7 June to 13 June 2026 Residential Holiday based in Chester - Please see report and photos here.
A contingent from our u3a has been on a holiday based in Chester from 7 June to 13 June. Please see report and photos here.
Photo © Richard Herbert
Planned trips
Wednesday 30 September 2026 Day Trip to Hampton Court
Following on from my email regarding potential trips, there is good interest in both, and so we will be doing one this Autumn and one next Spring.
The first trip this September will be to Hampton Court Palace where you can walk in Henry VIII’s footsteps and transport yourself back to the 16th Century. This trip is for members only. The cost is £38.20 per person (to include Driver tip and entry ticket to Palace). Leaving the Clifton Centre 9.30am (prompt) and Bus Station Stand 1, Bicester at approx. 9.45am. Eta Hampton Court 11.15am. Departing Hampton Court at 4.00pm. Eta return Bicester 5.45pm.
In the first instance, if you would like to reserve a place on the visit, please email me Membership Secretary via the Contact Page. Please give your name(s) and membership number(s), I will then email you a formal booking form, closing date is 31st July.
Val
For lots more information on Hampton Court visit the Historic Royal Palaces website https://www.hrp.org.uk/
Thursday 30 July 2026 Day Trip to Highclere Castle - Update
Booking forms have now been sent out to the first 50 names on the list of interested members.
Highclere have restricted us to 50 visitors on the day. There is a waiting list for any spaces which may become available and, should anyone have to drop out of the visit, invitations will be sent to the next person on the waiting list which is being maintained in order of the date members expressed their interest.
If you have received a booking form and can no longer join us on the day, please contact Joy as soon as possible so that the place can be offered to another u3a member.
Joy's details are on your u3a Information Card under the “Wider Horizons Group”.
The cost is £36 per person which includes a tip for the coach driver.
Arriving at Highclere Castle feels less like visiting a historic house and more like stepping into a film set. Rising from rolling parkland, its honey-coloured stone towers instantly spark recognition—even before you realise it’s a living estate layered with centuries of history, family stories, and quiet grandeur.
The long, curving drive winds through Capability Brown designed grounds, where ancient cedars punctuate wide green lawns. As the castle comes into view, it is impressive —Victorian and symmetrical - yet softened by its rural surroundings. Inside, the experience is intimate rather than museum-like. The entrance hall soars upward, its stone arches and sweeping staircase instantly familiar to fans of Downton Abbey.
The state rooms reveal the tastes and ambitions of the Carnarvon family, who have lived at Highclere since the late 1600s. The house was transformed to its current majesty in 1842, by Sir Charles Barry, who also designed the Houses of Parliament. Despite being so grand you can feel that it is a home. There are also gardens and extensive grounds to explore.
The 5th Earl of Carnarvon, famously financed the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. An Egyptian exhibition room showcases artefacts and photographs from that extraordinary expedition. You can visit the exhibition by purchasing an additional ticket (subject to availability).
The café serves hot drinks and food, but if you bring your own food you will have to eat it in the coach, as they do not allow picnics in the grounds.
A visit to Highclere Castle balances drama and history, whether you come as a Downton Abbey devotee, a history lover, or a curious traveller, the castle has something for everyone.