Guided Tour

Guided Tour

What is it? 

A guided tour is the practice of an individual leading a group of people around a point of interest and giving them information about it, which can cover topics such as religious significance, cultural history and how it relates to other locations and events in history. 

What does it involve?

Attending a guided tour basically just involves paying attention! All the work is done for you in finding out the facts and presenting them in an interesting manner; the role of the participant just calls for a level of interest in your surroundings and an eagerness to learn!

Why do it and what are the benefits?

Tour guides can be extremely educational - physically interacting with the place while learning about its history will provide a different kind of academic experience to the classroom by giving the students something more tangible to focus on.

What equipment do we need?

You shouldn't need any equipment for a guided tour, but check beforehand to make sure; some tours involve their participants even further by getting them to write down their own thoughts, or make drawings - so you may need to ensure students have something to write on!

Who is it suitable for?

Guided Tours are suitable for pretty much anybody if you pick the right one - smaller children will find it harder to focus on more complex subjects and will need more visual aids, but if they are engaged correctly they will have a great time! Likewise, teenage students will get bored if the subject isn't engaging enough, so make sure to choose the tour appropriate for the age and interests of the group. 

Costs?

Around £20 or less per person, but it can vary greatly depending on the location of the tour - for example, a minibus tour around a park will cost more than a short walk around a country manor! Make sure to shop around to get an idea of the prices in your area. 

Issues/Things to think about? (unsuitable for age groups, medical conditions etc)

A guided tour should be suitable for all ages, but students with condtions such has ADHD may have trouble focusing for an extended period of time - make sure to be aware of the specific needs of your group. 

How do we include?

Many guided tours have disabled access for those with limited physical movement, but it would be wise to doublecheck beforehand. Those who are deaf and blind can also be included in guided tours but may need more specialist staff - again, you will need to check with the specific establishments. 

Doing it abroad?

There are points of public interest all around the world, so wherever you can find something well known chances are there will be a guided tour available! Foreign tours may be conducted in another language though, so make sure to confirm the specifications of the tour before booking it. 

Main website: 

This website gives a good overview of places where you can go for a tour guide, but you're best looking at the specific areas around you to find out details!

 

See the list below for venues and providers who deliver this activity:

Sheffield Park & Garden

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
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Acres of landscape garden bordered by historic parkland and woodland.

The garden is a horticultural work of art formed through centuries of landscape design, with influences of 'Capability' Brown and Humphry Repton. Four lakes form the heart of the garden, with paths circulating through the glades and wooded areas surrounding them. Each owner has left their impression, which can still be seen today in the layout of the lakes, the construction of Pulham Falls, the planting of Palm Walk and the many different tree and shrub species from around the world.

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Michael Faraday Museum

Venue Type: 
Museums
Overall Rating: 
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In 1973 the Royal Institution opened a museum dedicated to Michael Faraday. It is in the main Royal Institution building in Albemarle Street. It is free and is open to the public during weekday office hours.

Explore world-changing science through displays spread across three floors, the stuff of science is woven throughout the RI building. In fact, wherever you go, you'll discover the instruments and people that have made science work for the last two hundred years.

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Royal Victoria Country Park

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
0

At the Royal Victoria Park there are a wide range of activities that you can enjoy.

Wildlife and Habitats

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Failand

Rolling countryside with small fields and woodlands divided by hedges and sunken lanes
Venue Type: 
Wildlife and Nature
Overall Rating: 
0

Escape to a rural retreat just a few miles south-west of Bristol, where'll you discover fantastic views from the ridge across the Severn estuary to Wales and north back to Bristol. Enjoy peaceful woodlands and babbling brooks.

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Stourhead

Palladian mansion and world-famous landscape garden
Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
0

When Stourhead first opened in the 1740s, a magazine described it as ‘a living work of art’. The world-famous landscape garden has at its centrepiece a magnificent lake reflecting classical temples, mystical grottoes, and rare and exotic trees, and offers a day of fresh air and discovery.

Uncover the fascinating history of Stourhead house with an Italian ‘Grand Tour’ adventure and enjoy the unique Regency library, Chippendale furniture and inspirational paintings. The Palladian mansion is set amid ‘picnic perfect’ lawns and extensive parkland.

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Priorwood Garden & Dried Flower Shop

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
0

With an enviable setting in the ancient precinct of the magnificent 12th-century Melrose Abbey, this delightfully rustic walled garden has three distinct areas to explore.

A dried flower workshop gives visitors an overview of the garden’s history and highlights, while also housing Scotland’s only dedicated dried flower garden, with a drying room where you can pick your own blooms to order.

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Malleny Garden

Venue Type: 
Parks and Gardens
Overall Rating: 
0

This hidden treasure is a walled garden surrounded by woodland, found just outside Balerno, a suburb of Edinburgh.

The garden is a haven for plant lovers thanks to its large variety of colourful and fragrant flowers, plants and trees.

For school visits please phone or email in advance to arrange.

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Royal Burgh of Culross

Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
0

The Royal Burgh of Culross is a unique survival, a town that time has passed by. It is the most complete example in Scotland today of a Burgh of the 17th and 18th centuries. The Town House was built in 1626 and was the administrative centre of Culross with a tollbooth and witches' prison. The old buildings and cobbled streets create a fascinating time warp for visitors.

Close your eyes and you can almost hear the calls of medieval street vendors selling their wares and the clang of hammers on metal as the Hammermen of Culross fashioned the famous girdles.

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Bodiam Castle

Archetypal 14th century moated castle with ruined interior - a glimpse of medieval splendour
Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
0

Set in the heart of an historic landscape, with spiral staircases, battlements and a portcullis, 14th century Bodiam Castle is one of Britain's most picturesque and romantic ancient monuments. Windows where arrows were once fired, a tower that was once a look-out and ruins that were once walked upon by knights; this is a place where you can relive your childhood memories and let your imagination run riot.

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Cilgerran Castle

Striking 13th-century ruined castle
Venue Type: 
Castles
Overall Rating: 
0

This striking 13th-century castle is perched overlooking the spectacular Teifi Gorge and has inspired many artists, including Turner.

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