Hetty's History Walks: Edinburgh Uncovered
Hetty's History Walks: Edinburgh Uncovered
Hetty's History Walks: Edinburgh Uncovered
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About
Hi, I'm Hetty, a local history geek with a passion for people, buildings and landscapes. My home for over 30 years, I think Edinburgh is amazing. I specialise in private and small group walking tours that look at the city's rich social and urban history.
My tours are well-researched with no costumed theatrics or sensationalist stories, because Edinburgh's history really doesn't need any dressing up! Visit my website to find out more...
This is a Private Individual
This supplier provides experiences as a private individual and not as a business. This means that you may not be protected under the same consumer protection rules under EU and UK law if you book an experience with them. However, you will be provided with the same customer service as with any other booking if you book through our platform.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Why book with Hetty's History Walks: Edinburgh Uncovered
- I started Hetty's History Walks in 2019 to share my love of the city and its history.
- With a lifelong interest in history and culture, I hold an MA (Hons) in Social and Architectural History from the University of Edinburgh and enjoy working with a variety of local heritage groups.
- English
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
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5.0
40 reviews
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David C
Edinburgh, UK18 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Hetty’s tour was really great. We had a party of 4, two of us from Edinburgh and two from the USA. As a long time resident of Edinburgh I thought I was reasonably knowledgeable but I learned a lot, improved/corrected my understanding of familiar places and discovered unfamiliar places 😎. I strongly recommend Hetty to residents of Edinburgh & Scotland.
Our US guests were delighted with the tour and felt it was a high point of their Scottish visit. They left with a strong sense of the history and culture of the city. I’ve already spotted their Facebook photos now enriched with interesting commentary lifted from their learnings on the tour.
Hetty is extremely knowledgeable and delivers her stories really well. She’s fun to be with too! A very pleasant afternoon, cannot recommend highly enough ..do this tour!
Our US guests were delighted with the tour and felt it was a high point of their Scottish visit. They left with a strong sense of the history and culture of the city. I’ve already spotted their Facebook photos now enriched with interesting commentary lifted from their learnings on the tour.
Hetty is extremely knowledgeable and delivers her stories really well. She’s fun to be with too! A very pleasant afternoon, cannot recommend highly enough ..do this tour!
Written 24 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
Thank you so much for your lovely review. I'm very glad that the tour was enjoyable for you all, it can be tricky catering for a mix of visitors and locals so I'm delighted I managed to hit the right pitch. Thanks again for booking with me, it was wonderful to meet you all and your curiosity and humour made your group a real pleasure to be with!
Written 24 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Evan R
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Solo
I enjoyed a very entertaining tour with Hetty! For English not being my native tongue I understood everything very well because she tells lively and approachable, a very good (hi)storyteller.
You can tell that she researches very thoroughly, structured and up to date and I liked the picture material that she integrates on the tour for a better understanding.
The stops we made were very well chosen because they were very different from one another, yet all very reachable and not in the crowded main paths so concentrating was easy for me. Ending on Calton Hill is an excellent choice giving you some room to overlook the gathered knowledge.
Thank you again for a very enjoyable day and sharing your love for the city and your last tour for this year with me!
You can tell that she researches very thoroughly, structured and up to date and I liked the picture material that she integrates on the tour for a better understanding.
The stops we made were very well chosen because they were very different from one another, yet all very reachable and not in the crowded main paths so concentrating was easy for me. Ending on Calton Hill is an excellent choice giving you some room to overlook the gathered knowledge.
Thank you again for a very enjoyable day and sharing your love for the city and your last tour for this year with me!
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed your tour. Thank you for your interesting questions on the day and for taking the time to leave a review - a great way to finish this years scheduled tours. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip around Scotland - it looks like you've got some great autumnal weather for your time in the Highlands!
Written 13 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Graces of G
2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
I’m not surprised Hetty has nothing but 5 Stars- her tour was Amazing. Informative, interesting and incredibly knowledgeable about history, architecture, culture and everything in between- Hetty made it fun and fascinating. She adapted to our interests, even as they evolved during the tour, but made sure we saw as much of both the old part of Edinburgh and the ‘new’ part as possible with so many hidden treasures. And all while we peppered her non stop with questions:). Hetty brought Edinburgh alive for us in a way a guidebook never could have. If I could give this tour 10 stars I would. Don’t. Miss. This.
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed your tour and thank you for your enthusiasm, both in this review and on the day! Wonderful to meet you, and the rest of your group, and I hope you'll be back in Edinburgh again soon.
Written 13 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emma G
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Booked myself, my family and a friend onto Hetty’s 900 Years in 90 Minutes walking tour to learn a bit more about the nitty-gritty of the city I called home since 1986. Turns out I was missing out on way more than I could’ve ever imagined and ventured to areas of the city I’ve never been to (shame on me). We’d all learned something new by the end! Hetty was able to answer all the additional questions we had along the way, and her knowledge/passion for her city & the local history was evident. Covers a good distance but is taken at a gentle pace with plenty opportunities to take in the scenery. I’d thoroughly recommend to locals as well as visitors.
Written 12 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
Thank you for your great review! It was lovely to meet you all and I'm delighted that I could show you bits of the city you hadn't seen before. You were a great group to take on tour - fun, easy-going and with lots of interesting questions - it felt like I was out with friends rather than at work! Thank you for making my job such a pleasure :)
Written 13 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Iain McMillan
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Solo
Hetty's 900 years in 90 minutes was surprising and revealing: full of interesting insights and memorable facts about Edinburgh's social history, architecture, and industries. You could almost smell the breweries whose buildings are now repurposed. Sheep's wool as building insulation? And quite a few aha! moments. I finally see what all those crow-step gables are about. Hetty is a trained historian and clearly loves Edinburgh and its history. She's clear, a great communicator, and happy to share many beguiling details about Edinburgh's past. A very memorable experience. I want to take her other tours!
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
Thank you for your kind words and how wonderful that the tour gave you some 'aha' moments - I couldn't ask for more! It was lovely to get such interesting questions from you and I very much enjoyed chatting to you along the way.
Written 13 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vacation47259196614
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Having lived in the area for over 30 years I thought I had a good understanding of Edinburgh's history. Hefty taught me so much more and will be looking to book another soon.
Written 24 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
It's always wonderful to have locals on tour and I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and discovered new things about this lovely city we call home. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, it's much appreciated and I look forward to seeing you again sometime!
Written 25 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ford B
Edinburgh, UK33 contributions
Jul 2023
What a smashing walking tour of the industrial past of Abbeyhill. Full of fascinating insights and very friendly and fun company with Hetty and other walkers. Despite being brought up a mile away, I learned much about this key area in the city’s development. I'm looking forward to booking on Hetty’s tour of Calton Hill. Highly recommended.
Written 12 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
Thank you for your lovely review! It's always wonderful to have Edinburgh locals out on tour and I'm delighted I could add to your knowledge of the city - I look forward to seeing you on another history walk in the not too distant future :D
Written 13 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mika L
new york1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Friends
Hetty's tour was perfect. Fun and informative. Hetty is completely charming and very knowledgeable about the history, traditions and buildings, and knows how to tell the stories. Our 3-hour tour was the perfect introduction to our 4 day stay in Edinburgh. Hearing about the buildings and monuments as we walked around really added a layer to our experience. The small group size permitted a lot of interaction. Additionally, Hetty was very helpful with recommendations about her town and for our road trip out of Edinburgh. We really felt like we had a local friend. You will not be disappointed.
Written 10 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
I'm so glad you enjoyed your 'Historic City Sights' tour and that it got your holiday off to a good start. I had great fun meeting you all - folk like you are why I love my job so much! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review it's much appreciated, best wishes Hetty
Written 10 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gwen
3 contributions
Jun 2023
This afternoon I enjoyed Hetty's Contrasts of Calton Hill walking tour. Hetty was very knowledgable and informative and enhanced her walking tour with old maps and other visual images. She introduced me to aspects of the hill I did not know about as I always go to the top part where the main monuments are situated. The parts below and around the main part of the hill and the third new town around Regent Terrace, Carlton Terrace nad Royal Terrace were particularly interesting. As the title suggests, Hetty showed the two sides to the hill and its environs - where the rich lived and how the poor eked out a living in often dark dismal surroundings. Being a washerwoman on the hill must have been very hard work. It is also hard to imagine how difficult it must have been to carry all the building materials up to the hill to build the first observatory. Fascinating too was the origin of the word panoroma. I learned so much and cannot thank Hetty enough. Even better I had her all to myself as I was the sole participant on the tour.
Written 18 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
It's always lovely to have Edinburgh locals out on tour and I'm so glad you enjoyed discovering new things about this wonderful city we both call home. It was great to meet you and I really appreciate you finding the time to leave me such a fabulous review!
Written 19 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jeremy
Greater London, UK3 contributions
Apr 2023
I got one of Hetty's tours as a bespoke tour for my elderly parents. Hetty put a lot of effort into tailoring it for them and they really enjoyed it. I would very much recommend Hetty's tours as something a bit out of the ordinary and the bespoke tour as a present was very reasonably priced and very good
Written 22 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hettyshistorywalks
Thank you for your lovely review and recommendation for my tours. I was more than happy to tailor the tour to your parents requirements and I'm delighted that they enjoyed their leisurely stroll exploring the Water of Leith and its history.
Written 23 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience