The Headwater Blog

Paul Gogarty is a best selling author and travel journalist who has written for virtually all the national newspapers, innumerable magazines and was Chief Travel Writer at the Daily and Sunday Telegraph for a decade. He lectures at the London School of Journalism and is also a radio and TV presenter (including a three-year stint on BBC 1’s Holiday programme).

All my life I’ve had a passion for sport and of course it’s taken its toll. Playing football had to be given up in my forties following posterior cruciate damage and it was at that time too I swapped the vicious twists and turns of squash by the more forgiving sport of tennis. Over ambitious trekking on two occasions has also led to two very ugly brushes with altitude sickness. So my biggest tip I guess would be to listen to your body and avoid Peter Pan delusions!

Now in my late fifties I still take enormous pleasure in sensible sport and regular exercise: a couple of games of tennis a week; cycling whenever I need to go into town instead of using the car; plenty of walking the dog; and a couple of trips to the gym each week. On holiday my passion for walking has continued to lead me to new far-flung countries and those that are old friends but I am now considering replacing downhill with cross country skiing as a way of enjoying the Alps in winter.

As a travel writer I have often written about cycling, walking, diving, boating and tennis holidays and so I guess I do feel a bit of an expert on the subject. These are my top tips for a happy soft adventure holiday:

1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Remember it’s meant to be a holiday so don’t choose a “vigorous” trek if you are not a regular and very experienced walker.
2. Prepare for the holiday by getting reasonably fit – or better maintain a general level of good fitness throughout the year.
3. Try to ensure that your active holiday allows plenty of leisure time or day offs.
4. Walk or cycle at a comfortable pace – the real joy of soft adventure holidays is pleasure; enjoying the views and each other’s company.
5. Make sure your boots are worn in and your hired bike has been checked for optimum comfort before taking off.
6. Try to choose an operator that moves your bags ahead for you (I believe Headwater will even pick up any bottles you buy if you happen to pop into a vineyard en route!)
7. Prepare well in terms of your medical pack. Do you need mosquito repellent? I generally use Factor 50 sun tan cream these days. A pack of plaster can be useful. A small umbrella doesn’t take much room and avoids the need for waterproofs in hot climates when walking.
8. Take two litres of water with you each day unless you know you’ll be able to top up a one-litre water bottle en route. If you’re trekking further afield then I always take emergency iodine drops with me – they provide broader spectrum than water purification tablets.
9. Whatever you do, if you decide to book a trek at high altitude, don’t try to shave days off the trip as I have done and then suffer as a result of not being properly acclimatised.
10. If you’re booking an independent soft adventure holiday, always book with a reputable company that constantly updates and checks routes as well as providing maps and thorough written route instructions.

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

Yes you can!

When you ask yourself, “Can I manage a 2 Boot graded walk at my age? ” don’t think negative because you can really surprise yourself.

Not only have I walked and cycled on our Headwater trips, but I have also done it with work colleagues, not family and friends. A change of scenery and a change of company does do you the world of good!

I am your average British woman- I don’t go out walking or cycling every weekend and I don’t go to the gym, but I love the fresh air and great outdoors and I love to travel.

I have coped very well with Upper 1 boot walking holidays in Chianti, with 2 boot graded trips in Tuscany and St Lucia, upper 2 cycle grades in the Jura and even had a go at cross country ski experiences.

The elation you feel when you have reached the top of a hill and looked back at the brilliant scenery is immense. To see the country on foot or by bike is sooo much better when you know you have achieved the set mileage each day.

Not bad for someone who is reaching her half century this month!

Post added by Karen Probert, Senior Reservations consultant.