The Globe Trotter: 11 January
Walking is fun and it’s the least complicated, most pleasurable way to get fresh air and exercise. But unless you have a furry friend to take with you, it can be a bit lonely, and there’s always a chance you’ll get lost. That’s why booking a walking holiday with a specialist company is a good idea – everything is organised and you can make new friends, too.
HF Holidays is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Founded in 1913, it’s a co-operative society that arranges walking, outdoor and leisure activity holidays for more than 50,000 people each year. These include Freedom Breaks, Leisure Activities – featuring art, music and bridge – Family Holidays, Cycling Holidays, Singles Holidays and Guided Walking breaks in the UK and overseas. It’s the UK’s largest walking-holiday organisation and has about 20 country houses, many located in the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Special initiatives in 2013 include supporting Britain on Foot, a campaign to inspire the public to get active in the great outdoors, and centenary Walking Weeks to mark the event (from £699 per person). You can become a shareholding member of HF Holidays by buying a minimum of 100 shares at £1 each. Or non-members can join holidays by paying a fee of £5 per person per holiday.
For my walking break, I chose Derbyshire and the Peak District because it’s an area I am unfamiliar with and I wanted to see Chatsworth House, one of our most beautiful stately homes. The base for the three, four and sevennight guided walking holidays at Dovedale is Peveril Of The Peak, a country house in Thorpe village. Having settled into my comfy room and met the tour leaders, the fi rst decision was picnic lunch for the next day. After breakfast, you collect your lunch and whatever else you fancy from a well-stocked spread. You won’t starve – portions are huge, with scrumptious hot puddings.
Cote Jardin, Corfu
The second decision was which walk to start with. I opted for easy – I’m not a regular walker – which I found, well, easy! (I did notice people switched up or down for the next walk, depending how puffed out they were on the first walk.)
Being in the easy group meant we had time to stop and stare at elegant Chatsworth, visit the museum telling the moving story of Eyam, the ‘plague village’, and its self-imposed quarantine, discover the gorgeous village of Edensor and enjoy a tart in Bakewell. The English countryside is beautiful, and we enjoyed our gentle amble across hills and through woods and picturesque villages.
Back at the Peveril, having showered, changed and dined, there were a number of social activities on offer – quizzes, Call My Bluff, memory games, music and a last-night party, or you could just enjoy a quiet drink in the bar. Me? I snuggled down for a great night’s sleep, ready for another walk next day…
A three-night Guided Walking At Dovedale break with HF Holidays costs from £259 per person, including full board, guided walks and social activities: 0845-470 8558, www.hfholidays.co.uk
Scotland the wild
Naturetrek’s nine new tours include a seven-day holiday in Scotland’s ‘Wild West’, the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, from 10 to 17 August, from £1,095 per person. You’ll be looking for wildcat on a special night safari, pine marten, red roe and fallow deer, seals, minke whales and golden and whitetailed eagles. 01962-733051, www.naturetrek.co.uk
All Greek
Vintage Travel has added 25 new properties in Greece to its portfolio of villas with private pools. For example, Cote Jardin at Barbati on Corfu has two bedrooms, a private pool and direct access to the beach. Seven nights cost from £1,050 to £2,595, depending on the season. 01954-261431, www.vintagetravel.co.uk
Norfolk break
Titchwell Manor near Brancaster is offering a twonight, midweek, dinner, B&B Taste Of Norfolk break from £198 per person until 21 March (some dates excluded). A guided walk on the nearby RSPB Titchwell Marsh reserve is also included. 01485-210221, www.titchwellmanor.com
HF Holidays is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Founded in 1913, it’s a co-operative society that arranges walking, outdoor and leisure activity holidays for more than 50,000 people each year. These include Freedom Breaks, Leisure Activities – featuring art, music and bridge – Family Holidays, Cycling Holidays, Singles Holidays and Guided Walking breaks in the UK and overseas. It’s the UK’s largest walking-holiday organisation and has about 20 country houses, many located in the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Special initiatives in 2013 include supporting Britain on Foot, a campaign to inspire the public to get active in the great outdoors, and centenary Walking Weeks to mark the event (from £699 per person). You can become a shareholding member of HF Holidays by buying a minimum of 100 shares at £1 each. Or non-members can join holidays by paying a fee of £5 per person per holiday.
For my walking break, I chose Derbyshire and the Peak District because it’s an area I am unfamiliar with and I wanted to see Chatsworth House, one of our most beautiful stately homes. The base for the three, four and sevennight guided walking holidays at Dovedale is Peveril Of The Peak, a country house in Thorpe village. Having settled into my comfy room and met the tour leaders, the fi rst decision was picnic lunch for the next day. After breakfast, you collect your lunch and whatever else you fancy from a well-stocked spread. You won’t starve – portions are huge, with scrumptious hot puddings.
Cote Jardin, CorfuThe second decision was which walk to start with. I opted for easy – I’m not a regular walker – which I found, well, easy! (I did notice people switched up or down for the next walk, depending how puffed out they were on the first walk.)
Being in the easy group meant we had time to stop and stare at elegant Chatsworth, visit the museum telling the moving story of Eyam, the ‘plague village’, and its self-imposed quarantine, discover the gorgeous village of Edensor and enjoy a tart in Bakewell. The English countryside is beautiful, and we enjoyed our gentle amble across hills and through woods and picturesque villages.
Back at the Peveril, having showered, changed and dined, there were a number of social activities on offer – quizzes, Call My Bluff, memory games, music and a last-night party, or you could just enjoy a quiet drink in the bar. Me? I snuggled down for a great night’s sleep, ready for another walk next day…
A three-night Guided Walking At Dovedale break with HF Holidays costs from £259 per person, including full board, guided walks and social activities: 0845-470 8558, www.hfholidays.co.uk
Scotland the wild
Naturetrek’s nine new tours include a seven-day holiday in Scotland’s ‘Wild West’, the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, from 10 to 17 August, from £1,095 per person. You’ll be looking for wildcat on a special night safari, pine marten, red roe and fallow deer, seals, minke whales and golden and whitetailed eagles. 01962-733051, www.naturetrek.co.uk
All Greek
Vintage Travel has added 25 new properties in Greece to its portfolio of villas with private pools. For example, Cote Jardin at Barbati on Corfu has two bedrooms, a private pool and direct access to the beach. Seven nights cost from £1,050 to £2,595, depending on the season. 01954-261431, www.vintagetravel.co.uk
Norfolk break
Titchwell Manor near Brancaster is offering a twonight, midweek, dinner, B&B Taste Of Norfolk break from £198 per person until 21 March (some dates excluded). A guided walk on the nearby RSPB Titchwell Marsh reserve is also included. 01485-210221, www.titchwellmanor.com