Ron Smith
Regional Qualification(s):
Cumbria, Yorkshire
Language(s):
English
Phone Number(s):
+44(0)7817901832, +44(0)1768351811
Contact guide
Introduction:
A retired senior Cumbrian police officer I live in Appleby-in-Westmorland close to the Lake District, Hadrian’s Wall, the Yorkshire Dales, the North Yorkshire Moors and the North Pennines AONB. With these beautiful and interesting places on my doorstep, and having both the Cumbria and Yorkshire qualification, I am passionate about bringing them, their history, their people past and present, their heritage and culture to life for our visitors.
Similarly as a Driver Guide I regularly guide throughout the whole country taking in many of the National Parks, World Heritage Sites and those castles, stately homes and historical towns for which the UK is rightly famous. I am a qualified Windsor Castle, Windsor and Eton Guide too.
I am a friendly outgoing personality with a good sense of humour and in recent years I have developed a keen interest in conducting "Ancestor Tours" whereby I either bring your own genealogy research to life, or I can do additional research so you can experience your ancestors' past here on the ground. I promise you will not be the first to shed a few tears of joy as you reconnect with your past.
My past-times include following football, rugby, gardening, motorcycles and learning even more about what my country has to offer our guests.
Personal Interests:
| Beatrix Potter, William Wordsworth, Central Lakes |
| Furness Peninsular, Whitehaven, West Cumbria |
| Eden valley, North Pennines, Ullswater |
| Everything about God's Own County |
| North Yorkshire Moors, Whitby |
| The Brontes |
| The Yorkshire Dales |
| Industrial archeology/heritage |
| Industrial archeology/heritage |
| York, York Minster |
| Fine houses/castles |
| Fine houses/castles |
| English Lake District, WHS |
| Cumbria’s American Connections |
Special Interests:
| History & Prehistory | Learn of mankind's impact upon Cumbria and the Lake District from the Stone Age, the Romans, the Vikings, Middle Ages through to the Victorians. Similarly, Yorkshire has witnessed these same impacts across the ages. |
| Churches & Cathedrals | The history of our churches, monasteries, minsters and cathedrals across Cumbria and Yorkshire is fascinating. These include York Minster, Furness, Fountains and Whitby Abbeys to name but a few. |
| Regional Tours | For a Driver Guide Cumbria and Yorkshire are ideally placed to be the hub for regional tours into the Lake District, the Borders, the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors, and further afield in the North West of England, the Peak District, north Wales, Northumbria and southern Scotland. |
| Museums | Cumbria and Yorkshire's museums, e.g. Tullie House, Birdoswald, Ruskin, Yorkshire and Jorvik Museums plus the York & Leeds Art Galleries, help to tell these counties' history and they crop up in beautiful and interesting places. |
| Literature | Follow in the footsteps of Beatrix Potter, William Wordsworth, John Ruskin, Arthur Ransome, the Brontes and James Heriott to name just a few of Cumbria and Yorkshire's literary connections. |
| Industrial Heritage | Past industries made Cumbria and Yorkshire industrial powerhouses and have helped shape these counties of today. Their legacies are to be found in beautiful places. |
| Geography & Geology | Understanding how today's landscape and settlements have been influenced by geography, geology and mankind. The resultant landscape is truly spectacular and yet different across Cumbria and Yorkshire. |
| Genealogy | Many visitors have historical ties to the British Isles and I enjoy tracing family histories, unearthing family connections and assisting visitors with their own genealogical research. We can often bring the past back to life in a meaningful way. I can often build upon your own research and if we touch base before your tour I often pinpoint those places so personal to you. Being a driver guide enables me to “stitch together “ a tour across the country. |
| Castles & Palaces | In addition to being a qualified Windsor Castle Guide I have regularly explored Edward I's castles in North Wales, those castles in the English-Scottish borderlands as well as the north of England such as Richmond and Middleham. Castles and Palaces such as Blenheim help to tell the history of the UK. |
| Genealogy |
Endorsements:
Windsor & Eton
Additional Qualifications:
BA (Hons) Geography, Diploma in Applied Criminology
Driver Guide:
Yes
Vehicles:
| Type | Make / Model | Passengers | Air Conditioning | Disabled Access |
| Car | SEAT ALHAMBRA | 6 | Yes | No |
