AirBnB Experiences in Yorkshire: ‘You can come on my walking tours or try your hand at being a silversmith’

From foraging for wild food in the Yorkshire Moors to creating handmade chocolate and jewellery or going on a real ale tour with locals, there’s nothing like a bit of local knowledge when it comes to experiencing the best of Yorkshire.

So people registered on AirBnB have started offering their services as Yorkshire tour guides to visitors who want to enjoy the nearby landscape.

One of those is Lee Furness, from Sheffield, who had always dreamed of running his own walking tours alongside letting out rooms for tourists to stay in.

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As he loves nothing more than going hiking in the countryside, Lee began to volunteer to take his guests on days out walking.

Hiking lover Lee Furness is taking people on Air BnB ExperiencesHiking lover Lee Furness is taking people on Air BnB Experiences
Hiking lover Lee Furness is taking people on Air BnB Experiences

Globetrotter Lee said: “I’ve travelled the world as an air steward and hiked across some of the world’s most challenging mountains. But now I’m near retirement age. I wanted to offer that same hospitality to people visiting Yorkshire.

“It’s often said that us British aren’t as welcoming as other countries and cultures but I believe it to be different in Yorkshire. We are one of the friendliest places.”

Lee said that he came up with the idea after renting out rooms via AirBnB and hearing his guests had been ripped off by package tour companies who just bundle people about on big coaches.

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He said: “I know from travelling how the best experiences are those where you discover hidden gems and insights from those who live in the area.

“Living in Sheffield, I am lucky to be in one of the greenest cities in Yorkshire with parks aplenty. Plus we also live on the cusp of the Peak District.”

Lee had tried out Air BnB experiences on his own travels in recent years so he thought he’d try leading his own.

“I’ve started to take guests from my property on Queens Road in Sheffield and we head into the Peak District. We go hiking and then stop at Chatsworth for a picnic before going for a cup of tea in Bakewell.”

Lee said he has been shocked to receive five star reviews.

He added: “Many guests have mainly been from South East Asia but I’m noticing more people are having staycations in the UK now.”