A new Derry walking tour has been established to bring the history of the Waterside area to life.
Traditionally, many Derry walking tours would not cross the peace bridge into the Waterside, but David Douglas of Derrie Danders has sought to change this, with a special 'Wonders of the Waterside' tour.
David spoke to MyDerry about how the idea for this tour came about. He said: "I often do personalised tours. If there is a group that want a specific tour I will try my best to accommodate that.
"Someone asked me if I could do a tour of the Waterside area, and it grew from there."
The tour begins and finishes from the peace tree at Browning Drive in Ebrington Square.
The tour passes along notable areas of important Derry history, such as St. Brecan's Church and the Ebrington Factory.
The tour gives people an interesting insight into important Derry history that can often be overlooked. David said: "St. Brecan's Church, situated in St. Columb's Park, is thought to be the oldest building in the city.
"It seemed strange that it was not included on tours or places for tourists to visit, when it is so accessible from the city side."
Walkers will pass many murals on Bonds St, signifying Waterside history, including the history of Ebrington Barracks.
At Ebrington Factory, there is a plaque marking the history of the factory, sponsored by Derry Trades Union Council.
Installations of art inside the factory illustrate times gone by of factory women working inside the factory.
The tour visits churches lining Clooney Terrace and Chapel Road, including one with a Russian cannon from the Crimean War in its garden.
Derry's distillery and railway history is also brought to light in the walking tour, leading walkers back towards Ebrington Square.
There are plenty of opportunities for coffee breaks along the walking tour, giving it a relaxed feel. Walking through Ebrington Square, walkers can enjoy views of the city side of Derry and stop at the several establishments situated in the Square.
The walking tour can be tailored to specific requests and needs. David encourages groups to take advantage of this new aspect of Derry history to learn about some areas you may not yet be familiar with.
As part of the European Heritage Open Days, David is offering a number of free audio tour codes to a number of Derry tours, delving into maritime history, the Bogside and shirt factory history.
These codes allow people to complete a walking tour using only their phone.
For a free audio tour, David asks that people like and share the new Derrie Danders Facebook page and contact the page for a free audio tour code.
More information on this tour and others can be found on the Derrie Danders website.
For more De rry news, visit our new site MyDerry.
