Gren Tours

Gren Tours Gren Tours is ‘Blue Badge’ qualified tourist guide Glen Portch. Professionally guided tours of London and beyond!

Glen was born just outside London and has lived, worked and played in and around London for most of his life. However, he realised how little he knew about his native city and country when friends, visiting from overseas, asked questions. Eager not to embarrass himself again, he took the Institute of Tourist Guiding ‘s “Blue Badge Guide” course and he gained his qualification in 2004. Glen offers

private tours of London and Great Britain for individuals, small or large groups. He has experience of guiding families, groups of school children, A (and B!) – list celebrities and the presidents of multi-national companies. The emphasis is on fun, tailor-made tours and the grentours.co.uk website is designed to give you some ideas.

Another successful wine tour. A colleague of Glen's from way back was visiting Kent from the north of England with his f...
29/05/2025

Another successful wine tour. A colleague of Glen's from way back was visiting Kent from the north of England with his family. Having seen previous posts on this forum, Nick wanted to see for himself what the fuss is about English sparkling wines. We visited Westwell for the in-house tour conducted by Penny. The tastings, of course, included their very fine signature Cuvee sparkling 'Pelegrim'. The still wines included Ortega and an interesting experiment called 'Little Bits'. Grapes are usually pressed twice. Little bits is a third pressing of all the 'left-over' grapes. An acquired taste methinks. After Westwell, a visit to Balfour trying six of their products including the Sparkling Roses.


https://www.grentours.co.uk/category/vineyard-tours/

An interesting job today. 11 years ago, I did a rock ’n’ roll tour for the Japanese heavy metal band, babymetal. That to...
29/05/2025

An interesting job today. 11 years ago, I did a rock ’n’ roll tour for the Japanese heavy metal band, babymetal. That tour was part of an interview shown on the magazine program Music Japan on NHK TV. 11 years later, babymetal are back in London. The Japanese branch of the fan club have come to England to see the show. Apparently, I am a bit of a celebrity with those die-hard baby metal fans and they wanted to repeat what I did with the band 11 years ago. Although a Japanese speaking colleague was on hand to translate, she and the tour manager were happy let me do the tour in Japanese. First time in very long time since I’ve done that! It’s very rusty. I hope the guests understood and enjoyed themselves and have a great time at the gig.



https://www.grentours.co.uk/category/beatles-and-rock-tours/

Rydal Mount, home of poet William Wordsworth from 1813 until his passing here in 1850. He married Mary Hutchison in 1802...
01/05/2025

Rydal Mount, home of poet William Wordsworth from 1813 until his passing here in 1850. He married Mary Hutchison in 1802 and had 5 children with her before the family moved to Rydal Mount. Although William struggled early in his ‘career’ he was well known as a poet by the time he moved to Rydal. So much so that queen Adelaide visited. Other writers names in the family’s visitors book included Coleridge, Southey and American writer/philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson. Wordsworth died at Rydal mount in April 1850 and is interred at nearby St Oswald’s church in Grasmere with members of his family.
The house is still owned by the Wordsworth family and you can visit house and gardens.



https://www.grentours.co.uk
British Guild of Tourist Guides

In January 1967 Donald Campbell lost his life on Coniston Water whilst attempting to break his own water speed record. H...
01/05/2025

In January 1967 Donald Campbell lost his life on Coniston Water whilst attempting to break his own water speed record. He set 7 records in Bluebird K7 but this attempt was to be the first to break 300mph. Although a speed of 328mph was recorded, the bow of K7 lifted and did a back flip. Campbell would have been killed instantly. Wreckage of K7 and Donald’s remains were lifted from the lake in 2001. Donald’s remains are interred in Coniston’s burial ground. K7 has undergone rebuild and is on display at the Ruskin Museum in Coniston. There are plans to re-launch K7 in Autumn of 2025

https://www.grentours.co.uk
British Guild of Tourist Guides

Not often Glen ventures to the North of England on tours. If and when he does, he employs the services of locally qualif...
01/05/2025

Not often Glen ventures to the North of England on tours. If and when he does, he employs the services of locally qualified Blue Badge Guides. Circumstances for a 16 day tour in September means not practical to get a local guide. So Glen has been to Wales and the Lake District for some research.
Yew Tree Farm part of the 2500 acre Monk Coniston estate that was purchased by Beatrix Potter. Bequeathed to the National Trust, among other uses, Herdwick Sheep live here. The farm offer ‘herdwick experiences’. A talk about the breed, mostly found in the Lake District and then a chance to meet and feed a few.
The farm featured in the 2006 movie Miss Potter starring Renee Zellwegger in the title role.


Yew Tree Farm

British Guild of Tourist Guides

Kent’s newest vineyard, Domaine Evremond. With a similar climate and Geology to the champagne region of France, the sout...
28/04/2025

Kent’s newest vineyard, Domaine Evremond. With a similar climate and Geology to the champagne region of France, the south east corner of England is producing some very fine sparkling wines to rival those of champagne. So much so that French house Tattinger have planted vines in Kent and just released their first Classic Cuvee. Domaine Evremond offer tours, tutored tastings, or, can just pop in to the tasting room. Glen offers full day wine tours to the region, or, after a tour to, for example, Canterbury, you can visit a vineyard and sample for yourself

https://www.grentours.co.uk/category/vineyard-tours/


Vast majority of Glen’s tours are in London or places achievable within a few hours of London. Occasionally, Glen is ask...
28/04/2025

Vast majority of Glen’s tours are in London or places achievable within a few hours of London. Occasionally, Glen is asked to go further afield. In preparation for a 16 day tour in September, Glen is in North Wales. Visits to Beaumaris, Caernavon and Harlech Castles. All built in 1280s by King Edward I of England as he subdues the rebellious Welsh Princes. A lucky 20% chance of clear and fine weather in the afternoon to take the Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) train to the summit. Some fine early 19th century engineering by Thomas Telford at Pontcysyllte aqueduct. Some rather mixed architectural styles and landscaping at Portmeirion Village.

https://www.grentours.co.uk/extended-touring/





Denmark Street is regarded as London’s ‘Tin Pan Alley’. Tin Pan alley is name given to part of New York City’s 28th Str...
22/03/2025

Denmark Street is regarded as London’s ‘Tin Pan Alley’. Tin Pan alley is name given to part of New York City’s 28th Street where song writers and music publishers bashed out songs. The publishers have gone from Denmark street and most of the stores are selling instruments. Elton John worked at Mill’s Music and gives a name check to Denmark Street in ‘Bitter Fingers’. The Kinks also penned a song called Denmark Street. A new venue, the lower third has opened recently. Taking its name from David Bowie’s first band who frequented the GIaconda Cafe (now a steak house) on Denmark Street. 4 Denmark Street was home to Regent Sound Studios which opened in July 1961. Genesis’s first Album, From Genesis to Revelation was recorded here as was Black Sabbath’s first and some of 2nd albums recorded here.
The Rolling Stones first top 10 hit, a cover of Buddy Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away’ was recorded here as their first Album. �the store now sells instruments. If you ask the staff nicely, they’ll let you into what was the studio!
Guide London
British Guild of Tourist Guides
https://www.grentours.co.uk/category/beatles-and-rock-tours/

Electric Avenue in Brixton, South London. Reputedly the first market street (at least in UK) to be lit by electricity. M...
22/03/2025

Electric Avenue in Brixton, South London. Reputedly the first market street (at least in UK) to be lit by electricity. Made famous by the 1983 hit song of the same name by Eddy Grant. After the Second World War a large Caribbean community settled in the area. Racial tensions in Brixton and other parts of the UK with comparatively large Afro/carribean communities led to riots in the early 1980s. The riots inspired the lyrics of the song. Eddy, born in Guyana, move to England when 12 years old. Was a member of The Equals whose biggest hit was 1967 hit, Baby Come Back penned by Eddy. One of Glen’s favourite moments at Glastonbury festival in 2008 was seeing Eddy.

Blue Badge Guides tourist guides come from a variety of backgrounds and amongst them you’ll find a specialist in a tour,...
04/02/2025

Blue Badge Guides tourist guides come from a variety of backgrounds and amongst them you’ll find a specialist in a tour, subject or museum you’d like to know more about. A big shout out to fellow guide Katie Wignall who operates as Look Up London. She offers private tours and also runs a program of themed scheduled tours. I joined her Feminist Jack the Ripper tour recently.
On any given day there are a dozen or more JTR tours. Double that number in the summer. Glen knows the subject quite well and used to conduct Jack the Ripper tours. so why join Katie’s tour? Unlike other JTR tours, with Katie, you are NOT going to visit all the murder sites, hear details of the crime scene or talk about suspects. The victims’ stories are told with reference to the social conditions and general attitude to women of the late 19th century. particularly those in the east end of London.
Yes, do a regular JTR tour…but do this one too.

British Guild of Tourist Guides
Look Up London

https://lookup.london/walking-tours/feminist-jack-the-ripper-walk/

For a bit of fun at Abbey Road, there is a camera permanently monitoring the crossing. They keep an archive of 24 hours ...
28/01/2025

For a bit of fun at Abbey Road, there is a camera permanently monitoring the crossing. They keep an archive of 24 hours so you can search for your photo crossing. Not the greatest of photos, but you'll just have to trust this is Glen...
https://www.abbeyroad.com/crossing

Address

Kosti

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Gren Tours posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Gren Tours:

Shortcuts

Share

Category