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ABOUT US
Your Guide
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I'm Peter, your tour guide and founder of Walkabout Durham. I'm actually a geography teacher by trade, so I love being out and about and hope I'm pretty good at teaching people a thing or two about places.
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Walkabout Durham is now in its third year and what a great three years it has been. We have had visitors from every continent (aside from Antarctica!) and have hosted a range of bespoke tours for individuals, couples, coach groups, university visits and work functions. The biggest group so far has been 50 people - such a challenge but a great experience.
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I'm a County Durham native. Raised in Seaham, I now live in Thornley with my wife and our Jack Russell, Tilly.
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My great interests are travel and history. Since leaving school, I have had a great urge to explore as many places as I can, meet new people and learn about the culture and history of some of Europe's greatest cities. I studied physical geography in Manchester and spent a year in South Dakota, USA. Since then, I have travelled through Europe - often sleeping on beaches to maximise my budget. I'm often torn, but my favourite city (aside from Durham of course) would have to be Rome. On each visit I am blown away by the depth of history, architecture and most of all, the people who undoubtedly make a city what it is.
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Why have I created Walkabout Durham?
I have always been an independent traveller - walking around cities and finding the odd bit of information here and there to quench my thirst, as well as stopping at random cafe's and bars to soak up the atmosphere. However, four years ago, we visited Florence for our first wedding anniversary and took a guided walking tour. I was blown away by how much I learned within the space of two hours compared to exploring alone.
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I decided that I wanted to help people have this kind of experience too, and what better platform than my home city of Durham. Months of research followed and now we have three different tours - all unique and showing a different aspect of Durham! It is a fantastic way to start your trip.
What do I love about Durham?
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I visit Durham almost daily and never tire of it's unique atmosphere. Each time I visit, there is a constant reminder of our past. From the dramatic architecture on Palace Green, to the many reminders of our rich mining heritage, Durham retains it's history. I am so proud to call this place my home.
Durham is a bustling city, with restaurants, cafe's and traditional pubs aplenty, but I love that within the space of a few seconds, you can escape the busy streets and find yourself on secluded riverside walks with spectacular views.
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As a local, I already had some knowledge of our more recent history, however, I have discovered a whole new side of Durham since planning our tours. It has been fascinating to go back through time and learn about the people who have helped build and shape the city we see today. Now, each time I visit and find something new, I can appreciate how it links to our past. To truly get to know Durham, you really do need to go back to the beginning!