Leeds City Walking Tours

09/01/2025

What will you be doing at 16:00 on a cold, foggy Sunday afternoon?

Your answer could be: joining an online audience to enjoy a massively illustrated talk in which you'll learn about the great old city of York and the very contrasting - and also ancient - settlement of Leeds.

16:00 to (approx) 17:00 Sunday 12 January

Find out more about the event and book here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/york-leeds-a-geographers-view-of-long-term-urban-development-tickets-1005293789787

Hoping to see you.

Join me as I Interpret two Yorkshire cities & explain similarities, linkages & contrasts

12/10/2024

The tour links the musical excerpts to particular spots in the city centre. Silent disco headphones have never been used in this way in Leeds, I think?
It's a delight to have a chance to link two major enthusiasms: music for the versatile and wonderful instrument that I try to play and telling stories about the evolution of Leeds.

11-1, Tues 15.10 & 2.30-4.30 Thurs 17.10 see www.redviolin.co.uk for more details and how to book (£18) for fascinating tour of Leeds with violin sound track - reflecting Paganini, Sarasate, Joachim who all played in Leeds and fascinating Leeds violinist George Haddock (1823-1907) who founded Leeds College of Music, now Leeds Conservatoire

09/10/2024

Do you prefer to or when you have a chance?
Keen to help promote ?
Could you come to take part in a Leeds city centre photo shoot on Thurs 10 Oct?
[several time slots]
Participate in a campaign by

Sign up here:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=4OvO1JH5X0uGKxy1r0TU07L90vpBSJhBu1BrbS9JJSFUODBURFdFWElCWEtKOTRNU0RSMERQU0QxOC4u&route

08/10/2024

Great to provide violin-themed walking tours as part of this music festival.
11:00 Tues 15 Oct and 14:30 Thurs 17 Oct

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/red-violin-festival-a-musical-walking-tour-of-leeds-tickets-913608937927

www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk

08/10/2024

29/09/2024

Another string to my bow: I play 🎻*
My contribution to https://www.redviolin.co.uk/red-violin-music-festival.php is city centre tours:
11:00 on 15 October and 14:30 17 October
with tantalising tasters of works for the violin played and heard in Leeds C18-C20.
The route connects players and teachers, performances, venues, makers and the evolution of the musical life of Leeds.

Along the way, we'll learn from and about the most famous 19th century violinist of Leeds & W Riding - the memorably named George Haddock. He studied with great European soloists, led chamber music & orchestras, taught hundreds of pupils and owned a famous collection of violins. He also seems to have been a very lovely human being.

*I do not identify as ’a violinist’

More info and booking:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/red-violin-festival-walking-tour-of-leeds-tickets-913608807537

Leeds Events, Concerts & Partys Seven Arts Leeds University of Leeds International Concert Series Leeds Conservatoire Events & Enterprise Sinfonia of Leeds Leeds Libraries Hobgoblin Music Everyman Cinema Leeds Opera North Violon Channel Mike Irons

03/08/2024

Two great cities - York & Leeds:
Tours exploring similarities and differences between two fascinating places with deep history.
Find out more and book here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/two-great-cities-york-leeds-3435039
York tour 11:00 Sat 10 Aug
Leeds tour 11:00 Sat 17 Aug

Tours exploring similarities and differences between two fascinating places with deep history

11/01/2024

Leeds U3A I see that you have an events programme for members.
I give presentations and lead walking tours. Since 2019, several U3A groups in the area around Leeds have been on walks and I've done some presentations too. Do contact me to discuss if you're interested.
Rachael
[email protected]@

07/01/2024

'Women in and of Leeds' - how have Leeds women contributed to local, national and international female achievement?

An inspiring city centre
14:30 Sunday 18 February

Massive topic, huh? Only just got round to doing this for the first time last autumn because it's so dauntingly huge. But after two (very well attended and warmly received) tours I'm offering it again.

PS. No stunts of underwear conflagration and I DO acknowledge the crucial role of supportive fathers, husbands, sons, employers and others in enabling some women to do what the did and do achieve. So Men of Leeds, I dare you to come along. I'm only 5' 4" (and shrinking, presumably) even though I pack a verbal punch.

How have Leeds women contributed to the local, national and international female achievement?

23/05/2023

The architectural ceramics of look best on a fine day like today.
"What a lotta terracotta"
Extensive & engaging walking tour 14:30 - more info & booking here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/what-a-lotta-terracotta-tickets-611448447767

29/04/2023

Still just a few places for 'Rooftop Leeds'
18:00 Wed 3 May

See the city from different angles.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rooftop-leeds-on-a-summers-evening-with-special-cocktail-as-a-finale-tickets-614235594197

20/12/2022

Here's an idea for you Leeds folk who are interested in learning about your city. And maybe you have visitors who don't know it much/at all?
Something for all in this unusual tour 'Time in Leeds'.
11:00 on Friday 30 Dec
or
13:30 on Sunday 1 Jan
Find details and book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/leeds-city-walking-tours-18334371461

09/12/2022

I've been drafting vouchers - for relatives of some 2022 tour participants.
You can line up a private tour or get a voucher that can be 'cashed in' for place(s) on a scheduled tour.
A good for nearest & dearest who'd appreciate knowing (more) about our endlessly fascinating city.

16/01/2022

Join me online on Sunday 23 Jan to learn about our great Leeds Town Hall.
Two options: 11:00 or 16:00 - so grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle down to enjoy the pictures and fascinating details.
More info and booking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/leeds-city-walking-tours-18334371461

13/12/2021

New schedule of events happening from 29 Dec for the following few weeks.
A few real outings and several online presentations for Sundays during the darkest weeks of winter.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/leeds-city-walking-tours-18334371461

If you have a request for your family/friends, local group, company, school ... do get in touch to ask about routes, dates, prices. I cover loads of different topics: https://www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk/tour-titles

03/08/2021

3 August 1821: John Barran was born.
Entrepreneur who pioneered ready-made clothing - invested in sewing machines & band knives.
Civic figure: councillor, alderman, mayor, MP, Chamber of Commerce, University governor & treasurer.
Father of 10, Baptist, Liberal, teetotaller.
And - crowning glory - while he was mayor, he secured Roundhay Park for Leeds in 1871. Not an easy task to overcome objections and practical difficulties, but he succeeded. He said future generations would be grateful.
Worth celebrating.
City centre tours 5 Sept & 3 Oct.
More Roundhay tours to come soon.
https://www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk/

16/07/2021

Sunny outings coming up on Sunday.
Two tour guides for the price of one and two tours in a day - city centre in the morning, universities in the afternoon.
Cliff is an artist and photographer, native of Leeds, and has an endless fund of enthralling stories about how the city has changed.
Looking forward to our double act - Small and Tall Chatterboxes.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../leeds-city-walking-tours...

24/06/2021

Interesting tours coming up. I'm finally doing 'Textiles & clothing' - a HUGE topic in Leeds' past.
A little story: I went into one of the (few) fabric shops in town today and asked for a sample of woollen cloth and a sample of worsted. Now, younger readers may not have a clue what that latter word means. It's fine cloth suitable for suits, made from yarn spun with long fibres from a sheep's fleece.
Well, in this quite capacious fabric department, there was only ONE example of a 100% pure wool cloth. No pure wool worsteds at all.
A sign of the times.
At its height, the woollen textile industry employed thousands and in the 1930s, when the clothing industry was at its zenith, over 60% of all men's suits sold in Britain had been made in Leeds.
Want to learn more?
Tours are at 2pm on Sat 3 July and 11am on Sun 4 July.
Lasts about 2 hours.
Book via www.leedscitywalkingtours.co.uk