Introduction:

JENNY WILSON
TEL. 07887648904
jennywiztours@hotmail.com
Instagram : Jennywiztours

Hello my name is Jenny!

Cumbria is a colourful historical tapestry created by Neolithic peoples, Romans, Celts, Vikings, Normans and Scots. It is also a stunning jewel box of landscapes, lakes and mountains

My family's roots stretch from the Roman Wall to the old County of Westmorland where I was born and raised – all part of the present County of Cumbria which I love. I have cycled its back lanes, hiked its fells and swum in its waters. I cherish its traditions, dialects and legends . I wish to share its magic with you .

Book me for coach trips, walking tours, town walks, or bespoke tours to explore the Cumbria beyond the tourist honeypots . You will leave with stories and memories that you will never forget.

Before qualifying as a Cumbria Blue Badge Guide I was an expatriate teacher and lived in the UAE, Jordan and Oman for many years . Although I am qualified to guide on English only I do speak conversational Arabic . I have also travelled extensively in Asia, Australia, North America, Europe, and Africa before returning to my home town of Kendal. I am therefore familiar with different cultural and religious backgrounds and I aim to make the overseas visitor as comfortable, well informed and welcome as visitors who live closer to home.

I am happy to guide anything in Cumbria but here are some of my enthusiasms:-

Castles Centurions and Cloisters.

* Appreciate the historical tapestry of Cumbria through visits to the castles of Sizergh, Kendal, Muncaster, Lowther, Carlisle, Brougham, Appleby, Brough, and Pendragon . Imagine Tudor life at Levens Hall with its very own White Lady..

* Trace the network of Roman forts and roads from the Roman Wall to Ravenglass Roman Baths and the dramatic Hard Knott fort high in the mountains.

* Experience echoes of the Dissolution of the Monasteries at the hauntingly beautiful Abbeys of Furness, Shap and Holme Cultram, the Old Priories of Cartmel, Lanercost and St Bees and Carlisle Cathedral.

* Explore the many interesting churches and chapels throughout the County including Kendal Parish Church and St Bega's, Bassenthwaite,

The Wilds of Westmorland

*Experience the untamed beauty of the Westmorland Dales and the legends of Wild Boar Fell .

*Explore the wilds of the Eden, Lyvennet and Mallerstang valleys.

*Learn about the fearless Tudor, Lady Ann Clifford, whose memory is still cherished today in Westmorland .

*Hear the stories of the railways that crisscrossed the Fells and Dales including the Settle to Carlisle Railway, the highest in England.

*Understand the influence of the Quakers and Methodists that brought spiritual and physical comfort to remote communities .

Favourite Farms

* Cumbria has 2 million sheep and a human population of only 500,000!.
Hill farming and the wool industry has been a vital part of the area's history.

* Understand the legacy of Beatrix Potter who preserved the Herdwick breed of sheep by investing in farming and bequeathing her farms to the National Trust.

* Discover how today's farmers are adapting, diversifying and reviving old traditions in regenerative and sustainable farming by visits to local farms.

Towns and Tarns

* Take a walking tour and explore fascinating towns like Kendal, Keswick, Penrith, Cockermouth, or Whitehaven.

* Visit quaint villages like Cartmel, Hawkshead ,Grasmere, Ambleside, or Kirkby Lonsdale.

* Book a guided walk to stunning vistas including Rydal Water, Elterwater, Tarn Hows, Kentmere Tarn, High Dam or Derwent Water.

Poets and Painters

Experience the landscapes that inspired:-

* Poets including William Wordsworth and Norman Nicholson.

* Artists including JMW Turner , LS Lowry and Percy Kelly . The sculptress Josefina de Vasconcellos.

* Understand the relationships between Nature and the Arts.