Holme Valley

Days out

Registered charity - 1171722

Holme Valley U3A members are now able to enjoy trips to interesting attractions several times a year. Some of these are day trips but others involve an overnight stay.

2024 Programme.

Our 2024 programme comprises three day, one mini, and two overnight trips.

The first of our day trips will take place on Wednesday 10 April and will head to Lincoln. Our first destination will be the new International Bomber Command Centre which recalls the importance of the many Lincolnshire airfields during the Second World War and where there will be a guided tour and an included coffee on arrival and a buffet lunch before departure. The trip will then transfer to Lincoln, initially for a guided tour of its magnificent Cathedral before free time for members to explore the city centre (and its Castle?) at leisure.

Our second day trip will then follow on Thursday 18 July with the third of our series of day trips visiting the four compass quartiles of Yorkshire. This year it is the turn of South Yorkshire and the trip will begin by visiting Brodsworth Hall and Gardens with an included guided tour. The trip will then move across to Sheffield, starting with a soup and sandwich lunch as part of a visit to the industrial Kelham Island Museum. A short walk will then take everyone to the little known yet intriguing National Emergency Services Museum before an early evening return home.

The final day trip of 2024 will be on Wednesday 4 December and follow our usual Xmas theme. This year the destination will be Manchester, with visits to the city’s extensive Xmas Markets, an included festive meal, and time to explore the Glow illuminated walk at RHS Bridgwater.

The mini day trip will take place on Wednesday 10 July with coach transport from Holmfirth to the second day of the Great Yorkshire Show.

The first of our overnight trips will involve a single night away in the Oxford area departing on Wednesday 19 June. Heading first to Kenilworth Castle there will be a guided tour to explain its history centred upon the first Elizabethan period to be followed by an included soup and sandwich lunch. From Kenilworth the trip will move on to the country home of the Rothschild family at Waddesdon Manor. Having overnighted near Oxford the following morning will involve a two hour Thames river cruise from Oxford to Abingdon, from where the coach will return us to Oxford for a lunch at and guided tour of the iconic MINI car factory.

Finally our second overnight trip encompasses three days (two nights) away exploring the delights of the Garden of England, better known as Kent, leaving on Sunday 29 September. The trip will start with a visit to and included lunch at the Chatham Historic Dockyard, not only to see its many exhibits but also to partake in a guided Call the Midwife tour to see many of the locations used in the BBC series. With hotel accommodation near Ashford the second day will start with a guided walking tour of Canterbury city centre with some free time (to explore the Cathedral?). An included sandwich lunch will then be taken at Dover Castle before a guided tour of its war tunnels and then (following the Second World War theme) a late afternoon visit to the Battle of Britain Memorial Museum. Having checked out of the hotel our third day will see us returning home, but not before visits to Penshurst Place and Gardens (with an included lunch) and the former home of Winston Churchill at Chartwell.

All trips will be opened for booking, firstly by Days Out Group members, around three months prior to departure and you can request further information by writing to daysout@holmevalleyu3a.org.uk.

Your Days Out Team

GROUP MEMBERSHIP

The Days Out Group currently comprises over 150 U3A members who have previously been on one of the Group’s trips. Once launched a trip is offered in the first instance to all Group members up to a week ahead of the next U3A monthly meeting.

There is a Group Waiting List for U3A members wishing to join. Click on the bird (top right of the page) and request to register. Those on the Group Waiting List are sent details of newly-launched trips and can thus book on them a few days ahead of the U3A monthly meeting, when remaining spaces become available to all U3A members.

Places on trips are usually restricted to less than 50 in number, as a consequence either of group size restrictions at a venue or by the physical capacity of the coach. A Reserve List of interested members is therefore often held for any fully subscribed trip and members thereon are contacted if cancellations arise (as is often the case).

HOW TO BOOK

Upon being notified (by email) that a trip has launched for booking members can book places

• send an email requesting a place

• Then await confirmation that a place has been allocated

• In all cases when advised you have a place please pay the amount requested preferably [as the bank now charge us for every deposited cheque] by electronic transfer and return the booking form by email, in the post or complete one at the monthly meeting.
All bookings are taken on the assumption of members’ acceptance of the Days Out Terms and Conditions,
which can be found by following the appropriate link at the top right of this page.