Mike Armitage

Mike Armitage

'A very memorable day with a very memorable guide!!'

Rob & Phil, California.

Hi, I’m Mike Armitage and I have been one of the foremost guides in London for ten years

Your time in London is precious, so don’t waste it.

London is one of the great cities of the world, and I can paint a vivid picture and give you so much more than a guidebook.

I’ll show you the celebrated sights – St. Paul’s Cathedral; the Tower of London; Buckingham Palace; Westminster Abbey; the British Museum; the National Gallery

Qualified to guide all the major attractions in London, I delight in showing visitors the hidden corners and fascinating details of both the historic and modern city. I also love meeting visitors to the UK and talking with them. As well as Britain and its history, I have recently had conversations as diverse as British road markings, the difference between ale and beer, where the London set episode of Columbo was filmed and whether Ringo Starr was a better drummer than he is normally given credit for.

About 70% of my clients are Americans, but I also take pleasure in showing British people some of their own capital city, and learning from them.

I am particularly interested in the history of the First and Second World Wars and enjoy taking visitors to the Churchill War Rooms (CWR), HMS Belfast, or the Imperial War Museum (IWM), as well as pointing out the still visible traces these conflicts and the Blitz have left in London

As a Windsor resident, my expertise in guiding Windsor Castle the late Queens favourite home, the town and Eton, is second to none. I also enjoy guiding Kensington Palace, a rather overlooked little gem in Kensington Gardens

I pride myself on my flexibility and will tailor any tour to YOUR requirements.

I don’t operate rigid itineraries and certainly don’t have fixed commentaries.

I manage group sizes from individuals, couples and family groups all the way up to large groups of 25 and conduct tours on foot, in cars, on coaches, and on public transport.

Let me know what your interests are and the make-up of your family or group and I’ll pull together a tour for a half or full day, or several days.

Born and raised in North London, I have lived in Windsor for 25 years. I spent much of my working life as a customs officer at Heathrow Airport and in central London to working for the British government, prior to training as a guide.

Married to Laura, I have 4 children, one of whom is a primary or elementary school teacher and the other three are studying at various universities around England.

I have a passion for wildlife, and for many years I helped to run the local Wildlife Watch Group for 7-12 year olds. When not showing clients around London and elsewhere, I delight in walking along the Thames and around Windsor Great Park. I also enjoy visiting the battlefields of France and Belgium, watching old, black and white movies, and researching my family tree, and peoples’ military service.

I obtained an endorsement to guide the 2012 London Olympic Games, and still consider the 2012 Olympics to be the best three weeks I have ever spent in London.

I try to remain cheerful despite following the mixed fortunes of Fulham Football Club.

keywords WW1  WW2 First World War  World War 2 World War 1 World War One World War Two

Languages

English

Top 5 Specialities

British Military History Tour

Imperial War Museum Tour

Windsor Castle Tour

St Paul’s Cathedral Tour

Churchill War Rooms Tour

Guide Calendar Last Update: 25th of March, 2024

March 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
 
1
2
3
AM
PM
EVE
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
AM
PM
EVE
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
AM
PM
EVE
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
AM
PM
EVE
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

April 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AM
PM
EVE
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
AM
PM
EVE
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
AM
PM
EVE
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
AM
PM
EVE
29
30
 
 
 
 
 

May 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
1
2
3
4
5
AM
PM
EVE
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
AM
PM
EVE
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
AM
PM
EVE
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
AM
PM
EVE
27
28
29
30
31
 
 

June 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
 
 
1
2
AM
PM
EVE
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
AM
PM
EVE
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
AM
PM
EVE
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
AM
PM
EVE
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

July 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
AM
PM
EVE
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
AM
PM
EVE
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
AM
PM
EVE
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
AM
PM
EVE
29
30
31
 
 
 
 

August 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
1
2
3
4
AM
PM
EVE
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
AM
PM
EVE
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
AM
PM
EVE
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
AM
PM
EVE
26
27
28
29
30
31
 

September 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
AM
PM
EVE
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
AM
PM
EVE
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
AM
PM
EVE
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
AM
PM
EVE
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
AM
PM
EVE
30
 
 
 
 
 
 

October 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
1
2
3
4
5
6
AM
PM
EVE
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
AM
PM
EVE
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
AM
PM
EVE
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
AM
PM
EVE
28
29
30
31
 
 
 

November 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
 
1
2
3
AM
PM
EVE
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
AM
PM
EVE
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
AM
PM
EVE
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
AM
PM
EVE
25
26
27
28
29
30
 

December 2024

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
 
 
 
1
AM
PM
EVE
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
AM
PM
EVE
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
AM
PM
EVE
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
AM
PM
EVE
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
AM
PM
EVE
30
31
 
 
 
 
 

January 2025

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
1
2
3
4
5
AM
PM
EVE
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
AM
PM
EVE
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
AM
PM
EVE
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
AM
PM
EVE
27
28
29
30
31
 
 

February 2025

MONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN
AM
PM
EVE
 
 
 
 
 
1
2
AM
PM
EVE
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
AM
PM
EVE
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
AM
PM
EVE
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
AM
PM
EVE
24
25
26
27
28
 
 
Green
means Guide is available,
Red
means Guide is unavailable

Simply put your name and email address in the form below, together with a brief message for the Guide, and hit the green 'Send' button. The Guide concerned will then reply as quickly as possible to discuss your requirements.






    Blog Posts

    American Entertainers In London During World War II & The Venues They Played

    During the Second World War London was home to, or visited by, tens of thousands of American Servicemen and women. When they wanted entertainment in the evenings they headed to the West End and the American Red Cross (ARC) Club was the first stop for many of them. There were several ARC clubs in London and many around the world offering meals and recreational activities, and the larger ones could provide overnight accommodations and facilities such as barbers and laundries.

    Read more

    Memorial At Westminster Abbey For Major John Andre - An Officer, A Gentleman And A Spy

    Westminster Abbey has over 3,000 burials and memorials within its precincts, commemorating royalty, poets, scientists, politicians, musicians and more. Booking a Westminster Abbey Tour with a Blue Badge Tourist Guide is a great way to learn about some fascinating features in the church that may go unnoticed by most visitors.

    Read more
    See all blog posts posted by Mike Armitage