32 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 XXX XXX 17 th & 18 th Century MARLbOROUGH: THE FIRST CHURCHILL THE GREAT CAPTAIN S MAJOR bATTLES For the first half of the week we will be based in the historic city of Donauworth in hospitable Bavaria. From the nearby Schellenberg, we gain magnificent views of the Danube and its valley, whilst on the Höchstadt Plain below the city we will enjoy walking through the unspoiled countryside. From there we fly to the equally historic city of Mons in French- speaking southern Belgium –‘the cockpit of Europe’ for the second half of the week. Both Bavaria and Belgium are renowned for their cuisine, local beers and wines – and we will do our best to introduce you to all three! 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 21 – 27 July 2019 7 days with Dr John Sadler with Dr John Sadler with Dr John Sadler with Dr John Sadler with Dr John Sadler Activity Level 2 Activity Level 2 ESSENTIALS Flight from London, return by Eurostar Standard Premier, 4 star hotels, buffet breakfast, 3 course dinner with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour price: £2195 Single supplement: £230 Deposit: £200 Price without flights: £2045 "You’ve a fantastic guide in John Sadler, he presents the battles wonderfully " It is no secret that Winston Churchill drew huge inspiration from his ancestor John Churchill, later the Duke of Marlborough, who is generally regarded as England’s finest commander and one of history’s great captains. Marlborough understood how politics worked and during his career he revolutionised the art of warfare. Marlborough’s mastery of his craft and outstanding leadership enabled two small countries – Britain and Holland – to challenge the might and ambitions of the King of France, Louis XIV. It was an age of formal warfare, still fought according to the rules of chivalry, with set piece battles and great sieges. But not even the genius of Vauban, the French King’s masteroffortification,couldpreventaseriesof victories, culminating in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. This heralded a period of peace and prosperity in England and the birth of the British Empire overseas. During this epic tour we will visit Marlborough’s greatest and most interesting battlefields in chronological order: Shellenberg and Blenheim 1704, Ramillies 1706, Oudenarde 1708 and Malplaquet 1709. Day 1 – I ntroduction. We fly from London to Munich and drive to Donauworth where we check in to our hotel for three nights. We take in an orientation walk of the town and its 18th Century defences, followed by an introductory talk, welcome drinks and dinner. Day 2 – S chellenberg. We climb the Schellenberg Heights to visit Fort Augustus and the other surviving fortifications, which were stormed by Marlborough on 2 July 1704. This afternoon we explore the beautiful walled town of Nordlingen and visit the Stadtmauer Military History Museum with its interpretation of the city’s defences. Day 3 – Blenheim. We spend the whole day on this iconic battlefield, starting with the Allied advance from Schwenningen. We walk the ground and examine the bloody actions