The Headwater Blog

I’m not an avid reader of books as I didn’t bother much with them as a kid, most of my childhood involved riding my bike, going to the beach, or making bonfires; some outings involving all three. I do however read whilst I’m on holiday and during my recent break read ‘a piano in the Pyrenees’ by Tony Hawks (of grumpy old men fame).
It follows the trials and tribulations of Tony buying a house in the French Pyrenees. It is a very entertaining book, having its ‘laugh out loud’ moments, especially Tony’s van buying exploits, but I won’t spoil the plot for you.

The book was recommended to me by our Operations Director, when she returned from setting up our new ‘Heart of Pyrenees walk’ earlier this year. Malcolm and Anne, our local representatives for our Pyrenees holiday, suggested it as a good read, plus they both feature in the book when they befriend the ‘greenhorn’ Tony and introduce him to village life.

The Pyrenees isn’t a region I’ve visited, but have now made a note of doing so with its breathtaking scenery and dramatic gorges and abundant wildlife.

The majority of my working time in France has been spent in the Ardèche; not as mountainous as the Pyrenees, but never-the-less, still breathtaking scenery. The Ardèche is where I learnt my French (or, that is, a variant of French that isn’t understood in Paris). I return there every year to catch up with friends, walk, cycle and maybe take a trip down the famous Ardèche gorge in a canoe. I spent several years working there, picking grapes, working in a wine cave, labouring for builders and farmers, canoe instructor and bus driver, not forgetting working for the rudest bar in France. (Some say the rudest bar would have to be in Paris, but they don’t hold a candle to the one I worked in - now closed down for Health and Safety reasons I think).

I always return to the Ardèche for its rugged ‘sauvage’ appeal with it’s deep gorge, rocky landscape and extensive wild stretches of hardy vegetation, with stunted chêne vert (Holm oak trees) clinging on to the rocks and somehow surviving in the stony soil. You won’t see Chateaux such as in the Loire or rolling hills like those of Burgundy, but you will see a wild, impressive landscape which hasn’t changed since… forever.

I am very pleased to say we now offer The Ardèche region as one of Headwater’s holidays the  ‘Ardèche Activities’ based in Joyeuse.

There are many activities on offer. Headwater provides route notes and maps for walking, or if you feel more adventurous, mountain biking, canyoning and a descent of the gorge in a canoe is on offer (or if you feel like letting someone else do the work, there are companies offering descents in larger crafts with a couple of beefy guides to steer you down the rapids). For this holiday it is essential to bring your own car or hire one at the airport. This gives you the freedom to explore the region and see sights such as the famous Orgnac caves.

If you are a bit of a culture vulture then Roman theatre in Orange is only 45 minutes away.

A little further south will bring you to the small town of Courthézon, where I always stock up on some Sang du Peuple wine whenever I’m passing. (It’s not so far from the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyards, but almost as good and much cheaper!)

Just 1 ¾ hours drive for Joyeuse will take you to Avignon with its impressive city walls and Palais du Pape. A little to the west of Avignon you will find the Pont-du-Gard, an awe-inspiring 1st century Roman aqueduct.

The only difficulty you will find with this holiday is fitting in everything you want to do in just a week; or perhaps stay a couple of extra days.

Post added by Mike Wheeler, Operations Manager

Jagged coastlines, majestic beaches, a temperate climate and wonderfully dramatic scenery makes Brittany an ideal, easy to reach destination this summer!

The most magical thing about Brittany is that, despite its popularity, you can still get away from it all and find your own hidden delights. From picturesque fishing ports and bustling seaside resorts along the coast, to the wooded river valleys, undulating fields, and rolling moor land further inland - and wherever you go you’ll find the region’s traditional costumes, language and music are a real temptation for any walker or cyclist.

You have plenty of options for reaching this ‘Northern delight’, you can hop on the ferry to St Malo, take the Eurostar to Paris or better still, you can fly - which is now cheaper and more convenient than ever before!

Ryanair have now introduced flights from Bristol and Birmingham, to add to their already popular routes from London Stansted and Nottingham East Midlands, meaning that just about everyone has easy access to this ‘must visit soon’ destination!

For more inforamtion on our holidays to Northern Brittany please use these links:

Cycling in Brittany, Walking in Brittany

Post added by Melanie Harrison

1) When did you get bitten by the travel bug, and decide that this was the way you wanted to live your life?

I grew up as the son of a professional soldier and moved every two or years and so “the bug” has been there from the beginning. As an adult I have lived in Algeria, Spain and Cyprus, I spent a year backpacking Asia and for the past 20+ years globetrotted as a travel writer and presenter.

2) Have there been any occasions when you’ve been in real danger while travelling?

My biggest danger has been self-inflicted, suffering very bad altitude sickness in Sikkim and Mount Kenya either because we ascended too fast or because I didn’t give myself enough time acclimatising. There was another time I had 13 stitches put in my eyebrow when filming for BBC1 Holiday programme when I soared off the top of a dune in a dune buggy!

3) What’s the biggest mistake an inexperienced traveller can make?

Trying to do too much and transforming an enjoyable active holiday experience into an assault course!

4) What do you think the most desirable locations for holidays will be in the next few years?

I think rural areas in Europe will continue to see growth, particularly in destinations whose coasts haven’t been ruined by over development. Sardinia would be a very good example of low-rise development, spectacular coast for beach r ‘n r, and a green, largely unspoilt interior.

5) Have you ever had any curious encounters with foreign cuisine?

I have eaten sheep’s brains in Algeria and rat in India but didn’t ask for second helpings!

6) Can you select a few of your favourite places to visit and tell us why?

I love islands, particularly Mediterranean ones whose flight time is shortish like Sardinia, Cyprus, Corfu, Crete where you walk during the day through pretty countryside to arrive at 4pm in the afternoon on the coast in time for a welcome dip in the Mediterranean millpond followed by a beer with your feet in the sand.

Post added by Paul Gogarty, from Headwater’s PR agency, Click to read more about Paul Gogarty Communications

In this increasingly competitive world, businesses everywhere are constantly looking for ways to improve their customer offerings. And so Easyjet have introduced Speedy Boarding - still no allocated seats, but giving you the option to purchase the right to board the aircraft first thus getting your preferred choice of seat.

Prices for buying Speedy range from airport to airport - the last route I flew was Liverpool-Nice where the charge was £7.50 per leg. Or you can buy an annual card giving unlimited Speedy upgrades for around £100 a year.

Is it worth it? Well, if you have hand luggage only, it does mean you can sit near the front of the plane, so you’ll get off quicker, be at the front of the passport queue on arrival and be first at car hire (if you’re using it). If you’re concerned about noisy engines, then being at the front of the plane is probably an advantage too. Oh, and if you want to be guaranteed an early coffee or a warm bacon bloomer (more cash needed though!) then sitting near the front is the best idea!

Any downsides apart from the additional cost? Of course there are! Don’t think you’ll be the only ones trying this out - I must have counted 20+ other passengers who had also decided to give it a go - and we all know what airports can be like for bringing out the worst behaviour in people (especially if money is involved!) - so we ended up in row 6 (so no extra leg room), and presumably £15 worse off than the couple on the row behind who hadn’t upgraded! But we did get a coffee (and wine) within a few minutes of being in the air, and Phil grabbed the last bloomer!

Worth it? We’ll give it another go as long as we’re not checking in bags, but I do think having the option to upgrade to pre-selected seats is a better option (Jet2 do this and it works well) - interested to read what anyone else thinks!

Click here for more information on

Post added by Catherine Crone, Managing Director.

The Fantastic new film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, is now on at your local cinemas, and is certainly making the headlines, even being quoted as the ‘greatest adventure ever assembled’!

Here in the Office we have all really enjoyed watching the 4th addition to the action packed Indiana Jones collection, and just loved Harrison Fords role in the latest blockbuster movie!

If you too enjoyed watching this why not try Headwaters very own blockbuster? Jewels of Jordan Walk… It to is set in the exciting city of Petra, with trips to magnificent monasteries and other exotic sites!

Or to really get into the swing of things with the latest movie why not try our Highlights of peru holiday? We will lead on your very own trail of discovery, following dramatic landscapes, exciting cultural and amazingly colourful experiences!

Click for more information on Jewels of Jordan discovery or Highlights of peru

Post added by Melanie Harrison- Website Content Manager