In and Beyond Bath

Jules is very kind and responsive towards my queries prior the trip. Customer service is top notch.

Roland who was my guide for the private tour was simply the BEST, and he's a great human being! Roland has vast amount of knowledge about histories, architecture and he's a great story teller. I've learnt a lot from the tour today. He takes great interest in me as well as sharing his own personal stories with me. He welcomed me with an open heart and he's a great speaker as well as great listener. This is what bespoke service about in my opinion.

Our tour ended in the George Inn, another historical place in town and Roland didn't worry about the time as it was running out of the agreed tour time frame.

I was collected and dropped off promptly at the hotel I'm staying in Bath. I would be back soon to book another Cotswold tour with Roland in due course. Highly recommended In and Beyond Bath, you would not be disappointed at all!

Thank you Jules and Roland.

We did Stonehenge and Secret England tour in early June. Max was our tour guide. We were reaching Bath from London, he offered us to pick us up from the train station as we were reaching at 8.45 am and 9.00 am the tour starts. Max is very knowledgeable he can speak about the flora, fauna and history of the villages. Drive was very comfortable and you feel very relaxed enjoying the beautiful country side. After Stonehenge, we stopped for lunch charming inn at The Bath Arms for lunch, food was very good. We also visited a Church and castle ruin (Nunney Castle). If you are looking for not rushed relaxed tour look no further, we travelled with another family we were total 6 people in the tour.

We had such an amazing time exploring the Cotswolds with Simon, our fantastic guide and driver!

Our favourite destination was Castle Combe which was our first stop nice and early before the crowds showed.

Highly recommend ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We had the most memorable experience on our tour today. Our local tour guide took every opportunity to make us feel like we were local as well. It was almost like she knew exactly how long we wanted to stay at each spot, and customize the experience as she went to our needs. By the time we concluded our tour, we had experienced all of the things we’ve been dreaming about for years as well as becoming so close, we learn, family, recipes, dog names, etc. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants the experience you won’t get from a big-name company.

From my very first email enquiry, In & Beyond Bath we’re very helpful. My husband and I were picked up from Bath Spa train station in the morning (coming from London) and dropped at our accommodation at the end of the day after our private tour. We went to Stonehenge, lunch in a gorgeous country pub and then to Wells with many interesting features along the way. Our guide Roland was very friendly and knowledgeable about the area and its history. He tailored the day around our interests with many suggestions/ choices. Wonderful day. Thank you so much.

Really fantastic experience! We booked a "transfer tour" to take us from Bath to our hotel at Heathrow with a day of touring on the way. Our guide/driver, Roland, was so thoughtful before the day, checking in by email to make sure he crafted the perfect day for us. On the day, he was there even before our pick up time, so there was no waiting around wondering if he'd appear.

Throughout the drive, he shared so much fascinating information and history, and answered all of our random questions with patience and good cheer. It was like taking a road trip with a favorite friend, and we learned so much! Pacing was lovely, without too much time just riding along. We had several walk-abouts along the way and Roland had booked a lovely pub for a tasty lunch at just the right time.

We were delivered to our hotel exactly when promised, without ever feeling rushed when we were interested in spending more time at one sight or another. This tour really added value to our last day, turning the hassle of getting from Bath to the airport into another day of vacation. Highly recommend, and should we be back in the area we definitely would book one of the other tours offered by In and Beyond Bath.

We were happy to find a Cotswolds day tour that didn't start in London.

Max is a very lovely, warm, knowledgeable person. He picked us up at our hotel in Bath in a conformable, clean vehicle and showed us the beautiful country side at a leisurely pace. The only comment I have to make that we are probably used to a much faster pace on our tours.

He discussed points of interest as we went along and took us to some very beautiful spots. We appreciated the historical context of the tour and the different spots around the Castle Combe village.

Spending a day with Max was like spending a day with a good friend. Thank you Max!

On our way back from Andalusia, Spain, we stopped in London for a few days to enjoy that fantastic city. On one of the days, we took an early morning train to Bath and joined two other travelers on a tour to Stonehenge AND as our gifted and talented guide called it, “Secret England”. The latter turned out to be a visit to several small villages in Somerset to explore their beauty historical significances. Our guide, Jules is a former history teacher and so he was able to really bring the history and importance of Stonehenge (luckily in late September there aren’t hordes of tourists) and the weather was glorious! After Stonehenge, we had a delightful pub lunch at The historic Bath Arms in Wiltshire (naturally ordered the fish and chips). Our next stop was at the village of Mells and St. Andrews Church and cemetery. The church has a long history, dating back to the 15th century and has several significant decorative features including memorials to some who die in World War 1.
I really get a thrill out of visiting old cemeteries, especially to connect with people who evoke emotional memories from my early life (I have visited Pére Le Chaise in Paris three times to pay homage to Jim Morrison!). So, I was really intrigued when Jules led us to the cemetery at St. Andrews. We stopped at a gravestone that brought back so many memories of my days at Lawrence School, Lovedale and our classes in English Literature, reading First World War poems by Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. I was standing at the grave of Siegfried Sassoon as Jules played a recording of Sassoon in his own words. I was 14 years old when we studied these poems about the horrors of war and at this time, I felt profound emotions that I had never felt during any travel visit or tour. Sassoon had experienced the horrific trench warfare of WW1 when chemical weapons were commonly used, and he became a fervent antiwar activist till his death. Hats off to Jules and In and Beyond Bath Tours for this moving yet wonderful experience. Overall, our visit went great and visiting Stonehenge and the countryside of Somerset with Jules was a fantastic day away from London.

My family and I had a really wonderful time with Simon, seeing the sites of the Cotswolds. He took great care of us, including finding a very special event for us to see in a small town off the beaten path. Simon has a wealth of knowledge and is a great story teller. Highly recommend!!

We enjoyed the Hidden Cotswolds tour with Max. We had a semi private tour, 2 couples, had a fantastic day full of beautiful sites along the Fosse and lots of insights to living there today and in the past. I especially enjoyed Malmesbury and the fantastical tales of flying monks and a lady eaten by a tiger ( maybe a lion). Castle Combe was a treat and the number of church visits was just right!! Max was knowledgeable with a lovely sense of humour and great dining recommendations. Pintxo was delightful.
Thank you Max.

Simon Was amazing above & beyond Very knowledgeable of the Bath area, Stonehenge Top Notch Great Day!!

Around and About Bath was a great tour for several reasons. First it is designed as a smaller and more intimate tour in that it will only range from 2 to a maximum of 8 people at at time in a comfortable van designed for touring. Secondly, Julian has targeted not only the popular Stonehenge but also the Somerset areas that are not often visited by tourists yet are representative of the truer culture and nature of the areas in and around Bath. Thirdly, Julian himself is a History and Politics teacher who has traveled extensively world-wide in addition to growing up in southern England.
His insights into history, both ancient and current history adds tremendously to the content and value of the tours. He is very personable and considerate of the needs of the tour guests.
Several stops at historical Inns, Pubs, and even hot mulled cider at a home/Inn brings one into a close up look at life in England both now as well as in ancient times. We heartily recommend this tour. It was the highlight of our week in England.
Karen and Rich Brito, Stephens City, Virginia, USA

I’ve no hesitation in giving this tour outfit five stars. We were driven through scenic routes to a half dozen extraordinary points of interest with stops for meals at characteristic but not touristy restaurants. Our guide, Max, is a historian with a sense of humor and his arsenal of knowledge spans many subjects, from linguistics to botany.

What a great experience we had! This is a tour that is unlike other standard tours. The tour guide makes every one feel welcomed and is very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend!

Following a full-day outing with Nigel exploring "Saxons, Royals & Hidden Cotswolds", my wife and I couldn't resist booking this "VIP Dining Experience". The evening began with Dan picking us up and heading out to Lacock. We explored the village, learned aspects of its history that one would never guess, and later enjoyed some truly fantastic food and drink. The high point though was the experience itself. As with the full-day tour, we were instantly comfortable and engaged. While there was definitely time to immerse oneself in the history, the conversation still ranged far and wide as we explored topics that interested us. It was an incredibly entertaining and memorable evening. This experience merely strengthened our conviction that Jules, Nigel, Dan, and their colleagues have truly created a unique company with an exceptional approach. As ever, we highly recommend Around & About Bath.

I can say with great conviction that Around and About Bath will revolutionize "tours" as you know them. While a tour of the area is technically included, the main focus is on your "experience." As their client, you are unwittingly in the driver's seat of your day with them. From the first "hello" and handshake, your guide is custom-crafting a day of excitement for you based on YOU -- your culture, what else you came to see, what excites you in life, even down to what food you enjoy. A&AB's guides (at least the guide we were fortunate enough to spend our day with) was knowledgeable, intelligent, extremely friendly, and incredibly intuitive. Looking back, our tour drifted wildly from what our expectations were because the experience was developing and maturing throughout the day. We made so many amazing memories between the scenery, acquired knowledge, food, drinks, and simply amazing company that we almost forgot we had a "guide" and instead it seemed like we were guests at our best friend's house. And that's what they're all about -- making you feel comfortable as you would be at home while also experiencing the excitement of adventure. If you're going to be in Bath on an upcoming trip/holiday, I simply cannot think of a better way to spend your time. I only hope their model of service catches on, because so far in my extensive travels, they are unparalleled.

We did the Hidden Cotswolds tour and it was AWESOME. We didn't want to rent a car but still wanted to visit the Cotswolds and this was an excellent choice. Jules was a fabulous host and guide, very knowledgeable about medieval English history and how we ended up with the UK of today. Highly, highly recommend.

We needed to find a ride for 6 adults and luggage for our trip from Bath to Oxford. We were lucky that In and Beyond had a van large enough and even luckier to have gotten Simon as our driver/tour guide. Not only was he personable and knowledgeable but he took us to places we never would have thought to visit. A great and eventful day for our group. Highly recommend the service and attitude of this company. Cheers.

Fantastic and very personable small group tour to Stonehenge and the surrounding Bath areas, taking in some of the less known sights in the area. This was an absolutely fantastic tour, which included a thoroughly enjoyable lunch (including drinks) at a very charming pub. Jules is very engaging and his knowledge of the area and its history is phenomenal, keeping all participants engaged for the duration of the full day tour, which is commendable. Jules then also gave us a gift bag which included a personalised post card of the days trip, which was a lovely touch. I've been on many full day tours throughout Europe and this was by far the most personable and fascinating. Highly recommended. Dylan and Nicole, Adelaide, Australia

Wow. My family including our 12 year old son loved every minute of the two tours we did with the very informative and entertaining Nigel. Both tours were first class - Stonehenge day tour and half day Cotswold's. The small tour group is highly appealing in a comfortable minibus. We loved the commentary and all the background information. The tours also get you off the well worn tourist track so you can experience the real UK. My son especially loved our stop at the very interesting Nunney Castle. We all loved the stops for afternoon teas and lunch. The places chosen are authentically British and the food fabulous. Nigel went out of his way to make sure each tour participant enjoyed every aspect and any questions answered though you didn't need to ask much as Nigel gave great commentary and history. While the tours may seem a little more expensive than others the bespoke nature and quality make up for it. You won't be disappointed with any aspect. Thanks Nigel for a great few days in Bath.