Guided Walking in Britain
Country House Based
Classic Walking

Choose from the widest selection of walking holidays imaginable. Our popular Country House based guided walking programme is called Classic Walking and offers at least 2 guided walks, often 3, sometimes 4, each walking day subject to sufficient numbers choosing each walk. They vary from high level to low level, longer to shorter, mountain or hill walking, contouring or valley walking. One day is set aside for you to explore, as you wish, with leader advice available. To cover the finest scenery and landscape variety in your chosen area, we use coach transport on a number of days of your stay.

A quality experience

Experience is the hallmark of a Classic Walking holiday. HF Holidays' network of over 800 voluntary leaders guide in excess of 10,000 walks every year. In 2003, we celebrated our 90th anniversary. In all that time we have built a vast range of knowledge of Britain's walks, backed up by the skill, dedication and personality of our leaders. The leaders come from all walks of life, provide the initial enthusiasm and ability, and then are assessed and trained to a rigorous standard by our large team of assessors. All hold first aid certificates, and very often have other walking related qualifications. There are several leaders on most walking holidays, with you throughout your stay, and able to ensure that you make the most of every day - and that your evenings are just as entertaining with optional dancing, quizzes and card games for your pleasure

The walks each day

Most holidays of a week offer walks on 5 days. Wednesday is usually a free day for everyone, giving time to explore the local area or relax. Walks parties usually depart around 9.30am and spend about 5-7 hours walking including stops (returning between 4.30-6.00pm) This does of course vary according to the holiday chosen and the season. Transport for the walks is included. Shorter holidays offer walks of one day less than the number of nights.

To round off the day

After dinner, the leaders will tell you about the choice of walks for the next day, answer any questions you may have and advise on weather conditions to enable you to make your choice. During the evening, you may like to join in a quiz or a talk about the local area. A drink at the bar, or a quiet lounge with a book, are relaxing alternatives.

Guidance on the terrain

Our long experience suggests that a complicated grading system to explain the walks can be confusing and misleading. Instead, we give you comprehensive information about the different walks available on each holiday and let you make your own judgement based on your experience.

The most important factors to look for are the distance walked and the amount of "uphill" or ascent in total for the day. A relatively easy walk will have a low mileage and a low total ascent. A harder walk will usually have a higher mileage and total ascent. Hard walks with low mileage, but a high total ascent often involve some rock scrambling and difficult terrain. Here, and in the walks booklet sent before your holiday, is information about the routes for the walks, the gradients you are likely to encounter and descriptions of the landscape you will be walking through. To enjoy your holiday, you should be reasonably fit and healthy at the time of your break.

Walking in comfort

Staying warm and dry is the key to outdoor comfort. After your booking, we provide a detailed list of recommended clothing, specific to your location but the following general advice may assist:

• Bring worn-in walking boots
• Waterproof jacket (with hood)
• Waterproof over trousers
• Spare sweaters or fleece (several thin layers are better than one thick layer)
• Thick and thin socks
• General outdoor clothing
• A small rucksack to carry spare clothing, food and drink
  

Other walking holiday ideas

Many holidays run alongside our walks programmes. If you are travelling with friends, spouse or partner, you can walk each day together or at different levels to suit your abilities. There are also holidays Just for Adults, for Under 40s, Solo Guests and for Families. If you want to be independent from our programme during the day, see our Freedom Breaks which provide just accommodation, but allow you to enjoy our evening get-together if you wish.

Easier than Classic Walking - Look under speciality walking

An excellent range of walks, often running alongside Classic Walking, to enable you to get close to your chosen areas - history, flora and fauna, bird-life, the landscape or another special walking interest....

Walks of Discovery - Easier Walking - Easier Half-Day Walks - Rover Tours - and many more.

On these holidays there is one leader and one walk each day to enable your interest to be fully explored. The pace of the walks is relaxed and, as usual, one day is free for independent activity.

Beyond Classic Walking

An extensive programme dedicated to the harder, higher, tougher - and for all ages. The most demanding holidays that we offer in the UK. You should be very fit, with a head for heights and exposure, enjoy scrambling and high trail walking. On these holidays we go high and stay high...

Ridges and Scrambles - the Munros - Remoter, Wilder Dartmoor - High Peaks - High Routes of the Highlands and more.

On these holidays there is one leader and one walk in the day to enable you to concentrate on your challenge. They generally run alongside Classic Walking, so if the going gets too tough there's always an easier option for the day.

Fine Country Houses

Most Classic Walking holidays are operated from our own group of good quality Country House accommodation, each with its own individual style and character. Our staff provide the facilities most appreciated by walkers - comfortable accommodation, excellent food, and specialist boot rooms and drying rooms.

Meals include full English or continental breakfast, our famous walkers' picnic lunch (plus one for your journey home), and an excellent sociable evening meal with coffee and mints. Our chefs specialise in British cuisine often with local and international variations.

Most bedrooms are en-suite with complimentary tea and coffee facilities in the rooms, but at the request of the majority of guests, we do not provide televisions or telephones. The boot rooms and the drying rooms provide the essential function: to dry boots and clothes in a moderately warm, well-ventilated atmosphere.

At each House, Premium single and twin rooms are available at a supplement of £5 per person per night. Click here for further details.

What the Holidays include

• Full programme of day and evening activities
• Services of your leaders
• Any transport used on excursions (unless otherwise stated)
• Good quality en-suite accommodation (usually shower, sometimes bath or both)
• ALL meals - freshly cooked English breakfast, our famous picnic lunch selection (unless otherwise stated), excellent evening meal with coffee/tea and after dinner mints
• Complimentary tea and coffee in all bedrooms
• FREE car parking in Country House grounds (where available)
• Value Added Tax and Service Charges
• No single room supplements (except Swanage)
• No en-suite room supplements
  

What the Holidays do not include

• Insurance - We urge all our guests to take out insurance to protect themselves against unforeseen cancellation
• Transfers to and from resort
• Porterage
• Drinks and laundry
• Walks transport and picnic lunch at our Swanage, Aberfoyle and Montgomery partner hotels