Carlisle Great Guided Tours (2025)

01/01/2025

Happy New Year to everyone, we always hope for one better than the one before. At least this is a better morning than lately. We went to Talkin Tarn on Boxing Day despite the bad weather and lots of others did too, the car park was full and there was a long waiting line at the cafe. We don't let the weather put us off do we. It also doesn't stop us offering our New Year Guided Tours. On Saturday 4th we offer a Winter City Walking Tour to welcome in the New Year at 1pm. A 'winter heritage' orientated tour finishing with hot drinks etc. £10 Ad. Then on Thursday 9th at 11am we have a Citadel Railway Station Tour. £8 Ad. £4 Ch. Book at the Tourist Information Centre. Open tomorrow. The Station Tour on the 9th February is already fully booked. We would love to see some of you on a tour. As you see we always love visiting St Cuthbert's and the Tithe Barn.

17/12/2024

I thought you might like to see a photo of the other lovely dog who surprised us by joining the Winter City Tour last week. Her name is Zenka and she is a rescue dog from Serbia. What a delightful lady she was too. A big thank you to Jane who took the photos for us.
The other reason for writing to you was to let you know that we now have very few places available on the Railway Station Tour on Thursday this week at 11am £8 Please book at Carlisle Tourist Information. We meet at the County Hotel at the top of Botchergate where Stephen will begin the tour with a power point presentation.
If you can't make the tour this week the next one is on Thursday 9th January 2025.

15/12/2024

Everyone enjoyed The Winter City Tour last week and that includes local people and visitors too. The New Year Winter City Tour is on the 4th January. Do join us in welcoming in 2025, it's frightening how quickly the years go by. The next tour in our programme is with Stephen on a Carlisle Citadel Railway Station Tour on Thursday 19th December 11am. £8 Ad. We meet in the County Hotel, an interesting building in which to begin the tour with a power point presentation. Many local people have never seen inside this heritage building, we think you will find it interesting. On Saturday next we have organised a private coach tour to Hadrian's Wall with Ian for a family group from Canada. It is very welcome to know that some Roman Sites are at least open at the weekend during the winter. Our photo is of Daisy with her owners enjoying the refreshments following The Winter City Tour last week, she was so well behaved, she was a star.

06/12/2024

We began the week with a private guided city tour for a group of 6 very nice ladies. I met them briefly during the tour but Allan met them at the Railway Station to begin their tour which they enjoyed followed by lunch. After taking a stroll around the city they caught their return train to Glasgow. Our next tour is tomorrow, Saturday, when Ian will be guiding a Winter City Tour, discovering many historic events in Carlisle that always seem to happen in the winter months! It may be cold but the tour will finish in the Tithe Barn for hot drinks, mince pies and shortbread. Do join us we would love to see you there. £10 departing at 1pm from the Station Hotel. Our final guided tour this year will take place on Thursday 19th of December, it is a popular Citadel Railway Station Tour £8 Ad. £4 Ch. over 6 age. We would love to see you one of these tours as they are the last of the 2024 season. Please book at Carlisle Tourist Information Centre 01228 598596.

29/11/2024

It was great to be in the Railway Station on tour again, especially with a lovely group of people who were very interested and knowledgeable. We can't wait until the next tour on the 19th December at 11am. Please join by booking at Carlisle Tourist Information Centre in the Old Town Hall. I am now looking forward to our Winter City Walking Tour on Saturday 7th Dec. at 1pm. When I began researching this tour a few years ago it surprised me to learn how many historic events actually happen during the wintertime in Carlisle and it has been a very popular tour. If you have visitors or relatives it is the perfect tour to enjoy with them. At the end of the tour we will enjoy hot drinks with seasonal refreshments. As usual book at the Tourist Office. £10 adults 1pm.
MyCumbria members can claim a £2 discount for yourself and 4 guests. The photo is of Stephen with his last group on platform 1. We would love to see some of you on one or even both of our tours this month.

10/11/2024

Hello again everyone, I am keen to tell you about two more upcoming guided tours. We are about to begin the Autumn and Winter tours of Carlisle Citadel Railway Station on 17 Nov. 19 Dec. 9 Jan. and 9 Feb. All tours begin at 11am £8 Ad. £4 Ch. Please book at the Carlisle Tourist Information Centre. This also applies to our Winter City walking tours on Saturdays 7th Dec. and the 4th Jan 2025. These 2 tours begin at 1pm and finish with festive refreshments. £10 Ad. At the next meeting of Cumbria's Museum of Military Life the talk is called 'A Game for Christmas Football on the Western Front in 1914' Tuesday 12 Nov. at 6pm, Bar opens at 5.30pm £5 pre booked. £6 at the door. £4 members. Cars can be parked within the Castle grounds when attending the Talk. The photo shows how nice it is to stroll through the woods at Talkin Tarn in the autumn.

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.

Carlisle Great Guided Tours