Ronni Hannaman: Discover the magic and beauty of Cornwall and the Cotswolds

There’s a reason so many films and so many British television series are filmed in southern England featuring Cornwall and the Cotswolds.

The rugged scenery captivates the soul and walking by the charming homes in equally charming villages makes you want to drop in for tea.

Fans of Masterpiece Theater on PBS are familiar with the stunning scenery that almost takes attention away from the storyline or the actors. Think Poldark as he rides his black steed over the dramatic cliffs of Cornwall.

Think Doc Martin practicing in the small fishing village also in Cornwall. James Bond found himself twice on the Cornish Coast in Die Another Day and Tomorrow Never Dies. Downton Abbey and The Crown were filmed in the Cotswolds as was the blockbuster, Harry Potter. When a filmmaker wants unparalleled scenery, it’s to southern England they venture.

When I saw the new English Countryside tour being offered by Collette Vacations featuring the Cornish Coast and Cotswold, I just had to book it for anglophile travelers like me to see personally why southeast England is the site of so many films and shows.

Anglophiles want to explore every corner of England, for there’s much to discover. Collette has struck a chord with this new tour sure to be popular for those who enjoy staying in elegant manor houses in charming locations surrounded by spectacular scenery.

Our eight-night tour begins in London, our gateway city to the south. Since there’s never enough time in London no matter how many times you’ve been to this city, we will spend two nights in the west end to allow the jet lag to subside and visit some of the well-known sites that never fail to thrill.

There’s even time in the itinerary on the second night in London to enjoy the theater on your own, for who doesn’t want to see a stage play when in London? After experiencing the fast pace of the big city, we will make our way to England’s dramatic south coast to Cornwall enjoying the slower pace and the beautiful English countryside.

We pause on our way to visit Stonehenge, the prehistoric site reputed to be over 4,000 years old, as well as an organic farm and store to break up the motorcoach ride before arriving for a two-night stay at the Carlyon Bay Hotel.

This lovely hotel is billed as Cornwall’s finest luxury hotel situated on 250 acres of private grounds overlooking the spectacular St. Austell Bay in the very heart of Cornwall. Though the tour does not include a trip to Port Isaac, the filming location of Doc Martin, we could probably arrange a side-tour in the afternoon if there was enough interest.

On what is sure to be a spectacular Sunday morning, a guide will take us to the very site of the breathtaking opening scene of Poldark and regale us with stories about tin mining and why so many poets, writers, and artists have been inspired by this beautiful region.

The next day, there’s a woodland walk planned down to the harborside of Charlestown, the village featured in Poldark, before we venture north to Devon to stay two nights in Bovey Castle, an exceptional country retreat where we will have a stately dinner on our first night.

While in Devon, we will venture through the very wild and beautiful 368-mile Dartmoor National Park home to prehistoric villages and towns and moors. We won’t see the whole park but will have time to explore some of the villages along the way.

There’s a dinner at a traditional country pub planned after the excursion. Our final two nights will be spent in the picturesque and charming Cotswolds, one of England’s most beautiful regions.

We’ll rest our heads at Malmaison Cheltenham set in a grand whitewashed Regency villa and during our stay will tour a beautiful manor house – as featured in Poldark – and wander through little villages.

Our last night will find us enjoying a farewell dinner in a local inn in Burford, one of the most picturesque towns in all of England often featured on postcards.

If you haven’t been to England, this tour will capture the very essence of the upper-class English and the countryside so beloved by filmmakers while filling your soul with beauty.

If you’ve been to England but have never toured the southeast coast, you will discover a whole other England that will make you fall in love with the country all over again.

Shades of the English Countryside by Collette will depart from the Carson City Chamber office on June 18, 2025. The per person double cost is $5,999, which includes round-trip air from Reno to London, all transfers, eight nights luxury hotels, daily breakfast, five dinners, sightseeing, free parking at the chamber office, professional tour guides and more.

To view the brochure, go to www.carsoncitychamber.com. On the home page, scroll down to the Travel Club link. Or stop by to pick up your color brochure at 1900 S. Carson St.

This is a level three tour, meaning this is a moderately active tour and there will be walking on uneven spaces and climbing stairs. England is not handicapped accessible.

However, as with all tours, you can choose to just chill out and explore the lovely surroundings around the hotel. I am planning on traveling on this wonderful tour and am hoping you will join me.

We all must see as much of this world – and England - as we can, while we can.