Sunday 23rd June

Huge anxiety today.

Sean, one of the more experienced guides from our Green Badge course, passed a job over, guiding a group of English speaking tourists around Castell Coch. As I have been volunteering there for 3 months, I felt I had more than enough subject knowledge to lead the tour, but taking on my first paid  job since getting my qualification was daunting. I had been told the party would be around 17 people, but not who they were or where they were coming from. All were I had was a contact number for Mariella, an Italian Tour Organiser and a company name, Insight Tours, with no idea of what sort of tours they organise.

 As it turned out, both my confidence and my fears were founded. Mariella usually took her tours to Cardiff Castle as this was close to the hotel and easily accessible for large coaches. This particular Sunday, Cardiff Castle was closed as they were setting up for a series of summer concerts in the grounds, so she chose Castell Coch instead. With a group of 17, I had expected a small coach. The first indication I had that this may not be the case was a WhatsApp message to say they were planning to leave Ludlow at 12.30 and expected to be with be with me around quarter to two.

I was too excited to question this, but a quick check on Google Maps would have told me that the earliest they could cover the 80 miles would be by 2.15, more likely 2.30. When it did turn up, the coach was a monster and most of the passengers were staying on board to go direct to their hotel. The coach driver was not in the best of moods as, although his coach could squeeze through the gates (barely), he had 50 tons of luggage on board and the drive is extremely steep. I had picked out a turning spot large enough for a large vehicle, but when we got there someone had parked a car in the way. He informed me that he was not supposed to visit this site because of the known access issues.

The Tour Organiser pooh-poohed all this and went of to pay admission while my party got off the bus, leaving me directing an irate coach driver, who was nervous of hitting overhanging beech trees. Lesson number 1: the Tour operator is in charge, but never assume they know what they are doing! Coach drivers are your competent allies in making up for the Tour Operator’s lapses.

 Once my group had alighted, everything started to go as planned. Mariella and a grumpy coach driver disappeared, promising to return at 4pm and leaving me with an assorted group from Australia, New Zealand and the USA, who were all booked on a European cruise that had landed in the North of England, sending them off on a coach tour of the UK. I introduced myself and gave my introduction on the history of the castle.

Then came a necessary break for group photos on the drawbridge, with me as team cameraman in charge of half a dozen mobile phones. My wife insists I have no eye for a photo and, while I cannot disagree, everyone seemed happy with the results. In an ideal world, I would include my own photo of the group here but, in my excitement and inexperience, the one phone camera I didn’t use was my own. Lesson number 2: Always make time for photos (and get permission to use them). They make blogs more interesting.

 Once inside, my knowledge of the history and the layout of the castle kicked in and I led our group from the courtyard to the Well Tower, up to the Banqueting Room, Drawing Room, Winch room, 3 bedrooms, the Hunt Room and up to the old Chapel Vestry, stopping in each to give (hopefully) amusing and appropriate commentary. I got caught out twice; once when someone asked the dimensions of Lady Margaret’s bedroom – I followed the lessons from my course and confessed ignorance, but it turned out that none of the full time staff knew either. The second slip was when I commented that there was no public access to the the minstrel gallery above the Drawing Room as one of our larger American visitors had become firmly wedged in the narrow space behind the pillars only to be met by a howl of outrage complaining that it’s always the Americans that get picked on for their weight. By way of apology, I pointed out that Wales has recently overtaken the USA in the international obesity stakes. Lesson number 3: When trying to be witty, don’t pick on any national groups that may be represented in the audience.

 The tour finished at 3.55, which just gave time for a quick visit to the Cadw shop before re-boarding the coach, which had turned up at 4pm sharp. One of the comments was that my “timing had been impeccable”. Tips were desultory, but gratefully accepted and covered my beer money for the week. As the coach disappeared down the drive, much more controllable now that luggage had been unloaded, I heaved a sigh of relief, gave myself 7/10 for a job competently, but not exceptionally executed and headed off for a walk in the surrounding, 600 year old beech wood, to reflect on the day, what had gone well and what had been less good, before returning home to debrief to Ghislaine. The main lessons are included in this blog and my biggest regret is that, without a website and a Facebook page up and running, I cannot yet get formal feedback on how to improve.

Next step – website and formal business launch!