Welcome to Virtual Tours & Sound Walks

Introduction >> We create Virtual Tours and Sound Walks for visitor attractions and heritage organisations. They are audio tours and walks that work on smartphones, tablets and computers. As our system integrates with JustGiving and PayPal, they can become new revenue streams for visitor attractions. Carry on reading to find out how they work and to try them out...

Virtual Tours >> Our Virtual Tours use well-established technologies. Try these first as they're accessible through a web browser and don't need a smartphone App installing. They allow people to 'virtually' visit somewhere and listen to tour guides, without needing to be there. That said, they can be used whilst actually visiting a walk's location. They are made up from sets of spherical panoramas, sometimes known as 360° photographs; with audio attached to some, or all of them. They work well in places where there is limited or no GPS signal, such as inside buildings. To try a Virtual Tour, please click one of the green Virtual Tour ticks in the Featured Tours & Walks section below.

Sound Walks >> Compared to Virtual Tours, our Sound Walks use much newer technologies. They don't work on a computer; you'll need to install a free App on your smartphone, that will then use the phone's GPS data to play back audio relating to your current location. They work best when you actually follow a walk, though it is possible to listen to walks without needing to physically visit the positions of each of the sounds (or echoes as they're also called) in the walk. Our Sound Walks work on Android and iPhone smartphones. What's also good with them is that it's possible to download a walk before you set off; which is useful if you are in an area with limited internet access. To try a walk, assuming you're viewing this page on a smartphone, click one of the pink sound walk ticks below. Then, if you've not already got the Echoes App installed, you can download and install it. Once it's installed, come back here and click the pink tick again and the walk will open up in the app. If you're not actually at the location of a walk, you can listen to the audio by following the guidelines here: vtsw.uk/echoes.

Introduction to Virtual Tours & Sound Walks >> In this initial section you can find an overview of the functionality of various tours and walks that we have created that should provide you with a good understanding of the range of capabilities and features we have. Please read the notes associated with each tour and walk to understand what each is demonstrating.
Danilia Village, Corfu, Greece. To get you started, this is an example of a basic virtual tour and sound walk: This village was built in the 1970's replicating old Corfuian villages. It is, in effect, a small open-air museum that provides you with an insight into what life was like in Corfu in the 1930's. Danilia has been a backdrop for a number of international movies, television series and commercials. Some that have been filmed here include the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, the 2023 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, the 1978 film The Greek Tycoon and The Durrells, the 2016-2019 English TV series about a family that moved to Corfu in the 1930s.
National Trust, Belton House, Grantham. Here is a very interesting sound walk which you can try out without needing to visit Belton House. Check https://vtsw.uk/echoes/ to do so: A walk around Belton Park with Chris Shaw, the Belton House Head Ranger. This free sound walk is about an hour and a half's walking time. It has twenty-nine points of interest and just under twenty minutes of audio.
National Trust, Woolsthorpe Manor House. This virtual tour demonstrates our multi-lingual capabilities and is available is English, French and Spanish: Woolsthorpe Manor, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth near Grantham in Lincolnshire, is the birthplace and was the family home of Sir Isaac Newton.
St Mary de Castro, Leicester. Here is a great example of how we can integrate our tours and walks with JustGiving, the proceeds of which go direct to the church: This ancient, Grade I listed church in Leicester is located within the former bailey of Leicester Castle. Today it acts as a parish church in the Church of England's diocese of Leicester. "St Mary de Castro" is Latin for "St Mary of the Castle"; a name chosen to differentiate it from nearby "St Mary de Pratis": "St. Mary of the Meadows" (Leicester Abbey). This is a good example of how we can integrate JustGiving with our Virtual Tours. The free Sound Walk and Virtual Tour contain around 25 minutes of audio.
Talliston House & Gardens. Here we have integrated a virtual tour with PayPal, providing the attraction owner with a new revenue stream: Once an ordinary council house in an ordinary cul-de-sac, Talliston House & Gardens has been transformed into Britain's Most Extraordinary Home. It features thirteen themed rooms, each with its own unique story and sounds. The rooms incorporate 1,821 objects from 27 different countries. It is truly a place of enchantment! The start of this tour is freely available on a 'try before you buy' basis, then when you get to the end of the free sample if you would like to see the rest of the tour, you will need to make a payment with PayPal.
Rutland Water: This is our first go at a SOUND RIDE! It has been created so that if you're cycling around Rutland Water you can hear about the history of various points of interest as you go around it. If you'd like to walk it, it'll still work, but you'll have long gaps between the various echoes. There's no specific start or finish point, so you can start at anywhere on the loop. Also, this sound walk has been created to support the Leicestershire and Rutland charity, Hope Against Cancer. If you enjoy it, please consider making a donation to the charity by visiting Hope against Cancer's JustGiving Page and clicking the Donate button.

Latest Tours & Walks >> Here's the latest tours and walks that we have created. As above, to access one, just click the tick that's adjacent to the one you'd like to try. Alternatively, you can find them all here on Google Maps.
Appleton St. Mary's: Appleton is eight miles north-east by east from King's Lynn. The Church of St Mary has been a ruin since 1707 when Appleton Hall, owned by the famous Paston family, burned down and the family left the hamlet.
Carstone Shale Wall and Boulder: Near Holme-next-the-Sea, is the "Carstone Shale Wall and Boulder" is an art installation created by artist John Sands. The installation features a wall constructed from Carstone shale - a sedimentary sandstone conglomerate rich in iron oxide, giving it a distinctive rusty ginger colour - and a prominent boulder.
King's Lynn Minster: Also known as the Minster Church of Saint Margaret, this is a prominent historical and architectural landmark located in King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. The church is a significant example of medieval architecture and has a rich history, both as a place of worship and a part of the local community's identity.
St. Mary's Church, Anmer: This is a charming church in the small village of Anmer. When the main features of this church were built, the great family of Calthorpe were Lords of the Manor. The South Chapel was built onto the church by Sir Oliver Calthorpe in the 14th century. The name of Calthorpe is frequently repeated in the list of patrons until Anmer passed to the Coldham family in 1678. Now the parish of about 1400 acres is part of the Royal Estate.
St. Mary's Church, Islington: St Mary's Church in Islington, near Tilney All Saints in Norfolk, is a partially ruined medieval Anglican church with a rich architectural and historical legacy.
Warham Camp, Iron Age Fort: Warham Camp is an Iron Age hillfort located in Norfolk, England, and it offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of ancient peoples in Britain, dating back to around 500 BCE to 100 CE. It is a scheduled monument and stands as one of the largest and most impressive hillforts in the East of England, with significant archaeological and historical importance. It is arguably the best earthwork of this period in the region. It is a circular structure with an overall diameter of 212m.

Featured Tours & Walks >> Here's some tours and walks that we have created that give a good overview of the range of capabilities and features. To access one, just click the tick that's adjacent to the one you'd like to try. Alternatively, you can find them all here on Google Maps.
Barnsdale Secret Nut Walk: The green spaces at Barnsdale are home to over 100 young trees. An orchard of apple varieties, with 60 trees, was planted in 2012 on the south-facing slope at the entrance to the car parking area. Then in 2016, a 'nuttery' of 50 trees was planted in a snaking line from the orchard to the entrance to Barnsdale Wood.
Barrow Common WW2 Radar Station: Situated on top of the hill overlooking Brancaster Staithe and less than a mile from the sea, Barrow Common has views across to the Staithe, Scolt Head, out to The Wash, and a history of the Second World War...
Burrough Hill Fort: Burrough Hill Fort stands on an ironstone promontory approximately 210 meters (690 feet) above sea level. The site commands panoramic views over the surrounding Leicestershire countryside for miles around. Human activity in the area dates back to at least the Mesolithic period.
Billesdon Heritage Trail: Located nine miles east of Leicester within open rolling countryside, Billesdon has existed for over a thousand years as an agriculture-based community. This sound walk, with permission, has been based upon a Heritage Trail published by Visit Harborough District: www.visitharborough.com
Launde Abbey: Launde Abbey is located in Leicestershire, England, 14 miles east of the city of Leicester and 6 miles south west of Oakham in Rutland. The house was built on the site of the Augustinian Launde Priory. The Grade II listed building is predominantly used as a conference and retreat centre by the Church of England dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough.
Market Harborough Heritage Trail: A Royal Charter allowed a market to be held outside the settlements of Arden, Little Bowden and Great Bowden. This walk will take you around the town, where you will see many interesting buildings and learn a little about the town's history. This sound walk, with permission, has been based upon a Heritage Trail published by Visit Harborough District: www.visitharborough.com
Medbourne Heritage Trail: Situated on the edge of the Welland Valley, within quiet, unspoilt countryside, the village of Medbourne is found on the B664, seven miles from both Market Harborough and Uppingham. Highly attractive, its central feature is the stream, which runs alongside the church and under the mediaeval pack-horse bridge. The cottages are mostly built from honey coloured stone and these, together with the brook, make Medbourne a photogenic location, especially in the spring. This sound walk, with permission, has been based upon a Heritage Trail published by Visit Harborough District: www.visitharborough.com
National Trust, Runnymede and Ankerwycke: Runnymede - from Old English runieg (council island) and mede (meadow) - was the location for the sealing of the Magna Carta by King John on the fifteenth of June 1215. There is a memorial to John F Kennedy in this walk.
North Norfolk Coast History: This isn't a 'walk' as such, it's more a collection of interesting places in North Norfolk. Some are close to each other, but generally they tend to be quite far apart. You could walk between them, but it would take you a while!
Ruins of St. Andrew's Church, Great Bircham: From a visual point of view, this is one of the least interesting churches we have found in North Norfolk. As you'll see, the whole site is very much overgrown and there's not much left of the church.
St. Mary The Virgin Church, Burrough-on-the-Hill: In the village of Burrough on the Hill, located in the county of Leicestershire, this church stands as a historic and architectural landmark, with a history that spans over many centuries. It is an essential part of the village heritage and has witnessed the transformation of the area throughout the ages.
St Mary's Church, Fulmodeston: Nestled amongst the trees of Fulmodeston village, reside the unique ruins of Saint Mary's Church. Once complete with its own graveyard, this previously breathtaking church is now crumbling, swathed in brambles and cascading vines.
The Williamson Tunnels: The Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool are a mysterious network of underground passageways, constructed in the early 19th century by eccentric philanthropist Joseph Williamson. Originally intended for employment of local workers during a period of economic hardship, their precise purpose remains a subject of intrigue and speculation.

Work in Progress >> As above, to access a tour or a walk, just click the tick that's adjacent to the one you'd like to try:
English Heritage, Baconsthorpe Castle: The extensive ruins of Baconsthorpe Castle, a moated and fortified 15th century manor house, are a testament to the rise and fall of a prominent Norfolk family. Over 200 years, successive generations of the ambitious Heydons family, built, then enlarged and finally abandoned this castle. Pending feedback.
English Heritage, Lyddington Bede House, Rutland: This is currently just panoramas. We're waiting for the go-ahead to make the recordings of the tour guides.
Holkham Hall, Norfolk: Thomas Coke, the first Earl of Leicester, conceived this Palladian Hall as his vision of an Italian villa on the windswept North Norfolk coast. The family has lived in this house continuously since the 1750s, though at Holkham since 1612. They take great pride and joy in sharing the house and its treasures, the deer park and Holkham beach, with visitors. This is just a sample to show the Holkham team what's possible with a Holkham Sound Walk.
Oakham Castle, Rutland: Discover England's most complete surviving Norman Hall. Take a step back in time, through the ancient gateway, to explore Oakham Castle. This is just a sample to show the Oakham Castle team what's possible with an Oakham Castle Sound Walk.
Seahenge, Lynn Museum, Norfolk: In the summer of 1998 the shifting sands of Holme beach on the north Norfolk coast revealed something extraordinary. Preserved in the sand were the remains of a unique timber circle dating back over 4000 years, to the Early Bronze Age. This is just a sample to show the Norfolk Museums Service team what's possible with a Seahenge Virtual Tour.

Virtual Tours & Sound Walks accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or injury whilst undertaking a tour or walk, at any location; everyone does so at their own risk. Also, please be considerate to others and do not play the audio too loud - preferably please use headphones. If you enjoy any of our tours or walks, please *do* let the team that manage the visitor attraction know!

Benefits >> Virtual Tours and Sound Walks are great solutions for those with accessibility issues, as it's possible to 'virtually' access every place that's in a tour or a walk. As they're quick to create and publish, they lend themselves to seasonal presentations and events, such as Easter egg hunts, Halloween, Christmas, etc.. Our integration with JustGiving and PayPal means that they can become new revenue streams for the owners and managers of a whole range of visitor attractions. Tours and walks can be delivered in a range of languages, so exposing visitor attractions to a worldwide audience. Visitors can view a tour or walk before, during and after an actual visit. By viewing tours and walks from home, there's huge savings in travel time and associated costs. Visitor destinations are effectively 'open' all day and night, 365 days a year. Virtual Tours and Sound Walks encourage repeat visits, as people find out about places at a visitor attraction, that they didn't already know about... ...and most importantly, they are engaging a whole new generation of 'tech-savvy' younger visitors, for the long term.

Could this be for You? >> If you own or manage a visitor attraction and would like to find out about what we could do for you, please contact us, regardless of where your attraction might be, as we have the capability to, remotely, work worldwide. Don't forget, this could become a new revenue stream for you...

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