The BUSYBUS

CHESHIRE ADVENTURE TOUR

Busybus adventure tours are pleased to bring you this fantastic, full day tour from Chester and surrounding areas to rural Cheshire. Guaranteeing excitement and value for money, tours operate regularly using modern, comfortable mid-sized executive buses perfect for exploring areas and routes not accessible to full-size coaches.

Your friendly driver and guide will keep you entertained and  show you some of the most breath-taking and spectacular sights, stopping at famous landmarks and scenery. You will enjoy a relaxed, comfortable, personal "family" atmosphere and are sure to see a few surprises along the way, so don't forget your camera!

Bus tours commence at 8:15am from The Hoole Hall Hotel with further collection points from convenient locations, before reaching the main departure point outside the Chester Visitor Centre on Vicars Lane at 9.00am. You will be returned to the Chester Visitor Centre by 17:15pm after your wonderful morning!

On your Cheshire adventure, your driver and guide will keep you fully informed and advised as to points of interest and general knowledge regarding the ever-changing Cheshire scenic views.

After a short, narrated, drive through Chester, with areas of interest pointed out (like the City Walls, The Rows, The Eastgate Clock, The Amphitheatre and the infamous Horse Racing Course, we will commence our journey to rural Cheshire.

Your tour has been carefully routed and planned with your driver suitably tailoring the morning to suit the weather, atmosphere and ambience of the general group on board. This makes every tour unique, special and memorable and allows you to partake in as much (or little) as you feel comfortable with. You will never be put under any commitment or pressure to do anything that you don't wish to.

We will pass through many traditional Cheshire villages on our explorations offering a chance to see just about everything "English" in a village community with its Church, village shops, local pub, newsagent, thatched cottages and characters.

Weather permitting, you will undertake a village walk from the church via the wonderful ancient streets, to re-board the vehicle bemused, amazed and enthralled with experiencing a real Cheshire village.

We'll exploit the vehicle size by navigating some of the more unusual and older roads available, taking in as much of those unique village views as possible.

Cheshire is a county of many parts, each with its own charms and attractions for visitors and is jam packed full of variety with places like  historic Northwich in the county's rolling Salt country - and Daresbury, birthplace of Alice in Wonderland creator Lewis Carroll.

Yet Cheshire is so more than even the locals know about! It is a great accessible destination - rich in gardens and heritage, exciting family attractions and fascinating museums, intriguing craft centres and tempting designer shopping.

That's why this essentially traditional English county is becoming ever more popular with people looking for quality experiences, whether on days out, short breaks or for longer holidays.

One of Cheshire's finest "exports" was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, born in 1832. He became better known, of course, as Lewis Carroll, the writer of World famous books including Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Alice Through The Looking Glass.

We'll explore some of the history of this wonderful mathematician and author including a short visit to his birthplace, exploration of the All Saints Church in Daresbury, where his life is characterised in the wonderful stained glass windows, and gain an understanding of the association between his books and Alice Liddell, the little girl for whom they were written.

Find out more about Lewis Carroll by clicking here.

Set in 50 acres in the heart of the beautiful Cheshire countryside, Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre & Countryside Park offers everything for a perfect stop. We'll get really up and close to the internationally renowned Cotebrook Shire Horse Studs that have been breeding prize winning Shires here for over 30 years. The Shire Horse is the largest breed of horse in the world and we welcome you to meet our Stallion, Mares & Foals and learn about this fabulous Old English Breed.

As well as the Shires there is a fantastic selection of British animals & birdlife both wild & domesticated including many rare breeds. See (and touch) the miniature Shetland Ponies, Large Black Pigs & Piglets, Aberdeen Angus Cattle, Birds of prey, British Finches, Ducks, Hens and Goats. We'll even take a 30-minute ride on the Grand Cart Tour!

NOTE: There is an additional, specially negotiated, BUSYBUS optional entrance and narrated Grand Cart Tour fee payable if desired: £4.00

Find out more about the Shire Horse Centre by clicking here

Located near Northwich in Cheshire, the Anderton Boat Lift is one of the greatest monuments to Britain's last canal age and known as the "Cathedral of the Canals".

Built in 1875 it was the world's first, and is the UK's only, Boat Lift. It was reopened in March 2002 following a £7 million restoration programme and now provides what can only be described as a shear marvel of an experience whether interested in canals or not.

A partnership of public, private and voluntary organisations are currently helping to restore canals within the UK  at the same rate that they were built at the height of canal mania of the 1790's. The Anderton Boat Lift is one of British Waterways flagship restoration projects restoring the lift back to its original working order.

NOTE: There are additional specially negotiated BUSYBUS optional entrance and excursion fees payable if desired: Museum Entry: £1.00 / Boat Trip Through Lift: £4.25

Find out more about the Anderton Boat Lift by clicking here

The Lift has been fully restored with a new hydraulic operation system. The 1908 structure and pulley wheels have been retained as a static monument for all to inspect within the grounds.

Boat owners and visitors alike are able to ride the Lift once again, for a nominal charge. The journey takes around 30 minutes and really is worth doing.

The Operations Centre boast's a 2 storey facility with cafe area and superb viewing deck along with museum pieces and excellent information walls.

The lower level houses an exhibition area along with the lift control console allowing visitors to see how the operators control the lift as it carries out it's daily schedule.

This unbelievable collection of nearly 600 cuckoo clocks and 20 fairground organs has been brought together by brothers Roman and Maz Piekarski who, as foremost horologists and clock restorers, have sought and renovated the rarest and most notable examples over careers of thirty years.

It became apparent to them that an important part of European clock making history was liable to disappear if surviving examples fell into irretrievable disrepair.

Roman & Maz will welcome you here and give you a personal tour of this quite outstanding collection in this quite outstanding Cheshire treasure!

NOTE: There is an additional, specially negotiated, BUSYBUS fully-guided tour fee payable of £5.00 including light refreshments.

After your delightful morning we'll stop at a traditional English village in its typical setting with, of course, its very own pub. There within you'll get a chance to sample the famous homemade cuisine (or, as the locals would say, pub-grub) that so many talk about.

Don't forget to have a tot or two of that hand-pulled real cask ale and, whilst sipping its delicate flavour, why not let the landlord tell you all about the myths and legends that focus around the building.

All in all, a lunchtime to remember! Don't drink too many of those ale's though - we're leaving for the afternoons treasure hunting...!

Just such a pub may well be the Alvanley Arms, a 400 year old family run Inn, nestling near Tarporley in Cheshire and run by welcoming hosts, Alistair and Janet King. It boasts magnificent views to the east over the Trout Lake and to the west over fields where lambs gamble in the spring. 

The theme throughout is related to Shire Horses with rosettes, pictures, photographs, harness & horseshoes adorn the walls. The oak beamed bar offers a wide range of hand pulled cask ales, a large selection of wines & malt whiskies and a welcoming log fire. There is an extensive traditional menu as well as an imaginative Specials Board.

The medieval ruins of Beeston Castle stand on a rocky summit 500ft above the Cheshire plain, offering stunning views from the Pennines in the east to the mountains of Wales in the west.

The fortification dates from 1225 when it was built by Ranulf, the sixth Earl of Chester, and contains one of the deepest castle wells in the country.

The castle was seized by King Henry III in 1237 and used by him and later his son, King Edward I, as a base for their campaigns against the Welsh. The castle was finally destroyed at the end of the Civil War.

NOTE: There is additional, specially negotiated, BUSYBUS castle entry fee payable of £2.60.

Thanks to Cheshire's geography, Beeston Castle can be seen from just about anywhere in the county, standing proudly as it does on a hill in the centre of the Cheshire Plain.

The views are spectacular on any type of day but on a clear one - wow! There is a small charge to go inside the castle that also involves an uphill walk of some 15 minutes. Obviously, there is plenty to do without going inside too so the choice will be entirely yours.

An exhibition "Castle of the Rock" explains the 4,000 year history of this impressive and most unusual Cheshire castle.

Beeston Castle is found about 10 miles south east of Chester, not far from the comparatively modern Peckforton Castle that will also be seen on route.

Beeston is built on a massive red stone rock (called Beeston Rock) with sheer drops on two sides. It is now a ruin, and not just by weathering and decay, but also by a deliberate act of destruction on the orders of Parliament in 1646.

It is, however, a very impressively sited ruin at a second-to-none vantage point, and with a little imagination you'll see the castle as it might have been in my minds eye. The bridge to the inner castle was built in 1976/7 for easy access but some say an incongruous addition. Little is certain concerning the history of the castle, as different sources seem to have different stories, dates and events. But this all goes to add to myth and legend that allows own conclusion and memories.

The castle now belongs to English Heritage which ensures that the upkeep and entrance charges are proportional making it a truly great value visit! For English heritage members, entrance is, of course, free.

Tom and Margaret Fell decided to add value to the milk produced by their 300 cows with the decision being made to make a high quality affordable ice cream. In July 1986 the Ice Cream Parlour opened to the public which was an instant success with visitor numbers now exceeding 250,000 a year.

The Ice Cream Parlour has grown to be one of the largest in the country, with an adjoining Tea Room. The farm also boasts a play barn, gift shop, viewing gallery to watch the milking, rescued birds of prey, hedgehog care centre, animal corner and a new 'Cow to Cone' experience.

Because of the quality of local pasture, Cheshire Farm's cows are able to produce some of the finest rich whole milk, to which is added only natural ingredients and flavours to make our award winning ice cream. Described by celebrity cook Gilly Brookes as "Rich and creamy with a traditional velvety texture" Cheshire Farm Ice Cream is a real taste sensation.

The Cheshire Candle Workshops are a little gem of Cheshire with its free entry and endless corridors of activities you are simply bound to be struck with interest.

In every corner there's somebody demonstrating the art of candle making or some other craft. There's even a quaint little tea shop along with numerous checkout tills selling all sorts of local produce.

Blakemere Craft Centre is situated in the heart of the Cheshire countryside and is a great visiting point, comprising, quite literally, a "Village of Crafts" centred around an Edwardian Stable block. There are over 30 different craft shops, offering hundreds of fabulous hand crafted gifts.

Craft Fairs are held in the large loft area every weekend and on the last Wednesday of the month. In the Craft Workshops you will see skilled workers making their own products. Some might even let you have a go yourself, like throwing a pot on the "Potters Wheel"!

Cheshire Waterlife along with the Aquatic and Falconry Centres always proves a favourite and the "Gardenland Nursery" will allow you to view the most unusual plants as well as your old favourites.

Find out more about Blakemere Craft Centre by clicking here

So, come and join us on our next Cheshire Adventure tour. You are guaranteed satisfaction, of which we are totally reliant on for the success of our business. Please remember to book early as space is limited on this very popular tour.

BUSYBUS Bus Tours looks forward to being part of your holiday memories!!

Head Office
"Casabella", Vicarage Lane, Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. CW6 9BP

TEL: +44 (0)8708 741800  or  +44 (0)7017 420460

24-HOUR / EMERGENCY: +44 (0)7977 463965

 FAX: ++44 (0)870 8741900          E-mail: info@busybus.co.uk

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