“Highly recommend this glorious thing, 2 hours, 3 pubs, tall tales, what’s not to like?” — Kathryn Davies, Director of Tourism, Visit West
“excellent research… charismatic delivery… comedy… with a little vicarious thrill of terror” — Bristol 24/7
Walk in Blackbeard’s footsteps around Bristol docks and learn the true history of the city's infamous Pirates and Privateers. Discover Bristol's links with 'Treasure Island' and 'Robinson Crusoe'. Try a tankard at a couple of dockside hostelries, and learn a sea-shanty along the way.
Meet at the Golden Guinea Tavern in Redcliffe - on the street reputed to be Blackbeard's birthplace. From there your fully-qualified pirate guide will lead you back in time, through Bristol's old cobbled streets and docks, telling tales of Blackbeard and other Bristolian Buccaneers. Ted the Fact-Checking Parrot will be there too, to help you separate the fact from the fiction.
Visit the spot where Blackbeard's nemesis once lived - Woodes Rogers; Governor of the Bahamas, and the man who once rescued the real-life Robinson Crusoe! Discover his familial links with Stede Bonnet; gentleman pirate, Blackbeard's partner-in-crime (and perhaps more besides), and star of HBO's 'Our Flag Means Death'.
Drop in at the 18th Century Hole in the Wall - said to have inspired Long John Silver's Spyglass Inn in 'Treasure Island'. And did you know who invented the very first pirate treasure map? We'll show you where he lived.
All this, and the worst pirate jokes you’ll ever hear!
End at the Llandoger Trow - built in 1664 this pub is older than Blackbeard himself - a watering hole fit for any pirate. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, you'll then be able to join the free Sea Shanty Singing Nights held there.
-Photos by Zuleika Henry, Colin Moody, Matthew Price, Mohammed Tariq.