Travel broadens the mind and enriches the soul

I take enormous pleasure in sharing my deep love of Napoleonic campaigns, from Waterloo to the Peninsular, taking like-minded guests on journeys of discovery that neither books nor social media will ever convey. Nothing beats standing on the ground where momentous events happened all those years ago, breathing the air, gazing across the now peaceful, inspiring, wonderful landscapes, all mixed with great hotels, food, wine, culture and bonhomie.

Critical thinking

In treating tour guests to top quality touring, real depth of historical understanding is critical. True understanding is gained not from reading books, social media or visiting two or three times, but thirty, fifty times or more, studying battlefield topography in all weathers, all seasons, to see these places in a new light, to really challenge and grasp the full meaning of the cherished eyewitness accounts of the day. This is the experience I aim to offer on tour, and why I go so far beyond the history books, sharing fresh discoveries, interpretations and leading our guests to and through otherwise forgotten events and unique places.

Travel should be a joy

Pleasure and relaxation is critical to a good vacation. Yet the foolish malevolence and economic incompetence of our so-called leaders threatens so much that we used to take for granted. It’s as if none of them have learned from history! Despite the grand pronouncements, ‘full vaccination’ restrictions continue across much of Europe, including most of the key countries that we visit, whilst other ongoing disruptions for many of our international travellers means we have once again been been unable to offer our quality touring in 2022. 

2023

If it is safe and legal, we fully intend to be back in 2023, with a refreshed range of scheduled and bespoke tours. Our Small Group Tours start in May across Portugal and deep into Spain, in June with our famous Waterloo Anniversary Battlefield & Campaign tour, and in July across the Pyrenees (and Rioja!). And of course our bespoke tours for those seeking one-to-one or family journeys of distinction will continue at all times of the year. If you’d like to join our waiting list and be the first to receive the details, or do a special trip of your own, do let me know. The interest is building, and it’ll be a pleasure to meet you over there.

Website

Having been unable to tour for a few years it seems fitting to refresh the website. Out with the old, in with the new. In the meantime I continue to advise and support genuine authors with their exciting research. From Simon Lewis’ “Waterloo: Making an Epic” (the incredible story of the 1970 film) to Pierre de Wit’s deep and wondrous 10-volume privately published “The Campaign of 1815” on Waterloo, and occasional forays with Andrew Field’s latest works. It is a pleasure to be modestly involved at the cutting-edge of fresh historical interpretation, and it all helps our unique in-the-field research and tour capabilities. If you’d like to know more about any of these authors’ works, and why I recommend them, please do get in touch.

My very best wishes to tour guests old and new,

Robert Pocock, June 2022

Founder – Director – Guide