Frequently Asked Questions

Let's get to know each other!

What type of clothing should we wear?

England is, of course, a seasonal country – and that can sometimes also mean during a given week or even day! We suggest layering is best so you don’t get chilly, (our term for cold), or too warm. Always wear comfortable, sturdy, shoes for walking. Castles and historic houses aren’t known for even floors and stairs. Some places, such as Canterbury, still have cobbled medieval streets. If the weather forecast includes rain, sure, bring your brollies but, unless you love playing ‘sword fighting’ in the wind, it’s usually more practical to wear quality rain gear with hoods.

How do we get directions to our meeting point?

Whether it’s our private walking tours in London or private driving tours to the countryside, we always send detailed directions after your booking is confirmed. Please keep this in a safe place. Tip: You may wish to copy / paste them within the notes section on your smartphone, so you don’t have to rely on getting a Wi-Fi / 4G signal to retrieve it on a messaging system. It’s a good back-up to also ensure someone else in your group has a copy of it too. We kindly ask that you please contact John by phone or text message as early as you can if you are running late for your tour start time.

How easy is it to get to Bromley South Station? (For the castle and historic places tours).

It’s straight-forward. None of our guests have got lost so far. This is because they follow our easy-to-read directions. Briefly, Bromley South is in a suburb of London. (Zone 5 for London Oyster cards and Travelcards). Overground trains leave frequently from London Victoria Station and the direct ones only take 20 minutes. John meets you outside the station. As you’ll be heading in the opposite direction of the commuters, (both at the start and end of your tour), you don’t have to worry about crowded trains.

N.B. You’ll be saving a lot of precious time avoiding London’s notorious heavy traffic and you’ll be doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions. (It can usually take 1.5 hours just to reach the suburbs by vehicle!) We are supporters of the #LetLondonBreathe campaign and we hope you’ll help too. It’s also how we keep our pricing competitive. Remember, John is a driver-guide, not a chauffeur or driver. There’s a difference. See point 2. In his blog, 7 avoidable mistakes visitors in England make when booking private tours.’

What are your hours of operation?

Many! We do our best to answer your queries promptly, however, we kindly ask you to bear in mind the difference in international time zones.  Like everyone else, we need our beauty sleep too! 😉  We are as excited as you are about seeing London and / or some beautiful places in the countryside.

How much lead-time do you require for tour bookings?

As much as reasonably possible. Now the UK has reopened to international inbound travel, guests who have been waiting a long time to visit are now getting in touch with us again. Usually, our guests book at least 3 months in advance for our private castle and historic places tours. For our private walking tours in London, these are normally 6 weeks in advance.  That said, please don’t be put off if you are planning your trip to England sooner. Just enquire and we’ll do what we can to help. If John isn’t available, he can probably recommend someone who may help – particularly for the London walking tours.

Can we reserve dates?

Please note that we do not reserve tour dates under any circumstances. We have tried this and, unfortunately, not everyone updates us when their plans change despite assuring us they would. It results in others not being able to book our tours and, frustratingly, lost business too.

John, another tour operator has reneged on a tour booking. Can you please help?

Sorry to hear that. These things, unfortunately, happen for various reasons. We live in unprecedented times so please bear in mind that your tour operator may have staff who have to self-isolate etc.

John usually only delivers private tours in London and in South East England’s countryside. Use the ‘Contact Us’ form to tell us where and when you want to go and we’ll do what we can to help you. If you wish to tour to another location in England, just ask.

Please note, however, that whatever contract / agreement you have with your nominated tour operator is between you and them. We cannot get involved with that. Always check your tour operator’s terms and conditions, including ours.

Hey, we noticed that you don’t charge for kids 10 years old and under. Is that correct?

Yes it is!*

John believes every child should have the opportunity to explore our planet. (See why in our ‘About Us’ page). John does his best to keep kids engaged on his tours. After all, John is a father of three and has travelled across the world with his own children over many years. So, families are welcome too!

*Please note that this only applies to our in-person tours and not our virtual tours as those are a set price. For all out tours, children – no matter what age – must be accompanied by at least one adult who is 21 years or older who is the primary person responsible for the care and safety of their children either as parents or guardians.

Do you have terms and conditions?

Yes. Like any good business, we do. It’s not only for our protection, but also for yours. Not the most exciting topic, granted, but necessary. Please check them out via the links at the base of this website. If anything requires clarifying, please get in touch before booking your tour(s).

John! I’m a fan of Simon Sinek. What’s your ‘Why?’

John is too! Don’t you just love his video about millennials and how tech can get in the way?

Check out John’s ‘About Us’ and his tour blogs to get insights as to why he delivers tours.

How may we help?

Have a question? Please do get in touch.