PRE & POST CRIMEFEST TRIPS

Tours of Discovery/Cumbrian Discoveries, long-time UK collaborators of Smithsonian Tours' Classic Mystery Lover's England, will be in charge of the pre & post conference trips. All excursions will be accompanied by a Blue Badge Guide.

Visit the Devon and Cornwall of Christie, Conan Doyle and du Maurier

Sunday, 16 May 2010: Arrival
Meet your Blue Badge Guide at London Heathrow and transfer - via a possible pick-up stop in Bristol - to the Grand Hotel in Torquay. Following a welcome reception enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Monday, 17 May 2010: Arthur Conan Doyle
Crime author and critic Peter Guttridge will discuss Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes over coffee. Then leave Torquay to travel by steam train from Paignton to Kingswear. Walk around the historic town of Dartmouth and have lunch at leisure before enjoying a boat cruise up the river Dart to Totnes. Drive across Dartmoor to discover the setting of The Hound of the Baskervilles and arrive in Bristol for CRIMEFEST.

Tuesday, 18 May 2010: Daphne du Maurier
Cross the river Tamar into Cornwall and visit the historic harbour of Fowey, a delightful town on the banks of the River Fowey. Home to Daphne du Maurier, the area provided inspiration for several of her novels including Rebecca. See where the author lived and meet a du Maurier scholar, who will discuss the author's work over a cream tea.

Wednesday, 19 May 2010: Agatha Christie
The visit to Agatha Christie's Torquay includes a visit to the Torquay Museum and various Christie-related sites such as her birth place, Meadfoot Beach and St Mary's Church. Lunch will be had at the Olde Churston Court Inn. The highlight of the day is a visit to Greenway, Agatha Christie's home, accompanied by John Curran. Curran acted as a consultant to the National Trust during the restoration of Greenway. He is also the author of Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks, a fascinating new book that includes two previously unpublished Poirot stories.

The total cost of the ELEMENTARY, DEAR POIROT: IT'S REBECCA! trips is £795, and includes:
- all transport including pick-ups from Heathrow or Bristol
- three nights accommodation, dinner and breakfast at the Grand Hotel, Torquay
- one pub lunch and a cream tea
- all visits and entrance fees
- the full-time services of a Blue Badge Guide

Alternatively, for an all inclusive trips and CRIMEFEST package that also covers all of the above as well as a Full CRIMEFEST Pass, accommodation at the convention hotel, and CRIMEFEST Gala and Buffet dinners, and all the trips below visit British Mystery Trips. Cost: $2999 (goes up to $3099 after January 1, 2010)

Thursday, 20 May 2010, 8.30am - 12.30pm: Bath
A half day excursion to nearby Georgian Bath. See the very best of this magnificent city which includes a visit to the superbly preserved Roman Baths of the first century and a walking tour of the parks, terraces, squares, and the Royal Crescent of the eighteenth century.
Cost: £50 (Includes visits to the Roman Baths, coach and Blue Badge Guide.)

Sunday, 23 May 2010, 2 - 5pm: Bristol
Take a guided circular cruise on the Bristol ferry. This is an excellent way to appreciate the setting of Bristol, to see the SS Great Britain, the Matthew and to learn about the Great Voyages of Discovery and Trade as well as to view the Panorama of the City. The cruise will be followed by a guided walking tour of the city.
Cost: £25 (Includes the Bristol Ferry and Blue Badge Guide.)

Monday, 24 May 2010: Hay-on-Wye
A beautiful drive over the Severn Bridge into Wales and up the Usk valley by way of Usk, Raglan and Abergavenny, the Brecon Beacons National Park and stop for coffee in Baskerville Hall Hotel along the way. In Hay-on-Wye there will be plenty of time to enjoy the second hand bookshops and have lunch. The return journey travels back through the beautiful Golden Valley in Herefordshire.
Cost: £65 (Includes coffee, tea, coach and Blue Badge Guide)

Tuesday, 25 May 2010: Depart for London Heathrow
(Only for delegates going on all the trips.)

CRIMEFEST 2010 trips logo by Katherine Smith at Byte Size Media.

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