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Institute of Tourists Guiding

MR 04676

Great West Way ®

Discover the stunning Great West Way with an accredited and qualified guide

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Why the Great West Way?

The Great West Way® is an amalgamation of the most stunning scenery, incredible activities and wonderful stories.  The route runs from London to Bristol and includes touring options by foot, road, rail and water.

There is truly something for everyone on this tour route, which can be explored as a whole journey or in shorter half-day to day-long sections.

We offer many tours on the Great West Way; countryside walks, town walks, coach tours, guided visits to attractions. See some options below or contact us to help you plan a personal guided itinerary.

What to see and do on the Great West Way

There are hundreds of activities, attractions, art and culture, restaurants and so much more. This is why Great West Way tours are so popular – because there is so much to see and do.

From gentle walks in some of England’s finest countryside, to exploring historic towns and cities. From key tourist destinations to lesser-known little gems.

Our lead tour guide, Graham Horn, will listen to what you want and ensure that you/your group get the perfect trip.

Create your perfect tour

We offer many tours on the Great West Way; countryside walks, town walks, coach tours, guided visits to attractions.  See some options below or contact us to help you plan a personal guided itinerary. You can pick and choose any type, length or ability of tour from the table below.

Type of TourHow LongAbility
Countryside walks
Two hours to a full day
Medium (average level of fitness) or Advanced (good level of fitness)
Town walks
75 minutes to two hours
Gentle (for all abilities and ages) and medium (average level of fitness)
Coach tours
Half day (up to four hours) or full day (up to nine hours)
Gentle (for all abilities and ages)
Attractions, entertainments or visits
Combined with any of the above

Discuss your unique needs for your trip?

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See the best sights and get the most out of your trip

Our lead tour guide, Graham Horn, is one of the only guides in the UK that is fully qualified to lead tours on every section of the Great West Way from Heathrow to Bristol.

As an Ambassador for the Great West Way, he knows all of the best spots for culture, sightseeing, entertainment and anything else that you want as part of your trip.

Make the most of your trip to the Great West Way and discover all of the beauty and brilliance that this amazing route has to offer on our guided tours.

We offer many tours on the Great West Way; countryside walks, town walks, coach tours, guided visits to attractions. See some options below or contact us to help you plan a personal guided itinerary.

Countryside walks

Gentle, medium or advanced walks along the River Thames or the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Gentle, medium or advanced walks in the Chiltern Hills or along the Ridgeway.

See our Walking Tours pages for more details.

We can also take you walking further afield to the wide open spaces of the Wessex Downs or the mystical landscapes around Avebury and Stonehenge.

Town walks

Explore towns as diverse as Windsor, Marlow, Henley-on-Thames, Reading, Abingdon, Newbury or Hungerford.

See our Town tours pages for more details.

Or as we head west, more opportunities unveil themselves: Marlborough, Devizes, Bradford-upon-Avon, Bath or Bristol.

Coach tours

We can offer half day, full day and multi day coach tours along the whole of the Great West Way from Bristol to the outskirts of London.

Some examples can be found in our Coach Tours pages including:

  • Kennet Valley
  • Thames Valley
  • Chiltern Hills

Combinations (a coach journey and a visit)

Here is just a selection of tours combining a coach drive with a visit to a Great West Way attraction:

  • Kennet Valley and a boat trip
  • Kennet Valley and Crofton pumping station
  • Kennet Valley and a town tour
  • Thames Valley and a boat trip
  • Thames Valley and Museum of English Rural Life
  • Thames Valley and a town tour
  • Chiltern Hills and Stonor Park
  • Chiltern Hills and River & Rowing Museum
  • Chiltern Hills and a boat trip
  • Chiltern Hills and a town tour

What you can expect to see along the Great West Way:

Qualifications and accreditations

  • Member of the Institute of Tourist Guiding
  • Member of the British Guild of Tourist Guides
  • Blue Badge Guide for South and South East England 2011
  • Blue Badge Guide for South West England 2014
  • Ambassador for the Great West Way
  • Member of Midsomer Tours
  • Guiding endorsement for Windsor and Eton
  • Accredited Tourist Guide Examiner

HF Holidays guest

Friendly and relaxed with a good sense of humour.

Lin Wilson

Solent Events & Leisure

Thanks Graham and thank you for a superb tour yesterday. It was both interesting and amusing which we love! Everyone really enjoyed the whole day and are now eager to book my next one, which is great.

British visitor

London

You cannot imagine what a wonderful time I had on Monday on the canal walk which you recommended!  Thank you so much.

Michelle Patrick

Hobbs of Henley

Graham has been a Blue Badge guide on quite a few of our specialist river trips on the Thames. He is a very informative guide and professional and it is a pleasure to work with him

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Get in touch

If you have any questions about a tour, or if you're interested in booking, then don't hesitate to get in touch.