Helen Houston

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Helen is  a ‘“daughter of the rock”’…this means she was born and brought up in Stirling. Her life was steeped in the history and culture of Scotland from the very start, her first family home overlooked the River Forth and the Wallace Monument and then the family moved to a house which looked out at the magnificent and imposing Stirling Castle 

As a child Helen loved hearing the stories of life through the ages from both her school history teacher and her father.  Helen absorbed their love for the country and its history and now she is delighted to be able to weave some of their tales into her tours. 

Helen attended the High School of Stirling and then went on to Edinburgh University where she studied English Literature and History. During her time at university Helen explored her beloved country, cycling through the highlands, sailing in the Western Isles, walking in the Cairngorms and skiing in the mountains.  As it was the swinging sixties and realising that she did not want to be a schoolteacher, Helen decided to seek her fortune elsewhere and leave Stirling.

She joined the National Coal Board as a management trainee, this meant a move to London and work in the Industrial Relations Department at a very interesting time for the coal industry. While enjoying the sights and sounds of the big city during that moment in history she also gained her PG Diploma in Personnel Management (now known as Human Resource Management). 

As the Coal industry was shrinking, Helen moved to East Anglia to the Personnel Department of the newly formed Anglian Water Authority and after a few years in a very busy and rewarding job she moved back to Scotland, as she always knew she would.  This time with a husband and two young children!

Helen began work at Moray College of Further Education in Elgin and, having decided that she was never going to teach, found, much to her surprise, that she loved teaching adults.  Helen continued working in FE for 20 years, moving to Lauder College in Dunfermline, another city.at the heart of Scotland’s story. 

Helen’s love for travel and adventure within her own country extends to the wider world. She has been fortunate to visit and explore many countries, from Europe and United States of America to South Africa and the Far East. In 2003 Helen visited Japan and was completely blown away by the tourist guide they had in Tokyo, she seemed to have a wonderful job and Helen decided that it was something she would love to do in Scotland. Helen resigned from her job at the college and started a 18 month training course at Edinburgh University to become a Blue Badge Scottish Tourist Guide. 

The course was a wonderful transition from a very busy life in College into a new career.  It involved both academic and practical skills and spending time with other students examining and learning about all the nooks and crannies of Scotland. 

Qualifying in 2008, Helen became a Tourist Guide, this has realised all her ambition of a further career working with and meeting fascinating people, she loves this new career.

Outside of guiding her interests are wide and varied, she enjoys crafting and reading, linking them to her love of Scotland. Helen has eight grandchildren and loves creating memories and experiences for them. Her children and grandchildren have all heard stories of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, the fairy folk, kings and queens and visited many magical places in Scotland, places and sites that Helen would love to show you. 

Helen would share with you stories, secrets and myths from Scotland’s historic past and show you some of Scotland’s hidden gems. Learning more about her country and about other countries from the people she meets, is very satisfying and is never ending.  

Long may it continue.

To connect and journey well with Helen, visit her on social media:

Facebook @tourscotlandwithhelen www.facebook.com/tourscotlandwithhelen

Instagram @tourscotlandwithhelen www.instagram.com/tourscotlandwithhelen

Facebook @scottishblethers www.facebook.com/scottishblethers

Instagram @scottishblethers www.instagram.com/scottishblethers