Carlisle Great Guided Tours (2024)

13/09/2024

Hello everyone, where has the summer gone. Did we have any? We are at the end of a very busy week. Last Saturday saw our final Hadrian's Wall guided coach tour of the year. A fully booked coach and a day of sunshine made it a day to remember. We had lovely people on the Secret City Tour on Monday with Allan, followed by coach tours on Tuesday and Wednesday into the Lake District with Stephen. Also on Wednesday Bruce guided a group of visitors from Denmark on a tour of Hadrian's Wall.
To celebrate HERITAGE OPEN DAYS we are offering a FREE SECRET CITY TOUR on Monday next the 16th Sept. at 1pm. It must be booked at the Tourist Office 01228 598596 tickets are limited so don't delay. The photo is a current one of Carlisle City Centre, the view changes daily. Don't be put off, it is all quite interesting! Hope to see you on Monday. By the way, if you are a visitor, the Tourist Office is the building at the rear with the clock tower

19/07/2024

I can't believe that it is almost a month since our special Castle Tour. We have been busy with private tours and also our regular Secret City Tours on Mondays at 1pm. We had a group of 4 people from Manchester drive all the way to Carlisle to join our tour last Monday, glad it was a nice day. It was a good group of visitors from all over the UK and a few from Carlisle and overseas. Stephen will be guiding a group of 30 visitors from Italy to visit Hadrian's Wall and Vindolanda on Tuesday. The following Saturday the 27th July we have one of our own full day coach tours out to the Wall. I believe there are only 5 places left on this tour. Book from the website or talk to the TIC about availability. 11am-6pm £52 Ad.
Entry fees to forts included.
The photo is one of the tour around the Castle in June.

20/06/2024

Saturday is a big day for us at Carlisle Castle. Each year we offer a very special guided tour of the Castle. Our tour guide Ian Robson offers what I call a tour de force of that magnificent building, there is so much history to share and in an interest packed 2-hour tour he will do his best to keep your interest and to answer your questions. The tour begins at 1pm and costs £8 Adult. If you are a English Heritage member you will gain free entry to the castle but if not there is an entry fee. At the end of the tour you will be ready to enjoy a complimentary tea or coffee in the Museum Cafe. This is courtesy of Watts Coffee shops and you can keep the voucher and use it another day at one of the Coffee shops in the city centre if you wish. Please book at Carlisle Tourist Information Centre Tel. 01228 598596. The photo is of the tour last year in February, we are hoping for a warmer day in June this time.

25/05/2024

Another Bank Holiday weekend and one that began with sunshine, hope it keeps coming. We have welcomed quite a few people on private tours recently and I always hope for sunshine to show off our lovely part of the UK. Do join a Secret City Tour on Monday at 1pm. £8 Adult. We promise you will discover more about Carlisle than you would if you were walking around on your own. Our photo is of that sweet little garden area at the side of the Tithe Barn that you can usually see through the iron gate from the church grounds. Bye the way St Cuthbert's are having a Strawberry Tea on Saturday 15th June, it will be good. On Tuesday next we have our first full day guided coach tour to Hadrian's Wall 11am-6pm £52 Ad Including visits to the Roman Army Museum and Vindolanda Fort. We only have about 6 places available book at the Tourist Information Centre. Have a wonderful weekend every one.

04/05/2024

A Happy Bank Holiday weekend to everyone, I hope the weather picks up for you to enjoy all that's on offer. I am a little late reminding you that we have a Secret City walking tour on Monday at 1pm £8 Adult. We have the late Spring BH on the 27th May and of course we will offer another city tour on that day. Meet and book at the TIC. I will remind you later but we have a very special annual guided tour of Carlisle Castle on Saturday 22nd June. It is already booking at the Tourist Centre £8 Adult. Meet at the castle for 1pm. You will gain free entry to the castle if you are an English Heritage member - otherwise you do need to pay the entry fee on the day.
Well, I do hope that you are enjoying the wild flowers, especially the bluebells. However this beautiful red Peris was a lovely welcome when arriving home, even on a wet day. If you are booked on the City tour on Monday, I look forward to seeing you then.

22/03/2024

On Sunday we enjoyed the last Railway Station tour until the autumn but it was a good day with lots of lovely local people plus those who had travelled to join us from Penrith and Lytham St Annes and 2 gentlemen who travelled from Wolverhampton and who dashed to catch the return train.. We were also joined by a sweet, well behaved dog called Lucy.. So now we are looking forward to an Easter Secret City tour on Easter Monday at 1pm. Coming up we have a special guided tour of Carlisle Castle and our Great Guided Coach Tours of Hadrian's Wall begin soon. Picture
showing one of our last tours at the Station for a while, the group are in the undercroft where we always finish the tour.

02/03/2024

Here we are at the beginning of another Month, where has the time gone since our last Railway Station Tours. One for a Community Group and then our regular tours that were on the 18th of Feb. see photo. You may have missed the news that Bruce, who has researched and guides the tours will offer a power point presentation of the Station Tour on Tuesday 5th March for the Civic Trust, it takes place in Waterton Hall, off Warwick Road 7pm. £6 non member, £4 member, Including refreshments. Today, some of us have attended a Hadrian;s Wall Networking Day in Newcastle, a very long day but full of great presentations. You may be interested to know that the annual Hadrian's Wall Archaeology Forum takes place next Saturday at 9.45am at the Queens Hall in Hexham. Book online.
See you on Tuesday evening and possibly next Saturday too!

09/02/2024

Hello again at last, I have experienced difficulty in accessing Facebook . Sorry to be a little late letting you know that we have a Secret City Walking Tour on Monday next for school half term. As usual it begins at 1pm, meet at the red post box outside the Old Town Hall/Tourist Office. £8 Adult, children go free. Book at the Tourist Office Tel. 01228 598596. Well behaved dogs are very welcome and we can cope with folk in wheelchairs too. Not forgetting your complimentary voucher for a welcome tea or coffee at one of the Watts Coffee Shops. We were also offering a guided tour of Carlisle Citadel Railway Station but it is already fully booked. The next Station Tour is on the 17th March 11am & 2pm £8 Adult.
As usual book at the Tourist Office. At last snowdrops are in bloom telling us Spring is on the way. Wild snowdrops are all over the back garden this a small gathering near the front gate.

18/01/2024

Happy Snow Day from Holly Nook. I wonder if many of you woke up to this on Tuesday morning. It prevented us from going out and the lane is still frozen solid today but we did manage to leave the village and found it pretty good on the main roads. Where are the gritting vehicles this year? I haven't seen a single one. My main reason for sending this post is to say how lucky we were to be able to guide two more groups of genuinely interested people around the Railway Station on Sunday, and it was lovely to meet you all plus some old friends. The Staff at the Tourist Office tell me there are very few places left on what were to be our last Station Tours of the season on the 18th February. So I am writing to say that you are the first to know that we are able to offer one more date of tours this season on the 17th March. You may book at the Tourist Office as usual. 11am & 2pm £8 Ad. We will try to fit in requests from community groups on other dates. If we offer any specials I will spread the word. Bye for now, keep warm.

12/01/2024

Just remembering to tell you that we have 2 Railway Station Tours on Sunday. The 11am tour is almost full but there are a few more places on the 2pm. Meet in the County Hotel at the top of Botchergate. We are told the demolition of the old swimming baths is about to begin and we don't know what affect it will have on the tour area at the back of the station, not at the moment but in the future. I will try to keep you informed. See another photo of the fireplace in the old 1st class refreshment room. I hope the clock is central on the mantle now Sammy. All those on the tour told me it looked OK! The last Winter City Tour was a success last Saturday, people always like to hear more about St Cuthbert's Church and the Tithe Barn. Unfortunately a wedding had taken over the Tithe Barn that day but it looked wonderful and a glorious sight ready for the wedding celebration.
I am looking forward to seeing those of you who have booked on the Station Tours on Sunday.

01/01/2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone, I hope that you enjoyed the celebration. We always attend the streaming of the New Years Eve Concert at Rheged from the Berliner Philharmoniker. It was super. We often enjoy streamings of opera and ballet, it is wonderful how clearly you see everything, the whole event, you don't miss a thing. This morning we drove to Talkin Tarn along with a great many others and there were a lot of lovely, friendly dogs to say hello to. The cafe was open, the staff provide a wonderful service on a cold morning. But on to consider our work and guided tours. Next Saturday 6th Jan. we have a Winter City Tour at 1pm. The next Railway Station tours are on the 14th Jan. and 18th Feb. 11am & 2pm on each day. I believe there are some places available on each tour but not for long. Phone the Tourist Centre 01228 598596 to book places. Behind the scenes we are busy with a car tour to Hadrian's Wall for people from Chile, and a small group of visitors are in Carlisle and will enjoy a Castle tour and a Railway Station tour. the photo is one of the fireplaces in what was the 1st Class refreshment room, you may be familiar with the Latin inscription. I hope to see you soon in this New Year of 2024.

15/12/2023

We really enjoyed the Station tours in December, we waved off the Flying Scotsman on the 10th. Bruce changed the route so all our walkers could get up close and personal, that was a real treat and the weather was not bad either. You may remember the bar/cafe in the building on the left on the main platform that is now vacant until someone else takes it over. Until then Avantiwestcoast will allow us to gain access to enjoy a close up of this original building of 1847 which was the former 1st class refreshment room. See the photo. The next Station tours are on the 14th January and the 18th of February. 11am and 2pm on each day, already booking well so don't miss out. £8 Ad. child free. Book at the tourist Information Centre.
Tomorrow is the first Winter City Tour departing at 1pm. The front of the Station is rather a mess since a coach crashed into it recently so I am asking people booked on the tour to meet in the foyer of the Station Hotel and not on platform 4. I think I have contacted you by email by now. Do join us especially if you have visitors, it is such a nice way of welcoming them to Carlisle. The following winter City Tour is on the 6th January. Wrap up warm, I think you will enjoy this tour. See some of you tomorrow.

09/11/2023

It was so nice to meet up with those of you who joined our Citadel Station Tours in October. Wasn't it interesting to begin the tours in The County Hotel (the old Red Lion Hotel). So many of you were surprised to see the wonderful Victorian tiles in the foyer and the Portland Bar, made by Royal Doulton. The next tours are on the 3rd and 10th December at 11am and 2pm each day. Two Community Groups booked the first two tours last month, Carlisle Civic Trust and Hayton WI seen in the photo, We also have the first Winter City Tour coming up on the 16th December. Booking as usual at the TIC in the Old Town Hall. Happy Christmas shopping.

14/10/2023

Hello, it's great that many of you on the list have already booked on one of the Citadel Railway Station Tours. Now it 's time to invite the rest of you to join us. 29 Oct. & 3 & 10 Dec. at 11am and 2pm each day. Please book at Carlisle Tourist Office Tel. 01228 598596. We also have one more Secret City walking tour coming up on the 23rd October. 1pm £8 Ad. Children free. A special for School Half Term. In the meantime we have been busy with some privately booked tours. Stephen enjoyed guiding coach tours around the Lake District. Ian was busy taking a group of local JP's on a City tour ending at Amatos restaurant for a wonderful meal. Shortly he will be guiding a Rugby Club from Lancashire around the city when they take a break en-route to Melrose. They will finish at one of our popular local pubs. I have mentioned the Cosmic Garden before, it is a fascinating landscaped garden just north of Dumfries, It is only open one day a year for charity, usually in May but it was open last Saturday so we we went along to see what it was like on a pleasant autumn day for a change. Visits are always booked up and begin booking in January, I think you would like it, dogs are welcome too.
See one of the photos I took.

06/10/2023

It's hard to believe that it is the end of the summer season of our guided tours. We met so many lovely people. I will soon be letting you know about the autumn/winter tours. I have already sent an email to those of you on the waiting list for dates of the Citadel Station Guided Tours. If you haven't heard from me and think you are on the list let me know. I did have a problem with a few email addresses. If you have joined any of our tours during the last few years you will be familiar with the voucher for complimentary tea or coffee in a Watts Coffee Shop that everyone likes to receive You will be sorry as we are to hear that Watts current contract to operate the cafe at Tullie House ended on the 30th Sept. A lovely location and such nice friendly staff. I have been asked to remind you that the vouchers are still valid at the 3 other Watts Cafes in Carlisle.
I am adding a photograph that you have seen before, an atmospheric view of the tree at Sycamore Gap, I think you will know why! Bye for now, talk to you again soon.

27/08/2023

A Happy Bank Holiday to everyone. We were at Talkin Tarn today when the dull day turned into a beautiful morning with rowers and sailors enjoying the Tarn in the sunshine. Tomorrow we would love you to join us on our Bank Holiday Secret City Walking Tour at 1pm. We already have several bookings including 2 little dogs! Call the TIC first thing, there is a good chance we have spaces for you. On the 5th of September we have our penultimate guided coach tour of the season to Hadrian's Wall. It is a fantastic day long tour that includes visits to the Roman Army Museum and Vindolanda Fort. As usual call the TIC for more details and to book. The tour starts at11am and returns at 6pm. The photo is of Prior Slee's Gateway built in 1572, looking at the Cathedral from Abbey Street. We don't have time on the tour to visit the Cathedral but if you are around this week there is still time to book a tour to climb up to the highest point under the ceiling and perhaps time to count the stars! Take a look at the Carlisle Cathedral website for details and bookings.

23/07/2023

I forgot to remind everyone that our next Monday Secret City Tour is tomorrow. We already have several people booked on this one but we would love to see you there too. 1pm each Monday £8 Ad. 1 hour 45 mins to soak up lots of interesting history facts and stories about Carlisle. Plus your voucher for complimentary tea or coffee in a Watts Coffee shop, to use anytime in 2023.
On Tuesday 25th our next guided coach tour to Hadrian's Wall departs at 11am until 6pm. We can't squeeze any more Roman facts and information into this 7 hour coach tour. But we still get asked to make the tour longer! Entry to the Roman Army Museum and Vindolanda Fort & Museum are included in the ticket. £48 Ad.
Book both tours at Tourist Information Tel. 01228 598596.
The photo is of a recent City Tour at the side of the Tithe Barn. I hope the sun shines for us tomorrow.

16/07/2023

Hello everyone, sorry to keep you waiting but those of you on the Citadel tours Waiting List will know that I have been busy sending out the disappointing news that Cumberland Council withdrew permission to allow us to resume guided tours of the Citadel. If you thought you were on the Waiting List and have not heard from me, do let me know, emails can be tricky. It seams like the end of an era after guiding the tours for over 30 years and for over 10,000 folk. I would like to thank the Tour Guides for their commitment, the TIC for handling all the ticket sales and refunds, Watts Coffee Shops for all the free coffees, and the County Hotel for supplying the hot water for hot drinks when it was so cold during the winter months. Finally a big thank you to everyone who supported us by booking on the tours. It really was a a team effort. Let us now look forward to enjoying the tours again perhaps in 2025/2026.

Carlisle Great Guided Tours