Relaxing vacation with Discover England Tours

It was a lucky day for me when, perusing the small ads at the back of ITN, I came across the one for Church House Tours of Shillingstone, Dorset, UK. I immediately e-mailed Susy and Paul Wilson, the proprietors, and thus began a year of planning and e-mails going back and forth across the Atlantic. Their company is now known as Discover England Tours (Church House, Church Road, Shillingstone, Blandford, Dorset, DT11 0SL, England; phone +44 1258 860646, www.

discoverenglandtours.co.uk. . . or U.S. agent, Wilson & Lake International, Phoenix, OR; 800/227-5550).

My wife, Arlene, and I and two other couples stayed at Church House for a week, May 16-23, 2007, and I must tell you that this vacation truly exceeded our expectations.

Accommodations in this large, wonderful, thatch-roofed home away from home were charming and the atmosphere comfortable. After a day of touring, it was a delight to sit in the back garden sipping wine while playing with the two dogs, Meg and Mollie, and eagerly awaiting a wonderful dinner

Prices depend on group size, length of stay and tours chosen. For example, in 2008 two people can stay four nights and take two full-day tours and one half-day tour for $1,445 per person. For four to six, the same package costs $1,070 per person.

Our group of six stayed seven nights and chose a package of four full-day and two half-day tours. Having booked a year ahead, we paid $1,485 per person. The price included breakfasts and gourmet dinners. The only extra costs were transfers, admission fees and our lunches at pubs and inns.

The Wilsons made arrangements for our group of six to be picked up at Heathrow and driven the two hours to Shillingstone. The cost of the transfer was £125 (about $250), one way, and well worth it, as it was delightful, with the driver giving many side comments.

Our tour choices included a day in which we visited Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury itself, Old Sarum, Stonehenge and Knowlton Church. The next day we stopped in Bath before going on to the village of Lacock and Lacock Abbey. In the market town of Wimborne, we heard a wonderful choir rehearsal at Wimborne Minster.

We spent the fourth day at the seashore in the town of Lyme Regis and on the way back visited the tropical gardens at Abbotsbury. On our next-to-last day we visited Longleat and wandered around the magnificent grounds designed by Capability Brown. We then were driven to Wells Cathedral, also spending time in Wells. Our last touring day took us to Sherborne Castle and the town of Sherborne.

Being able to wander through the towns and looking in the various shops without being hurried was an added bonus.

On days when he was free, Paul did the driving, and on other days we were driven by Sam Turtle, a local photographer and history buff who added much to our knowledge of British history.

An example of how accommodating the Wilsons are — one day, on our way back to Church House, I noticed an antique steam engine fair in a large field and asked if I could stop there for a moment. Paul left me off and returned to fetch me after a couple of hours.

We have been traveling overseas for over 20 years, and this was by far the most relaxing vacation tour we have ever had. The pacing was just right, the food was spectacular, and Paul and Susy couldn’t have been nicer to us as they truly thought of everything!

They shared recipes with us (be sure to ask for the recipe for Paul’s Sticky Toffee Pudding; it was fabulous), they shared their lives with us, and their 6-year-old daughter, Lucy, was as charming and well behaved as would be expected.

I heartedly recommend this type of tour.

JERRY ROSEN

Swampscott, MA