Who are your tours for?
Anyone interested in Edinburgh's history, from first-time visitors to long-term residents, especially those who want more than ghost stories and typical tourist fare! You can see what people have been saying about me on my reviews page
All tours are given in English and are recommended for ages 16+.
What size are your tour groups?
All tours are taken in very small groups with a maximum of 8 people. This allows you to move around the city easily and hear your guide clearly as well as plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
Do I need to be fit to take a tour?
You don't need to be super-fit to take a walking tour of Edinburgh but the city is hilly, with lots of steps and steep slopes, so you will need a reasonable level of fitness, mobility and good-health - as well as a comfortable pair of shoes!
That said I will always try to accommodate all history explorers. So, if you have mobility or health issues, do feel free to contact me so we can work out something that suits you. For example we can organise a 'scooter friendly' route or arrange to meet and chat at a specific location of your interest.
What about the Scottish weather?
In Scotland there's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes! Please check the weather forecast before setting out and dress accordingly, remembering that it can often be very changeable. Tours will run come rain or shine and will only be cancelled in extreme weather.
In the event of severe weather I will post updates on my social media channels and email all attendees using the address used to book tickets.
Who will our tour guide be?
Your guide will be me! Hetty, an Edinburgh resident and history lover with a passion for people, buildings and landscapes - find out more
Covid-19
The embedded checkout is not working, what should I do?
I sell all my tickets via Eventbrite a trusted, global ticketing platform. If the embedded checkouts above are not working use this Eventbrite link to visit my Eventbrite page directly. If you have problems please let me know so I can fix any issues.
How do you research your tours?
My research is based on a mixture of primary sources, such as maps, images and local archives, and secondary sources including academic texts, journal articles, seminars and talks. Essentially I read a lot of scholarly material to extract a range of fascinating gems about Edinburgh's past. I then connect these together and weave them into my tours to share with you, so you get to enjoy the fun bits without wading through all the dry data!
I can't find a tour date that suits me, can you help?
Yes! If you can't find a date or time that suits you just contact me about the tour that you're interested in. I'm happy to run any of my scheduled tours as private tours at a time that suits you for a small supplement, subject to availability. If I am unable to accommodate you I will freely recommend other tours and/or tour guides that I think will be suitable for you and offer a similarly great experience.
Why bother taking a walking tour?
A very good question! I believe that a walking tour with someone like me, a long-term resident with a specialist interest, can help you to get to know a city in a way that a guide book, on-line map or audio-tour can't compete with. This is true for both new visitors, discovering somewhere for the first time, as well as residents wanting to learn more about their home-town. A guided walking tour will really connect you to a place, give you a new perspective, help you meet like-minded people and, having a knowledgeable guide on hand, means your questions can be answered right away!
Of course I am biased so here's a blog by Urban Adventures about why walking tours are worth while
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