We meet in Bath and join our guide for a walk from splendid Lansdowne Crescent to the ancient Roman Baths. Our welcome dinner is in a private manor where scenes from Bridget Jones’s Diary were filmed.

Chipping Campden, regarded as England’s most beautiful village, is our home for the first two nights. Nearby, we’ll lunch with friends in their private home dating back to the Norman conquest, then stroll a stretch of the Cotswold Way and witness a display of falconry. On one of our favorite visits we’ll spend time with a local shepherd who practices the art of cheese-making.

A lovely footpath follows the Windrush River to Burford (3 nights), renowned for its excellent antiques shopping. Next day, we've secured special access to Stonehenge before it opens to the public. We'll take our breakfast there and wander among the stones. Later, a traditional creamed tea is the luscious reward at the end of a fine country walk.

Departing for London (1 night), we follow the path to Chedworth to see the remarkably intact mosaics in an ancient Roman villa. Once in the city, we’ve arranged guided visits to Churchill’s bunker, the Portobello antiques market and the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace.