Walking back to happiness
Try these brilliant British hiking holidays, says Will Hide, and you’ll be . . .
Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
ENJOY a wonderful two-week amble along this gorgeous stretch of the Welsh coast, starting at Amroth and finishing at St Dogmaels, a total of 186 miles. Start off every morning with a hearty Welsh breakfast. Your baggage is transported on to the next night’s accommodation, so you can travel light. Along the way, take in lovely beaches and historic castles, as well as possible sightings of grey seals, porpoises and basking sharks.
Absolute Escapes (absolute escapes.com) offers this two-week trip from £1,195pp (based on two sharing) with B&B, daily luggage transfer and information pack with maps (walescoastpath.gov.uk).
Hadrian’s Wall
PLAN ahead for June and you could walk the length of Hadrian’s Wall, guided by either Mark Corney, a frequent contributor to Channel 4’s Time Team, or leading archaeologist Tony Wilmott. The nine-day tour (starting at Wetheral in Cumbria and ending in Newcastle) covers up to 13 miles a day, with plenty of stories and tales en route and some of northern England’s most dramatic scenery.
Andante Travels (andantetravels. co.uk) offers this holiday from £1,995pp (two sharing), including guiding, transfers and full-board accommodation, with wine at dinner.
Yoga and hiking in Wales
QUALIFIED mountain guide Rebecca Morris leads long-weekend retreats in Snowdonia, combining delicious home-made food, yoga and hiking. Based in a cottage in picturesque Beddgelert. As well as mountain ascents, there’s time in the morning and evening for hatha and yin yoga (suitable for all abilities), and some weekends include wild swimming.
Morris Mountain Retreats (morrismountains.co.uk) has fully inclusive long weekend breaks from £275 (two sharing).
Cleveland Way
THE Cleveland Way National Trail celebrates its 50th birthday this year. The 109-mile path goes from the lovely Yorkshire market town of Helmsley, across the North York Moors to the coast at Saltburn, and then down along the dramatic North Sea shore to Whitby (be sure to stop at Trenchers on New Quay Road for fish and chips), Scarborough and Filey. Near the start is the dramatic escarpment of Sutton Bank, from the top of which author James Herriot said you could get the best view in England. Explore the southern end of the trail by staying at the Feversham Arms Hotel in Helmsley (fevershamarmshotel.com), £199 per night half-board doubles, including use of spa facilities. More details on the trail from nationaltrail.co.uk/cleveland-way, where you can download leaflets and route information. Novel Dorset THE Hardy Way is billed as Britain’s first literature-themed long-distance path. This six-night, self-guided walk is based around part of a 220-mile route through Thomas Hardy’s slice of Wessex. On the way, you’ll spend two nights at the Inn in Cranborne, where the novelist once stayed, follow in Tess of the d’Ubervilles’ footsteps to Win Green and visit Shaftesbury, or Shaston, as Hardy called it in Jude The Obscure.
Inntravel (inntravel.co.uk) offers this break from £665pp (two sharing) including B&B with some additional meals, luggage transfer between hotels, route notes and maps and transfer to pick up your car.
West Highland Way
WILDERNESS Scotland is introducing women-only walking trips this year, designed to ‘help women develop their confidence in the outdoors and meet like-minded adventurers’. One of them is a week-long hike along the spectacular West Highland Way in Scotland, starting in Milngavie, near Glasgow, and arriving 95 miles later at Fort William via Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and Glencoe.
Wilderness Scotland (wilderness scotland.com) offers this from £1,545pp (two sharing), including B&B with lunches and some dinners, guiding and transfers.