Summer England and Wales Itinerary

Britain, a country with a history and influence that once spread across the World and for whom it was said that “the sun never sets on the Empire”, plays a very different role in global business and politics than it did two hundred years ago. Nevertheless, it is home to over 60 million people with the sixth largest economy in the world and remains a place where music, sport, and fashion headline the world.

Our travel-based UK program draws on the interplay of business and the natural world to consider how societies can progress beyond the GDP – to understand how our environment can be both preserved and profitable.

Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is the 3rd ranked university in the world, and we typically stay and study at one of the 13 member colleges, such as Sidney Sussex.

1. Punt the Cam, run the Backs, and ponder the marketplace
2. Wander the winding streets once shared by famous poets, philosophers, and scientists including Charles Darwin, Stephen Hawking, and John Maynard Keynes
3. Visit the Wren Library at Trinity College to view some of the world’s oldest books, original Shakespearean plays, the works of Karl Marx and Winnie the Pooh!

The Lake District

Home of some of the world’s most famous writers and artists, the Lake District is also the UK’s most popular (and rated the country’s #1) national park, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

1. Work with local park management to develop a new brand for the UK’s national parks 
2. Stay at a grand Victorian manor house in Ambleside 
3. Walk the Coffin Path (a medieval corpse path between Ambleside and Grasmere)
4. Hike Loughrigg Fell for majestic views of Lake Windemere 
5. Visit Hadrian’s Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage area, and its best preserved fort, Birdoswald 

Snowdonia National Park

With more medieval castles per square mile than anywhere else in Europe, and an off-the-beaten-path travel itinerary, Wales provides an intimate exploration of sustainability and conservation management in some of the most rugged landscapes of the UK.

1. Work with Snowdonia/Eryi National Park management to refine and brainstorm a brand image for the UK’s national parks 
2. Understand the Eryi business pledge for a sustainable economy 
3. Hike (or take a steam train to) the summit of the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa where the legendary King Arthur fought the legendary giant 
4. Learn about conservation of the ancient Celtic rainforest, Coed Felenrhyd, dating back to the last ice age 

Mendip Hills

Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Mendip Hills and the lakes of Chew Valley provide an opportunity to explore how nature has provided the foundation for collaborative and sustainable business growth.

1. Stay at a classic English country house in Cholwell 
2. Learn about the effects of overtourism at England’s largest and most famous gorge, Cheddar Gorge (and bump into a few wild goats along the way) 
3. Visit Yeo Valley, home of Yeo Valley Organic products to learn about regenerative organic practices 
4. Explore the historic city of Bristol ranked one of the greenest and most sustainable cities in the UK, and understand its agenda to become carbon neutral by 2030 
5. Visit Stonehenge World Heritage Site, one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the world, to understand the Neolithic ancestry of Britain 

The Peak District

Home of Britain’s first national park, this living landscape balances conservation, recreation, sustainable livelihoods, and the economic and social needs of local communities.

1. Stay at a Victorian mansion at Monsal Head, with the Peak District National Park at your doorstep 
2. Walk the Monsal Trail to understand the national park’s challenges in adaptive reuse and visitor management 
3. Visit Longshaw and the Eastern Moors to investigate their collaborative initiatives in climate resilience and net-zero 
4. Go back to the very beginnings of the industrial revolution and explore the Dudley Canal, a critical transport network that supported early commerce in Britain 

London

Built by the Romans over 2000 years ago, London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is arguably the global financial center.

1. Tour the Houses of Parliament (a local MP-initiated, non commercial, tour).
2. Meet-and-greet behind-the-scenes with Halifax Bank. (Looking for a cool, international internship opportunity?)
3. Tour London through the lens of the politics of Harry Potter.
4. Plus a free day to explore the city!