Special interest coach tour operator Brightwater Holidays (www.brightwaterholidays.com, 01344 657155) has launched its new brochure for 2022, with holidays starting from just £365 along with a collection of brand new itineraries and fantastic early bird offers. Brightwater is also offering self-drive versions of its existing portfolio along with tailor-made independent trips for guests who want to enjoy one of its award-winning holidays on their own terms. 

For guests wanting to stay closer to home in the new year, there are five exciting new UK-based holidays. These include Thriplow Daffodil Festival, Walking in Speyside, Durham Arts and Gardens, Arts and Gardens of the North West, and finally Scenic Journeys of the Highlands and Islands.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022, Brightwater has also created a capsule collection of Grand Tours, based on feedback from guests about wanting longer, more wide-ranging holidays – especially after spending so much time at home over the past year. In the UK, guests can choose between two Scottish itineraries, namely the 11-day Grand Tour of the Western and Northern Isles and the 11-day Grand Tour of the Gardens of Scotland, or the 19-day Grand Tour of the Gardens of England. For those wanting to head overseas, there's A Grand Tour of Italian Gardens or From Normandy to the Netherlands ft. Floriade. 

As the world continues to open up, many people will be looking to make up for lost travel time and Brightwater has five new overseas holidays for 2022 that will offer lasting memories in stunning destinations. These tours include A Cultural Tour of Malta, The Azores – Its Gardens and Natural Wonders, Gardens of Mauritius, Rivers and Rainforests of Borneo, and Sri Lanka – The Pearl of the Indian Ocean. 

There are, of course, several returning favourites, such as A Classic Scottish Steam Break, the Grand Tour of the Outer Hebrides, Gardens of Kent and Sussex, Up Helly Aa, Highgrove and the Cotswolds, and its RHS Chelsea Flower Show holiday.

A number of 2022 holidays also have no single supplement, so these will appeal to solo travellers. These tours include Alpine Flowers of Wengen, Arts and Gardens of the North West, Castles and Houses of Lincolnshire, Queen Victoria and the Isle of Wight, Colours of the Lake District, Historic Houses of the Scottish Borders, Undiscovered Orkney, Private Gardens of Caithness and Sutherland, and Best of Ayrshire Gardens. 

Scenic Journeys of the Highlands and Islands

Starting with a rail journey on the West Highland Line to Fort William, this holiday also includes an excursion to the Isle of Mull, a cruise on Loch Linnhe, a drive through the glacial valley of Glen Coe, a round-trip ride on the Jacobite steam train, a visit to Eilean Donan Castle and a chance to take the funicular railway to the top of the Cairngorms.
7 days from £1,254pp with early booking offers, multiple departures. 

Thriplow Daffodil Festival

Take to the streets of this pretty Cambridgeshire village to see them lined with yellow daffodils. In addition to displays, there are open gardens to explore as well as traditional rural events. Other visits on this short break include the Wimpole Estate, Cambridge University Botanic Gardens, and the Rotunda at Ickworth in Suffolk.
3 days from £370 with early booking offers, departs 20th March. 

Walking in Speyside

A walker's paradise, this network of pathways offers gentle gradients, a rich, fertile landscape of rolling hills and wooded glens, and a rich whisky heritage. Follow a circular route through the heart of the whisky area, taking in Dufftown, Aberlour and Craigellachie, walk through the Hermitage in Perthshire, and admire the Queen's View near Pitlochry.
5 days from £620 with early booking offers, multiple departures.

A Grand Tour of the Gardens of England

This is a circular tour of the southern half of England, which brings together the best gardens of the region with visits to one horticultural gem after another. Visits include Hampton Court Castle, RHS Garden Rosemoor, Tresco's Abbey Garden, Sissinghurst, Beth Chatto's gardens, Hidcote Manor, RHS Garden Wisley, the Eden Project and Great Dixter.
19 days from £3,445 with early booking offers, departs 3rd May & 1st August.

A Grand Tour of Italian Gardens

Embark on a journey through some of Europe's finest landscapes, from the Borromean Islands to Rome and Florence. Criss-crossing the lakes of Maggiore and Como, visit the terraced gardens of Isola Bella and the zoological garden of Villa Pallavicino; in Rome, highlights include Castel Gandolfo and Ninfa; and explore Corsini, Boboli and Bardini.
15 days from £4,195 with early booking offers, departs 10th May & 13th September.

The Azores: Its Gardens and Natural Wonders

Visit notable gardens and go plant-hunting in the countryside, where we should see hibiscus, tree ferns and rare endemic plants, along with bubbling thermal pools (used as natural cookers), dazzling blue and green lakes, and mountain tops clothed in mist. There's also a chance to take part in one of the Azores specialist pursuits – whale watching.
8 days from £1,545 with early booking offers, departs 11th June.

Gardens of Mauritius

This departure is led by Colin Crosbie, former Head Gardener to Her Majesty the Queen Mother in Windsor. Over 12 days, guests will see giant tortoises at La Vanille Tropical Garden, taste local rum at Domaine de Labourdonnais, spot rare trees and exotic birds in the Black River Gorges, and see giant waterlilies at the Botanic Garden at Pamplemousse.
12 days from £2,695 with early booking offers, departs 14th November.

Rivers and Rainforest of Borneo

This journey moves from the capital Kota Kinabalu in the west to Sandakan in the east, travelling through mountainous terrain with volcanic hot springs, lush rainforests and fertile river systems. With chances to see sun bears and orangutans, day and night wildlife cruises on the Kinabatangan River, and glimpses of huge rafflesia flowers, this is a memorable tour.
12 days from £3,895 with early booking offers, departs 25th October. 

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For further media information, please contact Martha Whatley: martha@specialistjourneys.com.

Brightwater Holidays – Notes to Editors: With 29 years of heritage, Brightwater Holidays is a well-established specialist in quality, escorted garden tours. It won gold at the 2019 British Travel Awards in the Best Coach Holiday Company category as well as silver for Best Special Interest Holiday Company, and most recently it won Bronze at the 2020 British Travel Awards for Best Coach Holiday Company. The holidays it offers feature visits to a selection of the finest gardens in the UK and Ireland, Europe and worldwide, as well as the opportunity to see plants in their natural habitat. Itineraries have been carefully crafted and timed to ensure that gardens are looking their best, and special features of the tours often include guided tours with garden owners or designers, visits to private gardens, and behind-the-scenes visits to nurseries and even to potting sheds! As well as benefiting from an experienced Brightwater tour manager, there are often specialist hosts on the tours, too.

As well as gardening tours, Brightwater Holidays also offers a hand-picked range of scenic Scottish trips, including tours to Arran, Orkney and Shetland, the Outer Hebrides, and to Islay and Jura. Additionally, it has a growing portfolio of interesting archaeology holidays throughout the ancient world, escorted by suitably knowledgeable guides, as well as bespoke travel arrangements for private groups and societies.