Ruth Boreham Tours

21/08/2025

Change of date:

The next walking tour looking at Scottish women writers will now take place on Sat 30 August, 10.30am-1pm. Also 2 for 1 offer. Come and enjoy walking through the streets when the festivals are all over! 😁

Edinburgh is a literary city but not just men wrote books! Join Ruth to find out about female writers, both published & in manuscript.

18/08/2025

Have a lovely sweaty reel of me, trying to persuade you to come and hear me talk about Mary Somerville this Wed 20 Aug, 6pm!

Mary Somerville: a Love for Mathematics, Science and Orange Marmalade
Ruth Boreham, Tour Guide and Historian
Mary Somerville (1780-1872), author of five books covering topics such as mathematics, astronomy, geology, chemistry and physics, was truly a polymath and the first person to be called ‘scientist’ in print. Join historian Ruth Boreham to discover how Mary’s thirst for knowledge never dimmed, no matter what her age, and how even the skills she learnt as a young lady in order to attract a husband helped shape her work – and who she made orange marmalade for!

https://simplyspiffing.co.uk/whats-on/

11/08/2025

You lucky people have TWO opportunities this week to join me on a tour and find out more about the women in Edinburgh who were involved in the suffrage movement! Both are also on a 2 for 1 offer. One is shorter in duration than the other.

Thursday 14 August, 1pm-2.45pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1478480939289

Saturday 16 August, 2pm-4.30pm
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1347060005739

I would love to see you on one of them 😊

Come and hear about the women, and some men, involved in campaigning for (or against!) suffrage in Edinburgh - it's not all Pankhursts!

05/08/2025

This is happening next week! I can't wait - will I see you there?

🎨 Poetry & Painting: An Evening Inspired by Mary Somerville 🖋️

Join us for a creative celebration of Mary Somerville, a trailblazing scientist, writer, and feminist icon. Through guided painting and poetry prompts, we’ll explore her legacy and love for the natural world. No experience needed, just your imagination!

📅 Wed 13 Aug
🕕6:00pm - 8:30pm
📍 The Melting Pot, Edinburgh

✨ Facilitated by Mairi-Claire Traynor, Susan Mitchell & Ruth Boreham
☕ Refreshments provided
🎟️ Spaces are limited, book now!

This event was made possible with the sponsorship from Edinburgh 900 fund.

28/07/2025

I am now taking a break from tours for a few days as I head down south tomorrow to spend some time with my family, but I have tours on for most of August, including one on a Thursday afternoon, so why not check them out and book?!

Sat 9 Aug, 3pm-4.30pm, Canongate

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1345787820599

Sun 10 Aug, 2pm-4pm, New Town

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1345800709149

Thurs 14 Aug, 1pm-2.45pm, Give us the vote! (shortened version)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1478480939289

Sat 16 Aug, 2pm-4.30pm, Give us the vote! (full version)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1347060005739

Sun 17 Aug, 2.30pm-4pm, Canongate

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1345791601909

Sat 23 Aug, 10.30am-1pm, Scottish women writers

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1345818502369

Sat 30 Aug, 10am-1pm, from castle to palace

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1345806907689

Walk the length of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, from castle to palace, discovering women's history along the way.

27/07/2025

A photo of me ‘in action’ sent to me by one of the lovely people on my tour this afternoon. Am so lucky to be able to do what I do ❤️

27/07/2025

Arrived a bit early for my 2pm New Town tour so giving Paddington some info about the city he is sitting in 😁❤️

25/07/2025

I had such a brilliant time this morning, taking these two amazing people from Edinburgh Castle down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace/Parliament, talking women’s history during the three hours. Danielle on the right has been on one of my tours already and was so lovely to see her again! Really enjoyed getting to know Kim, on the left.

Really was in my happy place!

23/07/2025

Was a lovely surprise to receive this by email last night! Huge thanks to all those who have left reviews of my !!

20/07/2025

Why not join me next weekend, on one of my tours, to find out why people who have left 5* reviews on tripadvisors have used words like these 😊

Fri 25 July, 10am-1pm, From Castle to Palace £25pp, also 2 for 1 offer
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-history-tour-from-castle-to-palace-3-hours-tickets-1434698354399?

Sat 26 July, 10am-12.30pm, Give us the vote! Scottish women wanted it too, £25pp, also 2 for 1 offer
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/give-us-the-vote-scottish-women-wanted-it-too-tickets-1346535597219?

Sun 27 July, 2pm-4pm, New Town, £20pp, also 2 for 1 offer
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-history-walking-tour-of-edinburgh-new-town-2-hours-tickets-1345795503579?

19/07/2025

This is the face of someone who is hot and sweaty but very grateful that the big umbrella was only needed to get to the start of where she was meeting people, and after she had left them and not actually during the 2 hour private women’s history walking tour she did today!

It was for a group of Somervillian graduates who now live in or nearish Edinburgh. A chance for them to meet each other, form a wee network. I was asked to give a 2 hour tour and then we had afternoon tea! Very lovely.

07/07/2025

There are two opportunities this August to come and hear me talk about Mary Somerville! Both on Wednesday evenings, but both are quite different events.

https://themeltingpot.spaces.nexudus.com/events/1415533689/poetry-and-painting-an-evening-inspired-by-mary-somerville

https://simplyspiffing.co.uk/whats-on/

What’s On Following on from our success in 2024, we’ll be back at Edinburgh Fringe with our venue, The Speakeasy, again in 2025. Located in the basement of the Royal Scots Club, The Speakeasy offers a diverse programme of music, theatre, events and lectures. We will also be producing a range of ...