Skinners of Oxted

31/12/2019

Yesterday was our final Skinners day trip - To Wisley Glow. The weather was fabulous (dry!!) & I think everyone enjoyed seeing Wisley in a different light.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers, staff, colleagues, friends & family for their support & custom over many many years.

20/12/2019

E505 to Oxted now cancelled due to flooding

20/12/2019

The E505 to Oxted School is running this morning, but is likely to be late due to flooding on the A22 at South Godstone & the diversion in Lingfield & associated chaos caused by that. Further, the road is flooded at Crowhurst & it will have to go back along Tandridge Lane to the Red Barn to go to Oxted as there is flooding under the bridge on Tandridge Lane. Happy last day of term!

24/10/2019

Stephen & I have made the difficult decision to retire at the end of 2019.

Until then, it's business as usual, with our day excursions & tours carrying on as planned.

We still have spaces on many of our day excursions, including a few seats that have become available on the Christmas at Kew & Wi******er Christmas Market trips.

Don't miss the chance to join us on our final trips!

Thank you to all our loyal customers over many, many years

Deb Skinner

20/07/2019

Our autumn/winter 2019 day excursions brochure arrived in our offices on Friday & we spent the day stuffing & sealing envelopes. We should finish that on Monday &, with a bit of luck & a lot of hard work, they should go in the post late morning Monday. This means that they should be hitting your doormats on Wednesday or Thursday.

In other news, the save the Waverley campaign has got off to a very good start & they have now ordered new boilers, but still have a way to go with the fundraising - read the latest news here https://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/save-the-waverley-boiler-appeal/latest-appeal-news/

15/07/2019

Full details of our forthcoming trips are now on our website.

Interested in Queen Victoria & her children? Why not join us and visit Buckingham Palace Thursday 15th August, and see the special exhibition celebrating her 200th birthday - including her children's baby teeth.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/queen-victoria-exhibition-buckingham-palace-summer-anniversary-baby-teeth-cast-a9002801.html

Baby teeth are kept in a gilt-metal casket specially commissioned by Victoria in the 1860s

10/07/2019

I have sent our autumn/winter day excursion brochure to the printers (hurrah!!). I've even had a first proof back. Those of you on our e-newsletter list should have received that this morning. All the trips are listed on our website (www.skinners.travel) - just a list at the moment, no details - also listed below. That will follow when I get final proof from the printers.
Those people who had expressed an interest in forthcoming trips (mainly greyhound racing & Christmas at Kew) have all been put on our booking system. If you haven't already expressed an interest in Christmas at Kew, I suggest you do so soon as we already have around 90 people booked on (we have 106 tickets)
We look forward to hearing from you soon

August
Thursday 1st Henley-on-Thames & Boat Trip with Cream Tea
Monday 5th Scenic Essex Tour with Lunch at Jamie Oliver’s Parents’ Pub
Wednesday 7th Bournemouth & Compton Acres
Sunday 11th Bowood House
Tuesday 13th Beaulieu Motor Museum, Palace House & Gardens & Buckler’s Hard
Thursday 15th Buckingham Palace
Saturday 17th Eastbourne & Airbourne - the biggest free air show on the south coast
Monday 19th Chapel Down Winery Tour & Tenterden
Thursday 22nd Marlborough & Horse-Drawn Boat Trip
Sunday 25th Henley Country Craft Show at Stonor House
Wednesday 28th Littlehampton or Bognor
September
Thursday 5th Wisley Gardens’ Flower Show & Sculpture Exhibition
Saturday 7th Eurotunnel to Le Touquet & Montreuil
Tuesday 10th Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Thursday 12th Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway with Fish & Chip Lunch at The Pilot
Saturday 14th The Silverstone Experience
Monday 16th Eltham Palace & Thames River Cruise
Wednesday 18th Portsmouth: Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays and the D-Day Story
Sunday 22nd Dagenham Sunday Market (as seen on TV!)
Friday 27th Canterbury Food & Drink Festival
Saturday 28th Agatha Christie’s Towards Zero at The Mill, Sonning
October
Wednesday 2nd Eastbourne
Friday 4th Dover Castle
Tuesday 8th Frogmore Paper Mill, with Boat Trip & Fish & Chip Lunch
Thursday 10th Knitting & Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace
Tuesday 15th Windsor
Friday 18th Finders Keepers
Tuesday 22nd Scenic Drive with Lunch at the Moorings, Pevensey
Friday 25th High Beeches Garden, Handcross
Monday 28th Autumn Tints Tour of the New Forest
Wednesday 30th The Ancient Villages of Heathrow
November
Saturday 2nd Leeds Castle Fireworks Spectacular
Tuesday 5th The Beautiful Surrey Hills
Monday 11th Tutankhamun & the Roaring Twenties
Thursday 14th Living Crafts for Christmas at Blenheim Palace
Saturday 16th Run For Your Wife at The Mill, Sonning
Thursday 21st Greyhound Racing
Saturday 23rd The Postal Museum, Mail Rail & Lunch
Tuesday 26th Eastbourne
Thursday 28th Christmas at Kew - As twilight falls, the magic begins…
December
Thursday 5th Bluewater Shopping Centre
Saturday 7th Rochester Dickensian Christmas & Christmas Market
Tuesday 10th Polhill Garden Centre
Friday 13th Tutankhamun & the Christmas Lights
Sunday 15th Wi******er Christmas Market with Carol Service in the Cathedral
Wednesday 18th Santa Special Boat Cruise with Christmas Lunch
Saturday 21st Christmas Illuminations Tour
Saturday 28th Singin’ in the Rain at The Mill, Sonning
Monday 30th Christmas Glow, Wisley

21/06/2019

Stephen & Deb went to the Coach Tourism Association AGM on Sunday night, on a boat on the Thames. Had a great time sailing up & down the river whilst having dinner & chatting with fellow coach operators & suppliers etc.
You too can cruise the Thames with us - I've just booked a trip to Eltham Palace with a Blue Badge Guide & a Thames River Cruise from Greenwich on Monday 16th September (brochure will be out soon, but please ring the office to register your interest)

11/06/2019

Here's a different view of the yard! Thanks to Steve Codd

23/05/2019

Hi everyone
For anyone interested in going on the Waverley Paddle Steamer this year, the sad news is that her boiler has to be replaced & therefore she won't be sailing this year. For further information (or to donate), please see their website https://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/

In other news, I've started working on our day excursion programme for Sept to January. It's very much a work in progress, but will include Christmas at Kew (still waiting for confirmation of our booking, so haven't got full details yet), Greyhound racing at Brighton, autumn tints tours, Christmas markets etc

Sign up for our newsletter (via link on our website - www.skinners.travel), keep an eye on our website or keep checking or follow this page

22/04/2019

Hi
Wishing all our customers, friends & colleagues a very Happy Easter. I've been out enjoying the bluebells in Hornecourt Woods, making the most of the weather today as it's (allegedly) not going to be so nice for the rest of the week.

02/04/2019

The weather today seems appropriate for telling you about our latest booking at The Mill, Sonning....
Singin' in the Rain on Saturday 28th December
Treat a loved one (or yourself) to a great 2 course lunch, followed by the show at this delightful dinner theatre near Reading.
The shows are always great, it's a small theatre, so you don't miss any of the action & the food's great too!
We're expecting this show to sell out quite quickly (even though it's a long way off), so don't miss out, book today!

16/03/2019

Tutankhamun is coming to London - for the last time!
We have tickets to see this new exhibition in The Saatchi Gallery, featuring 150 artefacts, including 60 that haven't been outside of Egypt before.
https://www.saatchigallery.com/art/images/Tutankhamum-London_logo.jpg

We have 3 trips booked, 2 with a morning Blue Badge guided tour of Kensington & Chelsea area, focussing on the Roaring Twenties & where Howard Carter lived & died. The third is a slightly later start, with a Blue Badge guided tour of the Christmas Lights & Sights after seeing the exhibition
The tour dates are:
Tuesday 11th November 2019 & Tuesday 3rd March 2020

The Christmas Lights tour is Friday 13th December

Please note that we have to pay for the Tutankhamun tickets at the end of May this year, so please let us know ASAP if you would like to join us.

We've also got tickets for Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) for Tuesday 5th May 2020 - A long way off, I know, but there you go. There is of course the new Downton Abbey film coming out in September this year

We've also got tickets for Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) for Tuesday 5th May 2020 - A long way off, I know, but there you go. There is of course the new Downton Abbey film coming out in September this year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lLffe_lKPc

07/02/2019

Don't fancy trying to get to & from the Spring Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia by public transport? We have a coach going from our usual local pick ups in Oxted, Limpsfield, Hurst Green, Edenbridge, Godstone, Bletchingley, Warlingham, Hamsey Green, Sanderstead, Selsdon & Caterham (both the valley & on the hill). We're going on Saturday 2nd March. Adults £33.95, children £22.35 - cost includes transport & entry. You can even have a kip on the way home if you're worn out from going round the show
https://www.theknittingandstitchingshow.com/spring/

31/01/2019

4th June 2019
Join us to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day at Duxford, where Daks Over Duxford will bring the extraordinary story of D-Day to life, uniting the greatest number of Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Dakota aircraft in one location since the Second World War.

Synonymous with the D-Day Landings, more than 30 'Daks' will descend upon IWM Duxford on 4 and 5 June. Over two days, mass parachute jumps and flight displays will take place across the museum ahead of the epic cross-channel flight on 5 June.

On the ground, D-Day related displays and activities will further bring the extraordinary story of D-Day to life. Full schedule to be announced.

Bookings now being taken. If you have previously expressed an interest, we will be in touch in the next couple of days to confirm your booking

26/01/2019

Hi Everyone
We have just booked 2 more trips to The Mill, Sonning....
Saturday 28th September - Agatha Christie's Towards Zero, directed by Brian Blessed - these tend to be very popular & sell out, so don't miss out - book early!
Saturday 16th November - Ray Cooney's Run For Your Wife
We always go for the matinee performance, with a 2 course lunch + tea/coffee before the show

11/01/2019

I hope you all had a good Christmas & New Year (seems ages ago now) & that you have all received our day excursions brochure for January to August. So, if you've seen a trip or trips in the brochure that you think you'd like to go on, give us a ring & get yourself booked on - we look forward to hearing from you
Here's a few we've got coming up shortly:
9th Feb - Eastbourne
10th Feb - Canterbury & Snowdrops at Goodnestone Park Gardens
14th Feb - Polhill Garden Centre
27th Feb - Kew Gardens orchid festival
2nd Mar - Spring Knitting & Stitching Show, Olympia
6th Mar -Calendar Girls at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford starrign Fern Britten, Karen Dunbar, Anna-Jane Casey, Sara Crow, Ruth Madoc, Rebecca Storm & Denise Welch https://orchardtheatre.co.uk/Online/tickets-calendar-girls-dartford-2019
We look forward to seeing you on a trip(s) soon

RUNNING TIME APPROX: 2hrs 35mins including one interval Calendar Girls The Musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth is the award-winning production based on the true story of the calendar girls - a group of ordinary ladies who achieved something extraordinary. This marvellous musical comedy which receiv...

23/12/2018

Wishing all our customers, colleagues & friends a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.
Our office will be closed from 12.00 Monday 24th December till 09.00 Wednesday 2nd January

08/12/2018

For anyone thinking of joining us next year on our trip to Harrogate Christmas Market, take a look at Channel 5 at 8.10 & 9.10 tonight for Harrogate: A Great Yorkshire Christmas http://www.channel5.com/show/harrogate-a-great-yorkshire-christmas/

Harrogate prepare for the town's annual Christmas windows competition.

07/12/2018

Our 2019 January to August day excursions brochure has gone to the printers! I sent it yesterday morning, so hopefully we will be getting it in the post before Christmas!
All the trips are now on our booking system. Full details will be on our website when I get the final proof back from the printers. At the moment, there's just a list by month, which you will also find below.
I hope you find trip(s) that take your fancy. I've worked hard to find new places to go & we're revisiting a few that we haven't been to for a while, but the regular favourites are there too.
Deb
JANUARY
2 Christmas Glow, Wisley

FEBRUARY
9 Eastbourne
10 Canterbury & Snowdrops at Goodnestone Park Gardens
14 Polhill Garden Centre
27 Kew Gardens Orchids Festival

MARCH
2 The Spring Knitting & Stitching Show, Olympia
6 Calendar Girls the Musical & Supper at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford
10 Scenic drive with Sunday lunch at The Moorings, Pevensey
14 Rye
19 Bletchley Park - WWII Codebreaking
23 Discover Bruges for a day with Eurotunnel
24 Daffodil Weekend, Thriplow

APRIL
1 Kent Mining Museum
3 Highgate Cemetery Guided Tour & Lunch
4 Don’t Panic! An encounter with the Home Guard
6 Gaslight at The Mill, Sonning
10 Canterbury on market day
16 Greenwich
26 Ascott House
30 Cliveden

MAY
2 Scenic tour & Broadview Gardens with cream tea
6 Leonardslee Gardens & dolls house exhibition
9 River Thames cruise & Windsor
14 Eastbourne
17 Sheffield Park Garden
19 Red House & Danson House, Bexleyheath
21 Kew Gardens, Kew Palace & Chihuly at Kew
25 Epping & Ongar Railway with fish & chip lunch
29 Brighton, Hove or Worthing
31 Guildford & horse drawn boat trip on the River Wey with cream tea

JUNE
1 A Belly Full at The Mill, Sonning
2 Rochester Summer Dickens festival
4 Daks over Normandy, Duxford
6 Tyntesfield
9 Scenic drive with Sunday lunch at Heaven Farm
11 Churches of Romney Marsh tour with lunch & cream tea
16 Wings & Wheels at Dunsfold
19 Arundel & Corpus Christi flower festival
22 Margate, Broadstairs (Dickens Festival) or Ramsgate
28 Royal Garden & river cruise with lunch & cream tea

JULY
2 The Georgian town of Bath
11 Houghton Lodge House & Gardens with lunch
24 Bexhill or Hastings
27 Nöel Coward’s Private Lives at The Mill, Sonning
30 Cotswold Capers, visiting Moreton-in-Marsh Market

AUGUST
1 Henley-on-Thames & boat trip with cream tea
5 Scenic Essex tour with lunch at Jamie Oliver’s Parents’ pub
7 Bournemouth & Compton Acres
11 Bowood House
13 Beaulieu Motor Museum, Palace House & Gardens & Buckler’s Hard
15 Buckingham Palace
17 Eastbourne & Airbourne
19 Chapel Down Winery tour & Tenterden
22 Marlborough & horse-drawn boat trip with tea & cake
25 Henley Country Craft Show at Stonor House
28 Littlehampton or Bognor

SEPTEMBER
5 Wisley Gardens’ Flower Show
7 Eurotunnel to Le Touquet & Montreuil
14 The Silverstone Experience

OCTOBER
10 Knitting & Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace

17/11/2018

I've been busy working on our day excursions brochure for January to August next year. Still have a way to go, but took some time this afternoon to visit Emmetts Garden to see the autumn colours in the sunshine

03/11/2018

Our 2019 holidays & short breaks brochure went in the post yesterday - Friday 2nd Nov - a couple of days later than anticipated - sorry. It arrived with us a day later than expected & then we didn't have enough people to get it into the envelopes. So, some may get it today, but most will get it Monday. In the meantime, all the details are on our website - www.skinners.travel
Have a good weekend
Deb

19/10/2018

Hi Everyone
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but I've been very busy finalising our Holidays & Short Breaks for 2019 & have now sent it to the printers - we're just waiting for proofs etc. Hopefully it will be coming out to you in the next couple of weeks.
For those who like to come along to our holiday presentation evening, it will be 20th November at St Peter's Hall, Limpsfield & we will be running coaches from our normal day trip pick up points.
I have put the dates & a short description of all the tours on our website. Full details will follow once I have a final proof from the printers
Now I must go & write my holiday presentation.....
Deb

14/09/2018

Fancy a day trip to a Christmas Market??? We have trips as follows:
24/11/18 - Jules Destrooper Biscuit Factory tour & Ypres Christmas Market https://www.julesdestrooper.com/en/our-biscuits
27/11/18 - Wi******er Christmas Market http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/home/christmas-at-the-cathedral/christmas-market/
2/12/18 - Rochester Dickens Festival, Christmas Market & Candlelit parade

03/09/2018

Looking for something to do? Why not join us next Tuesday (11th September) on a trip to the lovely Weald town of Tenterden & then an afternoon visit to Sissinghurst Castle Garden, where they are celebrating all things vegetable
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst-castle-garden/features/vegetable-garden-month-at-sissinghurst-castle-garden-

This September we're celebrating all thing vegetables with our veg garden month. Read on to find out how our veg gardeners are celebrating.

03/09/2018

The 505 to Oxted School will be running on Wednesday for years 7 & 12 only. Thursday it's back to school for everyone. Please ensure that you show your bus pass if you have it & if not, please collect from school office/contact SCC ASAP

19/07/2018

Due to a cancellation, we have a PSV MoT slot available next Friday, 27th July (at our yard in Oxted). Max 12.2m, 4m high & no low floor. Please contact Deb Skinner if you are interested 01883 713633