About Us

Gerard and Maggi Heelan

In 1992 Maggi met Gerard whilst travelling as a client on an Explore Worldwide Tour (Explore Worldwide) to Turkey – Gerard was the Adventure Tour Leader.

In the winter of 92/93 Gerard studied Spanish in Antigua, Guatemala (one of his favourite countries) and Maggi accepted his invitation to spend Christmas with him. Consequently, Maggi decided to leave the BBC and become a Tour Leader working for the Imaginative Traveller in Turkey 1993.

Meanwhile Gerard went off to lead tours in the mountains of Southern Spain – Las Alpujarras – Andalucia. After yet another long-distance telephone call from Spain to Turkey Gerard proposed marriage.

From 1994 to January 1998 they lived in London (Teddington & then Sunbury) – with Maggi returning to the BBC (Broadcasting House and White City) , and Gerard joining Explore Worldwide Head Office in the Marketing Department, Aldershot, Hampshire.

In January 1998, we (Gerard, Maggi, and Teague our son) bought the Roseleigh.

Gerard continued to lead tours worldwide from 2000-2010 on behalf of Bales Worldwide.

Gerard Heelan

Born – Cork, Ireland.

Hobbies/Interests – Walking, rugby (Sale Sharks Supporter) , chess, theatre, world music, & travel.

Prior to working in the Explore Office (1994 to 1998) Gerard worked full-time as an Adventure Tour Leader for 6 years overseas         (1989 to 1994) – living in Turkey, India, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Las Alpujarras – Andalucia,Spain; and Guatemala.

Whilst in the Explore office he went on research trips to Peru (the Inca Trail), China/Pakistan (The Silk Road), Vietnam & Cambodia. When not researching tours he worked in the Marketing Department on behalf of Explore in the UK, Ireland, Holland, and Canada.

Gerard also worked for Bales Worldwide a luxury tour operator from 2000 to 2010.

He led tours in Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Patagonia, Cuba, Belize. Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Hawaii, USA, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Tanzania & Zanzibar, South Africa, Mali, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, China, Hong Kong  and North Korea.

From 2010 to 2020 – Gerard then worked as a Travel Counsellor

Prior to entering the world of Adventure Travel, Gerard’s other jobs have included being – an Economics Teacher (A & O Levels);              an HGV 1 Driver for Marks & Spencer; a Croupier in a casino dealing American Roulette; a London Bus Driver driving the iconic Routemaster for one year on routes that were running in 1983-1984, 88 (Acton to Mitcham Cricketeers), 27 (Richmond to Archway) & 73 (Hammersmith to Stoke Newington) from Shepherds Bush Depot.

Maggi Heelan (née Crittall)

Born Braintree, Essex, England.

Hobbies/interests -netball, rugby (Sale Sharks Supporter) ,  yoga, arts & crafts, theatre, cooking , fitness training, discovering tearooms, walking and the outdoors.

Maggi was an Essex girl but moved to Yorkshire at the age of 4 and considers herself an adopted Yorkshire-woman. Following schooling at the Bar Convent in York (where she later married Gerard) she had a series of secretarial jobs with employers such as the University of York, Barclays Bank and Portakabin.

Then Maggi started her 10+ year association with the BBC. She was with BBC Radio York when it started up as a secretary and in charge of promotions and listener trips. In 1987 she transferred to Leeds to start her Personnel career. When the BBC’s Regions reorganised she moved to Manchester and one fateful day in 1992 organised a holiday to Turkey with her friend and met her husband Gerard. Following a redundancy offer (which she snapped up) Maggi worked in Turkey as a Tour Leader for one year and then returned to England to marry Gerard. The BBC lured once more and she worked as a Personnel Officer with BBC News in London (Broadcasting House and White City). The impending birth of their first child, Teague, made Gerard and Maggi reflect on their desire to run their own business and spend more time with their children. Then three years later, and pregnant with their second child, Sorcha, they moved into the Roseleigh.