The United Kingdom
Roots & Routes |
10 days | 9 nights
8–12 guests
London · Bristol · Edinburgh
Black Tudors in Westminster, the stories of St Pauls and a different view of Edinburgh. Ten unhurried days of guided discovery, shared meals and time of your own.
01 / Four nights
London, with Richmond as home
Black Tudors, Kenwood and Brixton, with a welcome dinner and a whole day of your own.
02 / Two nights
Bristol, at a gentler pace
The murals and stories of St Pauls, then time to enjoy the city or relax at Berwick Lodge.
03 / Three nights
Edinburgh and a day in Fife
A historian-led walk, Scotland’s early African presence and a farewell dinner together.
Itinerary
DAY ONE - Welcome to Richmond
Arrive at your own pace and check in at the Bingham Riverhouse, a family home turned boutique
hotel on the Thames in Richmond.
Yes, that riverside town you may recognise from Ted Lasso!
Today is yours to settle in. Take your time, enjoy your beautiful room, or get familiar with the picturesque surroundings. There is nothing to rush to.
This evening, we’ll meet over a welcome dinner to get to know each other. Your tour leader will introduce the journey ahead, and, with some luck, you'll hear the story of the house from the family who have run it since 1984.
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Meals included: dinner
DAY TWO - Central London
Enjoy your breakfast in bed - one of many to come!
We will meet Yvette Reinfor of More Curricular, who will guide us through Westminster, tracing the lives of Africans who lived and worked in Tudor England five hundred years ago. Through the stories of merchants, musicians and skilled workers, we’ll explore a less familiar side of the city’s history. We’ll finish across the river in the gardens of St Thomas’ Hospital, beside the statue of Jamaican-born nurse Mary Seacole.
From there, we’ll head to Chishuru, a Michelin-starred Nigerian restaurant, for lunch. The rest of the day is yours, whether you’re drawn to a gallery, a theatre performance or a neighbourhood you’ve been meaning to explore.
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Meals included: Breakfast and lunch​​​
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DAY THREE - Kenwood, Brixton and all that Jazz
Today we travel to Hempstead Heath to explore Dido Belle’s story and life in Georgian England.
It is now time to head south to Brixton for Jamaican home cooking at Maureen's Brixton Kitchen, a family-run business on Railton Road, and we only have a word for Maureen's food. Yummi!!!
The afternoon is yours to wander around Village Market and the neighbourhood.
An optional jazz outing may be available at Ronnie Scott’s or a local venue.
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Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
DAY FOUR - A day on your own
Your last day in London, to spend however you like.
There are plenty to choose from. A walk up Richmond Hill for the famous view over the Thames; a visit to Richmond Park or Kew Gardens; or simply slow down and book a treatment at the hotel.
We will help you decide, but the day is yours to explore or relax. ​
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Meals included: Breakfast​​​
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DAY FIVE - West to Bristol
Today we travel west by train from London Paddington to Bristol, followed by a short transfer to Berwick Lodge.
The afternoon is dedicated to settling in and enjoying the countryside. Walk the 18-acre grounds of the 1890 manor, or follow country paths with views across the Severn Estuary.
We meet for relaxed group dinner in the Lodge’s award-winning restaurant.
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Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
DAY SIX - St Pauls: murals, carnival and civil rights
Today is all about exploring the neighbourhood that has been the heart of Bristol's African Caribbean community
since the 1950s, on a guided walk with Kabbo Hue Qua. Get ready to see the seven large-scale murals honouring Windrush-generation figures and the founders of St Pauls Carnival, as well as the people behind the Bristol Bus Boycott.
​For lunch we will head to Caribbean Croft, a Family-recipe Caribbean cooking spot and a famous rum list on Stokes Croft.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you wish.
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Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.​​​
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DAY SEVEN - The long train North
This is a full day on the rails, with your first view of Edinburgh at dusk.
Settle in with a book and lunch on board, and watch for the Northumberland coast near the end of the journey.
​Check in at your family-run Victorian guest house, followed by an early dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
DAY EIGHT - Black Scotland since the 1500s
After our glorious breakfast we set to meet Lisa Williams, founder of the Edinburgh Caribbean Association, for a walk through African, Caribbean and African American heritage in the city of Edinburgh since the 16th century.
Lunch will be at The Outsider, an independent restaurant focused on modern European and Scottish cuisine, near the Royal Mile with stunning view over the Edinburgh Castle.
The rest of the day is yours to explore Edinburgh old town at your pace.
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Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.​​​
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DAY NINE - A day in Fife
We will travel to Falkland Palace to explore Scotland’s early African presence, in the court of James IV.
​Make time to explore the gardens and the village for lunch in your own time.
Back in Edinburgh, we’ll share a farewell dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, dinner
DAY TEN - Full Circle
Our trip has come to an end.
A final gathering, for an early breakfast before we say our
goodbyes and part our ways untill a next time.
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Meals included: Breakfast
Please keep in mind that this is a sample itinerary. While a few details may vary from trip to trip depending on our partners’ schedules, the overall itinerary will remain very similar!
What's included
Accomodations
Most Meals as listed above
Cultural activities such as museums entrances, guided tours
All in-country transportation
Pre-departure preparation support from your Travel Consultant
An experience local Tour leader
What's not included
Internationl FLights
Visas and Passports
Meals not listed
Mandatory Travel Insurance
Optional Activities
Personal Expenses
Single-occupancy rooms
Where your Money Goes
Places to stay
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Bingham Riverhouse
Berwick Lodge
23 Mayfield
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Guides and Organisations
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Hidden Tudors Tours,
Kabbo Hue Qua,
Kuumba,
Black History Scotland
Edinburgh Caribbean Association
Restaurants
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Chishuru
Maureen's Brixton Kitchen
Caribbean Croft
All independent