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WalkingWomen Calendar for Walking Holidays in Autumn 2010All our Autumn holidays & short breaks (or walking tours) are given below. Click on any title for more details. General Arrangements and Contact Details are to be found at the bottom of this page.See the main WalkingWomen website?You may have arrived on this page via a search engine. This is the unframed version of the WalkingWomen site only for browsers that do not support frames. Connect to the WalkingWomen Home Page? The main WalkingWomen site is constantly updated to show which walking holidays still have space! |
Earnley Concourse center is located close to Chichester
within easy reach of the South Downs and the coast. Earnley is a great new WW
venue - offering plenty of comfortable ensuite singles (£10 a night
ensuite single supplement), a good sized lounge, beautiful grounds, and even an
indoor heated swimming pool! From here we will have transport to walk through
the fantastic ancient yew trees of Kingley Vale and up onto the Downs for
superb views across Chichester harbour to the sea. We can also visit Bosham
Harbour which dates back to Saxon and medieval times, seeing waders and
waterbirds aplenty as we walk around the Harbour to Itchenor. On Friday there
can be an extra afternoon walk if you can arrive by 1pm - along the coast to
Pagham, or towards the Roman walls and cathedral of Chichester. Chichester
station is 10-15 mins by taxi, or the center has plenty of parking. Guided by
Barbara B. 
The Gower Peninsula was the first area in
Wales to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Lying between
Swansea and Carmarthen Bays, the Gower's southern coastline includes
magnificent limestone cliffs interspersed with sandy bays, and offers some of
the most stunning coastal scenery in Britain. This holiday with Gaynor offers
Low Intermediate walks and is based at the Worms Head Hotel overlooking the sea
from Rhossili village. We have reserved plenty of ensuite single rooms - all
with sea views! From here we can walk straight out onto the cliffs overlooking
the striking Worms Head causeway, then on to pretty Mewslade Bay before
extending our circuit inland for some fine views back to the coast. On other
days we can walk further along the coast and in the other direction, and we
will sometimes head up onto the higher Downs for lovely views - to Cefyn Bryn
cairns, Great Tor, and Penmaen Burrows. This holiday is priced on a part board
basis including breakfast and packed lunches. In the evening we can eat at the
hotel or stroll out to eat at a bistro in the village. The nearest train
station to Rhossili is Swansea, 18 miles away with good bus connections to near
the hotel. Parking at the car park adjacent to the hotel costs £2 a day.
Price includes: 4 nights part board in ensuite twins (Single supplement
£15 a night); & all transport to walks. The nearest train station is
Swansea, 18 miles away with good bus connections to Rhossili. Parking at the
car park adjacent to the hotel costs £2 a day. 
This exciting new holiday
with Anita and Helen involves a 5 night trek through the extraordinary scenery
and rocky terrain of the Sinai Desert and its mountains. The Sinai is an arid
Biblical landscape dotted with secret Bedouin gardens. There are high mountain
passes to cross including some scrambles at High Level, and steep rocky ground
at times even along the High Intermediate route. We will walk in the company of
knowledgeable and friendly Bedouin guides and their camels. We will sleep
beneath the stars and eat freshly prepared meals around cosy campfires. The
High level walks will ascend mountains, including Mt St Katherines (2629m), and
finally Mt Sinai (2285m), whilst the High Intermediate walks will follow
stunning but demanding trade routes from oasis to oasis. On one day we will
follow Wadi Talaa, a steep lush valley with many interconnecting pools,
including the famous blue pool of Galt El Azraq, with streams of water
disappearing and resurfacing further down the valley. Everybody meets up each
evening, so you can keep your options open and swap grades from day to day if
you wish. At the start of the holiday there will be a chance to visit St.
Katherines Monastery and prepare for out trek. After the trek, we will enjoy 2
nights in the chilled out beach resort of Dahab on the gulf of Aquaba where the
snorkling is truly stunning. (Snorkling gear can be hired inexpensively from
the where we stay). Here we have reserved ensuite twin and single rooms, all
with fans or air conditioning, some with balconies (Single supplement here is
£10-£15 a night). There will also be a feast included on the last
night to celebrate!
For our other meals here we'll stroll out to enjoy the
atmosphere of the many little eating places along the front (not included but
inexpensive). There are scuba diving and wind-surfing schools for the more
adventurous - a perfect contrast to the ultimate desert experience! (Day pack
only - your luggage is transported for you by camels). 
A unique walking holiday
exploring the Turkish coast and staying in ensuite twin or single cabins on a
traditional, crewed sailing yacht ('gulet'). Over the holiday we will journey
between Marmaris and Fethiye, sometimes cruising, but usually walking to the
next rendezvous point along forested tracks and quiet lanes with views to the
mountains, the woods, or out over the islands along this lovely coast. The
walks will vary to suit the terrain, averaging low intermediate in grade with
one steeper ascent. Walking to the Caunos ruins, we will catch a river boat up
the Dalyan river to the mud baths and Caunos tombs, while on other days there
may be 2 shorter walks - to take in Cleopatra's Bath, other Roman ruins and
tombs, or the sunset from Yassica Island. On the last day there can be an
optional excursion to view the amazing Saklikent Gorge and the ruins of Tlos -
or you might prefer a relaxing day on the boat, swimming from a nearby beach or
visiting the local hammam for a Turkish bath. The holiday is priced on a full
board basis with the most delicious meals served on deck in the evening.
Hebden House nestles on the side of the hill above the
old mill town of Hebden Bridge in the South Pennines - an ideal base from which
to explore the hills and valleys of Bronte country with Brenda. Our walks will
take us up through spectacular wooded valleys and along old packhorse routes
onto the less-trodden moorlands of the Pennine watershed. Here we might hear
curlews and lapwings, and our views will stretch as far as Pendle Hill in the
north, and Blackstone Edge in the south. We can visit the unspoilt hilltop
village of Heptonstall where Sylvia Plath is buried, and walk the cobbled
streets of Haworth where the Bronte sisters lived. Hebden House is under new
management this year and offers simple but very affordable ensuite twin rooms
that we can take as
singles without a supplement. Brenda will provide packed lunch supplies each
day, and in the evening we'll go out to eat together at local restaurants. We
are including these restaurant evening meals in the price. The centre has a
large attractive lounge looking out onto a sheltered patio. Hebden House is
easy to reach by car, and Hebden station is less than 5 mins taxi ride away.
Within easy reach of the
South, the Cotswolds is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with sleepy
villages built of mellow Cotswold stone, and rolling hills full of delightful
low level walks. This weekend break with Barbara H is based at the very
comfortable and friendly Cleeve Hill Hotel which lies only 100 yards from the
Cotswold Way at Cleeve Hill and shares the same superb vantage point. From here
we can make a wide meandering circuit of Cleeve Hill with views in all
directions, or there's a lovely walk from the un-spoilt village of Winchcoombe,
stopping to see the wonderful gardens at Sudeley Castle. There can also be an
extra walk on Friday afternoon if you can arrive by 1pm. Cleeve Hill Hotel is
beautifully decorated with lovely ensuite rooms - mainly doubles that we can
take as singles, and two attractive and spacious twin rooms with very good
views. Delicious breakfasts are served in the light and airy conservatory, and
in the evening we can eat at the hotel, or stroll out to sample good eating
places in the village. Cleeve Hill is 15 minutes by taxi from Cheltenham
station. (Evening meals not included - from £15).
The incredible
experience of trekking in Nepal need not be purely for high level walkers. The
Hindu and Buddhist temples of Kathmandu, the amazing medieval city of Baktapur,
the serenity of Phewa Tal ('Fish Tail Lake') in Pokhara, and the breath taking
views of the Himalaya are all features of this intermediate holiday to Nepal -
including a 6-day circular trek to Gorapani in the Annapurna region. At
Gorapani, weather permitting, we'll climb Poon Hill and watch the sun rise over
the magnificent Annapurna range. There'll be bamboo forests and huge
rhododendron trees in flower, monkeys in the trees, steep stone steps that
we'll take as slowly as we need, and little villages dotting the terraced
hillsides where we'll stop for tea. While staying at Pokhara before the trek,
we will have a warm-up walk to Sunrise View at Sarankot, and maybe cross the
lake by boat to climb to the Peace Temple for another special view of the
mountains. The walks on this holiday are
to the full limit of Intermediate, and on one trekking day we will be walking
uphill slowly and steadily for 6 hours. Our accommodation over this holiday
will vary from 3-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara to simple tea houses on
the trek (basic accommodation with clean rooms and filtered water. Some have
squat toilets). Luggage is transported for you - you carry a day pack only.
The Cotswolds have proved very sought
after, so here is a new gentle Cotswolds weekend at Frampton Mansell close to
Cirencester based at The Crown Inn. The Crown offers plenty of comfortable and
recently renovated ensuite singles and twins away from the bar in a separate
annex. Our walks will take us down into the Golden Valley in both directions -
beside the River Frome to the lovely Cotswolds villages of Daneway and
Sapperton, returning through Siccaridge Wood Nature Reserve, and westward
beside the old Thames & Severn Canal and the River Frome - a delightful
sample of Cotswolds beauty enhanced by pools, lakes, and streams. On Friday
there can be an extra walk if you can arrive by 1pm - possibly exploring
Cirencester Park and the lovely town of Cirencester with its Corinium Museum.
Kemble station or mainline Stroud station are only 7 miles away by taxi. There
is also plenty of parking if you come by car. Guided by Gaynor. (Ensuite single
supplement. £15.00 a night). 
The first date given for a holiday is the day you
arrive. We don't walk on that day, except perhaps for an evening stroll to get
to know each other. You can usually get into your room from 2pm. Your guide
will arrive by 5pm and will leave a message at reception to say where she'll be
at that time. Dinner is generally at 7pm - so do tell us if you think you will
be late in case we can hold your meal. The walks start at a convenient time
after breakfast each day. Their length depends on the grade and sometimes we
might change a walk because of the weather. The walk on the last day is
shorter, and we are generally back by 2pm for trains from 3pm. However, on
weekend breaks and treks - especially if intermediate and high level - we are
generally not back till 3pm for trains from 4pm. When booking a weekend or a
trek, please tell us if you will need to leave earlier than this. 
The accommodation we book for the holidays varies hugely - from
charming small hotels and inns, to moderately priced guesthouses, and
ideally-located hostels and mountain refuges. The prices are based on you
sharing a room with another member of the group unless it says otherwise.
Singles with or without a supplement are often available if you book early. All
supplements are given as a figure per night. In hostels and refuges you mostly
sleep in bunk beds sharing a dormitory with other members of the group. Help
yourself to a free welcome cuppa from the Member's Kitchen when you arrive! For
much more accommodation information see our
If 'trekking' to you means days of slogging with the kitchen sink on
your back - forget it! We use the words 'Trekking' or 'Trek' to refer to
holidays that involve walking to a new place most days, allowing us to get off
the beaten track and reach more remote places like the stunning Western Lakes
or a high Alpine valley. We transport the luggage by taxi or porters wherever
possible, and on trips where this is not possible we clarify in the holiday
description the number of days you will carry extra gear. A trekking day can
sometimes be a little longer than a day walk of the same grade and there isn't
the same flexibility to take a day off as with other holidays, so please choose
the grade with special care. The reward is the satisfaction of having walked
there and seeing a new valley come into view. If a UK trek is not circular we
arrange transport back to the starting point or nearest station for free or for
a shared charge (see the holiday description & travel directions).
Rosie Jeffries or Sarah Burt. The Lake District Map is