Derrie Danders Walking Tours

Hello! My name is David, and I am an experienced locally based guide, now in my second professional season running Derrie Danders Walking Tours.

The name Derrie was the original spelling of the city’s name by the English and Scottish planters in the city’s first charter of 1604, and I am from the Scottish plantation stock. A dander is a local term for a nice walk. The name avoids the Derry/Londonderry controversy and can be abbreviated to DD Walking Tours.

My profession as an accountant has allowed me to travel extensively in Europe and in particular in Spain, France, and Sweden. I always tried to learn about the local culture and history of the cities that I have visited, and a walking tour from a local guide has always been a must do experience.

From my own personal experiences as a tourist, I have learned what makes a good walking tour and I hope to deliver this as I convey to my clients the rich history of my home city and county of Derry/Londonderry.

I encourage visitors to “Linger longer in Londonderry” and enjoy a “Dander around Derry” and I can arrange a tour to suit you.

My mission is to provide informative and entertaining historical tours of interest to visitors to the area. I always strive to be “politically neutral” and “historically accurate”. Due to the wealth of historical information that exists about the city, the biggest challenge has not been what to include, but what to leave out!

Although I am some-one who lived in the city during “the Troubles” of 1969-1994, in my tours I deliberately do not focus on the details of that difficult period of the city’s recent history, preferring to concentrate on a wider period from its origins to the present day.

I was born, bred and am a lifetime resident of the city. I am a passionate student and reader of history. I am an “Old Boy” of Foyle College and a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast. I am a member of Tour Guides NI, and as such am public liability insured. I am also a long-time member of “The Friends of the Derry Walls” and other local Historical Societies.

I am steadily developing my contacts with other local tourist organisations and attractions and work as part of a connected and collaborative network for the benefit of visitors to the area. I am currently able to offer a number of add-on visits to attractions in the area, including the Guildhall, St Columb’s Cathedral, the Tower Museum, the Playhouse, the Blue Coat Heritage Centre and the St Columba Heritage Centre.

I have also developed a young person’s treasure hunt to keep the younger visitor engaged during my tours around the Derry Walls.

I have prepared a number of virtual tours and historical presentations in video format and they are available on either my YouTube channel or my Instagram page. I also have Facebook and Twitter social media accounts and have a presence on LinkedIn.

I invite you on my tours which can be fully customised for you, including visits to the outskirts of the city in the nearby Foyle and Faughan valleys, the Roe Valley, the North Coast (including the Giant’s Causeway) I have a particular interest in the Downhill Demesne. Please message me with your requests.

See you in Derry/Londonderry soon.

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