In Cumbria and the Lake District, there are so many themes that could be enjoyed.  I’ve picked out three of my favourites here, but specialist guided tours could cover many other subjects such as the Literary Lakeland, maritime and industrial heritage, glacial geology of Borrowdale, ‘reading’ Roman landscapes, Norse heritage of Cumbria, wildlife tours and many other options.

If you are interested in a particular theme or would like more information on any of the guided tours outlined here, please get in touch so we can discuss your requirements in more detail.

Sacred Landscapes guided tours

A guided tour around the enigmatic stone circles and megalithic monuments of the Eden Valley to understand how they relate to the landscape.  We will visit Long Meg and her Daughters stone circle and marvel at the mysteries of Mayburgh Henge and King Arthur’s Round Table.  Later, we uncover the remnants of the impressive Shap ‘Avenue’ of standing stones.

Anna struck just the right balance between enthusiasm and deep knowledge of the sacred landscapes that we visited. She tailored the tour to meet my specific requirements yet included monuments that I didn’t even know existed, let alone thought to ask about.

David Weller, February 2016

Romans and Reivers guided tours

A special guided tour delving into the historical turmoil of the borderlands.  In AD 122, a 73-mile-long wall was begun to control access in and out of the Roman Empire.  Hadrian’s Wall was to mark a boundary between the Roman perception of ‘civilised’ Britannia and the barbarian north.  We explore the significance of this and contrast it with the culture of endemic lawlessness practised by the infamous Border Reivers from the 14th century onwards.  This full-day guided tour will take you to sites associated with the Romans and the Border Reivers including Carlisle, Arthuret Church, Netherby Hall, Bewcastle and Birdoswald Roman Fort.

We had a wonderful experience on Anna’s guided tour.  It was exactly what we had hoped for!  

Beth Rockcress, December 2017

Historic Houses & Gardens Guided Tours

Two stately homes and gardens but very different in character.  We start at Sizergh Castle, an impressive medieval manor.  Highlights are the beautiful Inlaid Chamber (regarded as the finest in the UK) and the glorious limestone rock garden that was laid out in the 1930s.  After lunch, we drive to nearby Levens Hall to see a truly fantastical topiary garden – regarded as the best in the world.  The whole estate was lost on a game of cards, with the winning ace of hearts emblazoned on the downspouts.  A tour of the hall itself will reveal richly carved Jacobean furniture, walls covered in intricate Spanish leather (a rare survivor of 17th century interior decor) and personal items belonging to Napoleon.

The goddess of guiding!  

Candy Beal, White Nights, Northern Lights Travel Agency, North Carolina