Our experts
Our small ship cultural cruises are led by specialists in the fields of archaeology, history, art, architecture and wildlife.
Our leaders are chosen for their individual expertise and their ability to communicate. They follow the traditional ACE house style, where, as well as giving lectures and talks, they lead the cruise from start to finish.
Christopher Andrew
Christopher is a Professor of Modern and Contemporary History, former Chair of the History Faculty at Cambridge University, official Historian of the Security Service (MI5), and a regular presenter of BBC Radio and TV documentaries, including the Radio Four series What If ?
His twelve previous books include a number of path-breaking studies on the use and abuse of secret intelligence in modern history.
He is currently President of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
Christopher is one of the speakers on the following cruise:
London & The River Thames Cruise
Mark Baldwin
Mark Baldwin MA (Cantab), MSc, PhD a graduate of Cambridge University and Imperial College, London, Mark is one of Britain’s most experienced speakers on WWII intelligence with a particular expertise in code-breaking and the Enigma machine.
Mark is one of the leaders on the following cruise:
London & The River Thames Cruise
Martin Bell
Martin is a British UNICEF Ambassador, a former BBC war correspondent and independent politician.
He joined the BBC as a news assistant in 1962 and went on to serve the corporation as chief Washington correspondent and Berlin correspondent. He reported from 90 countries and 11 wars from Vietnam to El Salvador and Biafra to Bosnia. He was wounded by mortar fire in Sarajevo in 1992.
He attended King’s College, Cambridge, where he achieved a 1st class honours degree in English.
Martin is one of the speakers on the following cruise:
London & The River Thames Cruise
Piers Brendon
Piers is a writer, known for historical and biographical works. He was keeper of the Archives at the Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.
He was educated at Shrewsbury School, Shropshire, and Magdaelene College, Cambridge where he read history. Piers has prepared treatments and co-written scripts for a number of historical documentaries and television series, including Auschwitz and the Allies (BBC), The Windsors (ITV) and the Churchills (ITV). The material he deposited at the Churchill Archives Centre relates to the latter two documentaries.
Piers is one of the speakers on the following cruise:
London & The River Thames Cruise
John Bryden
John Bryden MA (Cantab) is a former member of the National Youth Orchestra of Britain, and is a member of the Dartington Piano Duo. John has played across Britain and Europe as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician.
John regularly broadcasts on radio and television and frequently coaches at the Dartington Summer School, where he performed in master-classes given by Jacqueline du Pré.
John is one of the leaders on the following cruise:
London & The River Thames Cruise
Mary Dicken
Mary Dicken MA (Oxon), DipEd a former head of history at a leading Cambridge independent school. She lectures extensively for the WEA and U3A and is a principal examiner for A level history.
Mary is one of the leaders on the following cruise:
London & The River Thames Cruise
Peter exley
Peter Exley, BSc, is an ecologist and ornithologist who works for the RSPB. He has also held posts with BirdLife International and the Albatross Task Force in South Africa.
Peter has led and managed many ACE tours in the United Kingdom, including study courses to the Faeroes and Shetland.
Peter says that participants on the Highlands and Islands of Scotland cruise are likely to see ospreys, golden eagles and goosanders. In addition, Oban is famed for its otters and Eigg is reputed for its minke whales, dolphins and porpoises. Whilst on Mull there will be an opportunity to see white-tailed sea eagles on a specially escorted visit with the local RSPB.
Peter is one of the leaders on the following cruise:
Highlands & Islands of Scotland
Kevin Hand
Kevin Hand, MSc, MIEEM, is a conservationist and ornithologist who has led a wide array of wildlife tours across the world and - closer to home - to the Shetlands and the Borders.
Kevin directed a Darwin Initiative project on the taiga forests in Siberia with the Tree Council, the British Trust for Ornithology, the Forestry Commission and Traidcraft.
Kevin says that on the Highlands and Islands cruises particpants are likely to see an abundant bird and sea life, including otters, whales, dolphins and porpoises as well as golden and sea eagles.
Kevin is heavily involved in ACE’s charity work with the Yachana Foundation, a local non-governmental organisation, in Amazonian Ecuador.
Kevin is one of the leaders on the following cruises:
Highlands & Islands of Scotland
DENIS MORIARTY
Denis Moriarty, MA (Oxon), is one of ACE Study Tours' most experienced course directors.
Denis is a lecturer and former television producer with the BBC, where he specialised in producing documentaries on art, architecture and cultural history.
Denis has visited Egypt over a dozen times, working with the Egypt Exploration Society on a BBC documentary on Memphis Saqqara and producing a programme on the Valley of the Queens at Luxor with the Getty Foundation.
Closer to home, Denis has been a regular visitor to Scotland since he first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe alongside Dudley Moore and Ken Loach. Denis also knows France intimately, having travelled there extensively both in personal and professional capacities.
Denis is is one of the leaders on the following cruises:
London & The River Thames Cruise
MALCOLM OXLEY
Malcolm Oxley, MA (Oxon), is a talented art historian, a subject to which he brings a historian's wider perspective.
Malcolm has a profound knowledge of the art and architecture of France and is a highly experienced course director, having led cultural tours for ACE to Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Normandy, Alsace and the Paris region.
Malcolm is a man of catholic tastes, equally at home exploring the art galleries of his native Yorkshire as he is touring the glories of Avignon and Arles. Malcolm was for many years deputy head of St Edward's School, Oxford.
Malcolm is one of the leaders on the following cruises:
London & The River Thames Cruise
Roland Randall
Roland Randall, MA, MSc, PhD (Cantab), is a botanist and fellow of Girton College, Cambridge. Roland acts as an ecological consultant for the National Trust, English Nature and Scottish Natural Heritage.
He is also a committee member for the European Union for Coastal Conservation. Roland has led tours for ACE to Madeira, Crete, Mallorca, the Scilly Isles, Barbados, the Algarve and numerous islands off the coast of Scotland.
Roland is one of the leaders on the following cruise:
Highlands & Islands of Scotland
Saskia Stevens
Saskia Stevens, MSt, DPhil (Oxon) is a vastly experienced archaeologists and ancient historian.
Saskia studied at Exeter College, Oxford where she recently completed her doctorate on urban development in the ancient world.
Saskia is one of the leaders on the following cruise:
ANDREW WILSON
Andrew Wilson, BA, BD, FSAS, is a native Scot whose specialism is archaeology and ancient history.
Andrew studied archaeology then theology before working overseas as an archaeologist, specialising in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics. Andrew is a Fellow of the Society for Libyan Studies and belongs to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and the Classical Association of Scotland.
Andrew has led many tours and cruises for ACE in the Graeco-Roman world, and several in Britain, with a particular emphasis on the archaeology of his native Scotland.
Andrew is one of the leaders on the following cruises: