates Victorian wealth and power. Tall Victorian hotels and apartments, line the park area that slopes down to the cliffs that overhang the sea. Built into the cliffs are a number of cafes and restaurants that lure you down to enjoy the views at all times of day and night. You may even see a Royal Navy vessel cruising by as it conducts the ‘Defense of the realm’. There are numerous monuments surrounding the park, commemorating the fallen through centuries of warfare, and a mighty fortress called th

Growing up as a boy, I would wander the high cliffs of North Devon in SW England, learning about the flora and the fauna of the area... it’s still a part of whom I am today. However, I was fascinated by the standing stones that dot the area, as well as the numerous ‘hill forts’ and ‘ring forts’ that would be found close to them. The footpaths that I would use, were not footpaths, but ‘ancient trackways’. These simple statements were profound to me. A distinction was being made to me, by parents and teachers, that these things were old and curious, but largely ignored. As I grew up and became more interested in the Ancients, I realised each of these things... the great banks and ditches of the forts, the stones, the paths and even the shape of the fields, around which I walked,... were creations of my ancestors and your ancestors. However, as I studied the subject more, I realised that however important ( or not) that they are today, it does not reflect their importance or eve

Sometimes as a tour guide, you can make something magical happen.  On a beautiful evening, several years ago, I climbed the mountains overlooking the Menai Straits of North Wales, with a man who has become a good friend, since then. His name is Gareth Wyn Jones, a local farmer with an intense passion for his lifestyle and his land. He wanted to show me ( and my tour members) the wild horses that roam freely in the mountains.....   that was an intense moment.... but then we drove up to the cliffs and it occurred to me that we needed a song, and what better song than the Welsh national anthem. I didn’t know the words and I can’t sing, but knowing that every Welshman who was ever born has a magnificent voice, I encouraged Gareth to sing out loud... he did ! And the reason why I fell in love with Wales was created.  Over the years, I’ve stayed in contact with Gareth, his wife Rhiann and their family, I even take Rick Steves groups up there for a barbecue and a sheepdog exhibition,

Creativity is a strange thing.  Office work can sometimes be tedious, particularly for an active tour guide. You know how it is... sometimes you’ve gotta get up and leave the office behind in order to make a little space in your mind for creativity to creep back in. I need creativity when I’m dreaming of a new tour itinerary. This may sound mundane to you, but to me a new itinerary is a new Christmas present that an intrepid traveller can unwrap. It’s a dream being fulfilled or an experience that will be gained and remembered for life....it’s a very special thing. I’m a tour guide with a passion for giving these things to people, but I need to create them first. The process starts with a simple question....    ‘where do I want to go next’ ? The next question is, ‘how do I want to do it’? And the final question is, ‘how long will I need to explore this place’ ? With those things resolved, I then need to imagine what I’ll do from the moment I meet my small group of tour members,

The Cotswolds - A small group tour. In June of 2021, I shall be leading a very small group of 6-10 people into the heart of a region known as the Cotswolds. It will be a 10 day tour and based in one location in a pretty market town in the heart of the region, Stow on the Wold ( St Edwards in the Marketplace). We’ll enjoy a huge number of activities, which will include visiting some splendid gardens and manor houses,  castles, remains of Roman villas, and good food everywhere. Bring your walking shoes, as we’re also going to strike out into the countryside for some charming country walks. The ‘Cotswolds’, are a charming area and I’m looking forward to enjoying a pint or two withe small group that will accompany me. If you’re interested, contact me through my email address and I’ll send you some more info.