This is definitely a first for me reviewing a guided walk and possibly not the last. Guildford Shakespeare Company ran walks during spring and summer. Using actors and local knowledge to devise these walking tours.

The self-guided routes are only revealed on the day. You set off from a location only revealed to you by email 72 hours before. When you turn up, the staff are welcoming and friendly and explain everything to you before you set off.

Each of the group members is given a paper map with the route you are bout to follow mapped out, and as you walk along, there are actors along the way who entertain you by reciting a piece from a Shakespeare piece of work. It ranges from a section from one of his sonnets to an extract from a play.

Don’t worry about getting lost as there are some neon yellow arrow signs along the route with “GSC” on them directing you to the actors. Don’t expect to see people dressed in period costumes as they are designed to blend into the background.

The walking tour group that I joined was roughly around twenty people. Others in the group had done several guided walks over the years and spoke highly of Guildford Shakespeare Company and thoroughly recommended them.

These walks tend to require a lot of walking. Due to the cobbled paths and roads in Guildford, the terrain will be unsuitable for those with mobility issues. There’s nothing the company can do to rectify this, unfortunately, so please do read their advisory notes. Wear decent footwear. Prior knowledge of the works by Shakespeare might prove to be helpful, but it’s not mandatory.

It’s a really sociable experience, and due to walking around some of the side streets, you get to see areas of Guildford that you probably would walk past and wouldn’t normally see. A great way to spend just over an hour listening to Shakespeare and discovering new areas.

Four Stars.

https://www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk/community-tour/