22/11/2025
BOB’S BLOG — POST #1: Extours & My Journey
By Bobbie — Founder of Extours
If you had told me a few years ago that today I would have built and be running one of the fastest-growing ghost walk companies in the South West, I would’ve laughed and asked what spirits you had been drinking! My journey into launching Extours wasn’t dramatic or planned — it was a natural progression of who I am, what I care about, my passions and dreams, and what I’ve experienced along the way.
At my core, I’ve always been someone who cares deeply about our past. Not just the well-known stories, but the forgotten ones — the whispers hidden in the corners of familiar streets, the histories that never make the display boards, the names and lives overshadowed by bigger narratives. My degree in History, Heritage, and Archaeology wasn’t just a line on a CV. It shaped the way I see the world, and it taught me the importance of conserving our heritage so future generations can appreciate and learn from it, it gave me a much greater appreciation of our past and its importance.
But after working within the heritage sector for five years, I saw something that didn’t sit right with me. The organisations that were created to protect our past seemed to be pulling away from their founding values. I saw sites managed without a true understanding of their significance, without the passion or awareness needed to keep history alive. Too often, the focus was on administration, targets, or commercial priorities, not on the stories themselves — the human stories, the emotional stories, the ones that connect us to the people who came before us, the ones that remind us that although things change over the years, we remain human.
And then there's the other side of me — the part that’s spent years exploring the paranormal. Not for theatrics, not for jumpscares, but for genuine investigation and a fascination for discovering whether there really is an "afterlife". I’ve experienced things that make you stop and question the world you think you understand. The kind of experiences that stay with you, that shift your perspective. The kind of experiences that go beyond words, experiences that show there really is something that exists in this world beyond what our brains can comprehend.
Extours began when I realised I could bring my passion for history and paranormal together in a way that had never been done properly. I wanted to create something authentic — something rooted in research, genuine history, and real paranormal investigation. No cheap thrills, no one jumping out of bushes, no scripts written purely for fear-factor. I wanted people to actually learn, to feel connected to a place, to understand its past, and then explore the possibility that the past might not be entirely gone. And ultimately contribute towards a greater appreciation of our heritage from the public in a hope that this will contribute towards its future preservation
Halloween 2022, in Dunster, was where it all began. I didn’t expect much — I just wanted to share the history I’d researched and create an authentic space for people to explore the paranormal if they wanted to. But the response was overwhelming. People loved it. They connected with the stories, with the experience, and with the way it was delivered.
And that’s when I realised something important: it’s not just the history or the ghosts that make an Extours event special — it’s the host. The person who brings their personality, their authenticity, and their passion into the experience. The person who can make you laugh, make you think, and make you feel like you’re part of something.
Since then, Extours has grown faster than I ever imagined. We’re running events across the South West, building a team of incredible hosts, and still uncovering new stories that deserve to be told.
Putting trust in others was a big step for me. I knew that the reason for Extours’ initial success was down to my authenticity and the way I hosted — my passion for history and the paranormal comes through naturally. So the thought of finding others who could deliver to the same standard felt impossible.
That’s why I feel so lucky to have built the team we have today. Each one of us, although we may have different styles, understands the importance of our role and the fact that we’re contributing to something much bigger than ourselves.
There’s no question that my passion for what we do rubs off on the people who join us, and that energy plays a huge part in Extours’ success. I like to think that even though I can’t be there for every single walk, a little part of me is — right there with the host — helping to deliver an authentic, genuine experience, created with love, passion, and deep appreciation for the position we’re in.
This blog — Bob’s Blog — is my chance to share more of that journey. The behind-the-scenes, the upcoming events, the lessons, the surprises, the challenges, and the strange, fascinating experiences that happen when you mix history, heritage, and the unexplained.
If you’re reading this, thank you for being part of this journey and for supporting what we do.
There’s so much more to come. 2026 is the start of becoming the biggest and the best.
If you have enjoyed this read please let me know in the comments - if you would like to hear about other insights about myself or the company, let me know what you would like to see in the next blog!
“What will you discover?”
— Bobbie
Founder of Extours
