Artist/Instructor Judy Sporano will escort this wonderful 7 night painting holiday to the lovely English Lakes District. She will lead on location workshops in Ambleside, Grasmere, Yew Tree Farm, Ashness Bridge and Bowness-on-Windermere.

Each day Judy will take you to a favorite spot to sketch and paint, and then return each evening to your base in Bowness-on-Windermere. Along with workshops in fabulous locations there will be time for personal exploring and fun evenings to enjoy Cumberland fare in the cozy pubs and cafes.

Although our last trip was in November, we will run this wonderful 7 night painting holiday with Judy Soprano in May, taking full advantage of the long spring days and the lovely fields blooming with bluebells.

Judy enjoys working with oils and watercolours. Other media and all levels of expertise are welcomed on this tour. Please note that this program is limited to a maximum of 12 persons.

This program is 'not' restricted to artists. There will be lots of activities for non-painters as well!

  • In Brief
  • Tour Map
  • Full Itinerary
  • Photo Gallery
  • Tour Details
  • Terms and Conditions
Day Date Itinerary Meals
1 Sunday May 16th Arrive Bowness-on-Windermere, England Dinner
2 Monday May 17th Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast
3 Tuesday May 18th Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast
4 Wednesday May 19th Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast
5 Thursday May 20th Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast
6 Friday May 21st Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast
7 Saturday May 22nd Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast
8 Sunday May 23rd Depart Bowness-on-Windermere, England Breakfast

Saturday May 16th - Depart Home City Board your international flight to England. Closest airport to the town of Bowness-on-Windermere and the beginning of our tour is Manchester. (As a full service travel agency were happy to assist with flight arrangements to join this tour. We suggest booking early to obtain the best flights and rates available.)

DAY 1: Arrive Bowness-on-Windermere, England Welcome to England! Meet up with Artist/Instructor Judy Soprano and other members of the group in the town of Bowness-on-Windermere. There are direct trains from Manchester Airport to Windermere. Our hotel in Bowness-on-Windermere is approximately 2 miles from the train station and taxis are always on hand. There will be time to settle before our welcome dinner.
Meals: (D) Dinner
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 2: Ambleside After breakfast this morning we will travel to the lovely town of Ambleside on Lake Windermere. Here we will set up at a café in the middle of this charming market town where the stream tumbles down through the town. This is the location of the 17th century 'Bridge House'.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 3: Grasmere and Dove Cottage After breakfast today we are off to the village of Grasmere and of course Dove Cottage We will have a guided tour through the 1st home of William Wordsworth where he wrote most of his famous works and have made arrangements to paint in the garden. Wordsworth and his family are buried in Grasmere and right beside the lovely old church is the world famous Sarah Nelson's Gingerbread factory. Its secret recipe guarded since 1854 is wonderful, so do leave time to visit here too.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 4: Ashness Bridge and Keswick After breakfast today our first destination is Ashness bridge. This single-track stone bridge covers a sparkling waterfall. The view looking down onto Derwentwater across to the towering peaks of Skiddaw is breathtaking. We will take time to sketch so you can make your own impression to take home with you. After our stay at Ashness bridge we are off to nearby Keswick. This is where the pencil was invented and the museum tells the story well. After visiting the museum we will go into the centre of town which is totally pedestrianized for our lunch break.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 5: Yew Tree Farm, Hawkshead and Hill Top Cottage After breakfast this morning we are off to Yew Tree Farm for today's painting workshop Potter owned Yew Tree Farm in the 1930s and opened a tea room to help the tenant farmers stay and live a traditional life in the Lake District. It is still home to many of her furnishings. Yew Tree farm featured as 'Hill Top' in the movie 'Miss Potter' starring Renée Zellweger. It is one of the few white stucco structures referred to locally as 'cruck-framed'. The current owners raise native Belted Galloway cattle and Cumbrian Herdwick sheep keeping the tradition of 'Fell Farming' alive.

After our workshop we will travel the short distance to the lovely village of Hawkshead to visit the Beatrix Potter Gallery. The gallery holds Beatrix Potter's original water colors of all her animal characters: Peter Rabbit, Jamima Puddleduck, Mrs Tiggy Wink and all the others.

Then, it's off to HILL TOP FARM. Beatrix's beloved farm house is small and adorable. It is too small to have a workshop at but there is a lovely bench that would be perfect for a few minutes of sketching. We will take the time for a proper visit of her house before returning to Bowness-on-Windermere.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 6: Painting workshop in Bowness-on-Windermere The lovely old town of Bowness literally asks to be painted. Tudor style half - timber houses, slate stone roofs, old shops, beautiful old wooden ferry boats, swans and all. This is the picture perfect town to have our last workshop in.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 7: Free day in Bowness-on-Windermere Its always good to have a free day to finish up, explore, and do some last minute gift shopping.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Bowness-on-Windermere

DAY 8: Depart for Home City After breakfast our program is over. If anyone would like to extend their stay in the area we are happy to assist with your travel details.
Meals: (B) Breakfast


Tour: Painting in the English Lakes District - 7 Nts / 8 Days
Artist/Instructor: Judy Sporano
Dates: Sunday May 16th to Sunday May 23rd, 2010
Arrival City: Bowness-on-Windermere, England
Departure City: Bowness-on-Windermere, England
Overnights: - 7 Nts Bowness-on-Windermere (English Lakes District)
Price: - $1,989 per person (Double or Shared)
- Single rate upon request
- All taxes
Tour Highlights: - Visit to Dove Cottage, Yew Tree Farm, Bridge House and Ashness Bridge
Tour Inclusions: - 7 Nts Bowness-on-Windermere Hotel
- All transportation to locations in itinerarys
- Supervised workshops and creative sessions
- Fully escorted by Artist/Instructor Judy Soprano
- All taxes
Meals Included: - Breakfast daily
- Welcome dinner on May 16th
Tour Exclusions: - International airfare to Manchester, England
- Airport transfers and baggage handling
- Tips and Gratuities
- Personal insurance (medical, baggage, cancellation, etc.)
- Passports, Visas and Immunizations
- Meals and Beverages not included in itinerary
- Laundry, Hotel and Personal charges
- All optional excursions or deviations from itinerary
- Items of personal nature and souvenirs

Terms & Conditions:

Creative Arts Holidays (hereinafter referred to as CAH) and/or their agent's act solely as agents for the Travel Service Suppliers such as airlines, hotels, local sightseeing and adventure companies, bus companies etc... who are providing their facilities as described on CAH's website and in CAH's brochures. We do our best to select such suppliers but exercise no control over them and cannot be held responsible for the failure of these suppliers to carry out any obligations. Any and all bookings made with these suppliers by us, for you, are subject to the terms and conditions of each and every such supplier.

Suppliers' liability may also be limited by law, tariffs, or conditions set forth in their documentation, tickets, etc. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, CAH and its agents are not responsible for any and all claims for losses, damages, delays, illness, injuries, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment, or anxiety arising from:

  1. Fault of negligence or omissions on the part of said travel suppliers;
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  3. Your failure to obtain passport, visas, inoculations or other ground documents;
  4. Your failure to report on time at an airport or ground transfer facility;
  5. Material damages, theft or other mysterious disappearance of your goods;
  6. Personal injury or death;
  7. Force Majeure - event(s) beyond our, or our suppliers' reasonable control including, but not limited to, acts of God, strikes, lockout or other labour disputes or disruptions, wars, blockades, insurrections, riots, earthquakes, weather conditions, floods or acts or restraints imposed by governmental authorities.

Liability:

Where travel services are purchased separately, and not as part of an inclusive package, CAH's responsibility shall extend only to the provisions of advice as to industry standard or supplier recommended, connection and check-in times. Provided CAH supplies such advice, it shall not be responsible for missed connections or departures, regardless of the cause.

Promotional Material:

CAH programs very often include photographs of our past tour participants that may be used on our websites and promotional material. If any of our passengers do not wish to have pictures, which include their image used by CAH, said passengers must advise CAH prior to departure in writing.

Website and Brochure Accuracy:

Every effort has been made to describe the travel services on our website as accurately as possible, but please note there may be different living standards and conditions with respect to the provisions of utilities and services than you are accustomed to at home. Information and photographs contained herein were accurate at time of printing and are subject to change: however, we will do our best to inform you should any significant changes occur. CAH reserves the right to decline any passenger as a member of any tour at any time. It is understood that all passengers reserving on any CAH program are personally physically mobile.

Itinerary Changes:

Although every effort will be made to keep itineraries, hotels and carriers as they are shown on our website and in our brochures, we reserve the right to substitute itineraries, hotels or carriers due to conditions beyond our control. In such cases, we will do everything possible to ensure that the locations visited, the excursions taken and the hotels offered are similar to the ones originally planned. Any change to itineraries will not result in eligibility for a refund.

Personal Documentation Requirements:

All passengers must travel with a passport valid for at least 6 months after the return date of the trip. Visas may be required by some passengers for entry into another country - please contact a CAH representative at 1.888.830.5324 for further details. Please note that entry into any country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete. It is the passenger's responsibility to obtain at the passenger's expense, all documentation required by all relevant authorities. In the event that the passenger does not possess the proper documentation, the carrier (cruiseline, airline etc...) reserves the right to refuse passage. It is absolutely necessary for CAH to be aware of the citizenship/nationality of all its passengers to ensure that we provide correct information regarding personal documentation requirements.

Pricing:

Prices in this brochure or on our website are for the most part per person, based on two persons sharing a room, and are in effect at the time of printing or loading and are subject to price increases. Costs for this program are based on the exchange rate at the time of printing and are subject to currency fluctuation. Please note that no price increases are permitted after the customer has paid in full. If the price increase is more than 7% (except for increases resulting from an increase in retail sales or federal tax), the customer has the right to cancel the booking and obtain a full refund.

Bookings, Payments, Cancellations and Refunds:

A deposit of $500.00 (CAD) per person plus the applicable insurance premium is payable at time of booking. The balance of payment is due no later than 70 days prior to departure. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable and the balance subject to cancellation charges according to the date of cancellation by the by the passenger. Please see applicable cancellation charges below:

  • Cancellation notice received more than 60 days prior to departure - Forfeits full deposit of $500 (CAD) per person
  • Cancellation notice received 60 - 30 days prior to departure - 50% penalty of full fare †
  • Cancellation notice received 29 - 0 days prior to departure - 100% of full fare †

† Full Fare is defined as the cost of any tour, land and air element purchased from Creative Arts Holidays. Voluntary or involuntary termination by the passenger of a tour in progress will result in no refund, nor can they be exchanged for alternative travel arrangements. There is no refund for unused services or if portions of the tour are missed.

Note: Please contact a CAH representative for suggested insurance options which could protect you from the above cancellation charges.

Insurance:

Please note that Cancellation, baggage, medical, emergency medical and various additional insurance coverages are strongly recommended and are available at the time of booking your vacation. A CAH representative would be happy to offer you an insurance quotation for your upcoming vacation. Please feel free to contact an CAH representative at 1.888.830.5324 or info@creativeartsholidays.com

Tour Documents:

A tour document packet is sent two weeks prior to a passengers departure. If you request documents earlier there is a $100 CAD handling charge to cover the extra costs of early processing. If a reservation is made within three weeks of departure, a late booking fee of $100 CAD may be assessed to facilitate RUSH documentation

Booking Revision Fee:

A $100 CAD revision fee per revision is charged for any changes made to a reservation after the written confirmation is sent. Please use the names of the travelers exactly as they appear on their passports. A change in name or departure date may constitute a cancellation, and penalties may apply.

Tour Registration

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Tour:

Painting in the English Lakes District - 7 Nts / 8 Days

Artist/Instructor:

Judy Soprano

Dates:

Sunday May 16th to
Sunday May 23rd, 2010

Arrival City:

Bowness-on-Windermere, England

Departure City:

Bowness-on-Windermere, England

Overnights:

  • 7 Nts Bowness-on-Windermere

Price:

  • $1,989 per person
    (Double or Shared Twin)
  • Single rate upon request
  • All taxes

Meals Included:

  • Breakfast daily
  • Welcome dinner on May 16th

May Weather
(Min to Max):

  • Bowness-en-Windermere
    (41°F/5°C to 56°F/14°C)