7 Day North-West Explorer Backpacker Tour Oxford, Liverpool & The Lake District

Itinerary

Day 1: London- Oxford

Stop At: Henley-on-Thames Railway Station, Henley-on-Thames England
Departure from Park Royal Tube Station (Piccadilly Line) at 10am and receive our Full English Backpacker Bus Goody Bag!
A quick stop in riverside town Henley-On-Thames, voted one of the 'most beautiful towns in England' by The Times.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: University of Oxford, University Offices 1 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD England
Weaving through Oxfordshire villages you'll arrive around lunchtime in historic Oxford, home of the ancient university. Free time for lunch perhaps for bangers and mash in one of the city's tiny wood-beamed pubs, or for a jacket potato in a local cafe.
Afternoon Walking tour led by our driver/guide around Oxford sights.
Free time in the afternoon to explore the museums and perhaps go punting, depending on the English weather!
Pub crawl starting in the hostel and taking you around Oxford's famous student nightlife. They work hard but also party hard!
Duration: 12 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Dorm bed in shared room at Oxford Central Backpackers Hostel.

Day 2: Oxford - Shrewsbury - Liverpool

Stop At: Burford Library 86A High Street, Burford OX18 4QF England
Travel to The Cotswolds to see a couple of traditional thatched-cottage, honey coloured stone villages amongst the rolling hills, for plenty of photo opportunities. One well known amongst tourists- the other our secret!
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Shrewsbury Abbey, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury England
A 2 hour journey creeping further north to Shrewsbury, the birthplace of Charles Darwin and a quirky yet traditional Tudor city to have lunch in and explore.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Liverpool Central Library, Central Library William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EW England
Chill out in our hostel in the Georgian Quarter with the two Kevins, who have jam sessions in their recording studio and have been known to film music videos featuring the guests!
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Full English Breakfast (included) at the local Crisis cafe in Oxford which supports an English homeless charity.
Accommodation included: Dorm bed in shared room at The Embassie Hostel, Liverpool.

Day 3: Liverpool

Stop At: The Beatles Story, Unit 41 Britannia Pavilion Albert Dock Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AD England
Walking tour about Liverpool & The Beatles- led by Kevin Snr who will tell you what it was like during the Beatlemania period in the 1960's, ending in The Cavern Club where they regularly performed.
Free afternoon to explore Liverpool's docks, Tate Modern and or check out the Northern hospitality at the local pubs.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, Riverside Walk, Liverpool L3 4AZ England
Option to visit Manchester in the afternoon by train.
Dinner recommendations to try either in Liverpool's hipster dining scene with secret cocktail bars, or traditional Scouse or pie and mash.
Nightlife recommendations in Liverpool.
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner: Dinner voucher to use at Lobster Pot Fish & Chip Shop
• Breakfast: Continental breakfast included in the hostel
Accommodation included: Dorm bed in shared room at The Embassie Hostel, Liverpool.

Day 4: Liverpool- Chester - Blackpool

Stop At: Walls of Chester, Chester CH1 1RE England
A trip to Chester for a few hours to check out the most complete Roman walls in Britain, and Chester Castle.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: The Blackpool Tower, The Promenade, Blackpool FY1 4BJ England
Travel further north with a stop in 'The Las Vegas of England' and famous British domestic holiday destination- Blackpool! Known for its drag queens, Blackpool ballroom, gambling arcades, fish & chips and saucy postcards, it's the ultimate tacky English seaside experience.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Kendal Castle, Castle Hill, Kendal LA9 7BJ England
Moving onwards to The Lake District we arrive in Kendal, which will be our base for the next two days. Continuing the famous Northern hospitality- Kristina and her mum Jan will welcome you to their hostel (who is still a backpacker and stays regularly in dorm rooms!).
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Continental Breakfast included in the hostel
Accommodation included: Dorm bed in shared room in Kendal Hostel.

Day 5: Keswick- Buttermere- Lakes Distillery

Stop At: Keswick Museum, Station Road Fitz Park, Keswick CA12 4NF England
Spend the late morning and early afternoon in Keswick, a pretty market town where you can choose from several different hikes to do in the surrounding rolling hills around the breathtaking lakes (whatever your ability!, and load up on rhubarb & custard sweets in the local traditional sweet shop.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Buttermere Lake, Buttermere, Cockermouth CA13 9XA England
Those who have pre-booked either the Mine Tour or Via Ferrata climb at the Honister Slate Mine will be dropped off, in the middle of one of the best journeys of the trip- a meander through the Borrowdale Valley and its stunning red and green peaks around Buttermere Lake.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Honister Slate Mine, Honister Pass, Keswick CA12 5XN England
Those who have pre-booked either the Mine Tour or Via Ferrata climb at the Honister Slate Mine will be dropped off, in the middle of one of the best journeys of the trip- a meander through the Borrowdale Valley and its stunning red and green peaks around Buttermere Lake.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: The Lakes Distillery, Bassenthwaite Lake, Bassenthwaite, Keswick CA13 9SJ England
The rest of the group will be taken to the award winning Lakes Distillery to learn about how whisky, gin and vodka are made using the local Derwentwater River & Lake, with tastings at the end of course!
Optional Friday Night Pub Quiz in the hostel hosted by Jan and Kristina- The Great British Lake-Off! (yes, sorry, we know)
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Dorm bed in shared room in Kendal Hostel.

Day 6: Windermere- Ambleside- Grasmere

Stop At: Windermere Information, Victoria Street, Windermere LA23 1AD England
The rest of the group can opt to be taken to Bowness-on-Windermere, the tourist hub of The Lakes where you can take a boat ride across the picture perfect blue lake over to Ambleside. Many walks and hikes are available for all abilities and you can also sample the famous gingerbread from Grasmere.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Helvellyn, England
The more adventurous of the group can opt to hike the 6 hour up and down route of Helvellyn, one of the highest peaks in the UK and formed by volcanic rock.
Duration: 6 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Dorm bed in shared room in Kendal Hostel.

Day 7: Kendal- Cambridge- London

Stop At: Cambridge Theatre, 32-34 Earlham Street Seven Dials, London WC2H 9HU England
A stop for a traditional Sunday Roast Carvery in the West Midlands (veggie options available as always!) to join in with our family traditions.
Arrival in Cambridge around 4pm for some free time to wander round, or you can opt to leave the tour here if you'd prefer to explore it further.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.