Walking the Highlights of Western Sicily

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Excellent relaxing self-guided tour. Options from easy to hard walking but good advice on selecting. Great information, good hotels. All paths easy to follow. Not overcrowded with tourists. Beautiful country and great historic sights plus views.

A Valued Customer, 3 Oct 2024

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I thought the itinerary was varied and well-planned and moving from one place to the next ran very smoothly.

Mrs Phillips, 21 Sep 2024

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A very enjoyable and varied holiday with interesting places to walk and visit off the beaten track. Excellent transfer arrangements and good and varied accommodation.

Mr Everitt, 21 Sep 2024

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I love the attention to detail you get from Headwater and the personal interaction from the staff, they go the extra mile to make a special holiday for you

Mrs Bain, 21 Sep 2024

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We had an interesting, active and enjoyable holiday on Sicily visiting places we would have been unlikely to get to on our own. When there were weather issues which affected the hydrofoil local staff put in alternative arrangements and this allowed us to continue to enjoy our holiday, even though it was not quite the holiday we had hoped for.

A Valued Customer, 6 Sep 2024

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This was our first time on an organized walking holiday and we were glad that we chose the location (Siciliy), time of year (May) and self-guided tour. We got to know our fellow travellers who were all nice people but things were not too intense as a guided trip might have been. It was also nice to have a selection of walks so that we could all chose walks to our level and compare notes afterwards. We learned a lot from our fellow travellers. Headwater did a great job of the arrangements which removed a lot of the stress of holidaymaking and we were very grateful to Helen for arranging to postpone the trip for a year when our personal circumstances meant we had to pull out the month before leaving. Overall we were glad we chose Headwater and would do so again in the future.

Ian Sparks, 11 May 2024

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We enjoyed our Headwater holiday immensely. The Sales Team were so professional and provided excellent instructions and information. Everything went according to plan, the flights, transfers and briefing on the itinerary for the week. Sicily was so beautiful and all of the accommodation was fantastic. We especially loved Baglio la Luna for it's stunning views and it's charming host Daniella. The walks were well organised and Zingaro Nature Reserve was our favourite. Marettimo Island had a very special charm and beauty. We felt that the last walk at Monte Cofano might be too much to do in the time allowed and in the heat so our driver very kindly drove us to the end of the route so we could walk back as far as we wanted along the coastal path and then return to the meeting point. Thank you Headwater for a wonderful holiday.

Sandra Jones, 11 May 2024

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An excellent holiday in beautiful areas --and good company as well

Howard Brown, 11 May 2024

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We thoroughly enjoyed our Headwater experience as it took us to a part of Sicily we would not otherwise have explored. There was a nice variety to our days and we were given plenty of options of what we could do. We enjoyed the fact that we were self-guided but met up with fellow Headwater guests every so often, allowing us to get to know them during the holiday, allowing us to feel very comfortable together and enjoy each others company in the final stop at Baglio de la Luna. We particularly appreciated the fact that the days seemed to work out to be hard walks every other day, allowing for a bit recovery in between. I think we would have appreciated a bit more guidance as to where the nicer beaches were. For example on Marettimo we only found the nice beach which was mentioned in your suggested short walks on our last day there. We also loved the white stone beach at the end of the coastal walk in Levanza. It would also have been useful to have some restaurant recommendations. All in all, however, it was a very successful holiday leaving us with memories of stunning views, nicely sore muscles, ravenous appetites satisfied by exceptional Sicilian food and great travel companions. We would recomment Headwater to our friends.

Tessa Rice, 11 May 2024

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A well planned holiday which we enjoyed. Pity so much was closed in Marettimo as this was restrictive. Excellent and very knowledgeable/helpful local agent. Well planned walks.

James Elder, 4 May 2024

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Overall very enjoyable and well planned trip . Taxi service was excellent , local contact excellent . Really need to sort the island visit before the season starts there.

Karl Pedder, 4 May 2024

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Not perfect but we will use you again. Thank you.

Michael Tebbutt, 14 Oct 2023

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Communication with Headwater staff was easy, with quick response times to any queries. We were able to tailor the trip to suit our needs and it felt like the staff really cared that we had a good holiday / experience. The trip ran smoothly with transfers always arriving on time. The accommodation was of a good standard.



Our walking holiday in Sicily was in October 2023 and the weather was still very hot so we chose to do shorter walks, rather than the more strenuos of the route options. This gave us time to enjoy swimming in the clear blue sea waters and to use the hotel swimming pools and loungers. The walking tracks were clearly marked and easy to follow.



We booked ourselves on to a boat trip around the island of Marettimo which was one of the highlights of our trip, with several opportunities for snorkelling and even a swim through a sea cave. The waters here are unbelievably clear.



Our trip itinerary included visits to some historic sites (additional entry fee for some) which were interesting and added to our trip.

Angela Platts, 29 Sep 2023

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Generally a very enjoyable holiday with well organised transport

David Adams, 23 Sep 2023

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Excellent at home and away

Clare Nelson, 22 Sep 2023

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Very satisfied with the itinerary and the smooth transfers.

All the advantages of independent travel with the logistics taken care of.

Michel Dench, 18 Sep 2023

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The holiday exceeded our expectations. The change for a second cup of coffee at the Marettimo Residence was at best surprising and at worst enough to make recommending the holiday different

Some of the walks were more challenging than we expected. We are experienced hill and costal path walkers and we found some walk’s difficult particularly in the heat.

James Newton, 9 Sep 2023

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This "walking holiday" is different from many others as there is only one point-to-point walk (Cofano), several sights (Erice, Segesta), and a lot of pickups. Thankfully, as it would have been a disaster to have had 5 point-to-point walks in 34+°C heat.

We didn't attempt the sensible length circular walks in Zingaro or Marettimo as it was too hot.

The longer ones were out of the question.

If you don't like tuna or swordfish, your restaurant choices will be very limited, but octopus lovers will be quids in.

We stayed on for 4 nights in St Vito lo capo in the middle of the Couscous Festa. This is a very Italian affair and the town was packed with Italians, not foreigners!

Lovely safe beach.

David Griffiths, 9 Sep 2023

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We loved Sicily but experienced poor weather conditions so were unable to reach the island of Marettimo (which is the core of the holiday) and were offered a poor series of alternative activities.

EARNSHAW, 13 May 2023

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A well organised holiday from start to finish. Wonderful locations with great walks and scenery. We especially enjoyed the spring flower and shrubs including many Orchids and catching sight of the wild goats and birds on Marittemo. The additional visits to Segesta and Erice were well worth doing with spectacular views. Walking notes and maps were very good and easy to follow. All three locations were very different. We especially enjoyed the last stay at Daniella's where we were welcomed on arrival each day with a pot of tea on the terrace in her beautiful landscaped gardens. All in all, we would thoroughly recommend this holiday especially if taken in May when the flora is wonderful and the temperatures are perfect for walking.

Mrs Gardner, 29 Apr 2023

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Fabulous itinerary making the most of this region of Italy. A good balance with historical visits. The walking made the most of the wild coastline and the locations of all of the accommodation were just perfect. We traveled in the second half of April so enjoyed gorgeous wild flowers on our walks. The seafood in particular was amazing throughout and the home cooking of our last accommodation (Baglio La Luna) just perfect. Absolutely loved this week!

Ms Cutts, 15 Apr 2023

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A well organised and very interesting introduction to the geography and history of Sicily. Transfers and site visits were well planned and always ran like clockwork. We appreciated the range of walks offered to suit weather and fitness levels. Strongly recommended.

Dr Gowers, 3 Sep 2022

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We had a fantastic holiday in Sicily.

Everything went well, good walks and hotels. The weather was hot 34 degrees (first week of June)on first day ....too hot for a 4hr walk... good there was a pool at the hotel... Marettimo was beautiful and 25degrees with a

breeze..Great restaurants fresh fish and everyone friendly. Looking forward to our next holiday with you.



Mrs Lammiman, 4 Jun 2022

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Excellent holiday

Mrs Naylor, 21 May 2022

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The scenary in Western Sicily is spectaclar. The island of Marettimo is a particularly special "away from it all" place with virtually no cars but boats parked everywhere. The people are friendly. The food - fish of course - is very good. The walks and the swimming excellent.

Mr STANTON, 7 May 2022

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This was an excellent and really well organised trip, staying in three very nice hotels. All of the management by the local agents was great and the transfers worked perfectly. Late April was a good time to go, with pleasant temperatures for walking without being too warm. The scenery was lovely and there were excellent views from the hotels, especially on Marettimo and at San Vito lo Capo. Walking on Marettimo was particularly enjoyable as it was very peaceful and the air was filled with the smell of the wild rosemary. There was also very good food, especially fish.

Mr Flower, 23 Apr 2022

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The self-guided walking was well planned and suited our levels of ability (a challenge, but a good challenge which allowed us to feel we'd earned our dinner!). Varied itinerary, which added to the enjoyment, and plenty of opportunity to adjust the programme to suit our wishes (for instance, adding a boat trip round Marettimo and snorkeling in the translucent waters).

Mr BOARDMAN, 12 Sep 2020

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A good opportunity to see a corner of Sicily that is not often on the tourist trail. Spectacular scenery and pleasant walking, though walks were often quite short in length, there was plenty of interest along the way. Several alternative walks offered at all venues.. Worth combining with a few days in Palermo, for a marked contrast.

Mr Robinson, 21 Sep 2019

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Wonderful way to see this area of Sicily. Temple of Segesta a highlight. Beautiful inland scenery & fantastic coastline. We had excellent, driver, Nicolas, punctual and safe, also flexible & happy to change itinerary to suit us. We were the only guests to our surprise! Far too hot for 70+ yr olds in early Sept. to walk in Zingaro Reserve. Found shady, rocky beach near Scopello & enjoyed the sandy beach & umbrellas of San Vito Lo Capo. Marettimo was delightful with excellent walks. Beware vertigo on one! Il Veliero - great fish restaurant. Stunning location back on mainland for last two nights. Highly recommend adding on at least 2 days in Palermo.

Mrs Davies, 14 Sep 2019

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A great way to see several places in one week in the Sicily area. We could tailor the walks to suit our own needs using the Headwater routes as our starting point. Also it was nice to meet our fellow travellers and spend some socialising time with them

Mr Warburton, 7 Sep 2019

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Good walking, some of it reasonably challenging in the heat in a spectacularly beautiful corner of Sicily.

Excellent and efficient transfers made arrangements run smoothly and were a real time saver.

I really enjoyed myself.

Fox, 31 Aug 2019

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Wonderful Island to visit very interesting locations to visit with some good walking but beware in June it is hot and there is very little shade

Mr Ford, 8 Jun 2019

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The three locations offered different aspects of north-west Sicily, and walking descriptions very accurate. Phillipo gave us a great introduction to the area at the briefing, including tips for our extension in Palermo. We enjoyed staying at all three hotels and accommodation was of a high standard, although a little disappointed with the quality of food (breakfast choices were very limited at Marettimo Residence after 8.10 as supplies weren’t refreshed, and the evening meal at Baglio la Luna was not well cooked on the first evening, second was better). The walks on Marettimo are beautiful; Scopello lower walk along the coastal path was extremely crowded so not much fun; we didn’t do the final walk at San Vito as it was too hot and challenging for us based on feedback from others, so spent the day on the beach. The drivers were professional and courteous, giving the opportunity to see Erice and Segesta, and boat travel good. Definitely recommend adding on time in Palermo.

Ms Hofmann, 2 Jun 2019

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Fabulous walking in by far our favourite part of Sicily - recommend doing the higher level walk in Zingaro. And as for Marettimo, what a discovery. Spectacular scenery and unspoilt. As ever Headwater's arrangements ran like clockwork and the route directions easy to follow. The side trips to Segesta and Erice were a real bonus. The final walk up Monte Monaco was a bit of a disappointment and just a slog up and down in 34C but appreciate it was a last minute alternative because the Monte Cofano route was closed. If it doesn't reopen perhaps other options could be offered. The hotel In Scopello (La Tavernetta ) was excellent and we loved Marettimo Residence which gave us the choice of eating out or stocking up the fridge with local goodies and staying in. The B&B for the final two nights is very isolated and as we are not great fans of set menus and communal dining was not for us. However, there is no denying that Baglio La Luna is quirky and full of character and we were lucky to have a huge sun terrace (room 4!) and our time there did not detract from our enjoyment of the whole trip. Another great holiday with Headwater.

Mr Morrison, 1 Jun 2019

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Very pretty walks and interesting culture. I would suggest visiting later in the year rather than late May as the resort areas were not open and the weather was cool and at times very wet. The hotel on Marittimo is not geared up for out of high season use and was cold and rather basic. In hot weather it might be lovely. A lot of restaurants and shops were still closed.

Dr Owen-Jones, 25 May 2019

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Good combination of guided walks and sight seeing. The driver for the transfers was very obliging and helpful.

Mrs Summers, 18 May 2019

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Well chosen hotels, in stunning locations. When things went wrong, due to bad weather and hydrofoil cancellation, Headwater Holidays seemlessly organised excellent alternative accommodation and travel plans.

Ms Krombacher, 4 May 2019

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We like Headwater

Mrs Brown, 23 Apr 2019

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Very enjoyable. We were lucky with the weather as although we had one wet and windy night and also a whole day and our ferry back to the mainland was cancelled, the agent managed to adjust itinerary to enable those of us with a later flight on last day still to be able to do everything. Although we missed the spring flowers and possibility of seeing orchids - we had Autumn Heather and Rosemary in flower in abundance on some walks. I did feel that the local agent should have checked on the ferry website that our ferries to and from Marettimo Island were running and been pro-active in telling us what we should do when the ferry was cancelled. Some of us found out by checking the website ourselves but unless you met someone who knew we were left in the dark as the hotel reception didnt let us know and we were all in different parts of the hotel.



Two of us went to Lorenzo island for the day which worked out very well although the coastal walk notes back from the cave to the ferry were poor and misleading. It added to the variety and we were glad we had gone.



Overall a good mix of walking, archaeology and culture and weather not too hot for walking - although we were lucky that the wet and windy spells didnt disrupt our trip more.



A good group of people and it was nice to meet them at some meal times and bump into them sometimes on the walks.

Cruickshank, 13 Oct 2018

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Interesting and varied trip.

Mr Fletcher, 13 Oct 2018

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Well organised, good value, good range of accommodation

Dr Wilson, 6 Oct 2018

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A great way to explore a little known corner of this interesting island

Mrs Gilmore, 6 Oct 2018

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All in all a good walking holiday, the walks were all generally very peaceful and unspoilt although they were probably a bit tougher than we anticipated but not excessively so. The welcome briefing at Scopello was very good but unfortunately due to flight arrival times had to be held on the morning of the second day which meant we didn’t start the Zingaro walk until 11am which is a bit late as it gets very hot and there is no shade worth talking of for the first 2-3 hours, that said it’s a great walk.

The accommodation is comfortable enough without being luxurious but is well located and the breakfasts perfectly good.

The side trips to Erice and Segesta were very good, take the cable car up to Erice from Trapani , unforgettable views.

We added 3 days in Palermo to take in the city which is wonderfully atmospheric, recommended way to finish off a lovely trip.



Ausden, 22 Sep 2018

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Enjoyable walking holiday with suitable options provided.

Mrs Griffiths, 11 Sep 2018

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This was an excellent holiday and the 3 days in Marettimo were just THE BEST!

Mrs Mcdonagh, 8 Sep 2018

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The most relaxing active holidays you can have.

Mr Macnaughton, 3 Jun 2018

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We really enjoyed our walking in Sicily. The notes were clear and good with adequate warnings about some trickier paths to negotiate.

We especially liked our stay on Marettimo as well as the walking there. Filippo was a friendly informative rep from the agency in Palermo and we had excellent help, support and advice from Nicola the local driver who arrived punctually and drove us carefully for all our journeys. One of the best Headwater holidays we have had.

Mrs Price, 2 Jun 2018

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We enjoyed the walks and beautiful scenery of this holiday, especially our stay on Marrettimo was a very happy one.

Mr Samuel, 5 May 2018

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When a walk had to be changed because of a landslide, both the local agent and people back at Headwater took trouble to get in touch and suggest a new route: very thoughtful.

Prof Hartley, 28 Apr 2018

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This is exactly the kind of holiday that we enjoy, with a high degree of freedom to do your own thing and a variety of levels of walking. All of the stress of travel is taken away by extremely good and courteous drivers and advice. The accommodations are always interesting and the evening meals when provided as part of the holiday were delicious.

Ms Roscoe, 28 Apr 2018

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This holiday provided a wonderful experience of Sicily off the main tourist trail. We found April was a fantastic time as it was early in the tourist season, not too hot and the spring flowers were out. If you want to swim along the way you might want to go in May.

Mr Quigley, 21 Apr 2018

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Beautiful countryside and views and challenging walks. Also a great opportunity to visit the historical sites at Segesta, Erice and Levanzo

Mr Haberman, 7 Oct 2017

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Fantastic views. Marittemo an island paradise! Organisation excellent

Mrs Kelsey, 7 Oct 2017

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A great way to experience Sicily and its individuality. The scenery on the walks was breathtaking and we enjoyed the opportunity to visit the caves on Levanzo and see Segesta and Erice.

Mrs Walker, 7 Oct 2017

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We have only explored a small corner of Sicily, but were completely bowled over by the scenery. The walks were varied, although be aware that many are stony and require care when descending, but definitely worth it for the views! It was good to have the experience of staying on the mainland and on Marretimo. I would highly recommend the optional trip to Levanzo. .We visited the grotto, which was fascinating and walked back along the coastal path which had some fabulous views. The food was delicious - if you like seafood! Our driver Nikola was incredibly helpful and informative. he even arranged for us to have a day in Castellamare, as our flight was not leaving till late that evening.

Mrs Cerny, 30 Sep 2017

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Well planned and important detail given. friendly and helpful advice both here and in Sicily. Need shoes to wear in most coves for swimming. Reserve closed when Sirocco wind is blowing in case of further forest fires.

Voucher for evening meal much appreciated. Great mediterranean food and local wine.

Mrs Carruthers, 16 Sep 2017

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We enjoyed Maretimmo ,although unfortunately were unable to get there as planned because of high winds .There is not much to do in Scopello if you cannot access the Zingaro walks . I would not offer extra nights there .

Mrs Hancock, 9 Sep 2017

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A very well thought out itinerary, with great walking in National Parks and on a peaceful Island. The hotels were lovely and the staff helpful. Transport between the hotels and to the start of our walks as well as for sightseeing all worked like clockwork.

Mr Jones, 9 May 2017

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Stayed in some delightful places, especially Baglio La Luna where the location was magnificent, views, relaxing areas and we were so well looked after. Changes in arrangement occasioned by bad weather were efficiently and effectively carried out. All arrangements for meeting and dropping us off worked well, pleasantly and without fuss.

Mrs Pursey, 6 May 2017

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We thoroughly enjoyed the Secrets of Sicily Walking holiday in early May 2017 which certainly reached all our expectations. The hotels we stayed at were all very well chosen and we particularly enjoyed the Marettimo Residence and the Baglio Luna at San Vito lo Capo which was fantastic. All the arrangements went well and the walks we did were lovely and easy to follow using the excellent detailed notes provided. We saw so many lovely wild flowers and birds and the views were wonderful. Overall we would have no hesitation recommending Headwater walking holidays and we are looking forward to choosing another of their walking holidays next year.

Mr Goscomb, 6 May 2017

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This was a beautifully organised and well balanced holiday. Plenty of variety and choice, especially the walks. The weather in that first week in May was perfect for walking, warm and sunny with a cooling sea breeze. The highlight for us was the walk in the Zingaro National Park where we saw eight different wild orchids. And the little square in Scopello was so nice to sit in with a beer and watch the world go by.

Marettimo was delightful. We loved our accommodation which had a terrace overlooking the olive trees and gardens and got the evening sun. The little town was interesting, the restaurants were varied and the fish delicious.

By the time we got to the Baglio la Lune, our last stop, we were totally relaxed and happy to gaze at the setting sun in the evening after our supper on the terrace.

.Although each place we stayed was very different, they were quite close geographically, which helped us to orientate ourselves and kept travelling to a minimum. Our driver was utterly charming, always reassuringly early and very helpful. Thank you Headwater.

Mrs Chua, 29 Apr 2017

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Fantastic holiday. Walking and talking with friends in spectacular scenery is a truly great experience. The whole trip was seamlessly organised and and executed by Nicola and his local team.

Mr Chesters, 22 Oct 2016

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Very good indeed and very well organised but as we're we're the last week of the season many restaurants and bars were shut particularly on marritimo- I think we should have been told about this. Other than that an excellent holiday.

Mr Tobbell, 22 Oct 2016

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Accommodation varied.... food in restaurant in Scopello great. Food at La Luna great.

As was very end of the season nothing was open on Marretimo. There were 2 restaurants which only sold fish so not much choice.

Walks were fantastic. Apartment basic but functional...good breakfasts.

The 2 taxi drivers were first rate, very good English, helpful and informative.

Mrs Timbrell, 22 Oct 2016

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Nothing to worry about, great accommodation in wonderful locations,excellent walks

Mrs Ruthen, 15 Oct 2016

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A good week in the north-west corner of Sicily. The holiday cleverly combined walking (and swimming) in the Zingaro nature reserve and on the island of Marettimo with visits to the archaeological site at Segesta and the hill-top town of Erice. Transfers for our group of six were provided by our helpful and informative taxi driver, who made sure that we enjoyed our visit to the area.

Mrs Garnett, 6 Oct 2016

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Good value for money. Lovely walking. Beautiful island.

Mr Peat, 4 Oct 2016

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Very enjoyable holiday in a lovely part of Sicily. Perhaps we should have gone in April/May rather than October to see the wild flowers particularly the orchids on Marettimo. Several days were rather hot for the walking! Not such a variety of bird life as expected but there were a very large numberof robins on Mareettimo - not sure why! Good hotels and, in particular, Daniela was very welcoming and looked after us well, with good food, at the Baglio La Luna. Flights via Rome meant leaving at 3am on the way out and 4am on the way back. Good service from the local reps and Niccolo was a very careful and attentive driver who gave us good advice and made sure we had the right instructions and departure gate for the hydrofoil to Marettimo.

Dr Garwood, 1 Oct 2016

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Great to see a less explored side of Sicily.

Mr Higginson, 1 Oct 2016

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Overall an excellent holiday with good accommodation and choice of walking routes

Mr Long, 3 Sep 2016

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we were disappointed, Some of the walking was below expectations, there seemed to be a lack of continuity and some of the food left much to be desired. The catalogue entry was a bit ambiguous.

Mrs Maddison, 16 May 2016

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Overall very good - excellent walks with very often a choice to extend or reduce length/difficulty. We found most of the walks easier than we expected but maybe that is our own walking experience here in the UK (Dartmoor)

Accommodation good although the beds were cold and seemed damp at our last stop - maybe a problem with being at the beginning of the season while temperatures were still low.

Out taxi driver was excellent, courteous, helpful and always on time.

Mrs Randall, 7 May 2016

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A really interesting week in beautiful locations. On the walks we enjoyed the wonderful wildflowers, birds and butterflies and beautiful coastal views. We much appreciated the visits that had been arranged to Segesta and Erice - full of interest. Nicola, our taxi driver, was really excellent - friendly, offering information and always on time and very well organised. The walking was great, well off the beaten track but on reasonable footpaths - all in all, a very good week.

Ms Lewis, 30 Apr 2016

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An excellent holiday if you are interested in spring flowers and migrant birds. The island of Marettimo was the highlight as was the stay in the tranquil and delightful Baglio La Luna. Our Taxi driver was particularly helpful,flexible, informative and friendly, and always came on time. The flight times could have been better - we had a 4 hour wait in Rome. However I think this could not be avoided. Our highlight was 3 new orchids we had not come across before. All the walks took us much longer than the notes indicated as we spent so much time looking at the amazing flora or this lovely island.

Mrs Dean, 16 Apr 2016

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If you go to Sicily with Headwater

You will find they have done all they oughter

You can swim, you can walk

You can eat or just talk

Your holiday will be just what you boughter.







Mrs Smith, 10 Apr 2016

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A good holiday with great scenery and enjoyable walks. A notable absence of birds in the Zingaro Nature Reserve (October) but the vegetation was still very green, despite the heat .

Mrs Griffiths-Pear, 3 Oct 2015

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Most enjoyable holiday which was well organised. Hotels were just right for our requirements. Our minibus driver Nicola was superb - always on time and nothing was too much trouble.

Temperatures up to 39 degrees were a bit of a shock in mid September which meant some of the walks were very testing when there was a lack of shade.

Mr Sanderson, 16 Sep 2015

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We greatly enjoyed our holiday and got to experience a wonderful part of Sicily, including the beautiful Marettimo Island. The only problem we encountered was that for the first 4 days there was a strong Sirocco wind which meant that the Zingaro reserve was closed, so that we couldn't do the suggested walk on our first day. It would have been nice to have had an alternative offered to us either by your local agent or the hotel. We were also worried what would happen if the ferry back from Marettimo was cancelled (we weren't given any info on this, yet it seems to be a common occurrence) - but in the event this wasn't needed.

Mr Clark, 13 Sep 2015

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You enabled us to visit a part of Sicily we could not have done on our own. The area was beautiful, the walks good and we enjoyed the company of fellow travellers. Thank you

Mr Fisher, 5 Sep 2015

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This was our first visit to Sicily and we thought the Secrets of Sicily programme gave a fantastic introduction to the relatively unknown northwest of the island. We very much appreciated the inclusion of visits to Segesta and Erice en route to our second and third destinations.The great highlight was the walk, on the final full day, around Monte Cofano.

Mr Shaw, 7 Jun 2015

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Very enjoyable introduction to North West Sicily and the Egadi islands. Each location was full of character and accommodation was attractive and comfortable. Particularly enjoyed accommodation near San Vito where owner Daniela is a charming and very welcoming host and gave us a great introduction to Sicilian food. Beautiful views on the walks, especially in Zingaro nature reserve and on Marettimo. High temperature and very strong wind made walk around Monte Cofano a bit of an endurance walk at the end. However, lemon granitas in café at the pick up point and paddle in sea helped recovery.

Mis Monteith, 10 May 2015

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Be aware of possible High wind disruption on Island

Mr Burton, 9 May 2015

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The weather was unusually cold and very windy, and there was no heating in the Marettimo Residence, but a heater was supplied at Baglio la Luna. Even so, we sat in bed in the evenings in our fleeces to keep warm, playing scrabble.

After the final walk,which took less time than expected, no facilities were open in the village of Cornino (not even the public conveniences). When he arrived, our lovely taxi driver Nicola drove us straight to San Vito Lo Capo so we could find a coffee and a desperately-needed loo. Full marks to Nicola for help and service throughout the trip; he even carried our bags up to the 2nd floor B&B in Trapani. (The amazing emergency B&B was like being on a set in an episode of Inspector Montalbano - a surprise addition to the holiday.)

The walks were enjoyable, but some of the paths on Marettimo and at Monte Cofano had been eroded by water over the winter and consisted mainly of loose fallen rocks of random sizes. Sticks are very much needed, especially for descents.

There are many dogs wandering around in this area of Sicily; we were not attacked at all, and one followed us all day on our walk to the Semaforo. We could only reward him with a drink of water, poured into a plastic carrier bag, in a hole in the ground at the picnic site. However, the dogs leave poo everywhere, so you need to watch your step!

Mrs Lay, 4 Apr 2015

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The holiday was very enjoyable, the location was great, but the walks were challenging in the heat, even in September. The local food was delicious.

Dr Mason, 20 Sep 2014

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Headwater holidays are ones where you can count on the arrangements made and simply enjoy the holiday you have chosen to take.

Mrs Clark, 19 Sep 2014

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Thoroughly enjoyable - just as we expected - save only for the above average temperatures (35C +). I'm sure it would be a lot more comfortable in the Spring!

Mr Kitchen, 13 Sep 2014

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Beautiful area of Sicily, which took us by surprise. It is very hot though as there's little shade on the walks so a slightly later departure in the year may have been better for us. A good variety of walks available though so when it was at its hottest we just did slightly less strenuous ones.. Also the walking ability of our group of 6 was mixed so we could split up at times but all enjoy a walk then meet for dinner together which worked well.. The sightseeing trips were well chosen and really interesting.

Mrs Buckham, 5 Sep 2014

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Good first experience with friends who have been with you before.

Mr Cross, 24 May 2014

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Secrets o Sicily was probably one of the best holidays ever. The walking was great, the routes good, the accommodation (with one exception) excellent with good food. Everything you could want for comfort and enjoyment, but not at all fussy. Domenica at Baglio La Luna was great in letting us keep the room for the whole day before we flew back in the evening, and in offering us food in a location where there is nothing else. The help given in choosing appropriate accommodation for our two extra (lazy) days before we started the walking holiday was much appreciated. Thank you.

Ms Swinburne, 15 May 2014

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We thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. The walking mix was good, and flowers, birds, sea and sun were a great combination. Marettimo was special.

Mr Ainger, 26 Apr 2014

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This was a very enjoyable holiday. The walks, locations, itinerary and choice of hotels were all well thought out. We enjoyed the variety of walks and the wild flowers were stunning. Spotting a Bonelli Eagle was one of the highlights. Our local reps looked after us well, leaving us to be independent but stepping in when required - for example, sorting out a hotel in Trapani when our boat trip to Marettimo was delayed due to high winds. We found some of the walks quite tough but rewarding. The hotels were varied and our favourite was the self catering on Marettimo.

Mrs Arlett, 24 Apr 2014

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The overall holiday was very enjoyable, well planned with a good mix of site seeing and excellent walking in a little known but beautiful part of Sicily, all local

Agents were on time and efficient, Carlos in particular was well informed and helpful, others were less so.. We opted to pay extra to have some time sight seeing in Palermo on the last day. This caused quite a lot of arranging and could have been offered to us before we went, The last hotel was not good. The food was very poor, bit like school dinners and as it was in such an isolated location it was not possible to walk to any where else as another choice to eat, it was a long distance from the planned walks in the reserve so it entailed long taxi rides to and for , which seemed pointless and made the whole thing rather regulated rather than the freedom offered at the other hotels and locations. In addition I had been persuaded to pay 60 Euro extra by the U.K. Booking agent from Headwater for a room with a sea view and little patio when in fact all it was was an ordinary room with rather a small window which did look over the sea, a rip off.

Mrs Organ, 5 Apr 2014

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An excellent holiday in an outstanding area. Local history combined with fantastic scenery, and walks. Some of the walks were at the upper end of the grading - made worse by unusually high temperatures. The organisation of the transfers and visits to historic sites was first rate.

Mr Williams, 20 Sep 2013

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Holiday was around three centres and we didn't walk between them. Taxi transfers ere very reliable and efficient. Our taxi driver Daniella, was keen to practice his English. Our three night on Marettimo where we ate in Il Veliero where the anto pasto was marvellous. We got a really great welcome at La Luna and we were lucky to be able to stay in our room until late on the last day when we were flying home late so we could have a shower after a day on the beach at San Vito Lo Capo. We enjoyed the visits to Segesta and Enrice. It was a really good mox of walking and seeing a few of the sights.

Mrs Dolan, 19 Sep 2013

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Good variety of walking and interest on the transfer days. Traveled in late May which seemingly is low season in Sicily consequently some of the restaurants on Marettimo were closed leaving a very limited choice, however the accommodation has a good kitchenette giving the option to self cater for 1 or 2 nights. Marettimo was very windy the days we were there making the coastal path to the Castello challenging, you certainly need a head for heights in windy conditions.

Mr Williams, 18 May 2013

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Loved Western Sicily, looking extra beautiful covered in spring flowers. And how well we ate!

Independent walking with the confident backup of Crilu's expertise. Seeing those parts of a place not normally on the tourist routes and enjoying beautiful scenery and interesting locations away from the masses.

Mrs Blake, 27 Apr 2013

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A wonderful opportunity to get to know this corner of Sicily. We would never have found these nature reserves ourselves. The wild flowers were a spectacle, and the local cuisine excellent.

Mrs Bainton, 26 Apr 2013

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Well thought out and stress -free holiday but not cheap.

Mr Scharer, 6 Apr 2013