Destinations
Destinations throughout the UK
Each tour begins with a meet-and-greet, usually outside Langholm Town Hall at 8:45 am, with a 9 am start. However, we can arrange pick-ups from airports or hotels to fit your travel schedule.
During the longer daylight hours, we can visit up to five sites in a day, with tours typically ending between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. In the shorter daylight hours, we generally fit in three or four sites, depending on traffic, road, and weather conditions.
As our tours are bespoke, there are many places to choose from, whether you are seeking family connections or simply a sightseeing experience. I am happy to make excellent suggestions to help build a memorable experience.
My main area of expertise is family connections within my own region, though I have travelled throughout the UK and can draw on a broad range of knowledge to suit visitors.
Dumfries & Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is rich in beauty, history, and culture. Here, you’ll find a chocolate factory, connections to Peter Pan, David Coulthard, and the notorious Kinmont Willie Armstrong, as well as a famous murder that shaped the Scottish kingdom for centuries.
This region has witnessed wartime factories and bloody battles between England and Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway also boasts a fine example of a defensive Towerhouse: Gilnockie Tower.
The Scottish Borders
If grand historic houses and monuments are your passion, the Scottish Borders has its share. Traquair House, the oldest inhabited house in Scotland, and the Wallace Monument, gazing out towards Scott’s View, are notable highlights.
This region’s landscape dates back to volcanic activity 300 million years ago—older than the dinosaurs. The Borders were also home to Sir Walter Scott, the famous 18th-century novelist.
Cumbria
Cumbria is home to the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. Hadrian’s Wall, built in 122 AD on the orders of Emperor Hadrian, stretches from Carlisle eastwards towards Newcastle. The wall once stood 25 feet tall and eight feet thick in places.
Cumbria also saw one of the most daring raids in British history in 1596, when Scottish Borderers broke into Carlisle Castle to rescue the infamous Kinmont Willie Armstrong. Carlisle later bore witness to Jacobite invasions in the 18th century.
Northumberland
From the towering Bamburgh Castle to the eerie Chillingham Castle, Northumberland features the other half of Hadrian’s Wall and a unique view of history. Known as the darkest county in the United Kingdom, Northumberland has a storied past with cross-border raids and a holy island considered the cradle of Christianity.
The Northumbrian golden age ended in 793 when Vikings sacked Lindisfarne with fierce intensity.