NOTE: Prior to the trip, you will have two opportunities to meet the rest of the Company. At a special screening of The Fellowship of the Ring on campus and at a backyard firepit in Highland Park. As the trip draws near, we'll pick dates convenient to your schedules.
DAY 1 (Fri, May 15): Arrive Heathrow. Meet at Cafe Nero, Terminal 2. Charter bus to Oxford for four nights at Premier Hotel. Short, informal walking tour of Oxford: Radcliffe Camera (temple to Morgoth), Bridge of Sighs, Lewis’s lamppost, Aslan’s door. Dinner @ White Rabbit (included), followed by visits to two historic Oxford pubs: Turf Tavern & The Bear.
9:30 AM, Depart Heathrow (meet at Cafe Nero, Terminal 2)
10:30 PM, Arrive Premier Inn, drop off bags
11:00 AM, Short Walking Tour, Oxford literary sights (Tolkien, Lewis, Carroll); light lunch Vaults Cafe (not incl.)
2:00 PM, Check in, Premier Inn (don't go to sleep!)
3:30 PM, Reconvene in lobby
4:00 - 4:30 PM, White Rabbit, Early Dinner (included)
5:30 PM, Visits Historic Pubs, Turf Tavern & The Bear
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, Happy Hour/Spires View at Varsity Club
DAY 2 (Sat, May 16): Hotel breakfast (included). Morning discussion. 35 min walk to Cherwell Boathouse, punting (included) to Victoria Arms, pints/lunch at Victoria Arms, Free time to write/rest/explore. Punt back to Cherwell Boat House. Wolvercote Cemetery. Trout. Port Meadow.
8:30 AM, Breakfast
9:30 AM, Depart for Cherwell Boat House (brief detour to see Tolkien's house)
10:30 AM, Hire Punt
11:30 AM, Arrive at Victoria Arms (via punt)
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Free Time/Lunch (not included)
1:30 PM, Return to Cherwell Boat House
2:00 PM, Arrive back at Premiere Inn
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Free Time
4:15 PM - 8:30 PM, Bus to Wolvercote Cemetery (Tolkien's Grave), h ke (30 min) to Trout for a pint and/or dinner, (not incl), then 7:00 PM hike (1 hr) to town through the mystical Port Meadows.
DAY 3 (Sun, May 17): Hotel breakfast (included). Morning discussion. Bus to lunch at
The Bell Inn (The Prancing Pony) in Moreton-on-Marsh (Bree), optional 35 min hike to/from Four Shire Stone (Three Farthing Stone), bus from Moreton-on-Marsh to Edward's Church in Stow-on-the-Wold (Doors of Durin), then home. Free time/Independent Dinner. Pubs (optional)
8:30 AM, Breakfast
10:00 AM, Depart Premier, 10 min walk to Oxford station, GWR to Moreton-on-Marsh,
11:00 AM, Free Time/Optional hike to Four Shire Stone (35 min)
12:30 PM, lunch at The Bell Inn
1:30 PM, Bus to Edward's Church, Stow-on-Wold (Doors of Durin)
2:45 PM - 3:45 PM, Free Time, Stow-on-Wold
3:45 PM, Bus to Moreton-on-Marsh
5:00 PM, Train back to Oxford Station
6:00 - 8:30 PM Free Time/Independent Dinner
8:30 PM, Pubs (optional), Lamb & Flag (favorite of the Inklings)
DAY 4 (Mon, May 18): Hotel Breakfast (included). Morning discussion. Tour of Christ Church College campus. Tour of Bodleian Library/Duke Humfrey's Library (included).
9:00 AM, Breakfast
10:00 AM, Depart Hotel for Christ Church
10:40 AM, Tour of Christ Church
Noon, Stop at Alice's Shop (quaint Alice in Wonderland store)
12:30 PM – 3:30 PM, Free Time (suggested Botanic Gardens, Ashmolean, Museum of Natural History, Pitt Rivers Museum)
3:30 PM, Tour of Bodleian/Duke Humfrey’s Library
5:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Independent dinner, Free Time
9:00 PM, Pubs (optional), historic Old Bookbinder's Alehouse and/or Jericho Tavern (Radiohead's first gig)
DAY 5 (Tues, May 19): Hotel breakfast (included). Free Writing/Exploring time. Charter bus to Bath. Check into Premiere Hotel. Free Writing/Exploring Time. Independent dinner. Group Reading (and optional drinks) at The Raven.
9:00 AM, Breakfast.
9:45 AM - 10:30 AM, Morning Lesson/Writing Exercise
11 AM - Charter Bus to Bath
2:00 PM, Settle into rooms
2:30 - 5:00 PM, House of Frankenstein
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Free Time Explore/Read/Write
7:00 - 9:00 PM, The Raven: Group Reading, Frankenstein/Oxford Pub Quiz (w. teams and Prizes)
DAY 6 (Weds, May 20): Hotel breakfast (included). Charter bus to Glastonbury. Hike up to the Glastonbury Tor. Lunch at George & Pilgrim's (a 700 year-old, haunted inn on High Street) with Liz Williams (celebrated fantasy/sci-fi writer and the foremost authority on paganism in England). King Arthur's Grave, Glastonbury Abbey (included). Drive home through Cheddar Gorge, explore Glittering Caves (included). Independent dinner and free time.
8:00 AM, Breakfast
8:45 AM, Bus Departs for Glastonbury.
10 AM, Bus Arrives in Glastonbury
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Hike up to Glastonbury Tor (hike is a little steep in parts but short, 30 min max, and worth it)
11:30 AM, Chalice Well
12:00 NOON - Glastonbury Abbey/King Arthur's Grave
1:00 PM, Lunch @ Georges & Pilgrim w. Pagan scholar, Dr. Liz Williams (included)
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM, Free Time to explore shops
2:30 PM, Depart for Cheddar Gorge
3:00 PM, Arrive Cheddar Gorge/Gough's Cave
4:15 - 5:00 PM, Cake and Coffee/Tea/Hot Chocolate at Gough Cafe (included)
5:05 PM, Bus departs for Bath
6:15 PM, Arrive in Bath, Free Time
DAY 7 (Thurs, May 21): Hotel breakfast (included). Morning discussion. Workshop. Independent lunch. Free Writing/Exploring Time. Closest thing to a free day we have.
9:00 AM, Breakfast.
10:30 AM, Morning Lesson/Writing Exercise/Workshop, The Raven
1:30 - 10:00 PM, Free Time Explore/Read/Write
DAY 8 (Fri, May 22): Hotel breakfast (included). Bus to Devonshire (included). Lunch at Three Crowns Inn in Chagford with Brian Stroud (conceptual artist for The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth), Wendy Froud (Mother of Yoda, puppeteer The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth), artist Alan Lee (concept designer for the Peter Jackson films). Special visits to Alan Lee's house and studio; Brian/Wendy Stroud's house and studio. Bus back to Bath. Independent dinner and free time.
8:00 AM, Breakfast
8:45 AM, Bus Departs for Chagford
11:30 AM, Bus Arrives, Free Time
12:30 PM, Lunch at Three Crowns w. Terri, Alan, and Brian
2:00 PM, Special visit to Brian and Wendy's studio
5:00 PM, Depart Chagford
7:45 PM, Arrive in Bath, Free Time
DAY 9 (Sat, May 23): Hotel breakfast (included). Morning workshop. Independent lunch. Free Writing/Exploring Time (suggested: Roman Baths, Bath Cathedral Clock Tower, Jane Austen Center, The Crescent). Independent dinner. Group reading after Dinner.
9:00 AM - Breakfast
10:00 AM, Morning Discussion/Lesson
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM, Workshop (3 students)
1:00 PM, Free Time to Write/Read/Explore
7:00 PM, Group Reading @ The Raven
DAY 10 (Sun, May 24): Hotel breakfast (included). Charter bus to Puzzlewood, the ancient forest that inspired Tolkien’s Fanghorn. Free time back in Bath. Independent dinner. Group reading.
9:00 AM Breakfast/Morning Lesson
10:30 AM, Depart Bath
11:30AM, Arrive Puzzlewood, Free Time to Wander/Hike/Write (on-site takeaway cafe)
2:30 PM, Depart Puzzlewood
3:30 PM, Arrive Bath, Free Time
7:00 PM, Group Reading @ The Raven
DAY 11 (Mon, May 25): Hotel breakfast (included). Morning lecture/exercise, followed by workshop (3 students). Independent lunch. Free Writing/Exploring Time. Independent dinner.
9:00 AM, Breakfast.
10:30 AM, Morning Lesson/Writing Exercise/Workshop, The Raven
2:00 - 10:00 PM, Free Time Explore/Read/Write
DAY 12 (Tues, May 26): Hotel breakfast (included). Morning workshop. Independent lunch. Independent dinner. Group reading (w. tips on reading in public).
9:00 AM, Breakfast.
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM, Morning Lesson/Writing Exercise/Workshop, The Raven
2:00 - 10:00 PM, Free Time Explore/Read/Write
DAY 13 (Weds, May 27): Hotel breakfast (included). Free/Writing/Exploring time. Independent lunch. Free/Writing/Exploring time. Independent dinner. Publicized group reading at The Raven.
9:00 AM, Breakfast.
10:30 AM - 2:00 PM, Morning exercise/lecture/workshop
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Free Time Explore/Read/Write
7:00 PM, publicized group reading, The Raven
DAY 14 (Thurs. May 28): Sunrise visit to Stonehenge (included). Independent lunch. Bath Scavenger Hunt (w. teams and prizes). Independent dinner. Pub Quiz on Tolkien and readings (w. teams and prizes).
5:30 AM – 10:30 AM, Stonehenge
10:30 AM – 3:00 PM, Free Time
3:00 – 5:00 PM, Scavenger Hunt (with teams/prizes)
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Final Pub Quiz (with teams/prizes)
7:00 PM – Free Time
DAY 15: (Fri. May 29): Hotel breakfast (included). Chartered bus to Heathrow.
*
Included accommodations: Four nights, Premiere Inn (Oxford Business Park, Garsington Road, Cowley, OX4 2JT.Oxford); ten nights Premiere Inn, Bath (4 James St W, Bath BA1 2BX, United Kingdom)
Included transportation: Bus from airport to Oxford Crowley. Daily bus to/from Oxford proper. Train to/from Bell Inn, bus to/from Stow-on-the-World. Bus to Bath. Bus to/from Stonehenge. Bus to/from Glastonbury & Cheddar Gorge. Bus to/from Devonshire. Bus to/from Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean, Bus from Bath to Heathrow (for those returning that day).
Included meals: Welcome dinner @ The White Rabbit (Oxford), group lunch at The Bell Inn (Moreton-on-Marsh), group lunch at George and Pilgrim's (Glastonbury), group lunch at Three Crowns ( Devonshire).
Included admissions: Bodlein Library/Duke Humphrey's Library, Christ Church College tour, Punting Cherwell Boathouse, House of Frankenstein, Inner Circle Stonehenge, Glastonbury Abbey, Chalice Well, the Glittering Caves.
