This is an excellent way to get an overview of what happened at Bletchley Park and a feel for the site. The tour goes for a walk around the site but does not go into any of the buildings.
A series of guided tours are run during the day and last for about an hour. Numbers are limited on each tour, so it is advisable to sign up at the desk near the exit of Block C when you arrive.
Tours begin from the Chauffeurs’ Hut near the main Mansion, so allow yourself a good 5 minutes to get there. The guide was knowledgeable and very happy to answer questions.
The tour began with a short talk about the history of Bletchley Park and its role during the war. It covered a very brief explanation of how the German Enigma machine worked and the importance of the Bombe machine in helping to work out the daily code. It then goes round the site, looking at the different buildings with a brief explanation of what happened in them and their significance. There is plenty of time to ask questions and the tour goes at the speed of the group. Many of the youngsters who have grown up with social media couldn’t understand how the staff were able to keep so quiet about the work they were doing. One gentleman had brought a letter with him that had been addressed to his mother when she worked at Bletchley Park. She never talked about what she did
I don’t usually like guided tours but this was actually very good and provided the basic information I needed to enjoy the site.
