BLUE BADGE GUIDES FROM CUMBRIA GAIN HADRIAN’S WALL ENDORSEMENT

Four Blue Badge Guides from Cumbria who are all members of Cumbria Tourist Guides www.cumbriatouristguides.co.uk  -

Alan Heppenstall, Ian Jones, Tom McCafferty and Chris Wright

have been successful in gaining a new qualification, an Endorsement from the Institute of Tourist Guiding to guide tourists along Hadrian’s Wall following a recent intensive course and searching examination in Newcastle.

The Institute of Tourist Guiding Endorsement Course was planned in order to allow existing Blue Badge Guides to benefit from work opportunities that result from the marketing and destination promotion of Hadrian’s Wall – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Hadrian’s Wall Endorsement course was based in the ‘Lit & Phil’ - the premises of the Newcastle upon Tyne Literary & Philosophical Society.

The four Blue Badge Guides from Cumbria were joined by other Guides from Yorkshire and Scotland from 22^nd to the 26th February 2010 for evening classroom study after days out on site visits. 

Walter Willcox is also North East of England Blue Badge Guide.

Seven sites and two major museums were visited and each visit was led by a local expert.

Registration, a welcome and introductions were given by Jan Williams and Tom Keating on Monday evening, followed by the first lecture when Walter Willcox set Hadrian’s Wall in the context of the Romans in Britain.

On Tuesday Pat Lowery, North East England Blue Badge Guide, gave a commentary by coach as course delegates visited:

          Segedunum at Wallsend.    The site tour was led by Alex Croom, an archaeologist.

• Arbeia across the River Tyne in South Shields again Alex Croom led the site tour.
•  St. Paul’s Church, Jarrow
• The Great North Museum, Newcastle, where the site tour was led by Andrew Parkin, curator of the Roman collection.

Wednesday’s visits included:

• A brief stop at Heddon-on-the-Wall
• Housesteads Roman Fort
• Chesters Roman Fort
• Mithraeum at Brocolita
• Site tours were given by Georgina Plowright, English Heritage curator

An evening lecture was given by Walter Willcox as well as a presentation by Neil Carney, Marketing Manager of Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd.

On Wednesday Kate Walton, Cumbria and North East England Blue Badge Guide gave a coach commentary to the city of Carlisle, Cumbria where visits included:

• Tullie House Museum with a site tour by Rosalind Normandale

Followed by visits to:

• Birdoswald Roman Fort
• The Roman Army Museum at Greenhead
• Cawfields with a walk to Milecastle 42
• The Twice Brewed Inn where David McGlade, Trail Officer, gave an illustrated presentation on the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail
• Vindolanda with site tour led by Justin Blake, archaeologist for the Vindolanda Trust

Thursday evening and Friday evening were given to self study with the opportunity to study the many facts learnt on this demanding course.

For more information please contact:

Alan Heppenstall on 015395 34793 www.cumbriatouristguides.co.uk