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Home>Bridge Holidays>Bridge, Shakespeare and the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway

Bridge, Shakespeare and the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway

15th - 20th July 2020

6 days from £599pp

Explore Shakespeare country and enjoy a nostalgic steam train ride on the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway on this Bridge Holiday based in the comfortable surroundings of the Ettington Chase Hotel.

Bridge directed by Andrew Kambites and hosted by Rob & Rosa Richardson
5 nights at the 4* Ettington Chase Hotel, half board
Steam train journey on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway
Explore Broadway with free time
Enjoy a tour of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Shakespeare’s Birthplace
Hotel set in 11 acres of idyllic grounds in stunning Warwickshire countryside

Shakespeare and the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway

Join us on our third Bridge and Rail Holiday - this time we add a touch of Shakespeare! We stay at Ettington Chase Hotel which is just 6 miles from historic Stratford upon Avon and set in 11 acres of landscaped gardens, where you can take scenic garden walks or relax and enjoy the scenery.

Included to enhance your holiday:

The Ettington Chase Hotel is the perfect place from which to explore the birthplace of Shakespeare. We have included two excursions for you to experience this beautiful part of England:

An included guided tour takes us to two key properties in Shakespeare’s history – Anne Hathaway’s pretty home and the small cottage tucked away amongst the High Street in Stratford where Shakespeare was born
Our second included excursion is aboard the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway, a heritage railway run by volunteers. We step aboard the steam train in Broadway and enjoy a nostalgic journey to Cheltenham before returning to Broadway where there’s time at leisure to explore this quaint village

DAY 1: Arrival & Evening Bridge
Make your own way to Ettington Chase and meet our bridge director and host before dining and evening bridge. There will also be a short afternoon session for those who arrive early and wish to play.
DAY 2: Seminar & Evening Bridge
A day to relax in the hotel, explore Stratford-Upon-Avon or enjoy a full day of bridge with Andrew Kambites. There will be a morning seminar followed by afternoon bridge, dinner and evening bridge.
DAY 3: A day of Shakespeare & Evening Bridge
This morning we will be joined by a local guide who will accompany us to visit two key properties in Shakespeare’s history. We’ll travel to Anne Hathaway’s pretty cottage where you can explore the history of the house and the gardens. Then we will go on to Shakespeare’s birthplace, a small cottage tucked away amongst the high street in Stratford. Here you can walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps and explore the house where he was born. He spent the first five years of his marriage to Anne Hathaway living in this house, surrounded by his parents and siblings. We will have free time for lunch and sightseeing before we return to our hotel.

We return to our hotel for dinner and evening bridge.
DAY 4: A Journey on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway & Evening Bridge
Today we enjoy a roundtrip on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway, a heritage railway operated by volunteers which runs along the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire border. It uses part of the route of the former Great Western Railway’s main line from Birmingham to Cheltenham and now operates steam and heritage diesel trains between Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Cotswolds. We board our steam train at Broadway and travel along part of the route to Cheltenham. We return and alight back at Broadway where you’ll have some free time to explore this quaint picture postcard village.

We return to our hotel for dinner and evening bridge.
DAY 5: A Full day of Bridge
Another day of bridge - morning seminar and afternoon bridge followed by dinner and evening bridge.

Or if you wish you can just relax and enjoy the excellent leisure facilities at Ettington Chase, which include complimentary access to the Leisure Club with free use of a very good size indoor pool, Jacuzzi, gymnasium, sauna and outdoor tennis court.
DAY 6: Departure
After breakfast you are free to check out our hotel and depart at leisure.

Please note we cannot guarantee all our rail journeys will be steam hauled and sometimes it is necessary to change our itinerary around to accommodate any timetable changes.

Included in our package:

Full bridge programme directed by Andrew Kambites, with 2 seminars and 8 duplicate bridge sessions
Masterpoints and prizes awarded
The services of our experienced hosts, Rob & Rosa Richardson
5 nights accommodation on a half board basis
Coach transfers for our excursions
Welcome Cocktail
Porterage

Plus the following excursions:

Steam train journey on the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway
Explore Broadway with free time
Enjoy a tour of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Andrew Kambites

Andrew Kambites is a bridge grand master. Among his successes on the national scene are winning the Tollemache cup and Pachabo cup for Gloucestershire. Andrew has written over 20 instructional bridge books and has been writing bridge articles for the EBU magazine, English Bridge, for 25 years.

Andrew was on the EBU directors' panel as a senior congress director before recently retiring from that role. Andrew has been very active as a bridge teacher, teaching at all levels from beginners to experts. He has been directing and running seminars for First for Bridge since retiring as a maths teacher in 1997.

Rob & Rosa Richardson

Rob and Rosa married in 2014 having met playing bridge against each other. Their most notable success to date is winning the pre congress pairs at the EBU's Scarborough congress in 2016.

Rob has extensive experience in the travel industry in both UK and continental Europe. He is semi retired, these days working part time. He has formally worked as a Police Officer, a newsagent and in banks (well before banking was considered a disreputable occupation). He is a qualified County Bridge Director, and an EBU qualified Bridge Teacher.

Rosa has recently retired from the civil service, and is a qualified club Bridge Director, and an EBU qualified Bridge Teacher.

Overview

Ettington Chase is set in 11 acres of idyllic grounds in stunning Warwickshire countryside, and close to the world-renowned leisure destination of Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Hotel Facilities & Amenities

The restaurant offers tasty meals with local produce. Buffet breakfast features a range of hot and cold breakfast items, including all of the full English favourites. Lighter meals can be purchased at lunchtime from the bar menu including deli sandwiches, salads, pizza and gourmet burgers. Guests have complimentary access to the Leisure Club with free use of indoor pool, Jacuzzi, gymnasium, sauna and outdoor tennis court.

Room Facilities & Amenities

All rooms are equipped with the following:

Tea & coffee making facilities
Bathroom with fairly low bathtub with shower attachment, rubber mat, grab rails and toiletries
Flat screen TV
Direct dial telephone
Hairdryer
Free WIFI
Iron and board
Complimentary electronic safe deposit box

Superior rooms are slightly larger and generally have the best views with superior furnishings. These rooms do not have lift access and have 22 steps.

Deluxe rooms are also available in the Old House attached to the reception area. These spacious rooms offer lovely views, bath robes and slippers, and are reached by a narrow stairway on the second and third floor.

Standard rooms are all on the ground floor or accessed by lift.

Please Note: as with any venue that combines conference facilities, accommodation and dining there will be a short walk between these

Bridge, Shakespeare and the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway

15th - 20th July 2020

6 days from £599pp

Club Standard Bridge