Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
This was our sixth Headwater walking holiday and we have enjoyed them all
Everything worked perfectly.
Great service and well organised. Good range of trips to choose from.
Everything worked well.
Good holiday and well planned and organised
The organization is great. The ability to receive directions on our I Phones was amazing.
A very good trip well organised. Local rep Richard very good. Luke did a terrific job in putting the trip together a very short notice.
I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday. The support provided by Headwater - including walking directions and notes, choice of hotels and luggage transfer - was faultless.
We have been travelling with Headwater for more than 20 years. Generally very satisfied.
Although it was not necessary on this holiday we always found having a local rep helpful.
Also note previous comments re app v walking notes
We had an excellent time on our trip. We enjoyed everything about it, even the rain didn't dampen it much.
Very professional, quick to respond, could not be more helpful. Would definitely recommend Headwater and plan to travel with them again.
Very good - haven’t done a holiday with you for a while, but as good as ever !
We loved the holiday overall and the arrangements were very good. Perhaps we need to scale back on the length and difficulty of walks in the future as they were extremely challenging. The app made all the difference.
Headwater is a fantastic company, wehave travelled to several countries with them and have always ben well looked after .All arrangements working smoothly.
Always well organised; reliable and enjoyable
We had a good time but didn't do all the walks. We felt that the bus service was excellent and were glad that we spent the first afternoon finding the bus station and sorting things out a bit. We visited the tunnels made in wartime instead of walking one day. Would certainly recommend that people do this.
This was my first holiday with Headwater and the overall experience was good. This was a self Guided holiday and the supplied guidebook to West Highland Way included in arrival pack was very useful. I didn't use the app at all as I couldn't see a way to get my current location shown on route, which rendered it it rather useless,
For a long time the hotels along the route were unspecified and were not supplied until about 1month before the trip and only after I received the "final" itinerary which still didn't include hotels, once I questioned this by email I quickly received an updated itinerary with hotel list. I found this disconcerting as I knew we were travelling at a busy time on the route (June) and it added some uncertainty whether hotel close to the route had actually been booked.
Baggage transfer arrangements and taxi pickup and drop off from Kingshouse to Ballachulish worked well.
The communication with Megan for the trip set up was professional and timely with fast responses my questions.
Joanne was very helpful with getting us off to a good start to our trip after we arrived and Russ kept in touch to make sure things went well.
We really enjoyed the holiday. The walks were generally easy to follow and I particularly liked the fact that each walk was different from the previous one (I.e. not just nice coastal walking, but different coastal scenery).
I was really happy with all aspects, staff always helpful
We had a lovely time, in spite of the snags mentioned. However the trip lacked the personalised feeling I had on my previous Headwater holiday (Alsace, some years ago), where we had a local contact who met us at the first hotel and provided very current info about each walk before we embarked. In that trip, we moved hotel most days, so there was constant updating. I did not expect that with this trip, of course. However, Joanne’s phone call when she was just back from Guernsey was so helpful that I was aware there was nothing similar for the Jersey section.
The app is good as a route-finder if one sticks to the designated routes , and we liked that. But it can’t help if the trail has washed out! (Also, if you go the “wrong” way around any bit of the plan, it can’t adapt.)
We loved Sark, and were fortunate that we had splendid weather. The tip about taking the tractor up the hill was a good one. The wind was up for our return boat trip & it was very lively - wouldn’t want to do the trip on a stormy day.
I have to say Headwater are extremely good at what they do. You can ask anything and they give a useful and informed reply. If you want extra days on your holiday then Headwater make the arrangements without any fuss. Brilliantly holiday company.
A very enjoyable walking holiday. The coastal scenery is stunning on all the islands, Spring is a good time to go for the abundant wild flowers. The walking App is easy to use and it's impossible to get lost. Travelling around by bus is easy and inexpensive, but you do need either a paper map/time table (from the bus terminal) or to download the bus app for routes and timetables. The bus app is very clever and allows you to track the buses too, so you can check if there are any delays
We thoroughly enjoyed our hike in the Lake District. The initial briefing with Ian Jones particularly helpful- delightful man. Looking forward to another trip in the future
Overall we enjoyed our trip despite a couple of days of very wet weather. It is the Lake District after all. The forestry work on the way to the Far Sawrey ferry cut off the route and we had to detour through the bushes and walk along very muddy. Again not something Headwater has control over.
However, the cafe at the Yew Tree Farm hasn’t been a cafe for about 10 years
We had a great time. We got lost once but recovered ok. We were unable to download the map app. One hostess was not advised Re food allergies but she accommodated us nicely.
I like Headwater a great deal. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I like going on solo self-guided walks and I feel I can do that with the support of Headwater staff. Things do sometimes go wrong, eg i get lost, or there's an issue with a hotel. In such cases I've found the staff genuinely want to help me, not just because it's their job, and they will make sure I'm ok and everything is sorted out.
Good friendly service providing regular updates. I like more detailed knowledge of an area, history etc check out trailblazer books that had maps length of time to next location etc, stop here for a break…
A bit challenging for 70year olds but we had a great time!
The way they put the holiday together is amazing I thoroughly enjoyed myself it was my first self-guided holiday I normally do guided holidays but I took the plunge and went self- guided it was harder as you have to think outside the box but at the same time liberating without having to be in certain places at a certain time.
It was a fantastic experience and I made memories to last a lifetime! Thanks Andrew and all at Headwater.
Very helpful.
Overall we had a lovely holiday. The travel arrangements worked well particularly those whilst in Jersey and Guernsey - all transfers on time and very helpful staff. The walks we did were lovely and our only criticism relates to the assessments which were certainly a bit optimistic for us!
Great walking on what is an amazing piece of history
Well planned holiday.The scenery, the weather, most of the accommodation and the advice and support of the on the ground representative (Richard) made it one of the best walking holidays we have ever been on.
This was a brilliant trip, and I was very sorry when it came to an end.
Overall a good holiday experience
I was rather disappointed that the walk itself was not managed by Headwater as i did appreciate detailed route instructions which I could download. I did not enjoy relying on gps. A map would have been helpful as well as information about deviation from the route. I did appreciate having a meal booked for 2 of the days when I got badly lost and was unable to get help, I did receive help from the next day
A lovely week exploring the Cotswolds with some unique accommodation experiences
The process was relaxed and informed making it easy to choose our walking holiday with confidence. The local agents in Pembrokeshire were also excellent and couldn't have done more to make us feel welcome.
The locations and walking are lovely. Generally accommodation very good. All staff friendly. Thank-you to headwaters staff
A variety of walking from disused railway trackbeds to hill and forest. 95% of the route was on fenced pathway so little concern about encounters with cattle or horses, which I know some would worry about. Accommodation was first class.
Helpful and efficient for independent travel. Very Good routes and accommodation
It was a lovely holiday but the maps were not topographical so at times there were of nouse. We used the app on the phone all the time because if we had to make a decision about which path to take it showed us if we had made the right decision.
An excellent first start to walking holidays. The mobile OS map app was extremely valuable, gave peace of mind, and minimised getting lost.
Fabulous - thoroughly enjoyed all parts of the trip
Spectacular scenery but not a huge amount of variation in the walking for the first 3 days. Coastal path challenging at times..
Excellent coastal walking in a beautiful part of Pembrokeshire but still allowing some time for sightseeing
The Channel Islands offer beautiful, scenic walks with opportunities to view wildlife.
The holiday gave us a good variety of walks - coastal; river valley and moor. Richard was an excellent walk manager. He kept in touch and had excellent knowledge of the walking routes so he was able to ‘tip us off’ where there were anomalies with the instructions.
Post Covid has affected the availability of choices of places to eat in the more rural areas. Worth checking websites and up to date information.
A really good walking holiday and an excellent way to see South Devon - coast and inland. Accommodation was excellent and the local agent Richard Price could not have looked after us any better.
I would thoroughly recommend the Highlights of Hadrians Wall Walk as offered by Headwater to anyone looking for an interesting, moderate walk lasting less than a week including travel days. The landscape was more varied than I was expecting, with amazing views from the Sill, delightful pockets of woodland and lakes and rivers. We spent a bit of time exploring Vindolanda, Housesteads, the Roman Army Museum and the Sill Discovery Centre which added to the interest.
Walking Hadrians Path was an excellent holiday but I think the 2 rating is too low. There were some parts that were difficult to walk and scrambling is not a 2 rating. I could not get a taxi to take me to Lanercost on Day 2 for the start of the walk. Other clients have said the same thing but nothing addressed. It was the goodwill of the Blenkinsopp hotel owner that saved the day. The Blenkinsopp staff are amazing as is the hotel and food esp. Carol's lamb roast. It is remarkable that guests are put in the George Inn esp. given previous feedback. The hotel is tired, my room was dirty and the staff are not welcoming. I realise location (Corbridge) might be the essential factor, but I wonder what is being done to incentivise the George to make much needed improvements. I received a Day 1 briefing but for the sake of 10mins, I am not sure what the point was. Going over the literature that I had already read didn't seem fruitful. Overall a positive experience and great walking holiday.
I would recommend this holiday on basis that the selected itinerary and choice of accommodation which was excellent
Excellent walking break though you do need a reasonable level of fitness as its long and tiring at times with lots of ascents. Hotel choices over all were well above expectations to the point that the worst accommodation was more within our expectations for a walking break. All instructions were very clear and easy to follow. You can book with Headwater with a level of confidence.
Fantastic walk along Hadrian’s wall. Beautiful scenery throughout . Very easy to follow the route via the route notes and waymarks . Accommodation was comfortable and friendly. The walking was just about right - challenging enough to be enjoyable but totally achievable . We used trains and taxis at the start and end and that was very easy. If you want to visit the museums it might be worth putting in an extra night as would be tricky to fit all that in with the walking; we were happy just to walk . Highly recommend and good price
great experience
This was a lovely trip. The notes for the walk were excellent - very helpful. This a walk so worth doing even though it was quite taxing in parts.
The holiday and value for money was let down by the George Hotel experience
A good holiday for those who prefer easier walking and time to visit places of interest en route e.g. St David's Cathedral. We had excellent accommodation (and breakfasts!) with knowledgeable and helpful hosts - having left a camera behind, one even offered to bring it out to me, a 10 mile round trip! Our briefing by Laura was thorough and she assured us she was available at all times. She remained friendly and informative throughout.
It did what it said on the tin. Easy walks of suitable distance and effort. saw all literary locations but we did need to do our own route to see Beatrix Potter's house which was a meaningful ommision from the itinerary.
Excellent walking and grand countryside. Luggage transfer worked perfectly. Walking notes were spot-on. The choice of itinerary, start and end points were excellent for public transport. I took the advice of some of your reviewers and stayed an extra night at Twice Brewed to visit the museums (Vindolanda, Chesters, Housesteads) on a non-walking day (AD 122 bus) and was glad that I did. Vindolanda alone took over 2 hours and I could have stayed longer. I allowed time at the end to visit the Roman Town and museum at Corbridge - an excellent finale to the week. Some of the walking was challenging but the lengths of the stages were well managed and this 76-year-old enjoyed herself very much. Hotels were well chosen (the food at Greenhead and at Corbridge was excellent) but although The George at Chollerford is stunningly situated and I had a lovely modern room, management was woefully absent and food was awful. The weather was perfect. I had a great holiday. Thankyou Headwater!
The hadrians wall holiday is well thought out with extremely detailed route notes and with accommodation in all the right places . The scenery is stunning , and the food in all but one of the pubs was good . We stayed two nights at twice brewed in order to be able to take part in an excellent star gazing event and also to visit vindolanda. The baggage transfers worked really smoothly . The AD 122 bus ( every two hours along the route ) was really helpful for getting around . The only thing I can say is that the taxi to
The start of the first days walking was expensive … but there is no other way of getting there ! Also , the stay at the George hotel was decidedly substandard : grubby rooms, weedy garden, food not great , broken shower . I would want to stay somewhere else really .
Thanks headwater for a great holiday .
We had an excellent stay at Ty Helyg. The host were very welcoming and the standard of the accommodation were excellent. We were very unhappy with the Imperial Hotel. The standard of the accommodation was poor. We had to move rooms. The lift did not work and it was unkempt, unclean and generally unpleasant. The walks were excellent and we enjoyed them.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your comments. We are pleased that overall, you enjoyed your holiday. Your comments regarding the Imperial Hotel will be closely monitored for future consideration.
Kind regards
Customer Services
Good accommodation ( especially Mortons and The Limes , which were both excellent) and great walks, although the walk to Lulworth Cove we felt was more challenging than the 1.5 boot rating. We are experienced walkers so were fine, but there are some pretty steep ups and downs. However, another successful Headwater walking holiday for us.
The itinerary notes were outstanding, truly impressed.
The Cotswold village circular walk holiday was a really enjoyable experience. The walking was well signposted with detailed walking instructions in a handbook provided by Headwater in conjunction with Hikes and Bikes. The villages were delightful with the beautiful cotswold yellow stone cottages. The countryside was amass with flowers. June/July is a wonderful time to visit. Our luggage transfer was very efficient and our suitcases were waiting when we arrived at our hotels/bed and breakfast en route.
We loved this holiday. The walking notes were excellent, the Cotswolds is just stunning and the accommodation was to a high standard. We highly recommend this holiday.
Headwater's attention to detail always makes for a good holiday.
Everything went well, service, help from Headwater, notes etc. The only thing as a group was why we were put in the Hadrian Hotel, rather than the George Hotel. Whilst the Hadrian hotel is good, its no longer geared to walkers, with their expensive evening taster menu and slightly further off the walk. We found it odd walking the extra 1.5 miles to this hotel, as we passed the George Hotel. The breakfast at the Hadrian's was excellent. We did talk to the staff who explained some of the history with Headwater, but going forward I would have thought we should have stayed at the George, particularly as we booked over a year ago.
All of the elements are there but the complete package lacked the something special.
A great way to introduce yourself to a different type of holiday, especially if you are unsure of how to plan things and the best route.
Hadrian’s Wall is England’s greatest ancient monument, a unique defensive structure that defies belief, and to walk so closely alongside it for four days is an absolute privilege. It is in many places a challenging walk because the Romans did not try to build round the major crags and contours through which it winds. The atmosphere the Wall generates, of looking north and imagining the possibility of imminent attack, is present throughout and further enhances the whole experience. This is greatly increased by visiting the museums along the route, especially Vindolanda and Housteads, though we would strongly recommend going to these a day before setting out on the journey rather than at the end of a strenuous day’s walking. This holiday was splendidly organised for us by Headwater, the walking notes were excellent, the arrangements for leaving and picking up our car worked well and despite some variation in the quality of the hotels, we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
Holidays in Wales are always likely to be weather affected and mine was no exception to the extent that low cloud, rain and wind meant that any of the high ascents were pointless from an enjoyment point of view. However I was advised by local reps/accommodation providers of other quite challenging options that could be done despite the weather. Additionally the Welsh Highland Line was not operating its normal service because of Covid so taxis were laid on where necessary. This detracted to a degree from the overall enjoyment of the holiday.
I had a real adventure walking the Cotswold Way. Having my luggage sent ahead was best. The accommodation was mostly delightful and provided many pleasant surprises and some real characters to talk to.
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, and found all the accommodation very comfortable. You definitely need walking boots on the route as there are some stretches of scrambling over rocks, and some very muddy parts. The generous breakfasts set us up for the day, so we found that we didn't need a packed lunch,but just took a cereal bar and some fruit each. However, we did on some days find a café en route or at the end of the walk for the odd cream tea etc! The only place where we found that there was no pub or restaurant for an evening meal within walking distance of the accommodation was Porthcurno. Overall a very inspiring holiday.
A very enjoyable holiday, but quite challenging walking at times, both because of the boulders on some of the paths and the length of walks. We were very lucky with the weather, and the scenery was stunning. We really felt we got to know Cornwall in depth by walking along this beautiful coast.
A beautiful walk over 5 days on the coastal footpath. A little more challenging than we had expected. The terrain is quite difficult in places and we are experienced walkers. The last day from Porthcurno to Mousehole was especially hard. The accommodation overall was great, a mixed bag but no complaints.. The St Austell Brewery pubs at Sennen Cove and Mousehole are lovely, very comfortable rooms with wonderful sea views.
We would do it again.
We needed more cash than we had anticipated so would recommend people take at least around £50 per person. There is a cash point in Lands End which the walk passes but it was out of order.
A lovely circular walk through the Cotswolds
All in all a fabulous holiday, my only criticism is that some of the notes were not very clear at times. Having said that I would definitely travel with you again.
An excellent route with excellent route notes. All accommodation was also of high standard apart from the White Hart at Winchcombe which should be dropped immediately.
A wonderful opportunity to see the real lake district away from the roads and crowds. The walks and views were sublime and came with a glorious sense of isolation with the traditional countryside and sheep as a reminder of traditional farming through the centuries. Every walk gave way to such fabulous photo opportunities and we were blessed with warm september sunshine so we could see for miles.
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday but considered it an expensive holiday as our travel was not included - even travelling to and from accommodation that was not located at the route end, particularly when we had two nights at the Old Success Inn.
The level of difficulty was more extreme/dangerous than we had anticipated. We were very glad that our weather conditions were excellent! Some of the route instructions weren't very clear and Coastal Path way signs were lacking in some areas - almost non-existent on Day one.
We were delighted with all of our accommodation until we reached our last destination in Penzance where we had booked an additional night. The accommodation was clean but fell far short of our previous hostelries. How disappointed we were!
Russ couldn't have been more helpful particularly when our initial flight from Edinburgh was delayed.
Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our challenging holiday and would certainly like to return to see more of Cornwall.
We've used Headwater many times in mainland Europe but this was our first experience in the UK - for obvious reasons this year! As always we found the experience second to none, really enjoyed the walking and the excellent choices of accommodation. The rep's briefing was really helpful and the maps, gradings and alternative walks all worked really well. Thank you!
Headwater's choice of start and end points for the Hadrian's Wall walk were absolutely spot on. This, combined with the West-to-East direction of travel definitely gave this an advantage over others. The hotels were very welcoming and of a high standard. We couldn't fault any of the arrangements. The guide notes and maps were easy to follow and very comprehensive - especially when pointing out Roman remains that might otherwise have been missed. Our friends had to postpone this trip and we are extremely happy to be re-booked to do it all again with them. We are also looking to see which other walking trips we can book with Headwater as we have been so impressed with everything.
Accommodation was well spaced to allow moderate day walks. Path was slightly more difficult than we had anticipated, so we found we were at the slow end of the timings suggested. The South West coast path is poorly signposted in places - it is important not to be side-tracked by public footpaths. Bag collection and delivery was excellent.
Had a lovely break and really enjoyed all the walks. My first time doing self-guided but no problems and easy to follow routes. Enjoyed house visits but logistics of booking them was quite challenging as had to pre-book specific time slots. Fortunately they were flexible and helpful when needed. Only real problem I had was that some places were closed on the day that I was due to visit which was disappointing. I found everyone very friendly and welcoming which was really nice when travelling alone. I was lucky to have very good weather which helped too!
This holiday has been lovely, with very well selected walking tours that kept me challenged and entertained. The GPS has worked well and has avoided me taking the wrong turn here and there., including on the misty mountain side. If I would have tried to organise this all on my own it would have taken ages, so I feel it is worthwhile using Headwater's service. In total I only interacted with 2 people, the person booking the trip and a local person knowing the intricacies of the walks, hotels etc. Both were always very helpful.
Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Becker for your holiday summary, it is lovely to read that you had a great time away with us.
Headwater Customer Service Team
We found getting taxis problematic. We struggled but did suceed to get a taxi from Twice brewed to Greenhead but with 24 hours notice, the greenhead hotel was unable to get ys a taxi to Lanercost for the 1st days walk, for which we had prebooked tickets at the priory. Luckily your helpful agenr was able to find us a taxi but it was £30. I think this taxi in particular should be part of the included arrangements.
We took tge bus back to the car rather than another difficult and expensive taxi ride.
I would recommend 2 nights ar twice brewed as we did not have time to see Housesteads at all and rushed Vindolanda.
I found day 3 walking exhausting and the times optimistic for an over 60s moderately fit woman. We used the bus for the last part of the walk.
Day 1 was the highlight
The Angel Inn is quite noisey and id recommend investigating other eating options in Corbridge.
This holiday exceeded our expectations
A great week. We have to mention the Star Gazing at Twice Brewed which was great. Walk notes were very accurate and easy to follow. A well needed holiday enjoyed by everyone.
Another very successful Headwater walking holiday. This was the first UK walking holiday we have taken with Headwater and, whilst we did miss the atmosphere of being abroad, given the current Covid-19 situation it was an excellent way of having a change of scene, walking in some lovely countryside, experiencing comfortable accommodation in different villages in our own country. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
A walking holiday packed with historical sites. Advisable to pre-book taxis and evening meals.
Expected more and better accompdation
Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Reeve for your holiday summary, we are sincerely sorry to read your review of our holiday. A member of our team has privately contacted you to discuss further, thank you.
Headwater Customer Service Team
Excellent holiday - shame about the torrential rain for part of it!
All pick ups and transfers were smooth.
the accommodation was good/excellent.
The trip was described as leisurely but there were very rocky ascents and descents at times - I wish I had brought a stick.
We would have appreciated some notes as to the walk from Hawkshead to Hill Top Farm.
Extremely enjoyable walking, with lovely pubs to stay in at the end of each day. Food in the hotels at the end of each day was good, with the Hadrian Hotel in particular standing out as excellent.
An excellent walking holiday with a lot of variation each day in landscape and history.We spent an extra day(and night) at Twice Brewed to enable us to visit Housesteads and Hexham at leisure using the AD122 bus and fitted in Corbridge Roman Town and Aydon Castle by arriving early on Day 1. It was not as easy obtaining a taxi for 9-9.30 am from Greenhead to Lanercost Priory on day 2 as explained in the Information Notes. We managed to get one but the cost was £18. Having to leave our car at Twice Brewed rather than at Corbridge was a great advantage. However, we managed to avoid the suggested use of a taxi at the end to get us from Corbridge back to Twice Brewed at the price of £40 by using a No.10 bus to Hexham and then an AD122 bus to Twice Brewed as advised by a local taxi firm! As we have bus passes, this was a free option!Because of the number of places of interest to visit and the length of the walks,the preliminary research done proved very beneficial.Baggage transfers excellent
Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday summary, it is great to see you had an excellent holiday with us. We appreciate the additional advice you have offered - very beneficial to our team and future customers. Thank you for choosing Headwater for your UK break in 2021.
Headwater Customer Service Team
An amazing privilege to travel this ancient route and see the remains and ruins of the Vindolanda, Housesteads and Chesters forts, as well as the impressive roman town at Corbridge. (It's worth joining English Heritage, as this repays itself by the time you have also visited these sites as well as the medieval Lanercost Priory and Aydon Castle.)
If you are looking for history, Wordsworth, Ruskin, Cunliffe as well as beautiful scenic lakes and fells this is for you. Staying in the beautiful Grasmere, Coniston with its lake and the world famous Bluebird cafe and finally to the quintessential village of Hawkshead. Taking a Gondola ride on Coniston, the peace and quiet of Grizedale forest and spectacular views towards Hawkshead. From start to finish this holiday offers all you need for a perfect weeks walking.
Very enjoyable, but the walking was challenging
Well organised, good comms and very good service with no hiccups. All the accommodation was very comfortable and close to our walking route. We were very happy with it all.
A well planned itinerary with good guidance and clear indication of walking difficulty. Highly recommended.
Although we had walked in the Lake District before, this holiday gave the opportunity to experience routes new to us and it certainly covered a wide variety of scenery. The standard of accommodation in each centre was excellent and we would like to make special mention of the staff at the Wordsworth Hotel and the Queen's Head who could not do enough for us despite having the extra work of coping with Covid procedures. Lakeland House being a B & B staffed only part-time was a different experience but we had been advised of this in advance and as a small building it did the best it could to be Covid secure and was certainly adequate for our needs. Thanks also to the staff at Headwater for helping us to have an enjoyable holiday after the disappointment of our Catalunya Activities week being cancelled last year.
A wonderful walk that takes in the best of Hadrians Wall with plenty of time to see various sites along the route. The walking is very varied each day so no chance of getting bored of the scenery. The Hotel(s) service and food was a genuine pleasure to experience at the end of the day. A most enjoyable holiday.
The Hadrian's Wall walk was excellent - beautiful scenery, lots of history and good weather. The routs was easy to follow and the walking well within our capabilities. Two Brewed is on the Pennine Way and the Hadrian's Wall Way and was quite crowded. The Angel in Corbridge felt under staffed at times and was also busy. This would be less of a concern when COVID was not around.
Price wise, which acknowledging hotels are keen to recoup losses from the last 16 months, we felt there were some issues in respect of charges and the quality offered. This was particulalry so in respect of The Angel.
Headwater response:
Thank you for taking the time to share your holiday experience with us. It is lovely to read you enjoyed your time away with us. Thank you for your comments regarding price and quality, our Programme Manager is in receipt of your feedback and will look further in to this matter.
Headwater Customer Service Team
Overall enjoyable and a helpful local representative. One B&B was below the standard expected, and there was a problem on our last day with our luggage going astray.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday summary. We wish to thank you for your time earlier on the phone to discuss in more detail our properties used on this holiday. We were also very pleased to hear the luggage going astray was resolved locally and the hotel arranged a bottle of wine for you as an apology. We look forward to welcoming you on a future holiday with us.
Headwater Customer Service Team
Lovely holiday walking Hadrian’s Wall organised by pleasant and efficient office staff. We even had some sunshine as an added bonus! Hotels all good but bag transfers arriving late was very annoying after long days walking. Value for money questionable overall. Had to get own taxi to start our 5 days (£45 Corbridge to Greenhead). Then charged £30 for taxi from Greenhead to Lanercost. Suggest others shop around taxi firms and book in advance. Admission to Roman sites also additional cost. We ate in the hotels in which we stayed. All very good apart from the Angel Inn which was just ok. Suggest book a different restaurant in Corbridge. We booked with Headwater as it gave us a sense of security in these uncertain COVID days. Some room for improvement though!
Headwater response:
Thank you for your holiday summary, we are very pleased to learn you enjoyed your time on holiday with us. We are sorry to learn of the luggage arriving late, we have addressed this with our baggage handling company and we have sent you a private message with a more in depth explanation. Thank you for your feedback, it is only through our customer feedback that we are able to continuously improve our product.
Headwater Customer Service Team
Beautiful walking, wish we had been able to complete the south coast elements, but zennor to sennen was on a par with Dolomites and Swiss walking for challenge and views
Looking forward to doing something similar in the uk again
Excellent organisation from the operators, including very detailed maps and directions. However bear in mind that you will be “living out of a suitcase” and pack carefully, don’t take too much stuff, beware you have to walk come rain or shine.
We loved our time away - everything was arranged smoothly and all necessary information was received in good time. The walking instructions were superb and very thorough - we did not get lost once. The accommodation was very suitable for our needs.
Fantastic week away - we were blessed with perfect blue skies. The landscape is stunning. We are regular walkers and found the walks were strenuos in parts (particularly St Ives to Zennor and Portcurno to Mousehole) However that certainly didn't spoil the holiday. Accommodation was good. The local representative Russ couldn't have been more helpful. We definitely would recommend this holiday! Only criticism was the route notes were not very detailed and didn't really add much value.
The holiday was excellent with good accommodation and very clear instructions from Hikes and Bikes. There were a few B&B's that we stayed in which aren't on the list above and the Guiting Guest House in Guiting Power was the best of the lot. It was a lovely quiet village after the hustle and bustle of Bourton-on-the Water and the best night's sleep I have had in years and breakfast was excellent - a definite 10/10. Hadley House in Broadway wasn't so good but comfortable and clean and the breakfast was lovely. The Noel Arms Hotel in Chipping Campden was also very good. We have travelled with Headwater 4 times now and will continue to do so. Thank you for being a company that genuinely cares that their customers have the best holiday they can.
Enjoyable, plenty of time to enjoy countryside.
Though pretty gruelling (for two old men at any rate), it was a wonderful experience. The Headwater organisation from start to finish was superb and all the arrangements with hotels etc went very smoothly.
A wonderful walk through woodland, countryside and villages. We recommend doing this walk in the late spring, when the bluebells, cow parsley, and cowslips clothe the countryside. We passed so many interesting historical sites, from Neolithic tombs, Iron Age forts, ancient battlefields, and finishing in Bath was a pleasure. Don’t forget to photograph your feet at the start plaque in Chipping Camden, and again at the finish outside Bath cathedral.
This was an excellent holiday exploring some stunning countryside along the Cornish coast. The routes necessarily involved quite a few ascents and descents, but I don't think they would pose any problems for anyone who enjoys walking. The local guide was really helpful and attentive and the accommodation throughout was at very nice B&B's and pubs. Would definitely recommend.
Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Flower for your lovely comments, we are really pleased to learn you had an excellent holiday with us and that you would recommend. We look forward to planning many more holidays for you in the future.
A self guided walking holiday was a brand new venture for me
since I had always been on group guided walking holidays before. This new venture turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. The trip notes and maps that I was provided with to download onto my phone were very accurate. In fact I didn't have to refer to the OS maps that I was sent as well. The Lake District is a fantastic area to visit to start with on a first self guided walking trip, very pleasing. Hotels along the way were very good. I enjoyed the walking routes ,Grasmere to Coniston was my favourite. Overall I had a very enjoyable time and I would definitely do this self guiding experience again in the UK.
We had very enjoyable holiday despite the restrictions
An excellent holiday and we feel that a lot of credit should also be given to the local organiser, Hikes & Bikes, with whom you are in partnership. The walks were easy to follow & well explained with photographs where needed. The transfer of luggage was very efficient
A lovely taste of different low level walks available in the area which makes us want to go back and do more on our own. Walking notes were excellent and easy to follow despite being discouraged from doing so and lack of confidence in them provided at the briefing. Given how often it rains and n the Lakes some walks are a little unsuitable after seriously heavy prolonged rain and alternatives would be useful. But all in all a great trip with delightful views and interesting history.
Good value for money
We generally enjoyed good walking without any major issues. Our initial transfer to the hotel was not booked but we had a very good follow up from your local representative and staff. Also, one of the hotels was trying to charge room cost directly to us, but eventually they understood.
As a Literary Tour it was thoughtfully planned, apart from Day 6 when your Highlights suggests alternatives, but the walk sheet offers only a rather unneccesary trip to Wray Castle. Surely the walk to Beatrix Potter's High Top (returning via Moss Eccles Tarn) should have been the first choice. The National Trust is establishing an off-road path from Hawkeshead, which we took to Near Sawrey. And the extension to Day 7/Bowness was a downer. Being thrust into such a touristy place took us away from the empty countryside world of our walk.
A memorable trip in a wonderfully scenic location
Superb locations, superb hotels and even better food. We will certainly return.
Morgan did a wonderful job looking after us! And headwater was so well organised-we really loved our holiday Thankyou; will definitely travel again with you!
An interesting programme with generally good accommodation. Service at hotels mostly good except for overcharging at Grasmere.
Great holiday , very relaxing , walks well written and organised , made our first trip to the Lake district memorable and we will be back.
An all-around enjoyable experience. Rep, Karen, was really welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable which was a great start. The Wordsworth Hotel was comfortable and spacious,with great facilities, food and service - a great start to our holiday. The Queens Head Inn was a great choice of accommodation and the room was perfect - a fabulous place to end our holiday as the upgrade was great. However The Lakeland was a disappointment as the room was supposed to be an upgrade but fell very short. No space or facilities. It was incredibly impersonal with poor service. The staff were more interested in their shop customers. We are still waiting on the toast!
The walks were well graded, with excellently detailed guidance notes. There was room for subjectivity at times but back up maps sorted that.
Transfers and parking was straightforward too.
Booking staff were very helpful, pleasant and patient. I would recommend Headwater Holidays as everything went so smoothly, the walks were most enjoyable with beautiful, not too remote routes that were also not too inhabited.
We spent a really good week in the Lake District walking from village to village. Having our luggage transported from place to place was a real luxury. We were a bit unsure about how our children would cope with the walking. But this proved to be no problem at all, and they were ahead of us most of the time. The one day that we hadn't done our studying of maps and walking instructions properly, we managed to get lost. So, do your homework before leaving the house! We all really loved the last stop on our trip: The Queen's Head Inn, Hawkshead. Great team running the place and the food was amazing! Would travel with Headwater again if we have the chance to do so.
Headwater have always provided very, very detailed walking guides and we can always rely on those notes - never a tree, a gate, or a stone out of place!
My friend and I booked our Literary Walking in the Lake District Holiday as a celebration of our 50th birthdays. From the moment I began inquiring via email to the moment we left on the train out of Windermere, we felt valued and respected. Our booking experience was great - Joanne answered all my questions clearly and patiently. Transfers from the train station went smoothly and our taxi drivers were great. Every accommodation was clean, comfortable and unique and all the food was wonderful. Our printed directions were amazingly detailed and accurate - we had no issues finding our way around and the maps were very helpful too. Karen Wigglesworth was very friendly and genuine. She gave us plenty of information and suggestions to make our holiday the best it could be. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would do it again in a heartbeat! If only we could book every year! We were also extraordinarily lucky with the weather - a heat wave the Lake District hadn't experienced in years! Beautiful scenery, uncrowded trails, varied terrain - it was all wonderful! Thank you for helping make our birthday celebration unforgettable!
The countryside and views were like out of a fairytale. Sheep grazing on the hills, beautiful cottages along the way and fragrant woods to walk through. This holiday is for anyone who needs to slow down and forget modern life. The quality of the food and beer offered at various pubs along the way made it even better!
Ideal location for walking. Beautiful scenery and excellent accommodation
Walking enabled us to see parts of the Lake District we would never have seen in a car and the literary connections gave much added interest.
Gentle walking in stunning countryside. We went in May which risked wet weather (we were very lucky to have great weather). The Lake District does get very busy in the summer, so we're very happy to have had a nice quiet holiday.
we loved it. you make the right choices. you care for detail. you are committed and reliable. you do all the hard work. we just turned up and paid. great!
