Visitors and residents with an interest in Carlisle's history can experience a tour of the main historic landmarks, without even leaving the house!

Anna Gray, from Carlisle, qualified as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide for Cumbria in 2011 and for the past five years has been leading guided walks around the city.

In the summer months she conducts weekly walking tours of Carlisle.

Anna will present the virtual tours, sharing her knowledge, experience and stories of the area with visitors.

Her work has also taken her on guiding trips for people around the Lake District National Park and along Hadrian’s Wall.

Anna said: "I very much enjoy the work I do.

"I love researching and then piecing together the information in such a way that the tour seems to ‘flow’ effortlessly.

"It is hugely rewarding to open people’s eyes to what is around them and to enable them to ‘see’ places in a new light.

"I never get tired of seeing their reaction when suddenly someone understands why something is there."

Covid-19 stopped Anna's guided walking tours of Carlisle in their tracks last year.

She then hit upon the idea to offer a virtual tour of Carlisle to people instead.

The first virtual tour was held earlier this week, with tours being repeated on Thursday evenings on April 8, May 6 and June 3.

Anna’s tour will take in all aspects of Carlisle’s history including the Roman, Norman and medieval periods, the Victorian impact on the city, and ending with modern changes on the landscape of Carlisle.

She said: "Carlisle is a truly historic and fascinating place.

"So many people have left their mark here and I love revealing its secrets for visitors from all over the world, but on this occasion, they won’t even need to leave their armchair!"

Each of the tours costs £6.

Participants can expect to uncover 2000 years of history: "from the impregnable Castle to the imposing Citadel.”

On her site she says: “This great frontier city close to the border with Scotland has always been a target for conquest.

“Two Roman forts, along with Hadrian’s Wall, helped secure the northern limit of the mighty Roman Empire.

“A thousand years later, the Norman castle kept attackers at bay, whilst the city’s close proximity to Scotland has kept Carlisle on its guard for centuries (and perhaps still does).”

Anna is looking forward to telling people all she knows on this historic city.

More information can be found on Anna's website, which is www.discoverlakeland.co.uk.

There is also a link through to the booking platform on the home page.

A direct link to the booking page is at: https://www.trybooking.co.uk/YXF